“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. 

There is nothing permanent except change. These words are true today as we witness changes occurring in almost every aspect of our lives including religious practices, economic and governmental systems, educational focus, social values, cultural norms and of course physical structures. Our physical church is no exception and this article seeks to briefly explore the evolution of our church buildings over the past 300 years. 

Worshiping in this place occurred around 1724 as frontiersmen and women gathered near a spring and pool of water. Other local churches were founded near a spring, so this watering source must have been an important location to gather and perhaps refresh themselves and their horses. Minutes of New Castle Presbytery in 1729 record a request from Derry Church for a supply pastor and Rev. Anderson was appointed to minister these settlers every fifth Sabbath. An actual building did not appear until Derry called its first minister, Rev. William Bertram (1732-1746). The Session House was built in 1732 and served the church and the local community in a variety of purposes including as a pastor’s study and meeting place for church officials, a classroom, a lending library, and community post office. By early 1741, Rev. Bertram and some Derry Church members petitioned the sons of William Penn for the land upon which Derry Church would be built.

Our second pastor, John Elder, became pastor in 1746 and served until 1791. As the congregation grew, the need for a larger structure was recognized and “Old Derry” was built in 1769 and later underwent repairs in 1831 costing $500. This structure served the congregation until 1883.  We have seen photographs of this clapboard structure with the communion table and chairs located outside the building, along with a pewter communion set. Today the pieces of furniture have been in continuous use and are used in our Chapel. The pewter communion set is still present at our worship services. When “Old Derry” was renovated in 1831, a new pulpit was installed. That 1831 pulpit is now restored and hanging on the wall of the east transept in the sanctuary.

In the 1870s, after the Civil War, church attendance began to drop. Frequently Derry was without a pastor and very few services were held in the church building. Maintenance on “Old Derry” was minimal at best. The church leaders decided that it was too expensive to restore the building, so in 1883 “Old Derry” was demolished. With a very small membership, future looking church leaders organized a Sunday School. Classes were held weekly and attendance began to increase with an average of 59 students per class. But, since there was no main church building, the church records were relocated to Paxton Presbyterian Church’s manse for safekeeping, but that backfired. In August 1894 there was a fire at the manse and most of Derry’s records were destroyed.

Since membership at Derry was very low in 1883 and there was no pastor, the building of a stone church was truly an act of faith. The community recognized the historical importance of Derry Church, so the Dauphin County Historical Society was instrumental in establishing a building committee for a new church building. The cost of this endeavor was estimated to be $7,000.  To raise funds for this project, Mrs. Charles Bailey of Harrisburg and Mrs. G. Dawson Coleman of Lebanon, along with descendants of former members, led this effort with assistance from Henry B. McCormick, member of Pine Street Presbyterian Church and a member of the Harrisburg Historical Society. Neighboring churches also contributed by donating funds for the Chapel’s stained-glass windows.

Derry broke ground in 1884 and by October of that year the cornerstone was installed. Construction delays were common due to slow fundraising, but the leaders persisted and the church was dedicated on January 6, 1887 during an 11 am worship service led by Rev. Albert Williamson. 

The original Chapel consisted of a bell tower, a west transept which held the choir, a sanctuary with chancel and a rear entrance. Beneath the Chapel (on a lower level) was a furnace room and classroom. Later in 1917, the women of the church (Ladies Guild organized in 1910) paid for the first indoor toilet located on this lower level. By 1928 the church leaders began to make plans to expand the Chapel. Plans included breaking through the east wall and adding an east transept and four classrooms on the first floor (our present Hammond Library and John Elder Classroom) with an assembly room and kitchen on the lower level.

Plans went forward but the stock market crash of 1929 temporarily suspended this project. In October 1934 Henry McCormick again stepped up and offered Rev. John Corbin a donation of $5,000 to help with the expansion plans. Non-member friends of Derry also donated over $6,000, so with construction loans from the Presbytery and Synod and pledges from the congregation, money was raised to cover the entire project’s cost of over $25,000. In addition, in 1935 Milton Hershey gifted each of the community’s five churches $20,000 each to help defray financial difficulties caused by the Great Depression. Since Derry was already expanding, the gift from Milton Hershey allowed Derry to add a vestibule to the Chapel entrance as well as improvements to the chancel and choir section, new chancel furniture, new carpet, and furniture and equipment for the newly added classrooms. A new pulpit was also built, its design inspired by the original pulpit from “Old Derry.” On December 8, 1935, Derry Church conducted its first worship service in its newly renovated and expanded building, now called the John Elder Memorial Chapel.

