News

On Sunday, Dec 15 Derry receives the quarterly Change for Children offering that benefits the Alliance for Children Everywhere. Since this is the season to celebrate our Savior’s birth, this offering will focus on their support for babies.

Since 2001, the House of Moses has rescued over 700 orphaned or abandoned babies. Surrounded by tall pines and jacaranda trees, it is a crisis nursery for children up to age two. Babies have a warm bed, nourishing milk, and soft clothing. The trained caregivers provide them with consistency, safety, and loving attention. Weather permitting, babies crawl and toddle through the soft grass in the yard beside a mural of the Peaceable Kingdom.  

Bring your change in a zip-closed bag, placing it in one of the designated baskets. Be sure the bag contains coins only: no extraneous items like paper clips, tokens, pins, batteries. Bag foreign coins separately. Thanks for your generosity and support.

The annual Jim Cooper Memorial Blood Drive on Sunday, Dec 8 was a great success!

• 32 people were registered. This is fantastic as there were 21 people on the schedule to start.
• 24 units of blood were collected.
• This drive will help to save up to 72 lives, and so very needed at this time of year. Thank you, Derry Church!

GRAB & GO 11:30 AM SUNDAY, DEC 15 AT THE TAKE-OUT KITCHEN WINDOW IN THE NARTHEX

Derry’s BSA Troop 2200 is raising money for summer camp and other scouting activities by selling pork BBQ sandwich meals for $10 (includes a sandwich, chips, and a drink). This is a grab-n-go event: everything will be ready for you to take.

Orders are due Saturday morning, Dec 14. Click this link or scan the QR code shown below to order your meal or to make a donation to the Troop. 

Your meal preorder ensures that enough food will be prepared for everyone who wants a meal. A limited number of additional meals will be available for purchase while supplies last. As always, scouts and leaders appreciate your support. 

Tuesdays just got more terrific: at its November meeting, Session approved a proposal to serve free meals on Tuesday evenings beginning on January 7, 2025.

Beginning in January, we ask that everyone RSVP no later than the day before, so our kitchen crew can prepare accordingly. Click this to RSVP. More dates will be added as the earliest dates expire.

Thanks to the donors who are covering the cost of meals as we test this new way to serve our members and neighbors.

6 PM WEDNESDAY, DEC 11 IN THE CHAPEL • MODERATED BY PASTOR STEPHEN

You’re invited to practice listening with empathy by asking curious questions and learning from one another. This month’s topic centers on the prompt “America needs to go back to….”

Participants will have two minutes to share their thoughts and ideas related to the prompt, then others present can ask curious questions based on what’s said. The intent is to better understand where the speaker is coming from and why that person believes the way they do.

All are welcome to participate in this curious conversation. 

The conversation continues at 6 pm Tuesday, Jan 7 in the Hammond Library when those gathered will reflect on the prompt, “America needs to change by…”

• Received and welcomed new members: Ruth Barrick, Carol Hundley, Susan Jordan, April McClaine, Stephanie Zimmerer, and Tom Zimmerer.
• At the Session meeting on November 20, the Session met with incoming elders: Bobbie Atkinson, Kathy McGrath, Peggy Ladd, and Lynn Shirk and incoming deacons: Julie Harris, Courtney Garcia, Lynn Shirk and Twila Ziviello to examine them as required by the Book of Order. All were approved and will be ordained/installed at Sunday worship on January 12, 2025.
• The Session approved the use of the church facilities for the following events:
  • Harrisburg American Guild of Organists Pipe Organ Encounter June 22-27, 2025
  • BSA Troop 2200 sale of grab-n-go Pork BBQ sandwiches for $10 on December15, orders will be taken on Sunday, December 8
• A review of Derry’s year-to-date financial report indicates a positive outlook for year end. Pledge cards continue to arrive bringing us closer to the 2025 budget goal.
• Approved a new policy entitled “Derry Presbyterian Church Confronting Racism and Discrimination Policy” as required by PCUSA.
• We are receiving submissions from other churches in the Presbytery for our Churches Helping Churches grant program.Pastor Stephen explained that another local church is struggling with the cost of repairing a stained-glass window and suggested that we open the grant program to community churches as well as those within our presbytery. The Session agreed and the policy document was amended accordingly. 
• Approved a new staff position description for a full time Facilities Director and to hire Shawn Bentley for the position. The previous part time position of Property Manager was eliminated.
• The Session reviewed Pastor Stephen’s proposed Terms of Call for 2025 and recommend that they be approved at the upcoming congregational meeting on Sunday, December 8 at 11:30 am.
• Approved a Stewardship & Finance request to obtain a credit card for Summer Hakkinen from Northwest Savings with a $10,000 limit.
• Approved a new endowment fund generously created through an initial gift of $50,000 to financially support youth ministry trips and provide scholarships for youth to attend trips when needed.
• The annual Share the Love, Spread the Joy program will run from Dec 1 – 8 and includes collecting winter clothes for Allison Hill ministries, hat & mitten tree, collection of $30 Walmart gift cards for Derry Social Ministries and racetrack workers, sale of “Joy to the Burg” CDs to benefit the homeless population in Harrisburg, toy donations for Cocoa Packs, food bank contributions, and $5 Starbucks gift cards to hand out to random strangers.
• Approved a trial program beginning in January to provide free meals on Tuesday evenings. All members and visitors are welcome to the meals. This effort will be a slow rollout as we learn what to expect. Initially, information will be spread by word of mouth gradually letting the community know that this program is in place.
• Approved Mission & Peace’s request to name Gather the Spirit for Justice as the recipient of Derry’s portion of the 2024 Christmas Joy offering.
• Derry Discovery Days Board has arranged for the Cool Beans coffee truck to be in the church parking lot on Monday, January 6, 2025 to provide free drinks to the preschool staff.

