Important This Week

• PSEC Addiction & Recovery Taskforce holding Winter Clothing Drive
• PSEC annual Bookkeeper/Treasurer FREE training this Saturday on Zoom
• Applications being accepted for Ministers' Financial Vitality Initiative

From the Conference Minister:

Then the Lord God will wipe away the tears from all faces, and the disgrace of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the Lord has spoken. Isaiah 25:8

I once heard a reporter for Haaretz speaking to a group of Middle East pilgrims say that people from outside the Middle East who visit there for a week go back home and write a book. When they visit for a month they go home and write an article. When travelers stay for a year they go home and say nothing. The point he was trying to make was that on the surface of it the complexity of the relationships between the Israelis and the Palestinians seems straightforward and easily resolvable by a few concessions on both sides. But the longer you live with those complexities the more difficult they become to untangle.

There does seem to be one simple and proven truth and that is that war and violent conflict have not brought lasting safety and stability for the Israelis or peace and belonging in the International Community for the Palestinians. More than a few commentators have observed that no one in the Middle East is able to claim the absolute moral High ground. There is enough blame, guilt, and responsibility on all sides for the absence of peace and justice.

Religious leaders and peoples the world over rightly call for an immediate end to all violence and restraint from all parties in the current conflict. We mourn the tragic events happening in Gaza and in Israel and remain committed to prayer and the belief that peace is possible particularly when reasonable people come together to find the good for all of God’s people.

With God’s help, may it be so.

Pastor Bill

Rev. William Worley

Conference Minister

Addiction & Recovery Taskforce holding Winter Clothing Drive

PSEC's Annual Bookkeeper/ Treasurer FREE training

Saturday, Oct. 14, 9:00-11:00 on Zoom

Do you have questions about 1099 reporting? How about financial reporting to your Board or Consistory? Do you understand housing allowance? Cash basis vs accrual basis? Do you have Balance Sheet or Income Statement questions? Email tammie@psec.org your intention to attend and bring your questions! Click here for a flyer to share.

Security workshop to include info on effects of war in Israel

We have previously told you about the Pennsylvania Office of Homeland Security’s quarterly virtual learning series for faith-based organizations on Wednesday, Oct. 11, from 1:00-3:30p, focusing on cybersecurity and developing your emergency action plan.

Due to the recent events in Israel, there will also be a briefing from the Department of Homeland Security and the Pennsylvania State Police on the current situation and how it may affect you, as well as how to respond to a possible threat/situation.

You can register here. Questions can be sent to Billie Kauffman at the PA State Police at ra-homelandsecurity@pa.gov.

Diversity training opportunities in Allentown, Reading

The NEPA Synod ELCA is hosting Racial Justice, Diversity, and Cultural Competency Training for Church Leaders in October. On Tuesday, Oct. 17 from 9:00-3:00, the training will be offered at the Synod Office in Allentown. On Saturday, Oct. 21 from 9:00-3:00, the training will be offered at Trinity Lutheran Church in Reading. Registration is $25 and includes lunch. For more info and to register, click here.

Rev. Barbara Pence installation at St. Andrew's UCC, Perkasie

Click the invitation below to download a PDF to share.

Contemplative Spirituality this week: Is there alien life?

On Thursday, Oct. 12 at 10:30a in Kutztown, Contemplative Spirituality will look at "ETs - Does Life Exist Elsewhere in the Universe?" Click here for more info.

Continuing ed opportunity: Prayer webinar lecture set

The 2023 Sawitski Lecture "Imaging God, Imaging Ourselves: The Exercise of Prayer" on Saturday, Oct. 14 from 10:00a to noon (Arizona time). The event will feature keynote by Rev. Rachel Hackenburg and the poet Tina Datsko de Sanchez. Desert Garden UCC invites you to this free webinar lecture. Two hours of continuing education hours will be available for clergy. Click here to register.

Lecture: Missions Today: How did we get here from there?

On Saturday, Oct. 28 from 12:30-1:30p, the PSEC Lay Leadership Education Team will host a free lecture by Dr. Charles Maxfield. The lecture will explore how our understanding of mission has evolved through the years, and will raise questions about how we do mission today. For more information, click here.

From the Addiction & Recovery Taskforce:

The effects of recovery

When I began recovery, I learned about my behaviors and patterns that shaped the relationships around me. One of the biggest was my Mom. When I was caught in the grips of my addiction, I didn’t see how worried I made her, how many times she tried to help, only to be ignored, all the promises broken, all the late nights, the crying…. but worst of all, it was her heart I broke. I’ll never forget that.

After some time clean, she saw me change and become that which God had intended; Happy, joyous and free. I still felt the sting of my past misdeeds, but I didn’t have to repeat them.

For all of those that have cared for and loved us, prayed for us – or are still trying to do so – Please don’t give up. There is hope.

