Important This Week

• Update from the Keystone Study Group
• Annual Spring Meeting next week in West Chester
• PSEC hosting "Are you being called to ministry" event next month on Zoom

Keystone Study Group -- Summary of 5/12 meeting

The sixth meeting of the Keystone Study Group* took place Friday, May 12, 2023. This group continues to explore the possibility of mutual or consolidated ministry among the four conferences toward the question, “could we become ONE Keystone Conference?” Last month, we answered the question of WHY pursue this possibility and embraced the truth in affirmation, “Together we are stronger! The Keystone Conference” and the Spirit is still speaking!

We believe a unified Keystone Conference will better serve, support, challenge and unite our diverse faith communities and ministry settings. Our study group focused on the many areas of opportunity to create a more robust and effective connection between the Conference functions/roles and the needs or ministry settings. WHAT is needed, desired, dreamed of for a more vibrant and vital ministry? The WHAT and the larger HOW will be our ongoing tasks in coming months.

Learning from the experience of other conferences, we take seriously the task of exploring options and questions around collaboration, accountability, effectiveness and meaningful connections. We looked at continuing with the “status quo,” and encouraging mutuality and sharing of opportunities for collaboration. We discussed merging the 4 conferences to 2. We shared options for church consultation models to deploy support with various expertise for needs, as well as more effectively utilizing part-time persons/clergy in staffing resources. We recognized that a systematic analysis of local congregations and their voices is needed to support strategic missional priority. The Conference serves to empower the work of ministry in many unique and mission critical areas. In all these considerations, we returned again to the power and energy of who we are and could be together. Our consensus remains, “Together we are stronger! The Keystone Conference.”

We now come to the WHAT… In what ways would God work with and through us to create that which strengthens our undeveloped or underutilized potential? What strengths do we possess that will get us to our future? We believe a Keystone Conference can inspire all settings of the Church to thrive in diversity and unity. We are exploring the necessary and desired functions of a Keystone Conference and what outcomes we believe you, our shared community, would want to achieve together. We began discussing functions and outcomes around Mission/Social Justice, Oversight/Authorization, Faith Formation for ALL ages, and Generosity. In the coming months, we will discuss Search and Call, Leadership Training, Technology/Digital Ministry, Communication, Ecumenism, Church Futures, Our Shared Voice and Ministry, Spiritual Revival, Crisis/Conflict Response and Transformation, as we identify  functions and outcomes.

Our partnered work is greater than our individual efforts. We continue to embrace the possibility of our WHY, as we move forward with WHAT we believe God is calling us ALL to become, and being open to HOW the Holy Spirit will create innovation through our shared vision to give voice, strength and greater life to the Body of Christ.

Our ministry study continues in the hope and assurance that… “Together We Are Stronger! – The Keystone Conference.”

Sharing our progress in grace and hope,

KSG Communications Team

Steve Davis                        St. John’s UCC, Fullerton (PNEC)

Sterling Fritz                      Redeemer’s UCC, Littlestown (PCC)

Robin Hightower             Peace In Zion UCC, Zieglerville (PSEC)

Deb Long                            First Trinity UCC, Youngwood (PWC)

*A study and discernment group of the 4 PA area UCC Conferences – Penn West, Penn Central, Penn NE, and Pennsylvania SE

Visit psec.org/keystone for previous meeting summaries.

Annual PSEC Spring Meeting next week in West Chester

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 Conferences that may lead to a four Conference merger. Click here for more information. Reports and agenda are available on the webpage.

Latino organization moves to Zion's UCC, Pottstown

The Board of Directors of the Centro Cultural Latinos Unidos (CCLU) announced in early May that the organization has moved from the First Baptist Church, Pottstown, to Zion’s United Church of Christ at 209 Chestnut Street. The only Pottstown-based non-profit grassroots organization addressing the needs of Latino children, youth and families, CCLU is fully operational at its new location and offering its after school program. For more info and more pictures, click here.

Locust Lake Chaplain announced for 2023 summer

The Locust Lake committee is excited to announce that we have a new chaplain for Locust Lake! Ellen O'Connell from Noxen, PA is our chaplain! She has been actively engaged with her church for many years. She plays rhythm guitar and leads singing at her church. She is the mother of 8 grown children! She assisted the chaplain at Cowans Gap State Park this Spring (Cowans Gap starts their chaplain program earlier in the year.) She loved it and is excited to serve this summer at Locust Lake. 

Welcome Ellen! Thanks to all for your prayers for Locust Lake! God is good!

Maureen Duffy-Guy

UCC webinar: Strengthening EPA Protections

As UCC congregations across the country embark upon collecting thousands of signed postcards for the Environmental Protection Agency as part of the Climate Hope Cards campaign, this webinar will cover how the coming months at the EPA present a significant opportunity to save thousands of lives, address societal inequalities, and put the US on a path to achieve 100% carbon-free electricity by 2035. Even if you cannot make the webinar at its scheduled time on June 14 at 1:00p, still sign-up, and we will send you a link to a recording of it. Register now!

From the Addiction & Recovery Taskforce:

'Tranq' A Deadly Combo

Xylazine, known as “Tranq”, is a non-opioid veterinary tranquilizer linked to an increasing number of overdose deaths nationwide. Studies show people exposed to Xylazine often knowingly or unknowingly use it in combination with other drugs, particularly illicit Fentanyl. Deaths involving Xylazine increased from 2% to 26% in just 5 years’ time within Pennsylvania alone.

This central nervous system depressant can cause drowsiness, amnesia, and slow the user’s breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure down to dangerously low levels. People who inject drug mixtures containing Xylazine can also develop severe wounds, including necrosis — the rotting of human tissue — that may lead to amputation. Many go untreated rather than face judgment at hospitals and other treatment centers.

Visit the Addiction and Recovery Task Force web page to educate yourself further on this deadly addition to the drug epidemic and please pray for those addicted, lost, and hopeless.

Counseling, Spiritual Director recommendations at PSEC.org

In a recent Advanced Boundary Training, participants asked for a collection of recommendations for counselors and spiritual directors be compiled as a resource for clergy. That has now been added to psec.org/help.

Who can you invite? 'Are You Being Called to Ministry' event

On June 21, Conference Minister Rev. Bill Worley will host a one-hour gathering on Zoom to help curious individuals explore "Are you being called to ministry?", what it means to be called to ministry and answer questions. In addition, you’ll hear brief stories of others who have answered the call to serve the church in these roles. For more information, click here.