Important This Week

• Reaffirmation of Ordination Vows this Thursday
• UCC all-church read announced: How to Be an Antiracist
• Registration deadlines Thursday for Lay Leaders Convocation and Diversity Training event with Traci Blackmon

From the Conference Minister:

Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni!” Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord,” and she told them that he had said these things to her. - John 20:16-18 (NRSV)

What actually happened 2,000 years ago on the morning we now call Easter? The mystery endures.

Matthew, Mark, Luke and John tell their own stories. They all agree that Jesus was betrayed, tried and crucified. But then they diverge. Mark says the women found an empty tomb and ran away terrified, and never told a soul (which later redactors felt a need to rectify). Matthew and Luke have much more to say about Jesus’ resurrection appearances. But John has the most to say with Jesus appearing on the other side of locked doors, showing his wounds to Thomas, preparing breakfast on the beach, and inviting Peter back into grace filled love. One story, four different endings.

Those four different endings were the best attempt by each to answer some very basic questions — Who was this Jesus? Who is God? Who am I and why am I here? The answers to all those questions is the same — love. But there are days, weeks and even years in every one of our lives when that answer falls completely flat and does not lift us above unrelenting bad news, depression, and disease. Those four different endings are also the best attempt by each to comfort a people who needed hope — even not-quite-precise hope, or agreed upon hope, but an enduring hope, nonetheless.

We know about needing hope. Life is beautiful. Life is also very, very hard. Some days or weeks or even years are one long Good Friday that leave us broke and broken-hearted.

Our foremothers and fathers of faith who first received the gospels in their original written form understood that the immediate followers of Jesus experienced Easter each in their own way and that the four Gospel writers weren’t trying to write the end of their stories. They were writing the beginning of ours.

Easter is not a history lesson with a tidy ending, but an invitation to look past death in all its disguises. After every death, new things get born. Your story is not over. You are a resurrection in progress. You may sometimes have days, weeks and even years of Good Fridays, but Easter will always arrive.

For Christ is risen. He is risen indeed.

With the best of Easter Blessings,

Pastor Bill

Rev. Bill Worley

Conference Minister

Schwarzwald fundraiser featured by UCC

In today's UCC News Digest email, there were some familiar faces: Schwarzwald UCC in Reading. The church has been selling chocolate eggs for more than 70 years, making nearly 1,500 pounds of candy in 2023. Click here to read the story.

Stewardship Team is now 'Generosity Mission Team'

We're changing our name! The Stewardship/Development Mission Team is now the Generosity Mission Team. We all know that words matter, and we feel our new name better speaks to our team's overall mission of inspiring generosity throughout PSEC. As always, be sure to check out our page on the PSEC website for helpful resources, including our awesome OCWM video featuring our Conference Minister, Bill Worley, and snapshots from congregations throughout PSEC.

UCC All-Church Read:

How to Be an Antiracist

On behalf of national UCC leaders of Join the Movement Toward Racial Justice, your PSEC Racial Justice Initiative encourages you to take part in the All Church Read of Ibram X Kendi’s book How to Be and Antiracist.

UCC minister and JTM lead Rev. Velda Love said of Kendi’s book “How to Be an Antiracist compels us to read and gather for respectful community conversations, listening deeply to our neighbors and working together toward dismantling racism. The book offers multiple opportunities for reeducation as a way forward toward meaningful conversations across all ethnicities, cultures, gender identities and geographical locations.”

The All Church Read is planned to run from the beginning of April through June.

A faith-based facilitator’s guide and conversation prompts will be available at the JTM webpage, along with posted conversation groups to join, and virtual gatherings to explore. The All Church Read will culminate during a virtual Juneteenth celebration.

Chaplain in the Park Opportunity at Locust Lake

Do you love the outdoors? Do you enjoy worshipping surrounded by God’s beautiful creation? Consider becoming a campground minister this summer at Locust Lake State Park!

Every summer, chaplains lead Sunday worship in many Pennsylvania State Parks through the Campground Ministry program of the Pennsylvania Council of Churches. Chaplains can be -- but need not be -- ordained ministers. Duties include the worship service as well as visiting campsites to lend a listening ear and invite campers to worship.

