Month: May 2023

“Let every instrument be tuned for praise! Let all rejoice who have a voice to raise! And may God give us faith to sing always: Alleluia!”

With hearts and minds centered on our Awesome God, we will rejoice with voices lifted in singing this text from the final stanza of our closing hymn on Music Sunday, June 4. There is one service at 10:30 am in the Sanctuary, where the choirs of Derry Church will share their talents in praise to God as we celebrate the gift of song in worship.

Derry Ringers will begin our service with a lively prelude written by Dan R. Edwards entitled Resounding Jubilation. The Youth Vocal Ensemble and Sanctuary Choir will sing together an arrangement of the well-known contemporary hymn, Lead Me, Lord.  Celebration Singers will share a traditional African-American spiritual, Over My Head, led by Claire Folts, our Director of Children’s Music. 

Claire and Debbi Kees-Folts will present a children’s message with a song of mystery – come and find out what song they will play during the children’s message! The Sanctuary Choir will offer Gilbert M. Martin’s stirring arrangement of When I Survey the Wondrous Cross, which begins contemplatively and crescendos to the complete resources of the organ as the choir paints the picture of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, and finally, building to the full “Amen.”

 All of our ensembles join together in leading the congregation in our closing hymn, number 641 in our Glory to God hymnal: When In Our Music God is Glorified. Under the direction of Scott Ramirez, Derry Brass will conclude the service with Charpentier’s Te Deum, written for brass and organ. Following the worship service, the congregation will enjoy fellowship at the annual Derry Church picnic on the church lawn. 

As Music Sunday is the close of our church academic year, the choirs will have a break for the summer until they return after Labor Day weekend. There will be three opportunities this summer to join the Sanctuary Choir in the open loft – you don’t have to be a great singer, just come to the rehearsal at 9 am and learn an easy anthem to sing at the 10:30 am service. 

Summer special music begins on Sunday, June 11, with members of Derry Church and the surrounding community sharing their many gifts for praise and adoration given to God. Some highlights include trombonists Tracy and Nicola Burke, sopranos Janice Click Holl and Julie Miller, a quartet from the Susquehanna Chorale, soprano Sasha Piastro-Tedford and violinist Jeffrey Tedford, harpist Marilla Clay, Piper Stagg (one of our graduating seniors), and cellist Mike Klucker. The Derry Brass will lead us in Tuesday evening worship on the church lawn once a month over the summer.

Music serves an essential role in our worship; whether we are ringing bells, playing an instrument, or singing the hymns of faith: we express what cannot be spoken, pour out what is weighing in our hearts, and invite the Holy Spirit to move in and through this Holy place. We are incredibly blessed at Derry to have so many musicians willingly sharing their musical gifts with us. My deepest gratitude to our choirs of all ages and soloists who have graciously given their time and talents for God’s glory this past year. Come, rejoice, and sing as we celebrate the gift of music in the life of our church on June 4!

Derry Church is a family, with members who play many different roles. Many of our members are essential to our success but make their contributions quietly and steadfastly, while avoiding any recognition for their contributions.

We, as a church, are beholden to those quiet members who contribute so much to making Derry Church a welcoming, caring, and strong congregation.

For Mary Jane Mease, who passed away this past January, Derry Church was at the heart of her life. As she noted in a 2003 oral history interview, her parents met each other in this church, married in this church, and had all nine of their children baptized and confirmed in this church. Mary Jane’s father, Ivan Mease, was one of Derry’s strong leaders and served as the Clerk of Session for 45 years.

Mary Jane was born on November 21, 1927, the fifth child of Ivan and Minnie Dressler Mease. At that time, Derry Church consisted of the original 1884 Chapel, the 1732 Session House (that had not yet been enclosed by the glass structure), and the cemetery. Reverend Taylor (1916-1932) married Mary Jane’s parents in 1920 and baptized all of the Mease children.

Before the Chapel was enlarged (with an east transept, classrooms and social hall on the lower level in 1935), Sunday School was held in the west transept of the Chapel. There were separate Sunday School classes for boys and girls. When Mary Jane was a teenager, the girls’ class was held in one transept and the boys’ class was held in the other transept. One of Mary Jane’s favorite memories of Derry Church was coming to church each Sunday. Her parents gave each of the Mease children two nickels, one for Sunday School and one for the church offering. The nickels would be laid out on the table and the Mease children would pick them up on their way to church. The Mease family took up an entire pew in the Chapel

Growing up in Hershey, Mary Jane attended the Derry Township schools, graduating from Hershey High School in 1946. She also attended the Hershey Junior College before going to work for the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare. She spent her working career there, retiring as a Budget Supervisor. Mary Jane never learned to drive a car, relying on public buses or friends to provide transportation when needed.

Mary Jane always lived with her parents. After her father died in 1965, she and her mother moved from 111 Cocoa Avenue to an apartment on W. Granada Avenue. After her mother died in 1985, Mary Jane continued to live in the apartment until months before her death.

Throughout her life, Mary Jane was an active if quiet participant in the life of Derry Church. Mary Jane began singing with the Derry Church choir in 1948. During the early years of the choir, the numbers were small: four men and four or five women. The men sat in the west transept and the women sat in the east transept. Mary Jane continued to sing with the choir until the early 2000s. When a separate choir was established for the 8 am Chapel service in the early 1990s, Mary Jane sang with both the Chapel and Sanctuary choirs. Mary Jane also served as the choir librarian, keeping the music library well organized and the choral music properly filed.

