Weekly Update - August 22, 2018
This communication is paid for by Our Church's Wider Mission
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Faithful and Welcoming - NEW!

Resources 

Calendar 

Events and Training - NEW!

Clergy News - NEW!
 Church News 

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OtherResolutionFaithful and Welcoming
Faithful and Welcoming - NEW
I wish you all the grace and love of God in the name of Jesus Christ through the wondrous ministry of the Holy Spirit.
My name is Ken Evitts, pastor at St. John's Center UCC in East Earl. I must confess that I am a life-long child of the UCC and I would self-identify with those that are ECOTs (Evangelical, Conservative, Orthodox, or Traditional). I am also a member of a group known as Faithful and Welcoming Churches.
The primary purpose of FWC is to promote Christ-centered unity, which we understand to be the founding vision of the United Church of Christ. In that spirit, we encourage churches, pastors, and laity who consider themselves ECOT to remain in active covenant in the United Church of Christ. It is not our intent to cause division; rather, we seek to foster dialogue within the wider communion.
I am reminded of Proverb 27:17, "As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another." Our denomination calls us to be like-minded in Christ in love and grace for all people, no matter who they are or where they are in life's journey. Being united in Christ does not make us clones; instead, it honors the diversity of gifts and thinking that empowers us to be the instruments of God's amazing grace.
What makes FWC distinct within the denomination? It's best highlighted on our Web site. There are a couple distinctives that are helpful to begin:
1. We prioritize the proclamation of Jesus' life, death and resurrection.  This includes the belief that Jesus' is the second person of the Trinity and that his purpose was to 'give his life as ransom for many.'
2. We believe that primary means of our still-speaking God to humankind is through and understood in contemporary context through the Holy Spirit.
3. We embrace historic orthodoxy and value Reformation theology.
4.  We advocate for a historic understanding of sexuality and marriage.
Though there is more, I don't want to repeat what can easily be read on the web site. Our focus is to encourage ECOT churches to remain "home" and to be part of a family that seeks to serve the wider community in which we live. Our desire is to bring Christ to the world in a way that is both relevant and meaningful.
Like a musical arrangement, the UCC has melody and harmony all resounding to the glory of God. When we play the same music, with the same tempo, and in the same key signature (the key of Je-sus, sorry, bad pun), it is then the power of God is manifest for all the world to witness.
The voices of ONA brothers and sisters, and the voices of ECOT brothers and sisters, are calling. United we stand and divided we fall. Let our words and works be that which is a blessed chorus from our hearts and lips to God's ears - so that the world might know that we are one.
ResourcesResource Links
 
CalendarofEventsCalendar of Events
 
        
PLEASE SAVE THE DATE!
 
Widening the Welcome (Disability Ministries) - November 1-3, 2018, Niagara Falls, NY

Mid-Winter Clergy Sabbath (formerly Clergy Convocation) - January 22 - 24, 2019

Annual Meeting - June 7-8, 2019, Susquehanna University

General Synod, 2019 - June 21-25, 2019, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 
EventsandTrainingEvents and Training
PCC Events - NEW!
These fall events are offered at Free or nominal charges thanks to your OCWM gifts.
 
Click on the blue links to register today!
 
SEPTEMBER

September 8 - Search and Call Conversations (LTS) - FREE


September 23 - Money Matters: Managing God's Money (St. Paul's Selinsgrove) - FREE

September 26 - Retired Clergy Boundary Training (St. Paul's, Mechanicsburg) - $10

September 30 - Money Matters: Managing God's Money (Hayshire UCC, York) - FREE

OCTOBER
  
October 6 - Healthy Church Workshop (First UCC, Carlisle) - $5

October 8 and 9 - Clergy Wellness Retreat sponsored by the Pension Board (LTS) - FREE


October 20 - Lay Boundary Training (Middleburg UCC) - $15
  
NOVEMBER

November 12 - Boundary Training - Educating Educator's (Trinity, Dalmatia) - $10
 
November 14 - MEF: X. Peter Wernett, Sr. Vice President, MissionInsite for Lay and Clergy (St. Thomas, Harrisburg) - FREE

 
Bobby Jo Valentine Concerts
An opportunity to see Bobby Jo Valentine in concert. A winner of the West Coast Songwriter's Association "Songwriter of the Year" award, his style is best described as "coffee house meets Jesus" - laid back, but meaningful and with heart.


The Uniqueness of Rural Ministry
The Uniqueness of Rural Ministry

Thursday, September 6, 1:00-4:00pm - See corrected day!