Wonderful ministry comes out of this ministry! If you are interested, you can learn more and apply here. You can also contact Rev. Maureen Duffy- Guy for more information: mduffyguy@hotmail.com or text her at 717-619-8337.

Join the First Ever

UCC Earth Day Summit

This online event will take place Saturday, April 22 at 11:00a. The theme is “What’s Possible?: Earth Day Stories of Hope.” This 2.5 hour summit will feature a keynote from Rev. Jim Antal, a panel of speakers, the presentation of the Dollie Burwell Prophetic Action Award, and a video showcasing the story of Mayflower UCC in Minneapolis. Even if you cannot make the event at its scheduled time, sign-up, and we will send you a link to a recording. Register now!

Theology with a Twist on food insecurity tonight

The next Theology with a Twist is scheduled for Tuesday, April 4 at the Kutztown Tavern on the topic "Feeding the Soul When There's Not Enough to Eat." Click here for more information.

Reaffirmation of Ordination Vows set for Maundy Thursday

The Conference Ministers of the four Pennsylvania UCC Conferences will host a Service of the Reaffirmation of Ordination Vows for ordained clergy on Maundy Thursday, April 6, at 10:00a via ZOOM. 

It’s a long-standing custom in liturgical traditions for clergy to gather on the same day Jesus offered “a new commandment”— to love and serve one another — for the reaffirmation of their ordination. We hope this will be an experience of spiritual encouragement and connection.

Clergy are encouraged to wear a stole received at their ordination, a red stole, or any other stole that has significant meaning. The service includes the sacrament of virtual communion so please prepare in advance. Click here to register.

Thank you note from

Rev. Tammie Wisniewski

Click here to read a thank you note from Tammie Wisniewski following her March 19 ordination, including information on the offering collected at that service.

Register for the Lay Leaders Convocation on April 15

Local church leaders are invited to a Lay Leaders Convocation, a full day of worship, address, workshops, and fellowship on Saturday, April 15 in Pottstown. If you are a consistory president, elder, deacon, council member, or active member of your church community, this event is for YOU.

Workshops include:

• The Post-COVID Church (Zack Jackson)
• Reviving the Sunday School (Betsy Majewski)
• Stewardship of Financial Resources (Donald Wargo)
• Spiritual Leadership (Charles Maxfield)
• An Environmentally Friendly Church (Constance Lezenby)
• How Does the UCC Work? (Bill Worley)
• Making a Joyful Noise with Whatever You've Got (Caroline Dunleavy)
• Stepping into the Pulpit (Kevin McLemore)

Click here for more info and to register.

UCC website with steps to support East Palestine, OH

There is now a UCC webpage about steps the UCC is doing in East Palestine, OH and three actions people can take to help. UCC ministries have called for solidarity in East Palestine during Holy Week, click here to read more.

From the Addiction & Recovery Taskforce: Words to ponder

“Yet, religion’s main job is to reconnect us (re-ligio) to the Whole, to ourselves, and to one another-and thus to heal us.”

Richard Rohr, Breathing Under Water, p.89

UCC webinar: Getting Ready for Earth Sunday: Resources

Many churches celebrate God's creation on the Sunday closest to Earth Day (April 22). Creation Justice Ministries has created a resource that brings the lens of justice to food, the most immediate and tangible way that we connect with the natural world around us. In this webinar, Karyn Bigelow will introduce the resource and talk about ways churches can deliver a powerful message and experience on Earth Sunday. Even if you cannot make the webinar on April 12 at 1:00p, still sign-up, and we will send you a recording of it. Register now!

Registration open for PSEC Annual Spring Meeting

The Annual Spring Meeting will be June 2-3 at West Chester. The theme will be "May They All Be One: Unleashing the Spirit", focusing on ways to re-imagine what it means to be the Body of Christ. That includes building partnerships between local churches who share resources (including pastors), merging ministries, and connecting with community partners. Representatives from congregations share how this has been life giving for them and how they overcame longtime resistance to making it happen. Similarly, representatives of the Keystone Study Group will share their conversations about creating partnerships between and among our four PA Conference that may lead to a four Conference merger. Click here for more information and to register.

