News

Derry’s next opportunity to serve the evening meal to the Penn National race course community is Monday, March 31. Volunteers meet 4:30 pm at Derry Church, travel to Grantville to serve the meal at 5:30 pm, then return to the church by 7 pm.

Our hospitality coordinator Amanda Bentley prepares the meal. You can help by donating desserts that can be dropped off in advance in the kitchen. Label treats for the Race Track meal.

The meal is provided in partnership with the Race Track Chaplaincy and is served prior to their weekly prayer service.  Click here to learn more about the Race Track Chaplaincy. Reverend Phillip Burch serves as the Chaplain for Penn National race course.

To volunteer to serve the meal or to provide a dessert, contact Craig Smith (717-574 9296).

Look for Change 4 Children collection baskets for the Alliance for Children Everywhere (ACE). As part of God’s family, ACE Zambia helps moms and caregivers to raise SAFE KIDS, grow strong families, and build sustainable communities. ACE shows the love of Jesus by bringing orphaned and vulnerable children into secure families, schools and communities through House of Moses, Bill and Bette Bryon Crisis Nursery, food relief, skills training, savings groups, seed capital, Faith Works primary schools, and Helen DeVos Christian School.

Closure of USAID has stripped millions in funding, leaving children across Zambia and Malawi without food, health care and education. Half of essential services have been halted. ACE has set a goal of $1,000,000 to help fill the gap left by the UASAID stop work order.

Dollars and checks welcome. Place coins in zip-closed bags, remembering to bag any foreign coins separately. Check that the bag is free of paper clips, pins, batteries, buttons — anything that is not legal tender — as these clog the coin sorting machine.  

Change 4 Children for ACE is collected quarterly at Derry Church. The next offering will be received on Sunday, June 8.

10 AM SATURDAY, APR 12 • GATHER IN FELLOWSHIP HALL 

For children age 0 through fifth grade! Egg hunters will be sorted into these three groups: 

• Birth through 36 months
• Age 3 – first grade
• Grades 2-5

Bring your own basket/bucket/bag to collect eggs. All egg hunts begin at 10:15 am. In the event of inclement weather, egg hunts will be held indoors.

Lots and lots of individually wrapped, peanut-free candy is needed to fill 500-700 plastic eggs for our April 12 egg hunts. Drop donations in the basket at entrance #1.

Volunteers needed to stuff all those eggs! Join the fun on April 8 as part of our Terrific Tuesday evening activities.

3-4:30 PM MONDAY/WEDNESDAY/THURSDAY/FRIDAY IN FELLOWSHIP HALL

Pickleball beginners and enthusiasts, you’re invited to join the fun! To sign up for a session, download the Team Reach app (directions below) and join “Derry Presb Pickleball.” Up to 8 people can RSVP for a date/time, and we ask that you to play doubles to accommodate more players. No cost to play, but we do have a few simple rules:

1) Have fun.
2) Don’t take it seriously.
3) Say only positive things to yourself and others.
4) Better players are asked to adjust their level of play to the level of the group on court with you.
5) Be willing to help folks learn how to play.
6) If your plans change, please update Team Reach so someone else can play.
7) Be patient. Like with anything new, expect a few glitches.

Install TeamReach on iPhone 
Install TeamReach on Android 
Enter code: P7175339667

Click on the calendar icon to see what dates are open. To RSVP for the date(s) you want to play, touch the date for that day and click YES. 

Direct any problems, questions or concerns to Sandy Ballard (717-435-5176).

We are so grateful for the generous clothing and shoe donations you have given in support of the Allison Hill Community Ministry. Every day, clients visit the church for food and they have truly enjoyed “shopping” the racks of beautifully donated clothes that we carefully hang and display. As the seasons change, we ask for gently used (or new) spring and summer items to help our neighbors feel comfortable and confident. We believe that clothing and looking nice can uplift spirits and even change the trajectory of a person’s life. Donations can be placed in the bin in the mission closet near entrance #1.

12:45 PM MONDAY, MAR 10 | ROOM 7A
Pastor Stephen moderates a Prime Timers’ discussion on “I’ll always remember when (fill in the blank) happened.” Examples might be 9/11, the Berlin Wall coming down, Neil Armstrong walking on the moon, or another big event in our community, nation, or world. Take this opportunity to practice asking curious questions, learning about others, and finding out how profound experiences can influence faith, politics, and passions.

