News

5:30-7:30 PM SUNDAY, JULY 9 – THURSDAY, JULY 13 • CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Derry Church welcomes you to our annual VBS program. This year’s theme is “A Place at the Table.”  We’ll spend our week listening to stories that teach us how fulfilling it can be to gather around the table with friends, family, strangers and even our enemies. Our stories will encourage us, strengthen us and comfort us as we remind one another that God is always gathering to eat with us. And our lessons will give new meaning to our favorite mealtime gathering spaces!  

Derry’s VBS program is open to children age 4 – entering grade 5. Children must be toilet trained. $15 per child includes a nightly adventure filled with fun, excitement, amazing creations & games, fabulous music and s’mores around the campfire in the courtyard area. 

9:15-10:15 AM SUNDAY, JUNE 4 IN ROOM 7 AND STREAMING

Veterans Outreach of PA plans to build a village of 15 tiny homes surrounding a community center for homeless Veterans on the Susquehanna River in South Harrisburg on a beautifully situated 5-acre parcel. Homes are designed to meet the unique needs of Veterans while recreating the stable support network last offered to them before they left the service.

Learn about the project from John Hickey, VOPA Board Member and Governance Committee Chair, and how Derry Church will be supporting the project over the next year. John will also present a Minute for Mission in worship on Sunday, June 4.

7-8 PM THURSDAY, JUNE 8 AT JOE OWSLEY’S HOME IN HERSHEY

The Derry Church men’s group will spend an hour next week honing their axe throwing skills and enjoying fellowship together. All men welcome!

Summer is upon us – Memorial Day and the Church Picnic are the close signs that life at Derry will ease up a bit. Only a bit, but hopefully this summer you and your family can catch your breath and soak up all the sun and sand and mountain dirt or whatever feeds your soul these days. 

One thing I wanted to suggest is that you consider joining us on Tuesday evenings for our on-going Evening Praise and Communion Worship Service. Starting in June, we will be meeting nearly every Tuesday evening at 7 pm (taking off for July 4 and the Corn Roast on August 15). 

If you are not able to worship on a Sunday morning, come on Tuesday evening! Worship is relaxed, with lots of music, color, creativity, and communion. Most weeks we will be worshiping in the Chapel, but on occasion we will move inside and outside the building. For example, on Tuesday, June 6 we will be meeting in the Codington Library on the Lower Level. On Tuesdays, June 20, July 11, July 18, and August 22 we will worship out in the courtyard (weather permitting). Sometimes, we will meet in the Sanctuary and gather in the choir loft for a hymn-themed worship. Signs will be posted on the Chapel door when we are not using that space.

Continuing to lead worship will be Pastor Stephen, Nancy Reinert, Tom Folts, me and other surprises. Music will be provided by Dan Dorty, Mary Lemons, Kathy Yingst, and anyone else who would like to share their gifts of music with us. Let any of those mentioned by name know of your interest and availability.

All ages are welcome, and this coming Tuesday, May 30 we will worship one last time at 6 pm in the Chapel. I will be leading our time together with Dan Dorty’s help. Our theme is “Curiouser and Curiouser.” Come, bring your own take out dinner, relax and praise God! Hope to see you this summer.

• Rev. Kristal Smith, Presbytery Leader for Governance and Congregational Leadership met with the Session to bring updates on the Presbytery’s work and answer questions. She discussed Rev. Cheryl Galan’s recent retirement and adjustments being made as a result. Of particular interest was Rev. Smith’s discussion of Per Capita giving – how it started and how it is calculated and used. Current per capita is $31/Derry Church member, distributed as follows: $18.95 stays with Carlisle Presbytery, $2.40 to Synod of the Trinity, and $9.65 to General Assembly. Derry pays the per capita for each church member – a total of $27,435 for this year.
• April’s financial reports show that expenses for the month exceeded the budget primarily due to the payment of the per capita giving. However, we are about $18,000 ahead of budget for the year.
• Approved two Capital Procurement Requisitions – the first to rewire the church network, which includes removing old/unused wiring, consolidating junctions, locating and labeling all cables, and installing updated Cat6 wiring. Cost of the project is $12,000. The second project will include upgrading the Chapel bell tower, adding a new stairway between the rear parking lot and Mansion Road entrance, correcting water runoff issues around the church building, and renovations to classrooms 4, 5, and 7AB. Cost of the project is $150,000.
• Reviewed and approved an updated Gift Acceptance Policy which clarifies actions that need to be taken when discussing and receiving gifts being made to the church, whether monetary donations or tangible items.
• Stewardship & Finance has implemented several new policies regarding fund investment and re-balancing. Those items of business were approved.
• Authorized obtaining a business credit card for ME Steelman with a $5,000 limit.
• Reviewed and approved a new position description for a Nursery Childcare Leader. This position will help with scheduling and coordinating care as well as oversight of the nursery. With Sue Fox retiring, a new leader for the nursery is necessary.