By 1950, the church Sunday School was well established and well attended. Church growth resulted in the need to expand the church building. Rev. Sheldon Blair was called to serve Derry (1950-1959) and during his tenure ground was broken on October 29, 1950 for an addition to the east of the Chapel. On November 11, 1951, the Christian Education Building was dedicated. This building added a new entrance and foyer, a nursery and children’s classroom, and office space on the main floor. The new lower level included a large social room with a raised platform at one end and a modern kitchen at the other. Today this space is known as rooms 6 and 7.  Additional classrooms filled the rest of the lower level.

When Rev. Ira Reed was called as pastor (1959-1987), the need for a larger sanctuary was soon evident. The Chapel had room for 135 congregants and membership was growing. Although a new sanctuary was a few years away, improvements to the Chapel were made. Rev. Reed did not like preaching at the existing pulpit as his back was to the west transept and choir so a lectern was installed at the back rail in the center of the chancel and space for 40 more seats was found. This brought the total number that the Chapel could hold to 175 people. This expansion was still not sufficient, so a Building Committee was established. Groundbreaking for this Sanctuary occurred on March 7, 1965 and on February 13, 1966 the Sanctuary was dedicated along with its new organ. Significant features of this new building were an A shaped rear entrance facing East Derry Road and a long rectangular sanctuary with a center aisle. The chancel area was raised and faced with wood. The choir loft and organ were located above the chancel. The pulpit could be in the center of the chancel or moved to one side. This large sanctuary allowed Derry to grow its membership and church programs.

Rev. Dr. Richard Houtz was installed as pastor on May 6, 1990, and shortly thereafter the church leaders began considering how they might enlarge and improve the church facility. Rev. Houtz thought there were so many nooks and crannies and stairs connecting the various areas of the church due to additions and renovations over the years. He felt that there was room for improvements that would facilitate better use of the building. Before anything could be built, more land was needed so the manse had to be demolished. This three-story home with 18” limestone walls was used as a residence for ministers since 1924. Demolition was accomplished in 1993.

After rejecting one architect’s proposal, the architectural firm of Alexander/Muelken Studio submitted a proposal for the expansion. The church accepted the proposal and Chuck Alexander, son of church members Bill and Marion Alexander, served as design architect for the job. As someone who grew up at the church, he was able to keep the original orientation of the sanctuary, adding east and west transepts and a larger chancel area to facilitate Derry’s investment in its numerous music programs. The choir loft and organ were lowered to the chancel floor, a narthex area was created before one entered the front of the sanctuary, the main entrance to the church building was relocated to this narthex area and a lounge was added to the west transept. This expansion also included new offices, choir room, bathrooms, nursery, the atrium and a new Fellowship Hall. Interior designs were also implemented to accommodate this larger sanctuary. This remodeled sanctuary was dedicated on January 29, 1995.

Since then there have been additional interior and external cosmetic redesigns. In 2015 interior design renovations and a new exterior courtyard and walkways were added to our main entrance. Rev. Dr. Stephen McKinney-Whitaker was installed as pastor in 2017. The need for a larger, more powerful organ for the sanctuary was soon recognized. A new-to-Derry 1951 Aeolian-Skinner Organ was installed and dedicated in 2021.

As Derry approaches its 300th anniversary, it is important to remember the history of the people who worshiped here and the buildings that they created. Derry’s history is filled with productive times, and times when as a church it almost folded, but dedication, faithfulness and strength of our early friends and congregants have given us a legacy that we should cherish, uphold and adapt to our changing times. Our church is steeped in history and tradition, but it is also flexible, warm and welcoming, reflective of those who now call this our church home.

Editor’s note: To learn more about the evolution of Derry Church’s buildings, join members of the Heritage Committee at 9:15 am Sunday, April 30 in the John Elder Classroom and streaming.

Have you ever experienced a “God Wink”?  What’s that, you say? It is a message from God that comes through life circumstances, and that we can choose to learn from, if we open our hearts and minds to the fact that God has a hand in the circumstance.

