• Book launch at Grove UMC: Spiritual Help in Hard Times…The Bible’s Hope for Life on Earth, by Rev. Owen Owens, Saturday, 1-3 PM.  Read More
  
• Tindley Temple UMC’s 58th Annual Festival of Church Music, featuring music from Handel's Messiah, Sunday, Sunday, 3:30 PM. Read More
  
• Boehm’s Chapel to feature chalk talk artist in Advent program, combining this holiday presentation by chalk artist Josiah Hurst with its traditional Lessons and Carols, Sunday, 3 PM. Read More
  
• Marshallton UMC Celebrates Christmas In Marshallton, offering a daylong experience of traditional  holiday village life, Saturday, starting at 8 AM. Read More

The Eastern PA Conference Communications Team will hold an introductory networking event for local church communicators this Saturday, Dec. 5, from 9 to about 11:30 AM at the Conference Office. This will not be a training event, but simply a conversation to share helpful ideas, information, questions, strategies, problems and possible solutions. You can drop by or call in on our free conference call line at 218-632-0322. For the access passcode please e-mail us at [email protected] or call or text 443-745-5654 at anytime.

If you produce communications for your church (newsletter, Website, social media, e-mail photography, video, etc.) please contact our office at [email protected], let us know who and where you are and how to reach you. And please try to attend or call into this meeting for as long as you can participate. We will use the information gained to plan future conversation and training events for 2016. For this session, we hope to cover helpful tools and tactics of local church communications, suggest resources and make valuable connections among peers. 

In less than a month #BlackChurchesMatter, the GoFundMe online fundraising campaign to support the ministries of Eastern PA Conference black churches, has so far raised $3,555 of its $5,000 goal from 36 people. Support is slowly growing, including words of encouragement from donors. "Black churches are vital for the preservation of the black culture," Aneita Duglas wrote. "Values, long lost, are still being maintained in our churches." The campaign Webpage features photos of church ministries, including Mt. Zion UMC Philadelphia's bevy of backpacks collected and blessed for kids going back to school in September. "Let's continue to give so that churches such as these can continue their ministries," writes campaign manager Bethany Sutton, who staffs the sponsoring Urban Commission office. "Please keep the donations coming!"

Lititz UMC will continue a tradition on White Gifts Sunday, Dec. 6, collecting white-bagged gifts during worship services to give to homeless students. Each year the gifts benefit more than 800 students in Lancaster's Homeless Student Project. Program directors say the most direly needed items include book bags, school supplies, personal care items and school uniforms (which are required and strictly regulated there). Toys for the children will be provided from the Toys for Tots program. Donors are asked to not wrap the gifts but instead use white paper bags provided onsite. For more information or to donate, call Mary Ann Stuckey at717-626-4426. Checks can be sent to Lititz United Methodist Church, 201 Market St, Lititz, PA 17543. Phone: 717-626-2710.

The Central District has a Global Mission Fellow US2, Rachel Ternes, who came on-board this past summer.  She is engaged in various outreach ministries, offering her talents while exploring her passion  and call to ministry. This vital young adult missionary program has been hosting a series of informational webinars for other young adults who might be interested in joining their peers. Global Mission Fellows work with global organizations that address human trafficking, worker’s rights, collegiate ministry, youth and children, women’s rights, and many other issues. Click here to see what other social justice issues are being addressed.  If you have young adults in your church or community (ages 20-30) who might be interested in serving in mission for the next two years please pass along this information in worship bulletins, announcements, social media, etc.  If you want Rachel to come speak to your congregation contact Darlene DiDomineck, Central District Resource Assistant, and she will be happy to make the arrangements. Upcoming Webinar date: Dec. 10.

Developed by United Methodist Communications, Find-A-Church helps your church connect with people who may be looking online for a church to provide worship, fellowship, spiritual nurture and other needs.   If your church has a Website, having a church page in Find-A-Church doubles your local visibility to reach people searching by city, town or zip code. It is the official online directory of United Methodist churches in the United States and  one of the most visited sections of UMC.org, averaging more than 1,000 page views a day. You’ll achieve the best results from your Find-A-Church profile when you update your church’s information. For video instructions on how, visit Video Tutorial: Find-A-Church Overview. 

A limited number of 2015 Eastern PA Annual Conference Journals will be available in early to mid-November. Order yours today for $25 each. You can pay online or send a check by postal mail to EPA UMC, Attention Ms. Gloria Knoeller, PO Box 820, Valley Forge, PA 19482-0820.

What's in the Journal? Contact information for Conference staff, clergy, Camp and Retreat Centers, Districts, and United Methodist Church boards and agencies. Also clergy appointments, pastoral salaries and service records; and conference board and committee assignments. Plus, all about the 2015 Annual Conference; conference statistics for 2014; historical highlights; and conference policies and procedures for clergy, staff, and others. Questions? Please contact Gloria Knoeller at [email protected].

Order your copy now:
https://epaumc.churchcenteronline.com/registrations/events/8672

The Fellowship of Associate Members and Local Pastors of the Eastern PA and Peninsula-Delaware conferences will retreat together April 24-26, 2016, at Black Rock Retreat Center, 1345 Kirkwood Pike, Quarryville, PA. Associate Members, Local Pastors, Student Pastors and Certified Lay Ministers are all invited to attend and may earn 2.0 CEUs. Online Registration is open now. For more information contact Mark Beiderman at 610-585-0575. Download the brochure, which contains a registration form.