News

The Russell W. and Joann Brong Scholarship was established through generous gifts by the Brongs, and created by Session action in June 1983 to provide financial aid to students working toward full-time service in Christian ministry; members of the Derry Presbyterian church staff for continuing education; and for students preparing to serve in social and humanitarian service vocations such as social work, medicine, education and literacy, and other vocations that work for the common good.

Scholarships are awarded for one academic year and may be renewed, providing the recipient continues to meet the conditions of eligibility, maintains a good academic standing, and funds are available. Amounts are determined each year based on the number of applicants and the amount of the fund available. Scholarships up to $3,000 per semester may be given for tuition and other fees. Applications must be received by the Christian Education Committee no later than April 15 for consideration.

More information and an application are available on the Derry Church website. Questions? Contact Pastor Stephen or Claudia Holtzman, Chair, Christian Education Committee.

Love INC of Greater Hershey will soon be opening the doors on a second home in the Homes of Hope Transitional Housing Program. This program not only provides shelter, but also case management that demonstrates the love of Christ while offering the opportunity for life transformation to a family facing homelessness. Church volunteers are now preparing the home, and applications for its first residents will be accepted beginning Feb 1. You can help by providing some basic items the new family will need on arrival. 

Please pray for the Homes of Hope program as it grows, the family who will make it their home for the next 18 months, and the volunteers who support the program and will partner with the family in need.

Love INC of Greater Hershey is a local Christian nonprofit organization dedicated to mobilizing churches to help people in need. The Executive Director provides day-to-day leadership to achieve the mission, vision, strategic goals, and objectives of Love INC. A Bachelor’s degree or greater, or equivalent life experience in management, social work, organizational leadership, pastoral ministry, community development, or related field is required. The successful candidate will have a minimum of five years of leadership experience and a commitment to the Christian Church and its mandate to serve people in need to effect life transformation in the name of Christ. For more information and to apply, visit LoveINCGreaterHershey.org or contact HR@LoveINCGreaterHershey.org.

In less than 10 minutes, hear greetings, hopes and good wishes from five members of the Derry Church staff. Click to watch!

Join Pastor Pamela Meilands for a worship service that pairs the words and writings of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with scripture. Download the bulletin.

Cash Flow – Operating Fund as of 12/31/20

Notes from the treasurer:

• Contributions ended the year about $30k less than 2019 and $75k underi budget.
• Committees tended to underspend budgets in 2020. 
• The 2020 year ended with a positive change in net assets of about $87k before the reduction of net assets as part of spending the 2019 surplus. If Derry had been fully staffed for the entire year, we would have been at about break-even instead.

For ten years, Derry Church has maintained a partnership with the Presbyterian Education Board in Pakistan. PEB operates 25 schools, primary through high school, including some boarding schools, that serve more than 5,900 students. Derry, through the Friends of Sargodha group, has a particular relationship with the schools in Sargodha. 

Our goal is to provide ten scholarships every year. You can help.

A full scholarship for a day student is $370 a year, about a dollar a day. We are dividing that amount into ten shares, $37 each, to offer you the opportunity to support a portion of a scholarship. 

You can purchase one or more shares by writing a check to Derry Church notated “Pakistan Scholarship” or giving online through the church website and selecting “Pakistan Scholarship.” 

Read Rev. Nancy Reinert’s message inviting you to participate. This fundraiser continues through February 2021.

• Since PW was not able to have the Cookie Walk/Jumble Shop in December, the Coordinating Team invites you to participate in a bake-less cookie walk where  an offering is donated in place of cookies. Funds raised support the national PW organization and mission co-workers around the world. Suggested donation is $10 or what it would cost you to purchase the ingredients to bake a batch of cookies. Give online (select Presbyterian Women of Derry) or write checks to Derry Church notated “PW offering.” Thank you!
• Orange Day is Monday, Jan 25. In the US there are 13 states with no legal minimum marriage age. In some states married minors cannot go to shelters to escape abuse, leave their spouses or legally divorce them. One piece of good news we can share: Sudan authorities will end child marriages and enforce the country’s ban on female genital mutation this year. Wear orange or an orange ribbon on Jan 25 to show support for people working to end child marriages as well as exploitation of females.
• PW will order Horizons Magazine this month. Subscriptions include a Bible study and five issues of the magazine. To subscribe, contact Doris Feil by Jan 28.  Cost is $18.95, a $6 savings if ordered individually. Magazines are sent to the church.
• Thanks to all who contributed homemade cards for the Caitlin Smiles project. We received 180 cards!

Derry friends who enjoy working on jigsaw puzzles: we have good news for you! Starting Sunday afternoon, Jan 17, you’re invited to stop by the bench outside the office entrance to drop off or pick up a new puzzle or two to work on. If you have puzzles that you just want to donate to help us get started with a puzzle supply, we would appreciate those, too. Just make sure all pieces are included. We hope to include puzzles for all ages and ability levels.

Contact the church office to request puzzle drop-off & pick-up.

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A four-session series of virtual new member classes will be offered on Sunday afternoons from 2-3 pm beginning Jan 31 for those interested in learning more about the mission and ministry of Derry Church. Questions? Contact Linda Chidester, chair of the Membership & Involvement Committee.

“Watchman, Tell Us of the Night” is the theme for Tuesday worship led by Pastor Stephen McKinney-Whitaker.
Scripture: Isaiah 21:6-11, and have your Bible or Bible app ready to read Romans 12:9-18.