Once I had a very dear friend who gave me a book about “God Winks.” This simple but enlightening book opened my eyes to a powerful concept that I had been experiencing for a long time, but to which I had not given a title.  

“God winks” happen when you open your mind to the concept that God speaks to us and shows us how God’s guiding principles become real in our lives, as we are faced with everyday situations and circumstances. Through these situations we are “nudged” into contemplating what message God is trying to give us, and how we can best live our lives in service to God and to each other, if we follow that message.

“Give me an example,” you say. Well, one that happened to my husband and me in the summer of 2021 involved Derry Church.

Our good friends, Susie and Dean Haine, asked us if we wanted to go with them to the Mt. Gretna Tabernacle to hear Dean’s pastor, Stephen McKinney-Whitaker and members of Derry Church lead worship that Sunday evening. Since the Mt. Gretna Tabernacle holds a special place in my heart from the days when I went to church camp there — plus the fact that we enjoyed sharing in activities with Susie and Dean — we said “sure.” We were blown away by the service, Pastor Stephen, and the friendliness of the Derry pastor and members who introduced themselves to us. They responded to our compliments on the service by inviting us to join them at Derry for other worship experiences.

It wasn’t long after that when Dean called and said, “Do you want to go along to Derry next Saturday night to participate in a worship service utilizing the songs of Billy Joel?”  “How intriguing” we thought, and we joined them in that adventure as well. After those two experiences (God Winks), Ron and I decided that we needed to more intently explore a “pull” that we were feeling from Derry Church (a fellow Presbyterian church of the Synod which is located four miles from our home rather than the 20 miles from our home church at that time).

We attended Derry Church on a Sunday morning and didn’t even sign the visitor registry because we wanted to remain “anonymous.” However, we did greet Pastor Stephen as we were leaving that morning and reminded him that we were Dean’s friends, to which he replied, “I remember.”

Much to our surprise, the next day when coming home from an errand, we found a loaf of Irish soda bread and a welcome package from Derry on our doorstep, with a note from Linda Chidester. The next day in our mail was a note from Pastor Stephen inviting us to call him for a “getting to know you” chat!  We hadn’t even given them our name or address, and here Derry was, giving us an invitation to get to know the congregation better. How could we deny the opportunity? Another God Wink! 

A visit with Pastor Stephen, an invitation to join the choir for at least the Christmas season, and regular attendance and interactions with the Derry choir and other members of the church – including Linda, who lives in our neighborhood and always greets us warmly when we see each other on Sundays – slowly led us to make the decision to take the New Member Classes in April 2022, and ultimately change our Presbyterian membership to Derry Church.

“God Winks” don’t just happen to Ron and me. They can happen to everyone, in all aspects of their lives if they choose to embrace this concept. If we are open to seeing how God provides us with opportunities, through real life circumstances that impact our lives — and many times the lives of others with whom we interact — we constantly can receive spiritual uplifts (“faith boosts”) through these “winks” from God.

Since 1993, Derry Church and its members have been the cornerstone of my faith. My family and I are so thankful for the friendships, support and Christian leadership that Derry has provided us.

Hard work and faith were the cornerstone of life in the small West Virginia community where I grew up. Blue collar jobs in the mining or oil and gas industry provided income that supported our families. We learned early in our lives that hard work would usually bring positive results, success that carried over to the athletic field, wrestling mat and in the classroom.

Church life was very important.  We attended church services faithfully every Sunday morning, Sunday evening and prayer meetings on Wednesday night. We were taught that even in tough times faith in God and God’s plan for us would carry us through. My life has always been a balance between these two principles. I worked hard and had much success in sports and academic endeavors through high school, college, medical school and professionally, but encountered times when I had to rely on God’s plan for me.

There have been times in life both personally and professionally that hard work just wasn’t enough. I failed my first major medical school exam and thought this just was not going to work. Our son was born prematurely and had only a 20% chance of survival. Professionally, as an orthopedic oncologist, I cared for patients, who no matter how hard we worked, succumbed to their diseases. When my father and then my wife were diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease within five years of each other, we searched high and low for treatment options even though we knew there was no cure.

It is in these most difficult times that my faith, even if I could not understand it, carried me and I was confident that everything would be ok. Professionally, as an orthopedic surgeon, I can objectively see the results of the work I do. Faith is a bit of a mystery to me because it cannot be seen or touched. I cannot explain why it brings me peace in difficult times but I am so thankful for my faith. It has brought me to a very happy place in life.