Church Merger workshop with Rev. Cean James next month

Many churches are exploring the best way to maintain their ministry during a time of decline. Several churches have found merging with another congregation to be a life-giving decision that energizes both congregations and produces a new ministry that is equipped for the church of today and tomorrow. Merging churches is not an easy decision or an easy process, but when done well many congregations have discovered that they are better together. This workshop is for church leaders who are anywhere in the process of discerning church merger. The workshop will be offered April 29 in Limerick and the same workshop again on May 6 on Zoom.

Rev. Sonja Ingebritsen installation at Glenside UCC

Click the invitation below to download a PDF to share.

Join St. James, Havertown on a service trip to Florida

St. James UCC, Havertown is going on a service trip to FL from June 24 to July 1. Seven people have committed to the trip and they have room for another 4 or 5. if anyone wants more information, email Rev. Terri McNamara at tmcnamara1@msn.com and absolutely put "FL service trip" in the subject line so it's not labeled as junk mail.

Registration open for PSEC Boundary Training events

Six hours of Boundary Training is required for every PSEC authorized minister who hasn't received Exempt Standing. Registration is now open for several upcoming Boundary Training opportunities. Click the event name below for more information and to register:

• Advanced Boundary Training: The Limits of Pastoral Care. Wednesday, April 26 from 9:00a-12:00p on Zoom
• Basic Boundary Training. Tuesday, May 2 from 9:00a-4:00p in Norristown
• Basic Boundary Training. Thursday, September 14 from 9:00a-4:00p in Schuylkill Haven

Register for Traci Blackmon event for Diversity Training

On Sunday, April 16, Reformed Church of the Ascension in Norristown will host "Call to Action: Reconnecting the Church to a Vocation of God's Justice." Rev. Traci Blackmon, Associate General Minister of Justice and Local Church Ministries for the UCC will provide the keynote address at this event, which has been approved for Diversity Training credit. The question of how to enact the role of the church in community justice work is often overwhelming for local congregations. Determining the next steps is essential for the church to live out the vocation to which God has called us. Click here to register.

PNEC offering event on Indigenous boarding schools

On April 12 from 9:00a-3:00p, "Repenting of the Unforgivable" and "Beyond Lament: Movement Towards Repair" will be held at Jordan UCC, 1837 Church Rd., Allentown.

Breakfast and lunch are included with the $35 cost. Click here to register.

Keynote; “Repenting of the unforgivable” Through the medium of storytelling, Rev JimBear Jacobs will share how the legacy of Indigenous residential boarding schools has left a stain upon the church. The sin of complicity in the boarding school has for far too long been ignored or rationalized away. It is time to face this sin head on and enter into a season of lament that can hopefully lead to repair. Workshop: “Beyond lament: Movement towards repair” In this workshop Rev. Jacobs will explore some tangible steps that churches might wrestle with as they consider reparations for the traumatic legacy of the boarding school system

Treat your church admins: Register for annual luncheon

Church administrators and secretaries are invited to the annual PSEC Admin Luncheon on Administrative Professionals Day, April 26. We will check in, fellowship over lunch, and enjoy a presentation on a ministry of the Conference. Click here for information and to register. We hope churches will pay the $20 cost of the event.

Free clergy training on aiding veterans' whole health

From May 11-12, Cranaleith Spiritual Center, in partnership with the Department of Veterans Affairs Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center, is offering a two-day training to educate clergy about issues facing returning Veterans and their families following deployment. Rev. Dr. Chris Antal, a veteran of the U.S. war in Afghanistan, and staff chaplain at the CMCVAMC, will facilitate the training.

Training topics will address post-deployment readjustment challenges, the psychological, physical, behavioral, and spiritual effects of war trauma on survivors, such as moral and spiritual injury, and the important role of community in helping to reduce mental health stigma and support Veterans and their families.

For more information:

Click here for a flyer

Click here for a press release

Click here to register