Important This Week

• News on the Keystone Project!
• Save the date! Dr. Drew G. I Hart
• Tutorial on curriculum designed for middle-grade children
• Active Shooter Webinar

Message from Rev. Kevin J. McLemore,

ACM for Search & Call and Acting Conference Minister

Friends,

As we begin looking forward to fall and the beginning of a new programming season for our congregations, I wanted to share with you some additional details to a brief announcement our Conference Minister Bill Worley made at our Spring Meeting. Beginning in October the four Conference Ministers of Penn Southeast, Penn Northeast, Penn West, and Penn Central will meet with representatives from each of the Conferences to being discussions around the Keystone Project. This project will seek ways for the four conferences to support and assist one another while also sharing resources and seeking new ways to collaborate and share ministries into the future. The selected representatives come from officers on the Boards/Consistories of each Conference alongside Conference Minsters.

These Conference Teams will meet for a full day October 14^th and November 11^th. In the meantime, the Keystone Project has received a substantial 3-year grant from the Essential Ministries Fund of the Council of Conference Ministers (allowing the meeting to be held at no cost for participants) and the PA CMs are working with a professional consultant to help them guide and focus this project.

You will be provided with regular updates and there will be time for Conference feedback and questions. This will be a fully transparent project. The Pennsylvania Conference Ministers see this as essential work given the changing scene of religion in American and within the UCC. They look forward to creative ideas and new ways to live into the gospel of Jesus Christ.

If you have questions you may write to our conference minister once he returns from sabbatical on September 7.

Additionally, my tenure as your Acting Conference Minister will be coming to close when Bill returns after his much-deserved sabbatical. I appreciate your kindness and patience with me as I navigated this position, as well as my duties as your ACM for Search and Call. I’ve enjoyed meeting more of you this summer, which has made even more thankful to be doing ministry beside you.

Blessings, 

Kevin

 Sunday, Sept. 11^th, 2022 at 3 – 5 p.m.

The Carousel at Pottstown - 30 W King St, Pottstown, PA 19464

Join us in our celebration as we launch Open Table UCC, Pottstown, an Open and Affirming (ONA) and intentionally antiracist, Pottstown-centered, Christian community. We are gathering at The Carousel at Pottstown for a worship of celebration and thanksgiving, information sharing, refreshments and fun for the whole community. Please bring a pre-approved child-friendly food donation to our celebration for Operation 143 Weekend Backpack program for food insecure children, and share the love. (Click here for full flyer and link to pre-approved shopping list). 

Save the Date!   Ascension UCC will be hosting Dr. Drew G. I. Hart on October 29th speaking on "The Trouble I've Seen".

Tutorial Offered on Curriculum Recommendation

A one hour curriculum tutorial training on "Holy Troublemakers & Unconventional Saints", with Lucinda Megill Legendre, is offered on behalf of the Racial Justice Initiative of the PSEC.

This 12-lesson digital companion curriculum are designed for middle-grade children with activity options for younger and older participants. The lessons are designed to introduce children to the concepts of holy troublemaking as modeled by the people profiled in the book, Holy Troublemakers & Unconventional Saints, from diverse faiths, who worked for love, compassion, and justice, even when that rocked the religious boat. These lessons ask questions such as: What is holy and good trouble? What is not? What lessons can we learn from those who have gone before on this path? How do we keep our joy and inner peace while working for a world where all can flourish? What might my contribution be?  For more information and a link to register, click here.

Local Clergy Attending IAWM

Two PSEC ministers, Marian Shearer and Margaret Ernst, will be attending the international assemblies of the International Association of Women Ministers, and the World Council of Churches, in Germany this month.

The IAWM meets August 26-28 in Karlsbad, and the World Council meets nearby in Karlsruhe, with workshops and pre-assembly activities starting August 29. The main assembly is Aug. 31 to Sept. 8. The theme is “Christ’s Love Moves the World to Reconciliation and Unity."

They’ll be visiting WCC events and staffing an exhibit booth for the International Association of Women Ministers.

You can follow the World Council events at https://www.oikoumene.org/events/the-11th-assembly-of-the-world-council-of-churches. 

Rev. Karl Jones Highlighted

in UCC News

Rev. Karl Jones, PSEC Disaster Ministries Coordinator was highlighted in this week's UCC News.  To read Karl's response to: How does your faith inform your commitment to disaster response and recovery, click here.

New Book by Harry Serio Published

A new book by Dr. Harry L. Serio has been published by Wipf and Stock Publishers and is now available.