Since 1993, Derry Presbyterian and its members have been the cornerstone of my faith. My family and I are so thankful for the friendships, support and Christian leadership that Derry has provided us.

Editor’s Note: On the first Thursday of each month (or close to it), the eNews feature article highlights the mission focus for the month. In April we’re lifting up community involvement and the good work of Love INC of Greater Hershey. 

I became involved with Love INC over the past few years. The first time I volunteered was with the Sneaker Drive for students at Derry Township and Lower Dauphin school districts. I helped with the children’s sizing and trying on sneakers. The kids were so excited that it gave me joy just watching their reactions as they tried on new sneakers that they would have to start a new school year. 

God puts us where we are needed, but God also lets us be a part of a miracle. One of the students was so excited that he told me he looks forward to this week every year, otherwise he wouldn’t get new sneakers for school. Someone once said that it is better to give than to receive and I sure got a lot from giving in this situation – it was very rewarding. 

I have been helping with the Sneaker Drive for a few years and look forward to helping again in August. I enjoyed helping the students and their families so I decided it was time to look for more work with Love INC. I wanted to help at other times during the year. I checked with Scott Ramirez, also a Love INC volunteer, and was able to add the Personal Care Closet (PCC) work to my duties. 

I began helping with the PCC work last year and continue to support this ministry. We stock shelves with supplies and make bags for each family from the food bank who has requested personal care items. The PCC items include toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, body wash, deodorant, band-aids, cleaning supplies, diapers, trash bags, etc. Whatever the family has requested on their checklist, we put it in their bags and the bags are grouped together by food bank locations and taken there.

This year I have extended my commitment to Love INC to include being on the Board of Directors. I look forward to giving my input and helping out as part of a team to lead Love INC and working toward their goals throughout the year. I will also work with the board to make sure their vision and mission are known by the area communities. As a member of the Board of Directors I will continue supporting the programs of Love INC with my time, expertise, resources and commitment. 

Please continue to pray for Love INC, their staff and volunteers, and programs. If any of this information sounds like something you would like to be a part of, please contact me or Dale Forshey, Executive Director (717-835-0101).

UPCOMING EVENTS:

LACE UP WITH LOVE INC SNEAKER DRIVE provides new, name-brand sneakers to qualifying school-aged students at Derry Township and Lower Dauphin school districts. Sneakers collected June 4- Aug 2.

RUN YOUR RACE 5K + 1K FUN RUN on Saturday, June 24

LACE UP WITH LOVE INC SNEAKER DISTRIBUTION Thursday, Aug 3- Saturday, Aug 5

LOVING OUR COMMUNITY ONLINE AUCTION Thursday, Oct 5-Tuesday, Oct 10

Love INC of Greater Hershey serves people in need who either worship at one of its partnering churches or who live within Hershey, Hummelstown, or the Dauphin County portion of Elizabethtown. Programs include:

• THE CONNECTION CENTER: Receives, validates, and refers clients to appropriate services) Over 1,400 requests for assistance in 2022!
• THE PERSONAL CARE CLOSET: Supplies items not covered by food stamp benefits to those certified with the Hershey Food Bank, Hummelstown Food Pantry, and the Hershey Free Food Bank.
• HOMES OF HOPE: 24-month transitional housing program for those facing or at risk of homelessness.
• PARSONAGE MINISTRY: A warm place to stay at no cost to family members of adult patients at the Penn State Health Medical Center who travel 50+ miles to receive care.
• FAITH AND FINANCES: Financial mentoring through a 10-week course offered twice a year.
• TRANSPORTATION:  Coordinating necessary rides for those who need it.
• LACE UP WITH LOVE INC SNEAKER DRIVE: provides new, name-brand sneakers to qualifying school-aged students at Derry Township and Lower Dauphin school districts

Needs unable to be met by these programs may be referred to a local agency or a partner church, depending upon the circumstances of the request and the resources available.

When Sue George asked me to write this week’s long read, admittedly I struggled to find a topic. So many things have happened over the last two-three years in the world and my own little corner of it that it’s hard for me to quiet my brain long enough to write anything more than a scientific manuscript or a standard operating procedure.
I decided to focus on a topic that has been important to me for years: disability and inclusion.

