Month: October 2021

When we returned to this area, we felt at home the first time we attended worship at Derry Church. Through warm greetings from folks like Nancy Kitzmiller, membership classes, and the nursery volunteers, we felt welcome. Now, whether we are in person, worshipping via the live stream, learning at Derry Discovery Days, watching classes on YouTube, or hearing what our kids did at VBS, Derry Church has truly become a home.

Gratitude gives us the eyes to see the grace of God all around us, particularly in the ways it is demonstrated by our church family. We are thankful for the beautiful musical gifts of Grant, Dan, and many others, to share in that ministry, and for the moments when the music grabs our kids’ attention and draws them into worship.

We are thankful for Pastors and staff who take a few minutes out of their own busy days to acknowledge birthdays or send a postcard. We are thankful for Shepherd Group leaders who check-in and truly show God’s love in sharing peace and joy.

Our kids have been regular visitors to the church nursery, and as new parents, we have always been thankful for the love of volunteers who comforted them and let them know that we were close by if they could hear the music (thank you, Sue Fox). As parents of young kids, our church family has shown us love in making the quiet room on the side of the sanctuary a welcoming space. Hudson has been part of Derry Discovery Days since he was a Ladybug, and Oliver joined this year as a Turtle. Our gratitude runs deep for the amazing teachers and the connections our boys have made to Derry during their time at school.

For our family, being a part of Derry has looked like church on Sundays, followed by fellowship, Easter egg hunts, Zoom scavenger hunts and learning with Mrs. Steelman, drive-thrus to offer donations and to share God’s love and grace far beyond the walls of our church, new friendships, and delicious breakfasts on Easter morning. Who can forget Pastor Stephen’s Derry Good News series during the early days of COVID? What a gift during that uncertain time to be reminded regularly of God’s grace all around us.

The gift of God’s grace and faithful, steady presence can be seen at Derry in the beautiful tulips planted around our church many years ago. We know the tulips will bloom each spring without fail, just as the sun rises each morning. We can count on this ever-present reminder of God’s love. We know we have the ability to impact others through a genuinely warm welcome or “how are you?” because we have experienced it, and by showing up for one other, the church itself, and the greater community and world. Being a part of the Derry church family has allowed us to inhale grace beyond measure, and exhale our gratitude. We hope the same is true for each of you.

Because our friend and former student, Dan Stokes, became interim organist at Derry, we decided to spend a few Sundays visiting Derry Church to hear Dan play. We realized from the first Sunday service that there was a friendliness and sincerity at Derry that led us to attend membership classes and become a part of that family.  Then COVID hit, and the opportunity to know more members of the congregation and to become involved in the life of the church seemed to disappear. The streaming services allowed us to continue to worship each Sunday, but we still felt removed from the actual life of the church and from fellowship with its members.  We couldn’t possibly know at that point just how important our connection to Derry Presbyterian would become in the following months.

As the pandemic continued to preclude worshipping in person, we adjusted ourselves to “remote” membership in the anticipation of full participation when the pandemic subsided.  Then, in a blink of the proverbial eye, our lives were upended, as Rudy was diagnosed with Stage IV lung cancer. No warning signs. Just a quick trip to the emergency room, a diagnosis within hours, and brain surgery scheduled within days. Seeking some direction and support at a particularly difficult time, we turned to the Derry ministerial staff.  While one would expect the clergy to offer their guidance, we were not prepared for Derry’s pastors’ numerous expressions of care via phone calls, texts, emails, and cards. Indeed, their sincere expressions of concern extended far beyond what we could possibly expect! Their calm, reasoned guidance and encouragement provided a much-needed respite from the chaos that enveloped us during those dark days.

Even more astonishing (at least to us) was the outpouring of sympathy and offers of help from members of the Derry congregation, many of whom we didn’t even know.  Hand-delivered flowers, apple cakes, a stunning prayer shawl, and numerous cards with handwritten notes of encouragement were indicative of Derry community’s commitment to care for its parishioners.

Sometimes, when one reflects upon past events and their influence, one can see what Marcy would call “God winks,” events that display God’s grace without great fanfare, but rather with a whisper that says, “I’ve got this; here’s a special gift to ease your burdens.”  Derry Church is one such “God wink.”  How could we know that the clergy and the members would be right where we needed them, when we needed them?  Perhaps we didn’t need to know. “God winks” arrive without our requesting them or deserving them. They simply reflect God’s grace, most often through faithful, unselfish messengers, like the community that is Derry Presbyterian Church.

