Month: November 2021

When the program year began in September, I had no idea what would happen. In my own mind, I was consumed by questioning each program and decision. Would we have families attend Children’s Ministry programs? Is it too soon to start? What spaces should we use? Would we have enough volunteers to help lead our programs?  Would we be shutting things down frequently? I found myself talking to God frequently and ultimately following my heart and moving ahead with our normal programming, just doing so in a NEW way.

September saw a return to Sunday School and KIWI. Derry was once again blessed with incredible support from our church families. We have an amazing team of adult teachers/helpers who are filling our classrooms with joy, love and energy each Sunday.  COVID gave us a reason to pause and ultimately gave us time to look at our programs and ask what we could do better or different. This led us to add an element of music to our Sunday School time, led by Mr. Grant and Pastor Pam. Children are learning some of the beloved Sunday School songs that many of us grew up singing. Our new curriculum, Spark Activate Faith, has us “Trekking Through the Bible” and having a lot of fun journeying through the Bible together. KIWI has moved to the Chapel and offered us a more special and sacred space to gather and learn about worship. The children enjoy exploring a true worship space and preparing that space with the elements we see in weekly worship that remind us of our sacraments, promises and ways we show our love for our Lord and Savior.

We created a brand-new program called RECONNECT. Pastor Pam has been helping our first and second graders adjust to in-person worship as they focus on the various parts of worship and help them learn how to participate in, and not just sit through, worship. We are hopeful that this new program will make worship more meaningful to these children as they rejoin their parents in December.

Pilgrim Fellowship kicked off in October and has been a lot of fun. Our third through fifth graders love having a time to have fun, be silly and simply be together. We have chosen activities that allow us to be outdoors as much as possible, that connect with many different interests and also offer an element of faith formation through learning, mission and fellowship.

Children’s choirs were greatly affected by the pandemic as Terrific Tuesdays and rehearsals were all cancelled. This is an area of Derry’s Children’s Ministry that brings joy to everyone in the church family and we knew we wanted to find a way to rebuild our choirs. Our church leaders worked together and created a new program, K.I.C. Club (Kids In Christ Club). K.I.C. Club gathers on Tuesday evenings from 5:45-7:15 and offers children the opportunity to explore our creative arts ministries here are Derry: music, creation time and fellowship. The children gather together for our opening circle time and then break into groups to rotate through our three classrooms.  Tuesday evenings have come alive again here at the church. The relaxed atmosphere has allowed us the opportunity to make deeper connections with the children and families of the church. And the children have enjoyed making new friends and experiencing each of our extended Children’s Ministry offerings.

When you and your family are ready, I hope you will join us and find a way to let God be a larger part of your lives. These days are full of uncertainty and decision making and I fully respect the choice each family makes, but also want you to know that I am excited to welcome you back whenever you are ready to join us.

I continue to keep you in my thoughts and prayers, and I continue to thank God for the strength, support and love that surround our Children’s Ministry programs.

This year’s stewardship theme is Growing in Grace & Gratitude. When I think of what that means to me today, a number of things come to mind, some of them a bit different than several years ago when I was asked to write a similar article for the stewardship campaign.   

Each year as fall arrives and Thanksgiving approaches, I find myself reflecting on what is important to me and the many things for which I am thankful. The list is long and I consider myself to be blessed in many ways. I am thankful for my family, friends, my health, food on the table, a roof over my head and other things too numerous to mention.  

One thing in my life that has been a constant is Derry Church. I’ve grown up at Derry, spending the majority of my life attending here with my parents and then my husband and three children. The support and caring of my church family is  something that has kept me here for so long.  

Growing up at Derry, I’ve seen and experienced many changes and growth in the church — the physical building, staff, programs and increased church membership. We continue to grow and expand in new and exciting ways.  Many churches are not so fortunate.  

The past 20 months since COVID hit has truly been a test for all of us. Suddenly being unable to come together to worship and participate in the many church activities came as a shock. Things have been tough and we have all felt a void in one way or another. Not being able to greet one another on Sunday mornings, to chat at post-worship fellowship, to participate in church school, youth activities, Terrific Tuesday meals, just to name a few. However, through God’s continued grace and the combined efforts of so many, we were able to persevere and try to carry on as close to normal as possible. Finding creative ways to worship and continue to do God’s work, caring for our church family and continuing our ministry and mission work despite our limitations.     

