Message to the Conference | |
Greetings Penn Central members and friends,
"A work is praised for the skill of the artisan; so a people’s leader is proved wise by his words.” (Ecclesiasticus 9:17, NRSV)
Greetings and a word of thanks first. Thank you to everyone who showed up at State College last weekend – either in person or virtually! It was a tremendous all-PA Spring Meeting and I felt much positive spiritual energy in the air – I hope you did as well. Thanks to our PCC staff, volunteers, committee members, artisans, musicians, singers, and especially to our own Shirley Keith Knox for all your hard work. The time together was a blessing, especially to our General Minister and President, Rev. Dr. Karen Georgia Thompson. If you attended her poetry workshop on Friday, you may know why – she spoke to me about it several times and it affected her deeply. Thanks to all who attended and helped. I hope this is the first of many such gatherings!
One consistent message during the meeting concerned leadership. We already know we have excellent lay leaders, lay ministers, and clergy. As we move toward the possibility of a merged Keystone Conference, heathy, mature, emotionally intelligent leadership will become even more important. And it is one of the seven Key Attributes of a Keystone Conference.* Even if we do not merge, the Conference will be working on new ways to resource leaders already out there and to train and equip new leaders for the new ways God is calling us to ‘be the church’ together. We all know that church is changing. Sharing ministry will become more common, and calling up lay leaders to begin walking a path toward authorization will happen more and more often.
To that end I want to invite you – whether you are a lay leader, a pastor with Lay Ministerial Standing, a Member-in-Discernment, a Licensed pastor, or an Ordained clergyperson to consider doing something good for your brain and your ministry this summer. Rev. Dale Davis is a colleague of mine and is simply one of the best pastors out there. He is offering a class this summer through the Pennsylvania Academy of Ministry. I recommend this class highly and I hope some of you can attend! Who knows? I may see you there myself! Let’s keep up the good energy coming off the Annual Meeting:
The Pennsylvania Academy of Ministry (PAM) offers Innovation and New Models of Leadership. July 9–Aug 13, 2024. Tuesdays, 7–8:30pm EST via Zoom. Instructor: The Rev. Dale Davis.
This cutting-edge class introduces you to the latest leadership models and features a podcast series produced especially for the Pennsylvania Academy of Ministry, featuring well-known experts Gil Rendle, Karen Georgia Thompson, Doug Powe Jr., Lovett Weems Jr., John Schol, and Sarah Drummond. 2.5 CEUs. $325.
Information and registration: https://www.lancasterseminary.edu/programs/pennsylvania-academy-of-ministry/
Thanks again for your support of Penn Central Conference and I hope your summer is off to a good start!
Peace,
Carrie
Rev. Dr. Carrie Call
Conference Minister
Penn Central Conference
*Key attribute number 3: “Model and promote healthy, mature, self-differentiated, spiritually grounded, and emotionally intelligent leadership in all settings.” See all key attributes here *****.
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Printable eNews are available. Pastors and secretaries, please feel free to share with your congregation members that don't get this weekly email. Download and print this PDF with the weekly message to the conference, prayers for Penn Central and brief list of events. | |
Scheduling Notes
Friday, June 14 - Paul Keller out of office
Sunday, July 7 - St. Thomas UCC, Harrisburg - Nora Foust preaching
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Prayers for Penn Central Conference
Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere. Ephesians 6:18 (NLT)
This week, we pray for each other as we continue to live into God's calling...
Christ UCC, Codorus
Salem UCC, Columbia
St. John's Blymire's UCC, Dallastown
St. Paul UCC, Dallastown
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God is still speaking….. How?
For the past 20 years the United Church of Christ (UCC) has popularized the sayings, God is Still Speaking or Still Speaking God. If you are a person 18 years of age or older who is a UCC member in good health, an active visitor, or authorized pastor participating in a UCC church in Pennsylvania, USA, here is a research survey study in which you can participate that will give you the opportunity to explain what this idea means to you.
