News

ON SUNDAYS FOLLOWING THE CONVERSATION WITH CHILDREN IN 10:30 AM WORSHIP

KIWI [Kids In Worship Instruction] • Age 4 – Kindergarten
MEETS IN THE CHAPEL • LED BY MRS. STEELMAN
KiWI offers children an opportunity to learn about the sacraments of baptism and communion, and to practice and better understand the meaning of the Lord’s Prayer and the Doxology. Children will discover hidden beauty in our worship spaces and learn more about worshiping as a church family.

RECONNECT • Grades 1 & 2
MEETS IN THE JOHN ELDER CLASSROOM (JEC) BEHIND THE CHAPEL • LED BY ONE OF OUR PASTORS
Children will learn about our sacraments of baptism and communion, practice and better understand the meaning of the Lord’s Prayer and the Doxology, and how to navigate the hymnal and Bible. This semester-long program is designed to help children RECONNECT with worship and be better equipped to participate. 

Parents, after worship you can pick up your children in the Chapel or JEC. Adults, extra hands are needed each week. Contact ME Steelman to volunteer.

Derry Church’s Mission & Peace Committee has approved an allocation of $5,000 from its 2021 budget to support the work of Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) as they providing active response to recent natural disasters including Hurricane Ida, the flooding in Tennessee, and Colorado wildfires.

This allocation is in addition to dedicated PDA donations already made by Derry members totaling $2,488. To give in support of PDA, click here and choose the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance box.

In Zambia, the Alliance for Children Everywhere (ACE) pursues programs to protect children in crisis and return them to family as soon as possible instead of institutionalizing them. Since 1998, they have sheltered over 1,000 babies and children between rescue and family placement. Since 2001, ACE community schools have provided daily lunches and education to more than 10,000 children who would otherwise miss out.  

A gift of $15.63 provides a full year of lunches and education to a child who would not attend school due to social exclusion, material poverty, or hunger. Bring your change in zip-closed bags, remembering to bag any foreign coins separately. Check that the bag is free of paper clips, pins, batteries, buttons — anything that is not legal tender — as these clog the coin sorting machine.  

Change 4 Children for the ACE is collected quarterly at Derry Church and will be received on Sunday, Sept 19 at the end of each service. Thanks, Derry!

Teaching or helping in the nursery, Sunday School classrooms, choirs, children and youth fellowships and other youth activities is an awesome way to help the children of the church learn that you value your faith and relationship with God.  

As Derry’s youth and children’s programming resumes, volunteers are needed for a variety of  activities:

• Contact Heidi Keene to volunteer in the nursery with young children (ages 1-3)
• Contact M.E. Steelman to volunteer with children’s programming (ages 4-grade 5)
• Contact Pastor Pam to volunteer with youth programming (grades 6-12)

All adults who volunteer with youth under 18 years of age must have their Safe Child Clearances up to date and on file with the church. Clearances are valid for 5 years and must be renewed every 5 years. Volunteers must also complete the Derry Safe Children Training Course. Contact Kathy McGrath for more information.

Derry Church appreciates all volunteers and is here to help you through the clearance process.

Join your church family at 8 pm Saturday, Sept 11 as Pastor Stephen offers a 15-minute video with prayers and reflections. We’ll gather online as a church family to reflect and share what we remember from that day. Use the link provided above, or go to Derry Church’s YouTube or Facebook pages to join the conversation.

9:15 – 10 AM SUNDAYS: OCT 17, 24 & 31 AND NOV 7 IN THE JOHN ELDER CLASSROOM • CLASSES REPEATED 6-7 PM WEDNESDAYS, OCT 20 – NOV 10 ON ZOOM

Learn more about the mission and ministry of Derry Church in a series of classes offered on Sunday mornings. Those who decide to join will be received on Sunday, Nov 14. Questions? Contact Pastor Marie. 

CLICK TO REGISTER (always appreciated, never required)

12-1 PM THURSDAY, SEPT 16 • REGISTRATION REQUIRED: CLICK HERE

For many, a daily meal is just a choice of what to eat for dinner. For those facing hunger, a daily meal poses a very different type of choice. It is often an impossible choice between food and other critical needs such as utilities, housing or medicine. This is our time to educate the public that “food shouldn’t be an impossible choice.” 

September is Hunger Action Month. Join the discussion at Central Pennsylvania Food Bank’s Virtual Town Hall. They will share updates on their mission, lessons they have learned over the past year and a half, how they will continue to build resilience and be a resource for our partners on the front lines.

Derry Church is a longtime supporter of the Food Bank through financial and volunteer support, and the Food Bank is an essential partner to many of the organizations we support.