My exposure to disability and inclusion started early — my dad was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis years before I was born.  Although the 1970s were a wonderful time for music, movies, and lack of “helicopter parenting,” unfortunately, science was not able to provide many treatment regimens for MS and there wasn’t a lot of consideration of access to public places, including the church I grew up in, which was built in the 1960s. As the 70s progressed, so did my father’s illness. His need for mobility accommodations — first a cane, then a manual wheelchair and eventually, many years later, an electric wheelchair — were a part of his everyday reality. 

Church was very important to my parents. To get into my parent’s church, you either had to go up or down. There were two entrances plus a few egress exits from the basement, all with at least five steps each. The ADA was not a thing yet and “Universal Design” wasn’t either, at least in our small church, so the church had no elevators or ramps. Church dinners, for the most part, took place in the fellowship hall, which like many churches of that era, was in the basement. As you’d imagine, at a certain point, and after more than a few close calls regarding safety, the church decided to install a ramp at one of the entrances, and years later, they installed an elevator so that my dad (and only my dad at that time) could access the first floor classrooms and fellowship hall like all the other congregants. Those decisions, made in the 70s and early 80s, were certainly ahead of their time, but have come to be important in that church as the congregation has continued to age and they have an increased need for accessibility accommodations.  

Fast forward to 2006. Wally and I found our own church home and Kate, our older daughter, was being baptized. It was so wonderful that my dad was able to join us in the church and sanctuary without issues in his very large, reclining electric wheelchair and that there were pew cutouts so that he was able to sit with our family for that service. Little did we realize at the time that we, as a family, would go on to experience a whole other world of disabilities – invisible disabilities. Invisible disabilities are defined as physical, mental or neurological conditions that are not (easily) visible from the outside, and yet can limit or challenge a person’s movements, senses, or activities.  A lack of an obvious disability can easily lead to misunderstandings, false perceptions and judgment. Our experiences with invisible disabilities in our family have been a learning experience for us and those around us. As the years have progressed, we have made connections at Derry that are invaluable. We have found people who embrace the commitment we all make when a child is baptized to support, care for, and nurture those we present or who present themselves to God.

Just before the pandemic, I became involved in Derry’s Diversity and Inclusion subcommittee that has focused on identifying and providing accommodations that allow many kids and adults to continue to worship and participate in programming held here at Derry.  We’ve been able to provide education for the staff of Derry Discovery Days regarding diversity and inclusion, as well as specifically provide individualized support so that members and visitors in our congregation can participate in Terrific Tuesday, church school, and youth activities. 

If you are interested in learning more about Derry’s Diversity and Inclusion Subcommittee, please feel free to contact me or Kristy Elliott. Just like in my dad’s case, accommodations and inclusion will certainly help others beyond those you see and help today.

Last Wednesday, the Session approved creating a Faith Community Nurse (FCN) position at Derry. A FCN is a licensed, registered nurse with specialized education in integrating faith and health. They serve within faith communities to build on and strengthen the capacity of individuals and families to become stewards of their health as guided by their faith tradition.

I worked with a FCN in my previous congregation and it was such a valuable ministry to the church and its members. The position is a pastoral care resource I’ve really missed since coming to Derry. There have been numerous times in my ministry here when I wished we had an FCN. In fact, I journaled a long list of those times over a 45-day period that I shared with the Session as we discussed this new role. I believe a Faith Community Nurse will be a huge asset to our staff and church community. 

Derry’s FCN will be a:

Health Counselor: Listen to and speak with persons regarding their health issues and problems. Make home, hospital and nursing home visits as needed. Offer presence and prayer during times of crisis and celebration.

Health Advocate: Assess/observe individuals for any health-related needs and interests. Speak up for individual needs and offer possible solutions (i.e. accompanying to medical appointments).

Health Educator: Provide health information and health awareness including educating people about different chronic conditions and diseases. Emphasize preventative health care through education, screening and assessments. Promote the understanding of the relationship between faith and health. Facilitate educational workshops, support groups and free clinics as developed within the FCN health ministry (i.e. Blood Pressure Screening Sundays, education events).

A Link to Resources: Help congregation members navigate the healthcare system and connect them to local resources as well as other Derry members who are experts in specific medical fields or other health care areas. 