6 PM TUESDAY, MAR 11 | HAMMOND LIBRARY
This evening discussion focuses on DEI (Diversity, Equity, and inclusion) initiatives. Share your views, your concerns, and especially your personal stories. Curious conversations are a space to listen and ask curious questions in an effort to better understand each other and the world around us.

The excitement! The fun! The epic emails written by commissioner Pete Steelman! Yes, folks: it’s almost time to make your “March Madness” bracket picks in support of Derry Church’s “Mission Madness” fundraiser that benefits scholarships for Presbyterian Education Board students in Pakistan.

A suggested $10 donation per entry can be made on the church’s secure online giving portal or see Pete in the Narthex on Sunday morning. If you participated last year, you should be automatically re-enrolled in the Yahoo site where you will enter your picks. If you are new, or unsure if you played before, or have a new email address, just email Pete Steelman and he will add you to the mailing list.

In the past eight years, Derry has raised over $18,000 for the Sargodha Scholarship Fund, and we hope to build on that by eclipsing last year’s record of 200+ participants! A trophy and engraved plaque for the overall winner will be presented next month, as well as multiple engraved medals for winners of subgroups (Best Youth, Best in Staff, Best on Session, Best in Music etc). And yes, you can also look forward to Pete’s traditional nicknames, updates, and jovial banter that recaps the action after every round of games.

6-8 PM MONDAY, APR 14 IN FELLOWSHIP HALL

Second, third, and fourth grade students who have not yet participated in Derry’s Children & Sacraments Class are welcome, along with their families, as we gather to explore the sacraments and make plans to assist in worship at 7 pm on Maundy Thursday, April 17.

We will begin the night with a meal together. We will then prepare communion bread to be used for Maundy Thursday worship. Parents and students will also have the opportunity to talk about the sacraments in small groups. At the end of the night, we will walk through what will happen during the Maundy Thursday service so everyone will feel comfortable with their part. RSVP to Pastor Shawn

6-9 PM SATURDAY, APRIL 12 IN FELLOWSHIP HALL | NO CHARGE, DONATIONS ACCEPTED 

Join Derry friends for a movie-themed dinner followed by a showing of the 2008 musical “Mamma Mia.” Derry’s own Amanda Bentley is preparing a five-course Greek dinner, and your hosts for the evening are members of the Membership & Involvement committee. Child care is not available.

RESERVATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED FOR THIS EVENT.

4 PM SUNDAY, APR 6 IN THE SANCTUARY • AN ARTS ALIVE EVENT • FREE WILL OFFERING

The Mennonite Children’s Choir of Lancaster is a community choral arts program serving more than 150 children and youth in kindergarten through grade 12. Representing nearly 55 congregations, 45 schools, and 12 denominations, singers develop a rich musical repertoire from around the world and across time while being equipped for a lifetime of service to the church and community. The mission of MCCL is training children and youth to glorify Jesus Christ through excellent choral singing. We honor and celebrate music as a gift from God by creating exceptional choral music, fostering community, and nurturing character. 

Luke Gawron has been a member of Derry Church since he was in confirmation class in 2006. In addition to working as Derry’s Sunday Sexton, he also teaches wood shop at Lower Dauphin High School. Luke lives in Elizabethtown with his two children and is also involved in Derry’s scouting program with Pack 200. He is also an artist: you may remember he created the painting on display above the welcome table in the Narthex. In his free time, he enjoys the great outdoors and cooking with his children.

Bill O’Keefe and his wife Ellen, a deacon at Derry Church, have lived in Quentin for the past five years. Bill worked for Siemens Fire Safety for 38 years in the Fire Safety Division. He is a 38-year Fire Fighter, Ex-Fire Chief, Fire Police Officer and a Life Member with the Green Township Fire Department (NJ), and for the past three years, a Fire Police member in Quentin, where he now serves as Fire Police Captain. Bill has two adult children and four grandchildren and share Ellen’s three children and eight grandchildren. Bill and Ellen love to travel in their 5th wheel RV with our beagle, Arvee, and go on an occasional cruise.

You’ll see both men around the church on Sunday mornings as they offer friendly greetings, oversee security, assist with room setups, clear walkways and more.