We are looking for volunteers for Annual Meeting. If you are interested, please fill out this survey or email Stephanie. THANK YOU for your assistance with our 'PCC Family Reunion.'
Summer camp was such a formative part of my life and faith growing up in North Carolina. It's like it was just yesterday that I was sitting around a campfire learning the song "the building block" (which I cannot even type without the bass echo "the building block") "that was rejected, became the cornerstone of a whole new world."
It is an ear worm to be sure! And these last couple days it has been on endless loop in my head with my heart wondering in what ways I might be rejecting Jesus right now. Was it that moment when I was at my wits end with my son and should have extended a kind word of correction with grace but instead I just yelled? Or was it while I was driving and had very uncharitable thoughts about the driver in front of me on 11/15N? Or was it...
This week our Lenten Psalm calls us to think about those moments when each of us might be rejecting Jesus in subtle and not so subtle ways. As we journey toward the cross of extravagant love, how might each one of us more fully embrace the call of discipleship with all its costs and joys? Would we even be on the right side of town for Jesus' parade this coming Sunday?
Psalm 118 goes on to sing "this is the day that our God has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it!" As we ponder the ways in which we can newly embrace discipleship of Christ, declaring and demonstrating his love in our communities and in the world, may we boldly live with the confident knowledge that this is indeed the day that our God has made and rejoice in our very living of it.
Each day is a new day with a new invitation to fully accept Jesus and the call of discipleship. How will your living respond?
3 Great Loves - Share Your Story This Lent
3 Great Loves: Celebrate and Lift Up Your Story
This Lenten Season, share you story with us! We are looking for 40 (or more!) stories where churches, congregations and people have shared in 3GL.
We want to hear from you so we can all celebrate and lift up the work throughout Penn Central Conference.
Please send your story to Stephanie and look for exciting stories from Penn Central Conference churches to celebrate each week. This week
What about you?!? What have you seen through your 3 Great Loves Googles - where does Penn Central Conference show their Love of Children, Love of Neighbor and Love of Creation?
New Creation Justice Church - Christ Church UCC, Elizabethtown!
We are excited to report that Christ Church UCC, Elizabethtown has received confirmation that their application to become a
UCC Creation Justice Church has been approved.
Congratulations to Christ Church UCC, E-town!
Caring for Creation
May 4 at 1:00 pm
Colonial Park United Church of Christ
500 Devonshire Road - Harrisburg, PA
Reverend Mitch Hescox, co-author (along with meteorologist, Paul Douglas) of the book entitled "Caring for Creation", will speak on the vital topic of climate change from a Christian perspective. Reverend Hescox leads the Evangelical Environmental Network (EEN), the largest evangelical group dedicated to caring for creation. He is a native of Pennsylvania with a strong family history of working in the coal industry.
York Association - April 28 - 12:30 PM at Wyndham Garden Hotel, York
Harrisburg Association - May 4 - 9:00 AM
Gettysburg Association - May 5 - 3:00 PM at Homewood
Mercersburg Association - May 5 - 3:00 PM at Solomon's UCC, Chambersburg
Northern/Central Association - May 5 - 1:30 PM at Rebersburg UCC
Webinar: Facing Your Church's Uncertain Future
When your church's future is uncertain, it's time to have courageous conversations and make faithful decisions. Ministry in these congregations calls for faithful, honest (and often difficult) conversations that pastors and/or their congregations might sadly avoid.
Facing Your Church's Uncertain Futureis a NEW resource that offers good practices for discerning, discussing, and making decisions that concern a church's future. Pastors and congregational leaders are invited to join in this zoom webinar presenting theological, liturgical and helpful insights for congregations, including closure and legacy. Webinar presenters are: Rev. Quentin Chin, author of the
Worship Resources on Discernment, Decision-Making and Closure; and Rev. David Schoen, author of
Facing Your Church's Uncertain Future: Helpful Practices for Courageous Conversations & Faithful Decisions.
Register now for this online Webinar for Pastors and Congregational Leaders.
$10 Registration includes receiving the resource, Facing Your Church's Uncertain Future (digital download or print version). Register by April 18th to receive the resource before the webinar.