A Spiritual Presence: Work in conjunction with the Derry pastoral care team (pastor, Deacons, Shepherd Group leaders) in the care-giving ministry of the church. Listen, pray, support and encourage through personal visits, telephone calls and other means of contact.

The FCN will NOT provide invasive/hands-on skilled care or provide medical diagnoses, replace regular medical appointments, maintain medical records, or fill pill dispensers. The FCN is a resource, educator, and advocate and not a nurse who will treat medical issues.

The FCN will start out as part-time (15-18 hours a week) as we assess how this new ministry is working and what the needs of the congregation are. 

The Session also approved the creation of a Health and Wellness Team to support the work of the FCN. The Health and Wellness Team encourages wellness — physical, spiritual, relational — as a faithful response to God, and as a commitment to a healthy congregation as well as healthy families, and communities.

The Team carries out its task by assessing the wellness needs of individuals, families, and the congregation at large. It meets those needs through health promotion, the Faith Community Nurse Program, educational programs, dissemination of information, referral services, and periodic health screenings such as monthly blood pressures with the Deacons. The work of the Health and Wellness team supports the pastoral ministries provided by the Board of Deacons, the Membership Involvement Committee, and the staff.

The Team will work closely with the Faith Community Nurse (FCN) by providing support, oversight, and a team to help facilitate the health and wellness ministries of the church. The FCN will provide direction and leadership to the Team to carry out its purpose, and the Team will help connect the FCN to needs in the church and potential volunteers.

The Health and Wellness Team will be comprised of representatives from the Deacons, Personnel Committee, Membership & Involvement Committee, and members in health-related fields. 

I am excited for the gifts a Faith Community Nurse will bring to Derry. We are already advertising the position and hope to have interviews in April. Please be in prayer for the church and the search team as we discern who God is calling to serve Derry in this important ministry of health, wellness, and care. If you have any questions about this position, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me, Gregg Robertson, or Julie Yutesler.

Looking back on the past three years since COVID-19 came to the US, it is hard to measure the impact of this pandemic.  There are the statistics; more than half a billion cases worldwide and almost seven million deaths; although actuarial models based on estimated “excess global mortality” place the number closer to 20 million deaths. Numbers allow us to compare and analyze tragic events, but they are an incomplete measure. To put things in perspective it is estimated that the bubonic plague of the 1300s resulted in close to 200 million deaths, wiping out half of the European population. In terms of deaths, COVID-19 doesn’t even rank in the top five deadliest plagues.  Just in recent times HIV claimed more than 36 million lives. 

It is empowering to think that our knowledge, and technology helped to reduce mortality from COVID. It certainly did. But COVID highlighted our vulnerabilities, and if we are to learn from this experience we must acknowledge our flaws. History teaches us that another pandemic will occur. We just don’t know when. The question is, can we be better prepared from our experience with COVID-19? Here is my personal list of lessons learned:

Lesson 1: Transformation of the vaccine development paradigm. A major success story of COVID-19 was the development of an effective vaccine. In 326 days, we were able to move from discovery of a new genomic sequence to authorization of a COVID-19 vaccine by a stringent regulatory authority. Subsequent to the initial roll out, the industry has quickly developed and delivered modified vaccines with high efficacy against new severe COVID-19 variants. All of this with an outstanding safety profile. This would not have been possible without investment in research on mRNA and genome sequencing technology decades ago. We should not minimize the incredible impact vaccination had on our ability to respond to the COVID pandemic. It is remarkable that despite a series of mutations that increased the transmissibility, COVID has become a very manageable illness for most of society. In large part this is a result of an effective vaccine and our commitment to invest in basic research. In anticipation of the next pandemic, the industry needs to build on this success and develop an even more efficient process to identify emerging viruses before they spread and then have the infrastructure and processes in place to develop, test, and distribute new vaccines in under 100 days.