We originally began visiting Derry Presbyterian about ten years ago on the recommendation of some member friends. We were immediately impressed by the positive energy exuded by the congregants as a group as well as those we met individually. Our visits soon turned into exploring the new member classes and eventual joining as full members. Since that time we have continued to be lifted by the love and positive attitude of the church displayed by our pastors, session members and fellow congregants.

We have been particularly grateful for the family-oriented worship activities afforded by the 10:30 service. Our daughter enjoyed KIWI when she was younger and now is thankful to be able to learn from the messages delivered as a part of the regular service. We have also been grateful for the grace and humility demonstrated by our leadership throughout the Coronavirus pandemic as they have followed expert medical science in designing different worship opportunities in hopes of safely reaching the most people while simultaneously validating the rights and feelings of those who disagree with the decisions made.

More directly, we experienced the grace and love of church members helping us during some health care issues a few years ago as well as the support during Ellen’s mother’s recent transition into death last year. We have been able to enjoy the grace of helping others through the church’s many affiliations with various mission organizations, through the Pakistan student support as well as local families in need through the Lutheran church at Christmas.

We continue to be grateful for the many opportunities for involvement offered by our church. Jamie has enjoyed sharing in the music ministry through composing, arranging and performing. Ellen has grown during her participation as a deacon.  Meredith has had wonderful experiences participating with Pilgrim Fellowship, Pastor Pam’s summer Bible studies and now the Youth Group.

These sentiments all came into sharp relief during the October 2 service as we sang, “To everyone born, a place at the table.” From its upbeat rhythmic feel to its positive message of inclusiveness, this song encapsulates the spirit and attitude that we appreciate most about Derry Church. We have friends in the church from both sides of the political spectrum, from various sexual orientations and from many walks of life different from our own. We are therefore ever grateful that our church is a welcome place for everyone to come; where we can learn from each other and through our personal interactions be inspired to fashion a world where, “God will delight when we are creators of justice and joy.”

Editor’s Note: if you were fortunate enough to attend or live stream Grant Wareham’s organ recital on Oct 10, you heard the world premiere of “Up to Eleven” a piece composed by Jamie Mosher in honor of Dan Stokes and Grant. Click to watch an introduction by Grant and comments by Jamie before watching Grant play the piece.

Several decades ago, the British writer and lecturer C.S. Lewis was asked to speak on the subject of Christian stewardship. He began with these words: “On the whole, God’s love for us is a much safer subject to think about than our love for Him.” I feel that way, too. Sometimes it is much easier, and safer, just to skirt around the whole subject of stewardship, of how we give shape and substance to our love for God.

We may choose to skirt the subject entirely, but the fact remains that stewardship is the way we define our faith and make it personal. It’s how faith becomes concrete — a part of our lives, not just a feeling we have or something we say.

I believe our faith is shaped by our experiences of grace and gratitude, which is why our stewardship and sermon theme this fall is “Growing in Grace and Gratitude.”

We all know the benefits of grace. Grace is a gift, an undeserved, sometimes even unasked for gift. Grace connects us with God. Grace gives us new life. Grace gives us a second chance. Grace welcomes us into the family of God. Grace is being welcomed in love. We all need grace in our lives. We need God’s grace and we need the grace offered by one another: the grace of relationships. Growing in grace is growing in love, life, and wholeness. We know we need grace.

But do we know we need gratitude? A research study done about ten years ago reported the shocking news that those who live from a posture of abundance and gratitude live happier, statistically longer lives. Gratitude makes us happy, deeply happy. Gratitude connects us to other people. Gratitude connects us with God and, in itself, makes us better stewards of all that we have and of this planet on which we live.

Over the next several weeks, we’ll hear stories of grace and gratitude from Scripture and from each other. We’ll be reminded of the power of God’s grace in our lives and what gratitude looks like. We’ll celebrate how God’s grace has been manifested through the ministry of Derry Church. We’ll show our gratitude through our financial gifts, to ensure God’s grace touches people’s lives for generations to come.

We grow in grace and gratitude as we proclaim God’s word, share God’s love, and practice God’s justice. And this year, our giving needs to grow in order for the ministry of this community of faith to flourish. Growth in giving is a sign of a spiritually healthy church. I encourage you to prayerfully consider how you can grow in your giving and your involvement at Derry, because your investment here can have a life-changing impact — not only for you and for our church, but for our community and the world.

Derry is an amazing faith community. It’s a place where I have grown in grace and gratitude, and I hope you have, too. Together we can show our gratitude with more than words. Let’s ensure that Derry Church continues to be a place to worship, serve, and belong for at least another 300 years.