Our  Summer 2017 issue of NEWSpirit newspaper is online and at the printer. See our comprehensive coverage of the 2017 Eastern PA Annual Conference in text and images. Read "Equipping leaders 'for the work of ministry'" about several recent and upcoming events. Enjoy Bishop Johnson's inspiring mission-journey reflection, "Teach us to walk the good road." Rejoice in the vital learning and activity ministries that excited and educated children and youth at our camps and churches this summer. And learn about the "Four Stations of the Holy Spirit," a bold, prayer-based, sacramental outreach idea to offer people, in churches and in communities, anointing for healing, Communion for reconciliation and baptism to celebrate their new beginnings.  Learn more...

Several Eastern PA leaders are participating this week in peaceful local rallies to respond to the racial turmoil and violence that erupted in Charlottesville, Va., last weekend when white nationalists, neo-Nazis and Ku Klux Klan members staged a "Take America Back" protest and clashed with counter-protesters in the streets. One man, a neo-Nazi, drove his car into a crowd, killing 32-year-old Heather Heyer and injuring 19 others.

The Rev. Cynthia Skripak, pastor of Yardley UMC, was scheduled to speak at a candlelight solidarity vigil and rally at the Garden of Reflection in Lower Makefield, Bucks County, Tuesday night. Its sponsor, One Bucks, a coalition agency formed this year to address racism, hate and intolerance, coordinates efforts among local faith communities, agencies and county officials.  Learn more...

 

The Rev. Andrea Brown, pastor of Grandview UMC in Lancaster, reportedly spoke at a rally in the downtown pubic square. Some church members may also attend a local YWCA community discussion on " White Supremacy, Rioting and Hate"  tonight at  6 PM.

Meanwhile, the faith-based social action group  POWER will gather clergy and laity in downtown Philadelphia  Wednesday, August 16, at  7 PM, to "mourn for the freedom fighters injured and killed as they stood against white supremacy this weekend in Charlottesville." Their march and rally will focus on "Unmasking White Supremacy in Philadelphia." 

Arch Street's lead pastor, the Rev. Robin Hynicka, invites all conference members to attend and show their support.  Read POWER's  full statement. The Rev. Gregory Holston, pastor of Janes Memorial UMC, is POWER's executive director.  Learn more about these and other responses to the racial turmoil by UM clergy leaders.

• Academy for Laity  (See related story)
• Mission u (See related story)
• Pocono Plateau Summer Camp
• Carson-Simpson Farm Christian Center
• Efforts to return Carlisle children's remains (See related story)

The Certified Lay Minister Program will begin  Orientation Sessions in September for admission to the 2018 CLM Class that opens  April 1, 2018. An orientation session is required for application to the program. Sessions will be offered on numerous dates at eight convenient locations around the conference, beginning with:

There are more dates in ensuing months through December. The Class of 2018 will be certified, upon completion of course, in the Spring of 2019. Please contact Judy Ehninger to register for an orientation session:  [email protected] OR  judy.[email protected], (C) 610-442-3140, (H) 610-965-2290.

View the full schedule and information for the Class of 2018.

The Eastern PA Conference has six new Certified Lay Ministers (CLMs), who graduated May 7 in a service of recognition at Montgomery Square UMC. With this seventh class to complete the CLM process, the Conference now has 51 active Certified Lay Ministers. The 2017 graduates ( front, from left ) are: Ann Tinner of Pocono Lake UMC, Angela J. Anderson of St. Daniel's UMC Chester, Carrie Argro, also of St. Daniel's UMC Chester, Debra Stevens of Salem UMC Pottstown, Joanne Hennessy Slawter of Mount Hope UMC Aston, and Israel Olivieri, Jr. of Asbury UMC Allentown. Behind them are Bishop Peggy Johnson ( left ) and CLM program director Judy Ehninger.  John Coleman photo.

 

Dai Morgan, our UM legislative advocate, who coordinates state advocacy in PA, announces the annual prayer breakfast for state legislators, on  Tuesday, October 24, at  9 AM. The third-year event will take place at Grace UMC in Harrisburg, near the state State Capitol. To make the event more convenient for lawmakers, the prayer breakfast will be shortened from 50 to 30 minutes this year.  Be sure to read Dai's monthly legislative advocacy reports on our  Advocacy Ministries webpage.

