News

Orange Day on Sunday, July 25 is an opportunity to show support for those who are working to end the exploitation of women and children. Victims of labor and sex trafficking are often subject to debt bondage. Many are trapped in a cycle of debt because of having to pay for all living expenses in addition to initial transportation expenses. Fines for not meeting quotas and/or “bad” behavior can used to increase debt. 

7 PM SUNDAY, JULY 25 AT THE MT. GRETNA TABERNACLE

The Chorus of Alden Place invites you to enjoy their narrated program, “Through the Years,” comprised of American music from the landing of the Pilgrims to World War I. In addition to early American music, the program features “A Stephen Foster Trilogy,” “Cohan’s Big Three,” the “Battle Hymn of the Republic” and “God Bless America.” The chorus is directed by Darrell Woomer, retired chaplain at Lebanon Valley College, and includes Derry members (and choir members) Alan and Cathy Olson. Free will offering.

Click to watch Derry’s own Piano Guys, Mike Klucker and Grant Wareham, as they perform classic works by Franck, Faure, Rachmaninoff and more on Sunday afternoon, July 11!

7 PM TUESDAY, AUGUST 31 ON THE FRONT LAWN, WEATHER PERMITTING

In celebration of all of God’s creatures and their presence in our lives, Derry Church offers its 14th annual worship service that includes a blessing of animals. Animals on leashes, in a kennel, or otherwise controlled are invited to attend along with their owners. The worship service will include praise songs and hymns in addition to a hands-on blessing of animals and the people with whom they live. Dress is casual.

You’re also invited to bring donations for the Humane Society as an outreach to those who help care for animals in need of help and homes. Requested items include non-scoopable cat litter, puppy training pads, paper box lids (for litter boxes), metal pet dishes, sheets, towels, blankets, paper towels, garbage bags of any size, dust pans and brushes, odor neutralizers, glass cleaner, floor cleaner, and gift certificates to pet stores, grocery stores, and hardware stores. 

We don’t have all the details, but we can tell you that dinner in Fellowship Hall will be back this fall. Loretta Chubb and her crew will be serving a hot meal, salad, beverage and dessert from 5-6 pm on Tuesdays from October through April… and the first meal will be stuffed shells. $5 for adults, $3 for ages 5-12, free for ages 0-4.

In addition to the meal, there will be handbell and choir rehearsals for children and youth, time for fellowship, and evening worship in the Chapel a new time: 6:15-7 pm. Watch for more details in coming weeks!

Downtown Daily Bread provides services to Harrisburg’s homeless people, offering daily breakfast and lunch, clothing, a Day Shelter with showers, and counseling services. Downtown Daily Bread remained open every day during the pandemic, with limited volunteer opportunities to protect the health and safety of both the dedicated staff and clients.

• Downtown Daily Bread is now open for volunteers to help serve breakfast every weekday from 7- 8 am. Two volunteers are permitted at a time. Contact Craig Smith (717 566 4757).
• Downtown Daily Bread is in need of underwear for clients using the Day Center and shower facilities. New packages of underwear may be dropped off between the doors at Derry Church’s office entrance, or contact Craig for pickup.  All sizes can be used, but medium and large sizes for both men and women are most needed.

Downtown Daily Bread is a mission project of Pine Street Presbyterian Church. It’s located on Third Street in downtown Harrisburg, directly across from the Pennsylvania state capitol. 

Click this link to find the volunteer opportunity that’s right for you!

Learn more about the sneaker drive and how you can donate footwear

Love INC of Greater Hershey needs YOU and 100+ more volunteers to help prepare for and fit fresh young feet with new sneakers to return to school in August. From calling registered families to schedule and inventorying each pair donated to greeting and registration to foot sizing and sneaker fitting, friendly faces of all abilities are needed to get over 400 pairs of sneakers to the Lower Dauphin and Derry Township students who need them.

Student volunteers are welcome! Please note: any student who attends Derry Township or Lower Dauphin School Districts may volunteer in the Sneaker Closet only during distribution. This is to preserve the privacy of students they may know who are receiving sneakers. There are many opportunities ‘pre-distribution’ for volunteers of all ages! If all of the sneaker closet spaces are full, contact the Love INC office and speak with Michelle.

COVID-19 INFORMATION: We will follow the CDC recommendations at the time of the volunteer activity and any policies at the location of that activity, such as Trinity United Methodist and First United Methodist Churches. Vaccinations are NOT a requirement to volunteer.

Questions? Call the Love INC office: 717-835-0101.

Church mailboxes have a new home between rooms 1 & 2 on the lower level. When you’re dropping off information, please do check the yellow signs above the mailboxes and the shelf labels behind the doors to make sure you’re placing items in the correct box: names on many boxes have changed or have been consolidated into shared committee boxes.

Derry Church celebrates with two Derry members celebrating service anniversaries at Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center: 

• Urs Leuenberger, 35 years of service, Penn State Heart and Vascular Institute
• Tim Mosher, 30 years of service, Radiology