Weekly Article

Shortly after I rejoined Derry Church, I was pleased to be asked to serve on the Board of Deacons. The Deacons are the caregivers of the church, the front line of people who are contacted when a church member or friend needs help. Since this is the type of thing I enjoy doing anyway, serving as a Deacon seemed like a natural.

After our ordination, we had our first meeting where we were asked to select our subcommittee: health, business, or personal care. I chose personal care, which gave me the opportunity to deliver meals and visit sick or homebound members. Initially, this kept me pretty busy as there were several Derry members who recently had been sick or hospitalized, and a home delivered meal would be very helpful to them. I made and delivered A LOT of vegetable and chicken noodle soup! Delivering meals was probably my favorite responsibility as a Deacon because it gave me the opportunity to meet people that otherwise I might not have met, and I made a lot of good friends.

The most difficult responsibility I had as a Deacon was overseeing a Shepherd Group. For most Deacons, this is a group of people who live close by and could easily be contacted or visited. Since I live in Carlisle, my Shepherd Group is made up of all the members who lived outside of the Hershey-Hummelstown-Palmyra area and covered about a 30+ mile radius. Fortunately, I worked with an outstanding (non Deacon) Shepherd Group Leader who stepped up and helped when contacts were needed.

As my time on the Board of Deacons comes to an end, I realize that my involvement provided me with numerous opportunities to meet and get to know several other church members, and this helped me to feel part of the church very quickly. I will continue to deliver meals and visit homebound members because “that’s what I do,” but I will always remain grateful for my time as a Deacon. As in many other church activities, you gain far more than you give.