Participating should take approximately 15 minutes to complete. Your answers are kept strictly confidential, only to be viewed by the project investigator. Data gathered will be de-identified prior to results being reported. The survey is completely voluntary and you may withdraw from completing it at any time. It will ask you personal questions about how you experience God or spirituality in your life.
If you are interested, click here to read and approve the consent form and start the survey.
| Church Futures Commission | |
Discover What Coaching Could Do For You: Free Initial Coaching Session for all Penn Central Clergy & Consistory/Council Presidents
The Penn Central Church Futures Commission invites you to experience the clarifying, empowering, and strategic benefits of coaching. Unlike a mentor or a consultant, coaches aren’t there to tell you what to think, feel, believe, or do. Coaches’ deep listening and intuitive questions support clients in their identified growth, problem solving, and strategy implementation, while evoking new awareness. One of the greatest benefits of coaching is that it provides an intentional partner who is there to confidentially support, encourage, and strengthen you in your ministry. The best way to understand what coaching is, is to experience it yourself. Therefore, the Church Futures Commission is providing free initial coaching sessions for all Penn Central clergy and Consistory/Council Presidents. For those wanting to pursue additional coaching, the next three sessions, scheduled over a four-month period, will be available at a 50% discount. Click here to access the Church Futures webpage, where you can learn about our two professionally trained coaches and to schedule your initial session with one of them.
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Association Events
June 23, 2:30PM - Rev. Preston Van Deursen installation service - St. Paul's UCC, New Oxford
June 23, 2:30PM - Kathy Steiner installation service - Pleasant Hill Chapel UCC, Jonestown
June 23, 3:00PM - Jonathan Parades ordination service - Church of the Apostles UCC, Lancaster
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EcoPreacher Cohort
New Cohort begins in September 2024
Once monthly meetings online via Zoom
As our climate-changed and changing world continues to demand courage, imagination, and resourcefulness, congregations and their leaders have a unique opportunity to offer prophetic voices of possibility. With their skills and community connections, preachers are in a special position to offer spiritual guidance in the quest for understanding, connection, and resilience in a world in need of environmental healing and wholeness.
Following on from a successful EcoPreacher Cohort in 2022-2023, and with the desire to support, educate, and engage preachers in the integration of climate consciousness into their preaching, The BTS Center has partnered with Creation Justice Ministries and Lexington Theological Seminary to offer this year-long cohort of learning, companionship, and exploration that will begin in September 2024.
This cohort will offer monthly sessions to help preachers understand climate change and other environmental justice issues more deeply as spiritual crises that require creative, faith-rooted action. Our intentions for this cohort are:
- To create a covenanted space for preachers to learn, reflect together, and offer support to one another as they regularly preach in a climate-changed world
- To create a diverse, respectful, identity-forming ecumenical group that welcomes preachers from lectionary-grounded, non-lectionary-focused, and identity-based communities
- To offer opportunities for participants to take risks in exploring ecological and eco-justice themes in their preaching, in a safe, mutually-supportive, non-judgmental space
- To increase engagement with eco-preaching resources, including the EcoPreacher 1-2-3 resources being offered through the Interfaith Center for Sustainable Development
Facilitated by Rev. Nicole Diroff of The BTS Center and Derrick Weston of Creation Justice Ministries, with collaborators Rev. Dr. Leah Schade, this cohort will offer an expansive opportunity for connection, creativity, and grounded responses to climate change through the art of preaching.
Learn more here.
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Christ Church UCC invites you for the June Fire Pit Fellowship featuring our Conference Minister, Rev. Dr. Carrie Call.
Wed., June 26th @ 7pm. Outside at our pavilion and fire pit.
Rev. Call will speak on the question: How can the church encourage good, civil conversation in times of division and discord?
An article to encourage reflection and conversation is David Brook's Atlantic article "How America Got Mean". Brook’s article
We hope to see you on June 26th at 7pm. Bring a lawn chair and enjoy the firepit. If it's rainy we'll meet in the sanctuary. There’s plenty of parking at Christ Church UCC, 247 S. Market St., Elizabethtown, PA 17022.