"Becoming a sanctuary church: A interview with the Rev. Robin Hynicka." The lead pastor of Arch Street UMC talks with the General Board of Church & Society's Faith in Action  newsletter about the experience of providing sanctuary to an undocumented father who has received a deportation order.  Read more

Church leaders who want to know how to improve the health of their communities are invited to attend a major conference in Philadelphia, September 14-15, titled Equipping and Empowering Faith-Based Institutions to Address HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis C, and Health Equity through Private-Public Partnerships. The location is the International House at 3701 Chestnut Street. Churches can benefit from private-public partnerships to help them create or improve ministries that address HIV/AIDS and other key community health concerns like the opioid epidemic, substance abuse and mental health disorders. Included will be grant writing and management assistance, addressing trauma and leveraging leadership to increase clergy and lay participation in health ministries. Presenters are public, private-sector and university health officials, as well as faith-based health ministry leaders.  Learn more and  download the flyer.

We're receiving some great photos, showing special   2017 Vacation Bible School moments and ministries. But we want plenty more! Several photos will appear in the summer issue of NEWSpirit newspaper, while others will appear on our website and social media pages.  

No matter the activities or themes of your VBS, if you took photos we want to see some and share some in our media. So, please, please, send us your best photos of kids (or adults) enjoying VBS. We'll accept and publish great photos online throughout August. Don't delay. Search through your smartphone, camera or memory cards now to choose and send us your very best. E-mail them as soon as possible to  [email protected]. Thanks!

Leveraging the strengths and success of its Financial Leadership Academy (FLA) for clergy from three neighboring conferences, the Mid-Atlantic UM Foundation (MAUMF) will begin a similar training program this fall for joint teams of clergy and laity. Registration began August 1 and ends when the 20-church maximum is reached in two locations.

The four-session Academy for Church Finance  (ACF) for laity and clergy will begin with Part 1 on Saturday, Oct. 7, at the Baltimore-Washington Mission Resource Center in Fulton, Md., and be repeated on Saturday, Oct. 14, at Aldersgate UMC in Wilmington, Del.  Future sessions will be held in March and October 2018 and March 2019. Learn more... and register your church now.

The Eastern PA Conference Board of Ordained Ministry, through its pastoral care program, offers subsidies to ordained and licensed clergy wanting to receive spiritual direction. A list of clergy spiritual directors in our conference who are registered with the Spiritual Directors International association appears on the Ordained Ministry webpage.  Clergy do not have to select a name from this list to receive financial aid. However, the individual selected must be registered with Spiritual Directors International. Contact the Rev. Andrea Brown if you want financial help to receive qualified spiritual direction.

The new North District will again sponsor its own Laity Academy over four weeks on Monday evenings, September 11, 18 and 25 and October 2. Classes will be in session at St. John's UMC, 1211 West Arch Street, Coal Township, PA. To better serve local churches in their region, the active Methodists United Mission ConneXion, in the Shamokin area, is partnering again with the Eastern PA Conference, as they did  a few years ago, to bring the Laity Academy closer to home.

 

This year, the "Basic" course will be offered as well as two Advance courses: "Leading through Failure" and "Visitation and Nurturing." The academy is open to anyone in the North District or in the entire Eastern PA Conference, for those who want to drive out there and see the sheer beauty of God's early autumn canvas in our northwestern region. Each session will run from 6 to 8:30 PM. For information, contact Patty Korbich at [email protected] or 570-672-1031. A small fee will help pay for class materials and light refreshments. Registration is required. Register at    https://www.epaumc.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/ND-Laity-Registration-Form-2017.pdf

Take your time--take the rest of summer--to view the 30 dramatic video segments on our playlist, carefully prepared by our Communications staff member Lindsey Cotman. Or "binge-watch" them all at once. It's your choice.

But also, don't forget to download and read the many significant Annual Conference reports and resolutions (with their voting results) that are also accessible....where? You guessed it: our Annual Conference webpage.

Views: We're also looking for more informational and inspirational writings by clergy and laity that we can publish (or republish) on the conference website--especially in our " From Pulpit & Pew" blog section. Most of our contributions are republished, with permission, from insightful, well-written pastor's columns in church newsletters. We would like to receive more of those; but we also want other writings from diverse lay and clergy members who have something important, helpful or thoughtful to say that can benefit our readers. If you send us something, please try to e-mail a good photo of yourself as well; and definitely tell us how to contact you if we have any questions or concerns.