Weekly Update - February 13, 2019
This communication is paid for by Our Church's Wider Mission
In This Issue...

Jerusalem Tables - NEW!

Resources 

Calendar

Prayers and Devotions - NEW!


Just a Reminder: February 17 is the recommended date for the Hartman Center Love Offering!
OtherResolutionNews from Penn Central Conference
Jerusalem Tables  -   NEW 
In a moment of great change and growth in the early church, Paul and Barnabas went up to the apostles and elders in Jerusalem with their testimonies. In Acts 15:7b-9, 12a Paul addressed this body, "Siblings, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe. 8 God, who knows the heart, showed acceptance of them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as it was given to us. 9 God did not discriminate between us and them, for their hearts were purified by faith." The whole assembly became silent as they listened.
 
The Council at Jerusalem reminds us that from its earliest roots the Church had challenging conversations about the Church.  And on February 7, we did just that here in Penn Central Conference.
 
Last week, at four locations throughout the Conference, pastors listened to testimony on building, mission, money or leadership and joined in round table discussion about what it means to BE the Church. Thanks to Pastors Dave Downer, Nate Druckenmiller, Sue D'heedene and our Lutheran partner, Karin Pejack, for sharing their testimonies.

Following that, clergy gathered for table discussion centered around:
  • Ways that Penn Central Conference congregations are BE-ing the church today and how those ministries excite their congregations.
  • Dreams for the church (in terms of building, mission, money and leadership) and exploring ways to make these dreams realities.
  • The testimonies heard as they looked for ways to recreate this renaissance (again in the areas of building, mission, money and leadership).
  • Critical areas of the church that need our focus... and ways to start that critical work.
  • And finally, a review of church mission and vision and how this ties to ministry and what is needed (in terms of support and resources) to revision that mission.
These discussions will continue at our MEF on April 11 (Back at the Table) and again with Healthy Church on September 14 (BE-in the Church Today). Next week, you will see our call to Annual Meeting and the theme this year is Renaissance Ministry: BEing the Church Today.

We invite you to start thinking about these topics now and we will continue to focus on BEing the Church throughout the year. If you need assistance or resources, please reach out to the Conference office.  


 Conference Updates

 

Pledge Forms
We are grateful for the monthly OCWM gifts and appreciate those churches that added OCWM as a line item in their 2019 annual budget.  Please let us know what you have pledged to OCWM in the coming year by completing and submitting this online pledge form or by sending this paper form into Wendy via email or mail.
 
Yearbook
DataHub is open.   It will close on March 6 at Midnight. In the meantime, please continue collecting data and information. As always, are happy to help in any way.  Thank you, in advance, for all your hard work

 
CalendarofEventsCalendar of Events
 
   
      
 
Annual Meeting - June 7-8, 2019, Susquehanna University

General Synod, 2019 - June 21-25, 2019, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 
Join Our List
Join Our Mailing List
ResourcesResource Links
 
EventTrainingEvents and Training
New UCC Manual on Ministry - NEW

MESA has just released a newly revised Manual on Ministry.  Many thanks to the Habakkuk Group, a diverse committee of 17 UCC members from across the country as well as the 30 readers (including our own, Rev. Nora Foust) that made this possible.
Morsels of Excellence



Discussion questions:  Morsels Discussion

Evaluation Form - We greatly appreciate your feedback!


February Morsels of Excellence Comes Out Tomorrow!
Healthy Church 
 
Please Save the Date for Our Upcoming Workshops
September 14 - Being the Church Today
All sessions are 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM.    See flyer for additional details.
Convergence Leadership Project 
 
The UCC's Center for Progressive Renewal just opened registration for the next cohort of an online leadership development program called the Convergence Leadership Project. 

Author and national faith leader, Brian McLaren, is the director of the program, supported by Rev. Dr. Jacqui Lewis from Middle Collegiate Church in NY, Diana Butler Bass, Bruce Reyes-Chow, Lindsay Andreolli-Comstock, Jim Keat and others. Living in the age of intersectional movement building, we need leaders and congregations prepared to lead the way. After two years of development, CLP has proven to be a very powerful program for helping congregations make the transition from being "organized churches" to "organizing churches."
 
Leaders (lay and ordained) must be nominated, interviewed and accepted into the program.  They are looking for congregations with imagination, courage and capacity. Church size or location doesn't impact the outcome of the experience - it's more about an openness to change and awareness that a new kind of imagination is needed to move the progressive faith movement forward. 