From 1952 to 1967 Derry Church sold dinners during Pennsylvania Dutch Days as a fundraiser. Every year, Mary Jane, along with her mother, helped prepare and serve hundreds of meals on each of the five days Dutch Days was held.

After Mary Jane retired from work, she spent many hours each week volunteering at Derry Church. She took on the responsibility of tidying the pews in the Chapel and Sanctuary, collecting discarded bulletins, making sure the hymnals were properly stored, and that welcome cards and pew offering envelopes were stocked and pencils sharpened. For many years she completed this task on her own. Later she was joined by Marguerite Hunchberger and then Jill Campbell. She also worked in the church office, helping fold the weekly bulletins and filling each one with inserts. She helped with the monthly newsletter mailing and other clerical tasks. Mary Jane enjoyed helping wherever she could and never wanted to be recognized.

At home, Mary Jane enjoyed working on jigsaw puzzles and always had a puzzle in progress. She took responsibility for the flower bed in front of her apartment building, carefully planting the impatiens and vincas each year, making sure that they were kept watered throughout the growing season.

Editor’s note: Thanks to Pam Whitenack for preparing this week’s feature article.

Have you seen “Prime Timers” in the bulletin or church emails? Are you curious what Prime Timers is all about? Wondering if this new program is worth checking out?  Want to learn more?  Please read on and discover all that Prime Timers hopes to offer to our church family and to the community.

What is Prime Timers?

Prime Timers is Derry’s newest adult fellowship program. The program has been established to help strengthen the connections between the adults of the church, and our community, through times of fellowship, learning, faith and fun.

Who can attend Prime Timers?

ALL adults are welcome to join us!  Prime Timers gathers on Mondays from 12:30-2 pm in Room 7.  Prime Timers is open to both our church family and the surrounding community, so we encourage you to share this group with others who may be looking for a way to engage with other adults, meet new friends, expand their knowledge, or feel more connected to their community.

Where did the name, Prime Timers, come from?

Prime Timers meets during the “prime time” of the day, the early afternoon.  Our time together is during daylight hours and when most roads are less traveled, making it a “prime time” for all to gather.  

What can you expect at a Prime Timers gathering?

Each week will offer a new topic or activity.  Our weekly programs rotate between guest speakers, intellectual discussions, engaging bible studies, games & trivia and mission projects.  Each program is designed to offer a time for learning and a time for fellowship.  On the first Monday of each month we expand our time and offer a $5 soup and salad lunch at 12 noon and then move into our program.

Do you have to attend every Prime Timers gathering?

No!  While Prime Timers gathers each week, the program was designed so folks can “come when they can”.  While we would love to have you with us each week, we understand that other commitments will make that difficult.  We chose to have the program meet weekly to ensure that folks have ample opportunities to gather together, something we know many look forward to doing.

Who leads Prime Timers?

I’m the coordinator of this program and I work closely with both our Membership Connections Committee and Christian Education Committee to create programs that are diverse and dynamic. Guest speakers, church staff members and various committees will help lead individual programs.

How can I learn more about Prime Timers?

Email M.E. Steelman and share that you would like to receive a weekly Sunday email sharing more about the upcoming Monday program.  

What’s coming up for Prime Timers?

Monday, May 15 – Hershey Gardens: What’s new? Fun History. Gardening Tips.

Monday, May 22 – Patriotic Trivia & Games

Monday, May 29 – Happy Memorial Day! NO SESSION

Monday, June 5 – Bible Study with Pastor Stephen

Editor’s Note: On the first Thursday of each month, the eNews feature article highlights the mission focus for the month. In May we’re lifting up the Pentecost Offering: 40% of gifts received will support the good work of the Community Check-Up Center in Harrisburg.

On behalf of the Community Check-Up Center (CCC), thank you for the very generous donation from the Derry Church congregation. Your support helps CCC to continue to provide free and/or low-cost health care to Harrisburg’s diverse and underserved children and adults. All are welcome, respected and treated regardless of their ability to pay. 

Located in Hall Manor, CCC was founded through a request from Head Start mothers and South Harrisburg women to provide support and medical assistance to infants and their families. Over the years, CCC has expanded to provide health care to those from baby to adult.  Through generous supporters like Derry Church, CCC is able to enhance and expand patient services.

CCC currently serves a population that self identifies as 53% Hispanic, 36% African American and 6% White.  Our clients’ ages range from newborn to over 85 years of age. To date in 2023, the Center has provided over 600 patient visits with access to preventative health screenings, vaccinations, health education, cancer screenings, acute care, hearing, and vision screenings and much more. With our focus on pediatrics, women’s health and family practice, our doctors and nurse practitioners are able to serve the needs of our community.  

While our staff is small (two doctors, two Nurse Practitioners and three Medical Assistants), we are able to see patients three days a week from 8 am to 4 pm.  We continue to look for highly qualified medical providers to help meet the ever-changing needs of our clients.

Community Check-up Center is fortunate to partner with UPMC, Penn State Health, Dauphin County, Harrisburg Housing Authority and numerous free and low-cost clinics throughout the area. These partnerships ensure that our patients receive timely and professional health care with dignity and respect.

Your financial support helps us as our major sources of income are grants and contributions. Patient payments only account for 18% of our annual budget, but we never turn anyone away regardless of income or ability to pay.  

The Community Check-Up Center welcomes volunteers and visitors. Click to learn more.