At Orchard Hill, Millerstown
  
$35     .5 CEU's  

Christ UCC, Elizabethtown celebrates 275! - NEW
Family and Community Night
Friday, September 7 at 7:00 PM
 
275th "Inspiring a Legacy of Faith" Festival
Saturday, September 8 from 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
 
"Inspiring a Legacy of Faith" Dinner Buffet
Saturday, September 8 at 6:00 PM
 

Healthy Church 2  - NEW
Join Us for A Healthy Church Workshop  
  (A workshop to review the impact of cultural changes on the church and introduce you to appreciative inquiry. Come learn how you can discover, dream and design a vision for your church)

Saturday, October 6
10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
 
First UCC, Carlisle
30 N Pitts Street
Carlisle, PA 17013

The cost is only $5.
Breakfast and lunch are provided.
         
ClergyWebsiteClergy News
Rev. Nora Foust's Installation - NEW

 August - September - October
  • August 26 - Rev. Nora Foust Installation at Christ UCC Elizabethtown - 3:00 PM
  • September 9 -  Pastor Ron Heagy Installation at St. Stephen's UCC, York - 3:00 PM
  • September 9 - Rev. Caroline Saxton Installation at St. John's UCC, Chambersburg - 3:00 PM
  • September 16 - Ecclesiastical Council Panel for Laura Ramsey & Nilda Roman at Christ UCC, Elizabethtown - 3:00 PM
  • October 21 - Rev. Dr. Fred Young Installation at Trinity, Gettysburg - 3:00 PM
Prayers1Prayers for Our Churches
 
 
Prayers for Penn Central Conference Churches

"Finally, brothers and sisters, pray for us, so that the word of the Lord may spread rapidly and be glorified everywhere, just as it is among you."  (2 Thess. 3:1)
 
Beginning in 2018, we have created a prayer list to invite you to pray with us as we pray for all of our congregations. Each week we will list names of various churches in Penn Central Conference hoping you will add them to your prayer list, and hold them in prayer throughout the week.
  • Trinity UCC, Dalmatia
  • Quentin UCC
  • Saint Peter's UCC, Rebersburg
  • Himmels UCC
HCHartman Center
Labor Day Intergenerational Camp 
Superhero Training Camp
Beyond Belief: The Universe of God
Intergenerational Camp: Labor Day Week End 2018
August 31-September 3 (arriving any time after 2 pm Friday and returning home after breakfast Monday)
Come and Embrace Your Inner Superhero that calls you to go "Beyond Belief" with God! 
 
 
Over Labor Day Week end, Hartman Center will be filled with superheroes (whether they recognize it or not). Join with people from all walks of life, all ages, abilities and stages in faith to explore the vast Universe of God in new and amazing ways as we discover and celebrate each of our "Superhero" gifts that can make a difference in all the places we go.
More Information :
Pastor Libby Nocheck and husband Lee Nocheck are leading the intergenerational camp at Hartman Center over Labor Day Week end. Take advantage of this opportunity to get away, relax and re-create with God's help before the busy fall begins. Over the week end, we will be discovering and celebrating our Superhero Powers (the gifts God has given each of us) in order for the Universe of God to go further into the places we go. The week end plans include opportunities to fish, tie dye, pray, read Scriptures, swim, worship in the outdoors, relax, sit around the fire, sing, make ice cream, play games, and so much more.

All meals are provided. Housing will be in the fully accessible Michaux Lodge.
 
Register online at:  Adults: $230, children 6-11 $115, children 5 and under are free
   
More Upcoming Events
Upcoming events:
Elementary Retreat (grades 3-6) - September 21 - 23
Women's Retreat - November 16-18 
Middle and High School Retreat (grades 7-12) - November 16 - 18

If you're attending a retreat:

  1. Registration Form and Permission Slip This is the form you send to us one week prior to your participation in a retreat.
Medical Form This is the form you send to us one week prior to your participation in a retreat. We must have this form for all participants.

Hartman Center Fall Fest - October 13 from 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
 
And in 2019...
Spring Confirmation Retreat - dates TBD.  Please contact Patty if your church is interested in participating.
 
May 7-9, 2019 Hartman Center Work Weekend!
---Elementary Retreat - May 4-6, 2018
More details on the  Hartman Center Web site!
  
 
Thank you for your continued support!
 
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Contact information:      Stephanie Rader-Titzel
email: srader-titzel@pccucc.org   phone: 717-652-1560                fax: 717-652-4769
web: http://www.pccucc.org