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Important This Week
- Find out how to help communities affected by incoming hurricanes.
- Updates on flood recovery in PSEC.
- Plans progress for mission trip to Puerto Rico this spring.
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UCC Information on Hurricanes and Recovery
Dear friends,
As Hurricane Florence continues to make its way toward the east coast, UCC Disaster Ministries has been monitoring the situation through our established networks and stands ready to support our partners, conferences and congregations in Florence’s path. We are also keeping a close eye on the other hurricanes in the Atlantic and the Pacific. That said, I would like to encourage continued prayer for all the families, individuals, first responders and emergency management staff in the paths of these storms. Additionally, I wanted to share some helpful resources/information.
Blessings to all and prayers for safety,
Amanda K. Sheldon
Program Associate, UCC Refugee Ministries & UCC Disaster Ministries
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Plans forming for PSEC, PNEC Rebuild Trip to Puerto Rico
We are off to Puerto Rico! Pennsylvania Southeast Conference and Penn Northeast Conference will be sponsoring a rebuild mission trip to Puerto Rico in April 28 to May 4, 2019. It is possible if we get enough volunteers that a second trip could take place in mid-May. PNEC Associate Conference Minister Gilberto Garcia-Rodriquez will be the group leader. You can learn more about the on-going UCC work in Puerto Rico by
clicking here
.
At a meeting on Sept. 4 it was determined that the cost will not exceed $1,000 per person. This includes all costs: transportation, food, lodging, supplies, etc. We believe that the cost will be lower than that, but we want participants to have a good idea of the cost. Registration details will be released soon. However, please note that the deadline for registration has been established as Nov. 15.
The next planning meeting will be Tuesday, Oct. 2, at 6:30p at Trinity UCC, 101 S Main St, Telford. Phone: (215) 723-3889. If you cannot attend the meeting in person you can join via ZOOM.
If you would like to be on the list of potential participants and receive the trip information directly, please send an email to Gilberto at
gilbertor@pnec.org
and copy Karl Jones at
kjones275@comcast.net
.
The UCC "Vital Signs & Statistics" blog shared a post earlier this week on recovery efforts in Puerto Rico and how Hurricane Maria affected churches in Puerto Rico. Read that blog post by
clicking here.
To read about one church's experience doing recovery work in Puerto Rico,
click here.
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Flood Recovery Updates in PSEC
Work continues as we respond to the severe flooding throughout eastern PA and, now, central PA. Communities in Schuylkill and Berks counties are moving from response to recovery. This is a place where many of our churches excel. See below if you can put together a team for rebuild and recovery.
In the past week response and rebuild needs have been found in Delaware, Chester, Montgomery, Bucks and Philadelphia Counties. Delaware County is the worst as they are reporting more than 50 requests for assistance. Please contact Karl Jones (
kjones275@comcast.net
) or Rhonda Matlack (
rhondamatlack@gmail.com
) if you have volunteers or teams that could help. We can assign you specific locations.
As we have said before, help continues to come from all over the UCC. Most recently Bill and Ellen Matten have completed their assignment in Schuylkill Association. Now we prayerfully support our brothers and sisters in Penn Central Conference in their recovery. We thank all the churches who have given funds, buckets and kits, volunteers, equipment, transportation, and so much more! Help is still needed -
- You can organize a work team or serve as a volunteer. For work in our conference you can contact Conference Disaster Coordinator Karl Jones at 570-617-4018 – kjones275@comcast.net. Or go to ucc.org/disaster_disaster-volunteers to discover more about any of the intermediate and long-term recovery volunteer opportunities that are currently open and seeking volunteers.
- There is a need for muck out and clean up “supervisors”. Our friends in the Southern Baptist Church have teams of volunteers ready to come to our area, but they do not have enough on-site management to support them. If there are possible candidates for this special ministry in your congregation, please have them contact Karl Jones.
- Your church can assemble clean-up buckets, hygiene kits, and/or school kits. Go to https://cwskits.org/assemble-kits/emergency-cleanup-buckets/ to learn more about these kits. Since we have moved to recovery in most areas of the conference we need the kits to replenish the supplies. Therefore, completed kits can be delivered to either of our Conference office or St. Luke’s United Church of Christ, 200 W Main St, Trappe. Phone: (610) 489-4933.
- You can raise funds for this important work. As well as volunteering time and energy, many of our local churches are collecting funds to help support the clean-up and rebuild of churches and communities across PSEC. All funds can be forwarded to the Conference office at 1441 Laura Lane, Suite 100, Pottstown, PA 19464 to be distributed to the individual churches. Checks should be made payable to PA Southeast Conference of the UCC. Please make sure to note if the funds are to be used locally for flood relief, a particular congregation/association in the PSEC for flood relief, or for wider church disaster ministry.
- You can become a member of the Disaster Ministry Team. Contact Karl Jones for more information.
Please keep everyone affected by and who will help in the recovery process in your prayers.
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Learn How to offer Disaster Emotional and Spiritual Care
The Greater Philadelphia Long-Term Recovery Committee, Pennsylvania VOAD, and Presbyterian Disaster Assistance are holding an event on "How to Offer Disaster Emotional and Spiritual Care." The program will be Friday, Sept. 28 from 9:00-3:30 at the Philadelphia Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbilities Services, 1101 Market Street, Philadelphia. Lunch will be provided. To register,
click here
.
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Free Flooding and Recovery Workshop Scheduled
"Flooding and Long-Term Recovery: Construction, Coordination, and Case Management" will be held on Saturday, Sept. 29 from 9:00a-3:00p at Bear Creek Camp in Wilkes-Barre. This workshop is for work team leaders/coordinators, leaders and volunteers of VOAD organizations, elected officials, and anyone interested in learning more about the process of community long-term recovery, especially related to the recent flooding.
Click here
to download a flyer to share and for more information. The event is free, but registration is required.
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Several crisis training opportunities available soon
There are four upcoming training opportunities from the Keystone Crisis Intervention Team. For more information, click on the links below or contact PSEC Disaster Response Coordinator, Rev. Karl Jones:
kjones275@comcast.net
.
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All Saints Sunday offering materials available now online
On All Saints Sunday, we celebrate long ago saints and those known to us as saints; people who inspired us by grit and determination to “keep on trying.” Many of those people are the pastors who lives shaped and influenced our own. Some of the PSEC pastors who retired years ago are now in need of special assistance. Because their retirement income is low, PSEC churches supplement the cost of their health benefits. We remember these saints as we receive the PSEC special All Saints offering. The entirety of the offering is used to supplement the needs of 9 of the retired pastors, spouses, and widows who need assistance.
Click here
for more info, a bulletin insert, and envelope stickers.
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Educational Opportunities
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Church Events
Submit your Church Events
here
View a complete list of Church Events
here
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Church Openings
St. Paul's UCC, Pottstown: part-time beginning in Oct.
St. Peter's, Molltown: part-time beginning ASAP
If you’re interested in a position, contact Rev. Sharon Morris:
morris@psec.org
or 484-949-8774 ext. 302.
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Classified Ads
Submit your Classified Ads
here
View a complete list of Classified Ads
here
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Missed a week? Read past eNews here:
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