- An addict named Cheryl

Apply now: Ministers'

Financial Vitality Initiative

If you are an active UCC authorized minister interested in joining the Ministers’ Financial Vitality Initiative program for the 2024 cohort beginning January 2024, please follow this link to apply.

The application deadline is midnight on Dec. 31. No extensions will be granted. We encourage you to act promptly as spaces are limited and requests will be handled on a first-come, first-served basis until all spaces are filled. 

MFVI is a three-year Faith and Finance program of the Pension Boards made possible by funds awarded to PBUCC by the Lilly Endowment’s National Initiative to Address Economic Challenges Facing Pastoral Leaders, which seeks to empower UCC ministers with financial tools and strategies to better manage their personal finances so they can serve their ministries more effectively.

To learn more about the MFVI program, please read our Frequently Asked Questions.

Phoebe Berks needs volunteer help from clergy and churches

Prior to COVID, Phoebe Berks was the beneficiary of many community volunteers on Sunday afternoons. Several ministers in the area preached and led worship on occasion, sometimes bringing special music or accompanists with them.

As has been true for most of our congregations, COVID presented difficulties for the Phoebe Berks community to gather in person. Now that our community is approximately 99% vaccinated and our campus is open (with some exceptions to individual rooms or hallways when a resident tests positive for COVID), we would love to have you back! Or, if you’ve never served in this capacity, we’d love to welcome you to join us on a Sunday afternoon.

For the community of Phoebe Berks (Independent Living, Personal Care, Memory Support, and Skilled Nursing) can worship together, we need volunteers who are willing to help transport residents with wheelchairs to and from the chapel service. If your congregation, or a particular mission group, or Sunday School class, or youth group would like to help us, please let me know! We will put you and your group in touch with our volunteer coordinator.

We would love to have volunteers who:

• Are able to transport residents in wheelchairs to and from services
• Ministers who can preach and lead worship
• Special music groups or an accompanist to lead music for services

If you're interested or have any questions, reach out to lknox@phoebe.org.

UCC climate webinar:

A Plea from the Pope

As the feast day of Francis of Assisi is celebrated on Oct. 4, Pope Francis will release the "second part" of his encyclical on the climate crisis and inequality. The new edition of the encyclical will provide an update to confronting "the senseless war on our common home." A panel of climate faith leaders will reflect upon Pope Francis's plea for climate action. Even if you cannot make the webinar at its scheduled time on Oct. 11 at 1:00p, still sign-up, and we will send you a link to a recording of it. Register now!

Register now for PSEC 2023 Fall Meeting

The 2023 Fall Meeting will be held Nov. 12 as a hybrid meeting — join us online OR we would love to have you in person at St. Paul's UCC in Amityville. Come together with clergy and delegates for worship and to do the business of our conference. The agenda includes OCWM 2023 report and approval of the 2024 Spending Plan and a presentation from the Keystone Study Group. Click here to register.

Registration opens at 2:00p. Refreshments will be available as you visit tables manned by some of the PSEC Committees. The meeting will be from 3:00-5:00p.

Town Hall Discussions set on Keystone Project, Fall Meeting

Prior to Fall Meeting we are offering two opportunities to join Rev. Bill Worley and others in presentations about the work of the Keystone Study Group and the Fall meeting. There will be opportunities for questions. Town Halls will be Oct. 30 at 7:00p and Nov. 8 at 2:00p. (Click the date you would like to attend to register.)

Conversation planned: Are you being called to ministry?

Have you ever had the experience of leading worship and felt that you were called to do more of it? Has anyone ever said to you that you should think about being a pastor? Discussions around these questions and what it means to be “called” were part of a conversation that began this summer. That conversation continues. You need not have attended the first session to join this one. On Oct. 25 at 7:00p on Zoom, we will hear more brief stories of people who have answered the call to serve the church in this specific way and reflect on what we’ve discerned since the first session. For more information, click here.

PSEC All Saints Special Offering materials available

All Saints Sunday is the first Sunday in November. We celebrate long ago saints and those known to us as saints. Some of the PSEC pastors who retired years ago are in need of special assistance. Because their retirement income is low, the churches of the PSEC supplement the cost of their health benefits. We remember these saints as we receive the All Saints offering. 2023 resources for that are available here. 

Rev. Darryl Cruz installation at Ridge Valley UCC

Click the invitation below to download a PDF to share.

Register to view Installation of the UCC's 10th President

Rev. Dr. Karen Georgia A. Thompson will be installed on Friday, Oct. 20 at 5:00p in Lakewood, Ohio. The service will be livestreamed. More info and registration are available at ucc.org/gmp-installation.

Lay Leadership Support

Group via Zoom!

A Lay Leadership Support Group exists for church leaders. We gather once a month on Zoom -- so please join us at our next meeting Oct. 21 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! Click here to read about what we discussed over the summer.

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

This email is brought to you by your generous gifts to OCWM (Our Church's Wider Mission)! Thank you!