2-4 PM WEDNESDAYS, JAN 8-APR 2 IN THE JOHN ELDER CLASSROOM

GriefShare is a friendly, caring group of people who walk alongside people through one of life’s most difficult experiences, offering support to those who are dealing with the loss of a loved ones from death. Each GriefShare session is organized in two parts. During the first 30-40 minutes of the meeting, the group views a video seminar featuring top experts on grief and recovery subjects. These videos are produced in an interesting-to-watch television magazine format featuring expert interviews, real-life case studies, dramatic reenactments and on-location video. Following the video, participants spend time discussing what was presented on that week’s video seminar and what is going on in each other’s lives.

This session continues weekly through April 2. Those interested may begin attending the GriefShare group at any time. Each session is self-contained, and any missed weeks can be joined when the next series is offered.

Register by contacting the church office (717-533-9667). No cost to attend. Child care is not available.

TUESDAY, DEC 24 IN THE SANCTUARY • LIVE STREAMING AT 5 PM & 7:30 PM

2:30 pm: Worship includes Lessons and Carols and communion, with holiday music presented by the Derry Brass.

5:00 pm: A candlelight service of Lessons and Carols featuring participation by children and music for the entire family to enjoy.

7:30 pm: A traditional Christmas Eve candlelight service of Lessons and Carols, with music provided by the Derry Ringers and the Sanctuary Choir.

All Christmas Eve services include singing “Silent Night” and sharing candlelight, symbolizing that the Light of the World has come.

Child care available at 2:30 and 5 pm. The lounge adjacent to the Sanctuary offers a candle-free worship zone and a space where young families can move about freely.

Christmas Day at Derry Church
10:30 AM WEDNESDAY, DEC 25 IN THE CHAPEL LED BY PASTOR STEPHEN

Come as you are for a worship service that includes carol singing and a Christmas story, followed by refreshments, fellowship, and a birthday cake for Jesus.

The 2024 Arts Alive Cultural Series presents “A Derry Christmas,” a holiday concert featuring the Sanctuary Choir, Derry Ringers, soloists, harp, percussion, and orchestra.

Under the direction of Dan Dorty, musicians will present a program looking to the Nativity with works such as The Angel Gabriel, Paul Manz’s E’en So Lord Jesus Quickly Come, and Mack Wilberg’s beloved Gloria in Excelsis Deo featuring choir, orchestra, organ, percussion, and liturgical dance. 

The audience will be invited to sing along on selections including O Come, All Ye Faithful, Angels We Have Heard on High, and Mack Wilberg’s setting of Joy to the World. Featured soloists include Charley Miller, Bass; Janice Click Holl, Soprano; Julie Miller, Soprano; and Loren Geeting, Tenor. A handbell quartet will ring What Child is This, an exciting arrangement set by Kevin McChesney. Join us and prepare your heart for the love that has come down at Christmas!

No tickets needed. Doors open at 2:30 pm. Free will offering. 

The concert will be live streamed on derrypres.org and on YouTube.