Lesson 2: We have a remarkable ability to innovate and adapt in a crisis. The early phase of the COVID-19 response was a period of tremendous innovation. Seemingly overnight we shifted to remote work, education, and worship. Zoom became part of the everyday vernacular. Disrupted supply chains spawned new sources of products and resources. We began 3D printing of personal protective devices such as face shields and masks. Distilleries shifted from vodka to hand sanitizer. Virtual doctor visits — a concept that for years was bogged down by regulatory and financial bureaucracy and poor IT infrastructure — became widely available in a matter of weeks. New technologies were adapted for surveillance of local outbreaks. Thermometers linked to a web-based platform were shown to be able to predict local outbreaks several weeks before there was a rise in positive cases and hospitalizations. Wastewater treatment plants began testing for viral antigens to identify early introduction of new variants into communities. In the later stages of the pandemic technologies for home testing were developed and became widely available.  

A common theme that drove this innovation was that it came from the bottom up, through interdisciplinary teams that were motivated to cooperate to solve common problems. Barriers were removed and those most closely involved with the problem were empowered to create solutions. We need to find ways to encourage and sustain that spirit of positive innovation, creativity, and collaboration. We live in times of rapid change that will continue to challenge our ability to adapt and respond to emerging challenges.

Lesson 3: Trust forms the basis for an effective pandemic response.  Trust is the social contract that allows individuals to work collectively to achieve the level of commitment and resilience necessary to persist through the challenges of an ongoing pandemic. In a 2022 study published in the journal Nature researchers found that all countries where more than 40% of survey respondents agreed with the statement “most people can be trusted” achieved a near complete reduction of new cases and deaths following the first peak in COVID-19 cases. More trusting societies were able to bring down cases and deaths faster and implement containment efforts more effectively. Societal trust is more closely correlated with better COVID-19 outcomes than a country’s wealth or public health infrastructure. 

In reflecting on our own response, a decline in public trust in science and government impaired our public health preparedness and response. The politicization of our response to COVID-19 led to mistrust in vaccination and public health policies. The low level of health literacy in the US population compounded the problem as even major media outlets were challenged to differentiate data produced by rigorous science from poorly substantiated or false claims. The scientific community must be more transparent in communicating the science that drives policy and rigorously review the outcomes of policy decisions based on prior assumptions. Oftentimes in hindsight well intentioned policy can be wrong. 

For example, a recent 2023 systematic review of 12 randomized clinical trials with 276,917 participants was unable to demonstrate that masking made any difference in the transmission of respiratory viruses. Systematic reviews of randomized clinical trials are generally regarded as the highest level of evidence in measuring the effect of an intervention, and this one was published in the Cochrane Library, generally regarded as the gold standard for systematic reviews. Science can be humbling. Some may say that these results indicate masking mandates were flawed, which may be true. A critical review of the original studies used in the analysis highlights how difficult it is to perform a rigorous experiment on mask effectiveness. Unlike a drug trial where you can measure drug levels, it is difficult to ensure people are following the experimental protocol and actually wearing (or not wearing) a mask.  

The important lesson to be learned is that science is not truth. It is an ongoing formal process that gets us closer to the truth. If we are to be more successful in the next pandemic, we must improve scientific literacy in the population, be humble, and be honest and transparent in communicating the results. Having mutual respect, understanding, and the humility to accept results that may challenge our personal biases is a critical first step in developing trust as we navigate the next pandemic response.

Lesson 4: We lack justice in delivery of healthcare. COVID-19 highlighted the impact of social determinants of health tied to the longstanding impact of poverty and racism.  With the exception of the first COVID-19 surge, U.S. counties with the lowest median income had death rates at least two times higher than that of the counties with the highest income. Individuals in poorer communities were more likely to be uninsured and have less access to high quality health care.  They are more likely to have conditions that increase the risk of death from COVID-19 such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and pulmonary issues. They were more likely to have occupations that made it more challenging to adopt behaviors that reduced exposure, such as remote work.  

Significant disparity in COVID-19 outcomes were correlated with race.  Data from the CDC show that Black, Hispanic, American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN), and Native Hawaiian, and Other Pacific Islander people experienced higher rates of COVID-19 cases and deaths than White people when data are adjusted to account for differences in age by race and ethnicity. Globally disparities in wealth and public health infrastructure led to persistent pockets of high virus transmission contributing to new more transmissible and virulent variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that then returned to reinfect wealthier countries that seemingly had the pandemic under control. A key lesson from the pandemic is we are all as vulnerable as the least among us.  

