Important This Week

• Annual Spring Meeting this week in West Chester
• Register for Boundary Training for Retirees
• Lay Leadership Support Group meeting coming up

Annual PSEC Spring Meeting this 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.

If you are registered to attend the meeting, please watch your email for a message from Sue Creswell (susan@psec.org) before end of day tomorrow with detailed information on the weekend.

Lay Leadership Support

Group via Zoom!

A Lay Leadership Support Group exists for Consistory Presidents as well as those serving on Consistory. We gather once a month on Zoom -- so please join us at our next meeting June 17 at 10:00a.

We have found it to be a great place to form new friendships, to gain support, and to be educated on a variety of topics concerning our churches. The discussions are centered around sharing valuable information about what our churches are doing or maybe could be doing. This meeting will be online to make ease of attendance for all!

All past attendees will automatically receive an email with the Zoom link the Thursday prior to the meeting. If you are new to the group, please reach out to Susan at the PSEC office at susan@psec.org to be added to the list.

From the Addiction & Recovery Taskforce:

PSEC Addiction Taskforce visits St. Paul's, Birdsboro

Pastor Margaret Ernst contacted the PSEC Addiction task force requesting a visit from some members of the group in order to share some insights with the congregation on a Sunday morning. On Sunday May 21 two members of the PSEC Addiction task force visited. One member spoke from the perspective of a family member of one who had suffered from the disease. The other member spoke as one currently in recovery. After the Benediction congregants were welcome to come and speak personally with the taskforce reps. Stories were shared. Hope and support was exchanged. We are sure EVERY congregation in our conference includes people who crave congregational support for themselves and their addicts. What is your congregation doing to show compassion for them? Please send news about your ministry so we can celebrate it or ask us to help you get started. 

MESA offering Retired Ministers Boundary Training

Maintaining healthy boundaries is challenging at any stage in ministry and it is particularly tender and difficult attending to boundaries as we transition out of our last call, and while in retirement. "A Sure Foundation", "The Ministerial Code" and Rev. Dr. Bruce Epperly's new book, "The Jubilee Years" along with case studies, will provide the content of this training. Rev.

Stephen Boyd and Rev. Tara Barber will offer this focused Boundary Awareness

Training for those entering and living in retirement. Click here to register for Retired Ministers Boundary Training on Wednesday, June 21 from 5:00-8:00p. Note - This training completes individual requirements for boundary training

ONLY WHEN authorized by a local Committee on Ministry. 

Disaster partner fundraiser coming up in Norristown

The PSEC Disaster Ministry team is working with the Disaster Case Management Program funded by FEMA and the state of PA. One of the organizations in Montgomery County with whom we are working is Montgomery County OIC. Here is a poster for an event that MC OIC is having to benefit survivors of Hurricane Ida. Please let people in our congregations know about this event.  

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.

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!