Women's Summit 
UCC Polity and Theology Course - Registration Deadline is February 15
United Church of Christ History and Polity will be taught at Lancaster Theological Seminary during Term III in Spring 2019, beginning Friday, February 22, 2019 and ending Friday, April 5, 2019.
The class will be held for 7 weeks on Friday afternoons from 2:00pm to 5:00pm.
Assignments include reading and writing, resulting in a History and Polity paper that can be used as part of the ordination paper requirement for authorization.
Successful completion of assignments in the class will result in a Certificate of Completion that may be shared with the individual's Committee on Ministry to designate completion of an approved course.
This class is non-credit. Registration is required. The course fee is $ 300.00.

Registration deadline is Friday, February 15, 2019.

Course Dates: Seven weeks - Fridays, Feb. 22 through April 12, 2019, from 2-5pm
CJIWebsiteCommunity and Justice Issues
Congratulations, St. John's, Boalsburg - NEW

St. John's UCC in Boalsburg voted overwhelmingly to adopt an Open and Affirming covenant statement on February 10.
Congratulations!
Plastic Foam Resolution Update - NEW
We received word yesterday that our plastic foam resolution was accepted by the sub-committee and it was recommended the resolution move to the next step. Now, the resolution will go to t he United Church of Christ Board which meets March 7-9. The UCC Board will make the final decision for the recommendation.

We have many churches that are currently living into our resolution and we would love to hear from you! Please u se this google doc to share what your church is doing to live into our resolution!


Green New Deal - NEW

Please read this statement from the Executive Leadership Team of the United Church of Christ. 
New Eastern Region Disaster Recovery Specialist - NEW
Rescheduled: In the Executioner's Shadow
Rescheduled for March 17, 2019
4:00 PM - 7:00 PM

St. Paul's UCC, Mechanicsburg
626 Williams Grove Road - Mechanicsburg

Please RSVP to stpaulstaff@outlook.com. There is no cost to attend; however donations are accepted to cover pizza and speaker costs. Flyer

Does "All are Welcome" Really Mean ALL? 
Open and Affirming Ministry Team 
2019 Winter Gathering
Saturday, February 23, 2019
9:30 AM - 2:00 PM
St. Paul's UCC - 626 Williams Grove Road - Mechanicsburg, PA

CNWebsiteClergy News
Hellos and Goodbyes 
Welcome ... new Pastors!
Dale Thomas - David's UCC, Hebe (a shared ministry with St. Matthew's, Spring Glen)
Jes Kast - Faith UCC, State College
Sue Oelrich - Locust Grove UCC
Brian Damrow - Penbrook UCC
Diane Kinley - St. John's UCC, Bellefonte
 
Rick Pulling (Interim) - Emmanuel UCC, York
   
Farewell ... and thank you!
Brett Myers (Interim) - Faith UCC, State College
Karin Stork-Whitson (Interim) - Penbrook, UCC
Rick Pulling (Interim) - Emmanuel, Freysville
 
Ministerial Excellence Forums, Spring 2019


Please join us on the following dates from 1:00 - 4:00 at St. Thomas United Church of Christ.
  
March 7 - Dr. Greg Carey, Pastoring Everyone in Divisive Times
April 11 - Rev. Jes Kast and Rev. Megan Malick, Back at the Table
May 9 - Rev. Dr. Carolyne M. Call, Emotional Intelligence
----
Light refreshments will be served.
 
Cutting Edge Faith Formation Conference 

Join us at MA-AUCE's annual Cutting Edge Faith Formation Conference and learn more about how to be anti-racist with Dr. Jennifer Harvey!  


Prayers1Prayers 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.

Beginning in 2018, we created a prayer list to invite you to pray with us as we pray for all. We will continue this each week in 2019 as we list names of various churches in Penn Central Conference and hope you will add them to your prayers.
 
  • Solomon's UCC, Chambersburg
  • Zion Reformed UCC, Chambersburg
  • Christ UCC, Cordorus
  • Salem UCC, Columbia
HCWebsiteHartman Center
Hartman Center News - Love Offering: February 17!
 
Hartman Center Legion

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...



Love Offering - February 17!

This year's Hartman Center Love Offering will be February 17.  Here are the 
Labels
and





Confirmation Retreat

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

Registration
ArchiveOpen Positions
Lebanon Association Seeks Minister for Youth and Outreach 
ArchiveArchive
Our Previous eNews
Contact information:      Stephanie Rader-Titzel
email: srader-titzel@pccucc.org   phone: 717-652-1560                fax: 717-652-4769
web: http://www.pccucc.org