$5 Registration Webinar only
Pathways: UCC Polity Course
UCC History & Polity (May 1 - July 20) -
The purpose of this course is to explore the history, polity, theologies, and practices of the United Church of Christ and its predecessor denominations. Successful completion of this course will fulfill the history and polity requirement for authorized ministry in the United Church of Christ in many associations and conferences. ($595)
The Parish Resource Center is hosting author, speaker, and public theologian
Brian McLaren on April 27 at 7:00 pm at Highland Presbyterian Church in Lancaster, PA.
Please note that anyone attending a PRC Member church receives a special discount for this event. Register online at
www.parishresourcecenter.org or by calling 717-299-1113.
Lancaster Theological Seminary is launching the new Ministerial Institute of the Pennsylvania Academy of Ministry that will offer a new, non-degree program to prepare people for ministerial leadership.
The Ministerial Institute's three-year program includes online classes plus an on-campus summer session for one week each year. The Seminary is accepting applications for the first summer session to run from July 21 - 26. An associate degree or higher is required for admission. Tuition is $3,000 per year for the three-year program. Individual classes, ranging from one to three units each, cost $600 per unit.
For more information.
PCC Annual Meeting
Penn Central Conference Annual Meeting
June 7 and 8, 2019
Susquehanna University
Please refer to our
Web site for additional details.
Great News - Trinity, Waynesboro and Creation Justice's
resolution on Plastic Foam is headed to Synod! Thank you to Kathy Brown, Gail Landers, Bill Lochstet, Wendy Anderson, Tom Hocking and Libby Loser for all your work on this!
The United Church of Christ Disabilities Ministries (UCCDM) has a tradition of presenting awards at the biennial General Synod. The UCCDM Awards recognize the contributions of congregations, other church settings, and individuals who have contributed to the inclusion of people with disabilities in all aspects of the life of the church.
Nominations are now open for the UCCDM Awards which will be announced at the Health and Wholeness Luncheon at General Synod 2019 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The lunch will take place on Sunday, June 23rd. Individuals, churches, and other settings of the church may nominate others or themselves. Awards may be given in the following categories:
● churches & organizations that have demonstrated leadership in accessibility & disability culture
● individuals who have shown exceptional leadership in disabilities ministries or advocacy and
● the Virginia Kreyer Award, a lifetime achievement award given to an individual who has made significant contribution to disabilities ministries in the larger church.
Nominations can be submitted online only, using this
link.
Now we see emerging a new paradigm for religious giving, which reflects different attitudes and behaviors on the part of donors, and requires alternative expectations and practices from institutions as well. In the emerging paradigm, donors often emphasize generosity as a response of gratitude rather than obligation. The emerging model is much more focused on donor motivation and a sense of efficacy, and less closely tied to the identity and aims of the institution. Fundraising in the emerging paradigm is all about nurturing the discernment and generosity of the donor. Read more...
Clergy News
Clergy News and Information
Clergy News
Even if you are getting the eNews, we have a PCC Clergy distribution list as well.
Please sign up to get the latest news, events and information just for clergy.
Hartman Center
Hartman Center Golf Outing
Hartman Center 12th Annual Golf Outing
May 11, 2019 1:30pm start
Fairview Golf Course, Quentin (Lebanon), PA 2399 Quentin Road, Lebanon, PA 17042 in memory of Rev. Lee Lawhead
Lots of people committed to many different opportunities to serve in many different ways. And the organization of such a group needs "called out". And so in 2019, we are announcing a Hartman Center Legion. For details...
Prayers for Penn Central Conference
Ephesians 6:18 (NLT): 18
Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.
This week, we pray for each other as we continue to live into God's calling...
News
Lancaster Theological Seminary is launching the new Ministerial Institute of the Pennsylvania Academy of Ministry that will offer a new, non-degree program to prepare people for ministerial leadership.
The United Church of Christ Disabilities Ministries (UCCDM) has a tradition of presenting awards at the biennial General Synod. The UCCDM Awards recognize the contributions of congregations, other church settings, and individuals who have contributed to the inclusion of people with disabilities in all aspects of the life of the church.