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Northern Cluster Pig Roast and Concert – June 30
On Sunday, June 30, beginning at 5pm, the Northern Cluster of UCC Churches will host a free pig roast and concert at MYO Park in Millersburg. Brad Crum, our wonderful Elvis impersonator from Carsonville, will provide the music. Bring a covered-dish to share, and a lawn chair. A free-will offering will be received. All are welcome – come join us for great food, music, and fellowship! For more information, please contact Rev. Ray Holland, 570-682-9828.
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St. Thomas UCC Golf Tournament
Friday, August 2, 2024 12:30PM
Manada Golf Club, Grantville, PA
$85 Entry Fee - 18 holes of golf with cart, luncheon and pig roast dinner
Contact St. Thomas UCC, Harrisburg at admin@stthomasucc.net or (717) 652-7259
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Hartman Center Homecoming Camp 2024
Registration is now open!
Sunday, July 28th through Saturday, August 3rd, 2024
We will be returning again to Hartman Center Campground in Milroy, PA as guests.
Use coupon code PCC2024 if you would like to use a Penn Central Conference campership for 50% of your registration fees
Check out the full list of camping experiences for all ages and register here.
In addition to the cabins and lodges, RV sites will be available. We would love it if lots of Penn Central Conference folks are able to reserve and use those sites while we are there. Check the website here.
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Upcoming events with our partners at Lutheran Camping Corporation's Kirchenwald and Nawakwa
Click here to register for these and other events
Check out the summer camp options here
Use coupon code PENNCENTRAL2024 if you would like to use a Penn Central Conference campership for 50% of your registration fees.
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Educational Opportunities | Registration is important for planning purposes, even for virtual events, so please let us know if you need to cancel your registration so we have the most accurate numbers. | |
Boundary Training in 2024
Boundary Training at Keystone Annual Meeting
June 7, 2024 Undercurrents and Riptides Online – A two-hour session will be offered as part of the Keystone Annual Meeting (this one will not be via Zoom.) In this session, we will discuss the hidden (and obvious) dangers of ministry in an online world. From Social Media to AI to Pornography, the internet can pull us in many directions and not all of them are good for us. (This will be repeated November 19, 2024 in Zoom format.)
Summer/Fall Boundary Training registrations coming soon!
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Join with a few of your ministry peers for a fun and reflective time learning about fluid art! No experience necessary. You will learn from a professional fluid artist (Ann Benton Yeager) and create a 12x12 canvas of your own. Your Conference staff will share a bit of scripture and poetry and we will also have refreshments for all.
Register here.
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UCCMA National Conference 2024
Conference 2024, the national biennial gathering of the United Church of Christ Musicians Association (UCCMA), will take place July 10-13, 2024 at the First Congregational Church of Greenwich, Connecticut. Designed for church musicians, choral and handbell choir members and worship leaders, the three-day event includes workshops, plenary sessions, worship services, evening entertainment and networking opportunities. The stellar roster of presenters includes:
- · Tom Shelton, associate professor in choral activities at Westminster Choir College
- · Nathanial Gumbs, concert organist and director of chapel music at Yale
- · Ellen Dickinson, director of bell programs at Yale
- · Braxton Shelley, associate professor of music, sacred music and divinity at Yale
- · Janet Yieh, concert organist and specialist in women composers
The conference’s theme, “A place at the table,” inspired the planning for the entire conference experience. Our goal is to send participants home reenergized with lots of new resources and ideas to use in their local congregations.
This conference is open to all. Scholarship help is available for first-time UCCMA conference attendees who wouldn’t be able to attend without some financial assistance.
Complete information is available at https://uccma.wildapricot.org/conference-2024.
Learn more about UCCMA and what it has to offer the musicians in our denomination by signing up for a free 90-day trial membership (or join as a full member!). Information about the 2024 conference can also be found on our site: https://uccma.wildapricot.org/join-us
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2024 Financial Ministries Webinars
4th Wednesdays of the Month – 7:30pm Eastern (6:30 Central)
July 24 – Narrative Budgets: Telling your Story by the Numbers
https://UCC.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwvfuigrDwqHdI98h61fh1SpPrQJ2yC26iA
A narrative budget translates the line items of a traditional budget into a story of how your congregation makes a difference in the world. It can be a helpful tool for a stewardship campaign or annual meeting. By telling the story of our congregations' impact, we can inspire generosity in our donors.