As I look back on the past year, I am sure I am not alone in the gratitude I feel for how our church family has come together, caring and supporting one another. Gratitude to those that enabled us to live stream worship, church school, and committee meetings. Finding creative ways to worship and continue to do God’s work. Our continued support of various mission opportunities, caring for one another through personal calls from staff “just to “see how we are doing,” notes, loaves of bread and gifts from Shepherd Group leaders and Deacons. Meal trains for those in need. So many working to maintain a sense of normalcy. 

Now as we see many in-person church activities resuming, I find myself feeling extremely grateful for Derry and God’s continued presence in my life, my faith and for those that have worked tirelessly in the past year to provide a continued form of God’s presence and grace — whatever form it might have taken.

In this season of Thanksgiving and stewardship, let us reflect on what is important to us and what Derry Church means to you and your family. As you are aware it takes significant financial support to run and operate a church, especially one of our size with the many wonderful programs, staff and mission work that Derry provides.  Please take time to prayerfully consider what you can give to Derry for the coming year.  

Editor’s Note: On the first Thursday of each month, the eNews feature article highlights the mission focus for the month. In November we’re lifting up Access to Health Care. You can find the current month’s mission focus in the Joys & Concerns section of the weekly eNews.

We at Derry Church are so blessed to have people with many talents and interests.  And making time to be a hands-on volunteer can bring a new perspective on our society. But even with the understanding that Covid has greatly impacted how our agencies provide services, I would urge you not to rule out being an active volunteer.  Our committee provides funding for several ministries in the midstate area and they can use your support as well.

We support the Community Checkup Center in Hall Manor, Harrisburg, which is a non-profit health center providing quality care to Harrisburg’s diverse and underserved children and adults.  Our own Gretchen Ballard served on the board for many years (they have been providing services since 1994) and is still working with them. She delivers the calendars donated by members from our congregation to the center, so they can be given to patients to track return appointments and important reminders. There’s a basket in the mission closet ready to collect 2022 calendars. The Checkup Center sees about 200 patients a month, about half the number they were able to see before Covid due to social distancing issues, although numbers are now starting to increase.

Our connection with Christ Lutheran Church’s Health Ministry has grown over the last few years. They offer the following four free health clinics in South Allison Hill, a neighborhood of intense need in Harrisburg where workers strive to be the healing hands of Jesus in that community:

• The MEDICAL OUTREACH CLINIC is a free, nurse-run walk-in clinic in conjunction with Holy Spirit Hospital. They provide simple lab tests, basic physical assessments, health education, and some limited assistance with social service liaison, medication assistance, and the provision of items necessary for health such as blankets, hygiene items and underwear. The Outreach team includes a small core of paid staff and volunteers. Nursing students from HACC have clinical rotations there. Services are provided in English, Spanish, French and Arabic languages.
• The DENTAL CLINIC is comprised of a team of volunteer dentists, support staff and translators who offer care three days a month for urgent dental conditions requiring simple extractions and fillings.
• The PRENATAL CLINIC provides free prenatal care, including labs and radiology, and is offered to low-income women who are ineligible for insurance and whose pregnancies are in the low risk categories. Nurses and doctors determine the risk factor. Through a partnership with Holy Spirit Hospital, access to advanced care, labor and childbirth delivery at the hospital is included.
• The URGENT CARE CLINIC has a doctor available weekly for urgent (but not emergency) medical needs. By appointment only, but free of charge.
  

Last, but not least, our own Dr. Larry Espenshade has volunteered for a number of years with Hope Within Ministries in Elizabethtown. They offer free primary health care services for medically uninsured low income residents of Lancaster, Lebanon, and Dauphin Counties, as well as low-cost, sliding scale counseling and donation-
based dental care thanks to more than 30 volunteer medical, dental providers, therapists, and nurses. All appointments are scheduled with patients for the medical and dental clinics and for clients in their counseling center, because they are not a walk-in facility.

Please consider these volunteer opportunities and how you can join these agencies in their missions to provide health care to our uninsured and underinsured neighbors.