“Moving for Krislund” is a Virtual Walk/Run/Bike event where supporters move for Krislund Camp and Retreat Center and raise money based on how many miles they go! 

Because this event is ran virtually over a month you can feel free to do your moving at your own pace, and you can get together with friends and family and move together with the community that supports Krislund Camp. 

Last year “Moving for Krislund” raised just over $30,000 with more than 60 movers and almost 100 supporters participating. This year’s goal is $25,000. Funds will support development of Krislund programming, as well as infrastructure and development of the property to better serve campers and year-round guests. Here is the breakdown of where the funds raised will be going this year:

• 25% towards Krislund’s Future (Endowment/Investments)
• 65% towards property and program development
• 10% towards Krislund Scholarships for summer 2022

Click here for more information and to sign up as a mover or a donor. Click here to support our own Pastor Pam, Krislund board member, as she gets moving for Krislund!

9-10 AM SUNDAYS, SEPT 5-12-19-26 IN ROOM 7 (FACE MASKS REQUIRED) AND STREAMING ON DERRYPRES.ORG, YOUTUBE & FACEBOOK

You already recognize the importance of faith and love in the Christian life. But what is hope, and how does hope empower believers to face the challenges of the future? Here’s your chance to learn about Christian hope and its significance in a four-week study led by Prof. Charles (Buz) Myers, an ordained Presbyterian minister who teaches Biblical Studies in the Department of Religious Studies at Gettysburg College.

Through a careful consideration of 1 Corinthians, especially the 15th chapter, you will confront the core of the Apostle Paul’s profound message to a church that sounds quite modern. Let the Apostle challenge you to re-examine the roots of your Christian faith and explore the implications that that faith has for the believing community in the 21st century. Find out where the church is headed and what this direction has to say to us today.  

• Sept 5: “Who Is Paul, and Who Are the Corinthians? (An Introduction to the Apostle Paul and the Church at Corinth)
• Sept 12: “And You Think Your Church Has Problems!” (1 Corinthians 1-7) 
• Sept 19: “Indecent and Out-of-Order: Worship in Corinth” (1 Corinthians 8-14)
• Sept 26: “What Is in Store for Us in the Future?” (1 Corinthians 15-16)   

• Approved baptisms for Cameron Bentley, son of Elia & Brian Bentley and Emmeline McGrath, daughter of Jillian and Ryan McGrath.
• Use of Derry Church was approved for the following events:
  • Zumba Gold Fitness Classes beginning Sept 2 in Fellowship Hall on Thursday evenings from 5:30 to 6:15 pm
  • Susquehanna Chorale Spring 2022 concert: rehearsal May 2, 2022 5-10 pm and concert May 13, 2022 5-10 pm in the Sanctuary
  • Rev. James Smith, Chaplain at Country Meadows, to conduct the marriage of his daughter on Dec 3, 2021 in the Chapel

For all activities, participants must adhere to Derry’s Covid policies.

• Reviewed the Treasurer’s report; contributions are lagging behind last year at this time, spending is in line with budgeted projections. 
• Approved hiring Josh Pearson for Derry’s part-time Sexton position.
• Approved donating Derry’s van to Krislund Camp & Conference Center.
• The following motions were passed in light of the Center for Disease Control’s recommendations issued on July 27, 2021 that “everyone in areas with high COVID-19 infection rates wear masks in public indoor spaces, regardless of vaccination status.” Dauphin County is classified as having a high infection rate on the CDC’s COVID Data Tracker.
  • Require masks at both indoor services
  • Permit continued choral and congregational singing and other musical offerings with masks and social distancing
  • Require masks for all indoor gatherings (with a few exceptions for small funeral meals currently scheduled)
  • All children’s events (under age 12)
  • Postpone the start of Terrific Tuesday events until October 5, 2021
• In addition, the Session approved a policy that strongly encourages all individuals, both staff and volunteers, who work with children age 12 and younger, be vaccinated.
• Called a Congregational Meeting for October 10, 2021 for the purpose of electing new church Elders and Deacons as well as Nominating Committee members.
• Derry’s Active Membership roll will be updated to delete the names of individuals who have moved or have not been active at Derry for a period of two years or more. Attempts have been made to contact these members.
• Boyer & Ritter will be engaged to perform a review of Derry’s 2020 finances and accounting procedures at a cost of $6,600 using the “Agreed Upon Procedure” method.

Last week the Communications & Technology Committee sent a short survey to the 74 people who receive text alerts from Derry Church. The results are in and based on those responses, we’ll now be sending a link by text to the weekly eNews, alerts when a Derry member has passed away, and reminders to sign up for events — in addition to the regular Saturday night notification and any last-minute updates or schedule changes. Click here to sign up for text alerts. Send any additional feedback to Sue George.