August 28 – 3 Best Practices for Stewardship in Congregations
https://UCC.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUrd-6vqTIpG9egZClLQ6xXRV5jWRz-JVYT
We will discuss the three practices most likely to increase giving in a local congregation: teaching about generosity, pastoral leadership, and online giving options. The webinar will examine why these practices matter and discuss how to implement them in a congregation.
See full 2024 list here.
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From our friends and partners | |
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UCC's Justice and Peace Action Network are offering 50% scholarships for 12 UCC members for Justice Leadership Program's Justice Jubilee program this fall. The Jubilee program is for adults interested in weaving social justice into the fabric of their faith while gaining knowledge and confidence to do the work of justice within their congregation and community.
Please share this opportunity through conference newsletters or send directly to interested congregations and individuals.
Sign-up today - space is limited!
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Pennsylvania Academy of Ministry
The Pennsylvania Academy of Ministry (PAM) offers Innovation and New Models of Leadership.
July 9–Aug 13, 2024. Tuesdays, 7–8:30pm EST via Zoom.
Instructor: The Rev. Dale Davis.
This cutting-edge class introduces you to the latest leadership models and features a podcast series produced especially for the Pennsylvania Academy of Ministry, featuring well-known experts Gil Rendle, Karen Georgia Thompson, Doug Powe Jr., Lovett Weems Jr., John Schol, and Sarah Drummond. 2.5 CEUs. $325.
Information and registration: https://www.lancasterseminary.edu/programs/pennsylvania-academy-of-ministry/
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PATHWAYS Theological Education, Inc.
Our courses have between 4 and 15 participants. This allows for deep and productive discussions in the online forum. We know that a small class size allows the participants to develop learning relationships with each other and for facilitators to push participants to a more indepth learning experience.
o Four-week and Six-week long summer courses offered include:
o Pluralism and Religion in North America (6-wks) – July 10 to August 20
o Introduction to Spiritual Health (Pastoral Care) (6-wks) – June 19 to August 6, 2024
Go to pathwaystheological.org to find out more.
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Shiloh United Church of Christ York Pennsylvania looking for an administrative assistant. This person would be accountable to the senior pastor and to serve the church by
*coordinating the day today operation of the building
*Coordinating support staff members and volunteers
*Assisting the church treasure and financial secretary
*Maintaining accurate accounting of membership records
*Coordinate the scheduling and communication of programs
*Provide assistance to the senior pastor and/or the assistant pastor
If interested please contact Linda Little with questions by June 21st 2024. Start date would be as soon as you are able to and training would be provided.
Thank you so much for your consideration!
Linda Little, Chairperson of Church and Ministry
Cell- 717-309-4523
lslcmt@yahoo.com
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Thornwald Home and Sarah A. Todd Memorial Home, continuing care retirement communities of United Church of Christ Homes, are seeking a compassionate and resident focused team member for the position of Chaplain.
This full-time position (working 75 hours in a two-week period and splitting time between Thornwald Home and Sarah A. Todd Memorial Home) provides spiritual support and comfort for the residents of the communities, in coordination with each resident’s home congregation and in accordance with United Church of Christ Homes standards. Responsibilities include planning, developing, organizing, implementing, evaluating, and directing programs that meet the individualized spiritual needs of residents; coordinating and conducting regularly scheduled spiritual services for residents; and maintaining a visitation program for all residents. Learn more here.
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Directory
Rev. Dr. Carrie Call, Ph.D.
Conference Minister
email: ccall@pccucc.org
Phone: 717-433-3196
Rev. Dr. Nora Driver Foust
Associate Conference Minister
email: nfoust@pccucc.org
Phone: 717-433-2587
Rev. Dwight Hein
Facilitator for Clergy Care
email: dhein@pccucc.org
Phone: 717-433-6306
C. Paul Keller
Office Manager
email: pkeller@pccucc.org
Phone: 717-652-1560
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