News

Derry Discovery Days preschool registration for new Derry Church families for the 2024-25 school year begins Saturday, Jan 20 and runs through Tuesday, Jan 23. Children ages 1-5 can be registered for any of our four age group classes. To receive registration information, email Laura Cox, Director. Tours can be scheduled.

Hello my dear friends, I am Anaya from Class 4. I wish to become a doctor. My parents are not so rich to fulfill all my school needs. God is great. He sent His angel in your face to support me. I love you too much. I wish to serve the poor people of my country. I request you to please support me always. We pray for you daily. May God bless you always. Amen

For 13 years, Derry Church has maintained a partnership with the Presbyterian Education Board in Pakistan. PEB operates 25 schools, primary through high school, including some boarding schools, that serve more than 5,900 students. Derry, through the Friends of Sargodha group, has a particular relationship with the schools in Sargodha. 

Friends of Sargodha’s goal is to continue to provide ten scholarships every year. You can help.

A full scholarship for a day student is $400 a year, about a dollar a day. We are dividing that amount into ten shares, $40 each, to offer you the opportunity to support a portion of a scholarship. 

You can purchase one or more shares by writing a check to Derry Church notated “Pakistan Scholarship” or online through the church website.

Read Eleanor Schneider’s message inviting you to participate. This fundraiser continues through February 2024.

• In the PW basket in the mission closet, you’ll find kits to sew hygiene bags. Precut fabric and ribbons and instructions are included. Sign your name if you take one, and return by April. Doris Feil can answer your questions.
• PW designates the 25th of each month as Orange Day to recognize the exploitation of females and work to end it throughout the world. January is also National Human Trafficking Month. Trafficking victims are 80% female. Of those, 80% are sexual trafficking and 20% are labor trafficking. Recently some police departments are arresting and publishing names of those who are paying for services rather than the victims’ names. Publicity has reduced incidents in some locations. Most traffickers and their victims are of same race. Wear orange or an orange ribbon on Thursday, Jan 25 to show support for efforts to eliminate these exploitations.

9-11 AM SATURDAY, JAN 27 IN FELLOWSHIP HALL 

Derry Discovery Days Preschool invites Derry Church families for a fun-filled morning featuring a pancake bar, hot cocoa bar, cookie decorating, crafts and games. Cost is $25 per family. RSVP to Laura Cox by Jan 24.

• Examined and approved the ordination and installation on January 14, 2024 of newly elected ruling elders and deacons.
• Approved a baptism request for Reese MacFarlane, daughter of Erica & Brendan MacFarlane, who will be a part of the upcoming new member class.
• Approved a building use request to hold a Japanese Swordmanship Seminar on Friday and Saturday, Jan 26-27 in Fellowship Hall.
• Approved Derry’s 2024 budget as follows: $1,322,800 income, $1,415,711 expenses leaving a projected deficit of $92,911. Historically, expenses are less than budget projections and with the addition of a portion of the income from the Anderson Trust, any shortfall, if it occurs, can be minimized.
• Stewardship & Finance reported that with the end-of-year giving and underspending of budgets by the committees, we may end 2023 with a budget surplus. If there is a surplus, the Session will address how to use it at the January 2024 meeting when final figures are available.
• To increase opportunities for giving, the QR code included in the bulletin will be added to the livestream projection during the “Thanksgiving for Gifts Received” portion of the worship service. In addition, Stewardship & Finance will look for ways to increase the visual prominence of our collection boxes for depositing financial gifts.
• Approved the Presbyterian Women 2024 collections: Blanket + Fund, Birthday and Thank offerings. The Cookie Walk Jumbles Shop event will be held Saturday, Dec 7.
• As part of this year’s confirmation class, Pastor Stephen has issued a “Be a Blessing Challenge” in which each confirmand will be given $100 to bless an organization or cause. The purpose goes beyond giving money with each person encouraged to think how she can use the money to engage and invest in her cause. Session approved a request submitted by Alex Patton to solicit the congregation for books for a mini library, which she is proposing for her project. More information on specific books needed will be forthcoming.
• The term of active service will end in January for elders: Duncan Campbell, Jessica Delo, Pete Feil, Claudia Holtzman, Gregg Robertson, and Laura Williams. Thank you to these elders for their leadership over the past three years, which included the challenges of the pandemic, helping Derry to continue to meet its commitment to proclaim God’s Word, share God’s love, and practice God’s justice.
• This being ME Steelman’s final session meeting as a staff member, the Session acknowledged and thanked her for her commitment and dedication to Derry’s children and Christian Education program.

6:30-7:30 PM THURSDAY, JAN 25 IN THE YOUTH ROOM

Derry dads are gathering this month for conversation, snacks and games. Pastor Stephen may even bring some of his venison bologna, but you’ll need to show up to find out.

1 PM WEDNESDAY, JAN 17 IN THE LOUNGE

“A Person with Leprosy Encounters Jesus” is this month’s lesson for the Presbyterian Women’s circle. All women are invited to attend. The scripture — Luke 17:11-21 — looks at how Jesus heals a leper and how he can heal fixed ideas that limit life.

6:30-7:30 PM TUESDAYS ON ZOOM, JAN 16-MAR 19

God loves everyone. We know prejudice based on race is wrong. Yet, as issues around race have been politicized, many of our congregations are reflecting on how to discuss race and loving our neighbors in our 21st century highly anxious American society. Carlisle Presbytery is sponsoring a Bible study led by various pastors to engage scriptures related to race and spiritual practices. View and download the schedule.

11 AM TUESDAY, JAN 23 ON ZOOM 

Join our Faith Community Nurse, Beckie Freiberg, RN, on Zoom for a Health Time session filled with tips and best practices for staying healthy as you travel.

Note that Health Time has moved to a new day and time: it’s now being presented on the fourth Tuesday of the month at 11 am.

We’ve recently installed a new hearing assist system in the Sanctuary that offers a standard headphone option or a loop that connects with many hearing aids so sound is heard through the user’s hearing aids. If you have questions about how to use the new system, see deacon Dave Hibshman on Sunday. Big thanks to Dave for working to seamlessly incorporate the new devices into our sound system.

If you prefer to use the previous hearing assist system, it is still available and operational.

During the cold winter season, Christian Churches United of the Tri-County Area offers two walk-in overnight shelters so that everyone who needs a place can have a warm space to sleep. To support their efforts, our Mission & Peace Committee is holding a drive from Jan 15-Feb 15 to collect food, clothing, toiletries, and needed items for the shelters. Click to view and download the list. Drop items in the designated basket in the mission closet in the Ruth Codington Library.

In this winter season, plans can change quickly. When snowy, icy weather is forecast, here’s where you can find church schedule changes:

• At the top of the church website in the black ALERTS bar
• Posted on Derry’s social media channels (Facebook/Twitter/Instagram)
• Text messages to everyone signed up to receive alerts from Derry Church: sign up here to get on that list

It’s our practice NOT to send email notifications for every closing and schedule change as these can be frequent and not everyone subscribed to our email list needs the same information.