 The Other Side of Memory is the attribution of meaning and significance to the events of our lives. There is purpose in our being, and it may take a lifetime to realize it and understand it. In this book, the author attempts to make sense of his varied experiences by exploring a few dimensions of his life. His family heritage, work as a pastor and teacher, interest in archeology, theater, mystical experiences, and more all contributed to who he has become and have added texture and meaning to his life. Read more on the PSEC News page here.

Active Shooter Webinar Offered ON Wed., Sept. 7th

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency is presenting an Active Shooter Webinar on Wednesday, September 7, 2022 at 1:00 pm ET with a focus on Houses of Worship and Faith Based Organizations. Preparing employees and volunteers for a potential active shooter incident is an integral component of an organization’s incident response planning. Because active shooter incidents are unpredictable and evolve quickly, preparing for and knowing what to do in an active shooter situation can be the difference between life and death. Every second counts. Objectives:

• Discuss the elements of active shooter incident response planning with guidance from expert instructors.
• Describe common behaviors, conditions, and situations associated with active shooter events.
• Discuss how to recognize potential workplace violence indicators.
• Provide information about best practices, communications protocols, and resources that will assist stakeholders to develop or enhance their emergency planning, preparedness, and response to active shooter incidents.
• THIS IS NOT TACTICAL TRAINING

To register, click here.

From the Addiction & Recovery Taskforce: The Hijacker

The Hijacker

If you really want to understand addiction, please go to this web address (https://www.addictionpolicy.org/videos) and watch the three-minute video called “The Hijacker”. It explains addiction better than many long presentations. It is an excellent resource when you need to help others understand. The rest of the short videos in this series are also remarkably helpful.

 2023 Rates and Plan Enhancements

Announced by the Pension Boards

The following premium rates and plan enhancements for the 2023 plan year will be effective January 1, 2023. 

·    UCC Non-Medicare Plan: 8.5% Increase (no change to co-pays and deductibles)

·    UCC Pharmacy Plan: No change to co-pays

·    UCC Medicare Advantage Plan: 5% Increase

·    UCC Dental Plan: 4% Increase

·    UCC Vision Plan: 10% Increase

·    UCC Life and Disability Plan: No change

The following benefit enhancements are also effective January 1, 2023:

·    UCC Dental Plan: Coverage for Lifetime Orthodontic Services increases to $2,000

   UCC Vision Plan: Coverage of new eyeglass frames every year, with an allowance up

                 to $170

From Knowing to Transforming Your Community

First UCC in Quakertown is offering Free Training for Faith Leaders on Thursday, September 22nd. This training has been approved by C&M for 7.5 hours of Continuing Education. For more information click here. For a flyer,

click here and click here to register.

Climate Anxiety Webinar

Recently the New York Disaster Interfaith Service held a “Lunch & Learn” climate resilience webinar on pastoral care for those experiencing climate grief.

The speaker, Nobuko Hori, allowed participants to “walk in her shoes” to better understand what it means to experience climate anxiety and ecological grief. The YouTube recording of the webinar can be found by clicking here.

Click here for the August Ready PA newsletter.

UCC Polity Course Offered

The PATHWAYS Theological Education Board of Directors invites all questioning, curious people of faith to join us for our

6-week courses beginning Fall I (mid-August) and Fall II (beginning late September) (see website for details and registration links). The 12-week UCC Polity course runs three times a year beginning September 7, January 11 and May 17. 

Enroll now at PATHWAYS Theological Education, Inc.

Affirmation of Ministry Service

for Peter Detterline

Click the invitation below to download a PDF to share.

Preaching Classes Offered

All Welcome!

Rev. Dr. Steve Ohnsman, Pastor of Calvary UCC in Reading is offering preaching classes. It doesn’t matter if you are lay or clergy, all are welcome. 

The first class will meet on October 2nd from 12-2pm. We will cover the

basics of exegesis, different ways to prepare sermons, and better public

speaking skills. We will choose 5 more two hour classes that will end in May. The class is free and will be held at Calvary UCC, 640 Centre Ave., Reading

For more information contact Steve Ohnsman at ohnsman@comcast.net.

Neighbors in Need 2022

"Behold"

The Neighbors in Need "BEHOLD!" offering focuses on economic justice. With inflation impacting all of our households, we wanted to provide a way to discuss this topic through a faith lens.

Join us by promoting this year's campaign at your church. Explore the promotional toolkit, which contains a four-week bible study, coloring book, three posters, social media banners, and a leader's guide. These materials will assist you in planning and carrying out the 2022 NIN

campaign.

Items available by clicking here.