Answers to Commonly Asked Questions 

Office Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday (except for certain Holidays).

Monaghan’s telephone number is 717-432-4234.  The church’s website is www.monaghanpresby.org  The general email is monaghan@monaghanpresby.org

Seating Capacity for the sanctuary is 300 before setting up chairs; the Narthex can accommodate about 110-125 for congregational dinners, considerably more if seated auditorium style.  Classrooms can seat from 16-24 comfortably around tables and up to 30 if arranged auditorium style. 

A Wedding in this church is a service of worship and is offered to members only.  

A Funeral/Memorial Service is a service of worship, witnessing the Resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ.  A memorial service is different only in that the body of the deceased is not present.  When death occurs, our pastor should be notified immediately.  Our pastor, with the funeral director, will assist in planning arrangements and the details of the worship service, which normally includes the singing of hymns, a sermon, and prayer.  Arrangements for flowers, music, ushers, a bulletin and reception, if desired, are all coordinated through our pastor and the funeral director.  The funeral/memorial service is most appropriately held in the church, but it can also be held in a funeral home, a member’s home, or another location.  Funerals are not normally conducted on Sundays. 

Monaghan’s Memorial Garden is located on our grounds near the flag pole, between the building and the main parking area. The garden contains a memorial marker that is engraved with the name of the person whose ashes are interred.  Ashes are placed at the pastor’s discretion, following a suitable Memorial Service. A family may choose to purchase a memorial stone to be engraved and added to the design of the garden whether their ashes are on-site or not.  Historic Monaghan on East Church Street in Dillsburg also has a memorial garden.  A small brass plaque is placed on the memorial stone and will be inscribed with the name of those interred.  There are no individual markers/stones at this garden. 

Flowers in the sanctuary are provided by members and/or attendees on most Sundays.  There is a Flower Calendar, for sign-up, on the bulletin board outside the sanctuary.  The donor may take the flowers (in take-home cups provided by the Deacons) following the worship services or make arrangements with the Deacon of the Month to have them delivered to shut-ins or someone in the hospital.  There is a cost to donate the flowers which is payable to the church and may be submitted to the office or placed in an envelope in the offering plate during worship. 

The Church Library is located in Room 120, at the end of the education wing, and is open Sunday mornings and during office hours.  Books may be checked out in the normal “library” fashion.  Children’s books are also located just outside the church office. 

Committees – Church committees are chaired by Session members.  Membership is not required to serve on a committee.  All are welcome and encouraged to join a committee to assist in the mission of Monaghan. 

The committees are Congregational Life; Mission; Membership; Stewardship & Finance; Nurture & Education; Worship; Communication and Outreach; and Property. 

Deacons – Upon joining Monaghan, each church member, or family, is assigned to another church member who is serving the congregation as a Deacon.  The Deacon is available for ministry or for help in other ways that may be needed throughout the year.  You may be contacted by your Deacon, but you may also contact the church office to find out the name of your Deacon.  You may contact your Deacon in times of illness or at any time as needed.  In an emergency, or if you are admitted to a hospital, please contact the church office and the appropriate Deacon will then be notified. 

Choirs – Monaghan has three choirs: one for adults, one for children, and an adult handbell choir.  Everyone who loves music is encouraged to join a choir.  Membership is not required…only a love for music. Choir Director Eunice Hager may be contacted for information about joining a choir. Nathan Young about joining the Bell Choir.

Church Budget Pledges – Systematic and regular giving is encouraged by the church through pledges.  Online giving is also now possible by clicking the "Give Now" button on the home page. This can be a one time or set up as periodic automatic withdrawals from an account. Pledge forms are distributed in November and amounts may be pledged on a weekly, monthly, quarterly, semi-annual or annual basis. While the church does not designate a particular method of financial giving, members should understand that expenses continue from day-to-day and week-to-week, and most bills are paid monthly.  Most pledges are made on a family basis, but the church encourages all members of the family who belong to the church to feel a responsibility for a share in paying the pledge.  Statements are rendered on pledges annually unless a specific request is made for statements to be withheld.  The church budget is prepared in December for the following calendar year, submitted to the Session for approval in January and to the congregation for information thereafter.  The pastor’s compensation package must be approved by the congregation at the Annual Congregational Meeting. Monaghan Presbyterian Church must pay an annual per capita fee for each member on the church’s rolls to the Carlisle Presbytery which is split between Presbytery Synod and General Assembly for the mission and service of the greater church.  The amount is listed on the top of the pledge envelope box and may be paid annually, or in increments, if so noted on the outside of weekly or monthly pledge envelopes. 

Memorials, Gifts of Stock, etc. – Inquiries should be directed to the current Chair of the Stewardship and Finance Committee.  

Mailing Lists – the Monaghan Memo (church newsletter) is emailed monthly to persons on the church’s mailing list or, if the member does not have a computer, a copy will be placed in the church mailbox.  (Church mailboxes for members’ use for church business are located in the hallway outside the church office.)  New members are automatically added to this mailing list unless they request otherwise.  Additionally, the church sends out emails to the congregation from time to time.  If you would like to be added to the email list, please contact the Office Administrator in the church office.   

A Church Directory of contact information is provided periodically to members and is for internal use in contacting members only in regard to church functions or church business and should not be distributed to any other individuals or organizations or disseminated for public use.  If you would like to have a cell phone number or email information included in this directory, please contact the Office Administrator in the church office. 

Birthdays – Birthdays are listed on the bulletin insert on a Sunday proceeding the new month and in the monthly newsletter.  If your name is missed, please contact the church office with your date of birth for our office records.