While Sue can never be replaced, Derry Church has started the search for a new lead nursery caregiver. Click for the job description. If you or someone you know is interested in applying, resumes can be sent to Gregg Robertson.

Cash Flow – Operating Fund as of 4/30/23:

Expenses for the month of April exceeded budget primarily due to the one time, lump sum payment of $27,435 to the Presbytery for our per capita.

Derry member Luke Gawron has been commissioned to create a painting for the main entrance of the church, and he’s looking for your help. Luke needs copies or duplicate photos of meaningful times you’ve spent at Derry. Pictures from weddings, funerals, baptisms, retreats, mission trips, corn roasts, chili cook-offs and more will be happily accepted. 

These pictures will be cut and assembled together to create an image that will be the subject of his painting, so please be aware that your pictures will not be returned! We anticipate receiving lots of pictures, so please know submitting a picture does not guarantee it will be a part of the final painting. 

Pictures can be submitted in person by placing them in the Heritage Committee mailbox between rooms 1 & 2 on the lower level, or submit photos digitally by following this link. All photos must be submitted by July 15.

HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES
Rachel DeWees, Palmyra High School
Attending Lebanon Valley College: double major in Early Childhood and Special Education
Parents: David and Rebecca DeWees

Kathryn Kyper, Palmyra High School
Attending University of Pittsburgh: maioring in Pre-Veterinary Medicine
Parents: Geoff Kyper and Lee Ann Grisolano

Mayangela Speicher, Hershey High School
Attending Point Park University, Pittsburgh: maioring in Cinema Arts
Parents: Doug and Cenaida Speicher

Piper Stagg, The Stone Independent School
Attending the University of New England, Biddeford, Maine: majoring in Marine Biology and minoring in Writing
Parents: Susan and Woody Stagg

COLLEGE GRADUATE
Patrick Gavazzi, Tufts University
Computer Science and Cognitive Brain Science, minors in Italian and Entrepreneurship
Parents: Katie and Bob Gavazzi

9:15-10:15 AM SUNDAY, MAY 21 IN THE JOHN ELDER CLASSROOM AND STREAMING

Alex Swan, Site Director of Church World Service’s Harrisburg office, leads Issues Class this week. About a year-and-a-half ago, CWS opened an office in Harrisburg to help settle refugees assigned to this area. Alex will discuss the process of receiving refugees and establishing Welcome Teams to assist in their resettlement.

• Next Thursday is Orange Day, when PW highlights exploitation of females worldwide. Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence has 59 community-based domestic violence programs which work to create pathways to safety and justice for the victims. Their definition of domestic violence is a pattern of coercive behavior by one person to gain power and control over another in an intimate or familial relationship. Approximately 37% of Pennsylvania women experience some form of this violence or violent stalking during their lifetimes. Counseling and support services for domestic violence victims in Dauphin County can also be found at Victim Witness Assistance Program and YWCA. On May 25, wear orange or an orange ribbon to show awareness of and support for victims and those working to end exploitation of females.
• The extra favors from the Lasses and Lassies Banquet were donated to the Bethesda Women’s Mission for Mother’s Day. The women were delighted to receive them.

Come down to the library and check out our collection of BIOGRAPHIES. We have over 200 titles in this category! Travel to Tehran, a Brooklyn homeless shelter, the city that will become Tokyo, or 1930’s Limerick, Ireland. Meet Malala, Phyllis Wheatly, Frank McCourt, Tony Dungy, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Clint Eastwood…the list goes on and on. Browse biographies in our online catalog or stop in to see the new shelf displays. While you’re there, play Guess Who on the staff biography shelf (do you know whose first job was scooping Italian ice at Cocoa Avenue Plaza?) Add your own life details on the graffiti wall.

The Ruth Codington Library is right inside the door on the building’s lower level at entrance #1. A committee of Derry library lovers have been working diligently to grow and organize our diverse book collection. Want to take something home? All you have to do is remove the card from the back of the book, write your name and the date on it, and place it in the box on the shelf. Easy! Drop in often to check out our monthly library themes.