Lesson 5: Adjusting to the long-term impact of the pandemic will be challenging.  COVID will have long-term socioeconomic consequences that will remain with us for many years to come. Humanity has been traumatized and we will need to accept that the recovery will be slow. The social isolation of the pandemic has strained our support networks and social norms. It has brought to the surface the strain on mental health in modern society. Many are suffering from the effects of burnout, depression, addiction, and other mental health problems. It has forced us to reconsider our relationships to work and society, and reset our expectations of what is normal. Whether it is the “great resignation”, “quiet quitting”, or early retirements, 2021 and 2022 saw close to 100 million Americans quit their jobs.  Inflation resulting from higher competition for trained employees and supply costs seems to have temporarily peaked, but we will continue to feel the impact of these factors in many industries reliant on a trained workforce.  

Health care has been particularly hard hit. A survey by the consulting firm Morning Consult reported that one in five healthcare workers quit their job since the start of the pandemic, and that up to 47% of healthcare workers plan to leave their positions by 2025. This is resulting in substantial staffing shortages in many rural and underserved urban hospitals. Data from the HHS Department indicates 25% of Pennsylvania hospitals are facing critical staffing shortages leading to reduction or closure of patient services. Given the aging population of the healthcare workforce and smaller numbers of individuals entering the profession, these staffing shortages will likely worsen at a time where the demand from healthcare is increasing. Time will tell how these factors will impact future access to healthcare.  

As with many life changing events, COVID-19 brought out the best and worst of humanity. Hopefully we can build on our successes and find the resolve to fix our flaws. There are several themes in the lessons learned from COVID-19.  We must have mercy for each other, even those with whom we have disagreement. We must practice justice and compassion for the most vulnerable in our society. We must be humble. These are not new lessons. They have been with humanity throughout time. The lessons from COVID-19 are written in Micah 6:8 “what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.” Hopefully when faced with the next pandemic we will practice justice, mercy, and humility. That will prepare us well.

January brought lots of excitement in the music corner of Derry Church with the arrival of the Lee Ann Taylor Steinway. At the same time, the Communications & Technology Committee (CTC) celebrated another achievement: the installation of a Zoom Room downstairs in Room 7.

The Zoom Room makes it possible for us to host first-rate hybrid meetings, a capability we’ve never been able to handle well until now. The setup consists of two screens: one on the left allows a presenter to share a Powerpoint or use the screen as a whiteboard that can be seen in the room and by Zoom participants. It has a built-in camera and microphone that allows those on Zoom to hear the presenter and the people attending in Room 7. The screen on the right displays everyone who is joining by Zoom. They can be seen and heard by everyone in Room 7 and take an active part in the discussion.

The best use of the Zoom Room is for meetings like Session and Deacons. Both of these groups used the Zoom Room in February, giving us a chance to learn how the technology works. Every use teaches us something new and as we learn and improve, my hope is that more groups will discover and find benefits from using this technology and extending their gatherings to those who can’t attend in person. Let me know if you’d like to use the Zoom Room for your next meeting: it’s easy to learn.

Derry’s new outdoor signs are now in place across the church campus and I hope you are pleased that the signs provide a cohesive, unified look and clear directions. The staff likes being able to tell vendors and guests to “enter the building at door #1” — it’s so much easier than trying to explain how to drive around the building to the office entrance.

Recently a change was made to the large monument sign along East Derry Road: the original dimensional letters that looked great in the daytime cast shadows from the uplighting at night, making the sign hard to read. So the dimensional letters came off and were replaced by flat surface signs. This change saved us about $2,000, a happy benefit and win all around, and the sign is much easier to read at night.

In case you haven’t already heard, here are more recent changes you should be aware of:

• The WiFi upgrade throughout the church building was completed in December and tweaked in January to fix a few glitches. We now have a faster, more secure network and a stronger firewall to protect staff computers and copiers. Visitors to Derry Church should have an easier time connecting to the “Derry Guest” network and enjoy faster speeds and better coverage through the building. A new access point was added in the Lounge.
• New choir monitors have been placed in the Sanctuary to make it easier for those in the choir to hear anyone speaking from the pulpit or the other microphones.
• Along with the choir monitors, four new condenser microphones and a new pulpit mic have been installed thanks to the generosity of Derry members who gifted this equipment to the church. It’s great to have better quality mics for the choir and our musicians. The new pulpit mic has been more temperamental than we expected, so we’ve added an extension to bring the mic closer to those speaking from the pulpit.