 Calendar of Events |
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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
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| Resource Links |
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| Events and Training |
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UCC Polity and Theology Courses
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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.
Registration deadline is Friday, February 15, 2019.
Course Dates: Seven weeks - Fridays, Feb. 22 through April 12, 2019, from 2-5pm
 UCC History, Polity & Theology Course
This comprehensive course will meet Mondays from 6 - 9pm from January 28 to April 29, 2019. You may attend in person at Moravian Seminary Bethlehem PA or by video conference. The cost for a certificate of completion is $900. Academic Course Credit is available at regular tuition costs. For more information contact the instructor, Rev. Dr. David DeRemer
deremerd@moravian.edu
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| Community and Justice Issues |
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Creation Justice Resolution - Feedback Requested - NEW
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We are wanting to know how your church is living into the Resolution Regarding the Use of Plastic Foam (link here). We know it is a big step for many churches to find alternatives to using styrofoam. We want to get a
google doc
started where churches can share what practices and products they have found which work for them. If there are no more blank rows to fill in, just right click in the last row and choose add a row below. Thanks for taking the time to share with your sister Penn Central Conference Churches.
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January 20 - MLK Event: Honoring the Dream
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Many thanks to Vonny Eckman for sharing.
All are most welcome and encouraged to attend the worship service as well. This event is always uplifting and a wonderful opportunity for our youth to share in the history and diversity our country.
Flyer
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In the Executioner's Shadow
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"In the Executioner's Shadow" casts a penetrating look at the consequences of the death penalty through three powerful stories - the rare perspective of a former state executioner who comes within days of executing an innocent person; a Boston Marathon bombing victim who struggles to decide what justice really means; and the parents of a murder victim who choose to fight for the life of their daughter's killer. As the battle to overturn capital punishment comes to a head in the U.S., this provocative film challenges viewers to question their deepest beliefs about justice.
St. Paul's United Church of Christ - 626 Williams Grove Road, Mechanicsburg, PA 17050
Sunday, January 20th, 2019
4:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Please see flyer for additional information and to register.
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Symposium for Inclusive Excellence - NEW
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L
ebanon Valley College in Annville is hosting "The Symposium for Inclusive Excellence," a day to commemorate the life of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., to celebrate diversity, and to celebrate inclusiveness on
Tuesday January 22
. As part of that day,
you are invited to an inter-faith "Meet and greet" luncheon at the Lebanon Valley College Mund Center from noon to 1:00 p.m. The luncheon will consist entirely of conversation and, of course, chewing. There is no agenda or speeches.
If you would like to attend, please RSVP to Tim Dewald ( dewald@lvc.edu ) no later than Sunday January 20th so that adequate lunch and space preparations may be made.
Following the luncheon, there are two optional lecture/discussions.
From 1:00 - 2:00 p.m., the Rev. Timothy Dewald, Assistant Professor of Mathematics and Pastor Emeritus of Hill UCC, will present "A partial History of Xenophobia in the United States of America," Beginning with the Pennsylvania Dutch, the presentation/discussion will look at various racial and ethnic encounters with xenophobia in the United States of America.
From 2:15-3:15 p.m. Rev. Dewald will present a lecture and facilitate a conversation on the many Muslim contributions to Western civilization. Included is the Muslim preservation of original Greek New Testament manuscripts and its importance to the preservation of an accurate text.
Hope to see you on Tuesday January 22 from noon - 1:00 p.m. at the Mund Center Lebanon Valley College in Annville!
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Does "All are Welcome" Really Mean ALL? - NEW
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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
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The Power of Habit
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Registration deadline: January 20, 2019
Everyone is invited to participate (lay and clergy)!
(Please read the book prior to February 6th)
A significant portion of what we do each day is not the result of deliberate decision making, but out of habit. Habits have power, and some are good while others are bad for us. Whether as individuals, an organization, or a community, those habits can lead to success or to frustration. In his book "The Power of Habit," Charles Duhigg examines the nature of our habits and how it is possible to change bad practices into good ones.
Penn Central Conference is offering the opportunity for interested pastors and lay people to explore the nature of habits, both personally and as a church (for indeed churches have habits) during the month of February.
The group will focus on how changing habits can lead to more effective leadership and witness within the church.
Date: Wednesdays in February (February 6, 13, 20, 27)
Time: 10:00am
Location: Penn Central Conference Office - 900 S. Arlington Avenue, Harrisburg, PA 17109 or via ZOOM
Facilitator: Rev. George Heberling
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Creation Justice - Climate Church, Climate World Book Review - NEW
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Jim's new book carries us through our present climate crisis describing what is now happening and what historically has led to it. He emphasizes the importance of helping parishioners to face the reality of our present climate crisis and helping them to grieve the loss of what was. It is a natural human response to remain in denial because the reality is too painful to bear. However, until we face the reality and grieve the loss we as the people of God will not be able to work for change. It is not optimism that we need now, it is hope. Optimism is about attitude. Unlike hope which is an active virtue, Optimism is passive. In Jim's words "To become people of hope we must be willing to stare reality in the face." He also eloquently says "However grim, reality cannot undermine or cancel the hope God offers us.".
Read more of Wendy Anderson's book review
here.
You can buy the book now from Hearts and Minds with a 20% discount! Just go to their order form page and type in the titles you want. Use promo code "UCC Creation Justice" and you'll get a 20% off.
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| Generosity |
Articles Worth Reading -
NEW
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Sharing money via social media apps is just one among myriad ways that new generations are building communities of belonging in Jesus' name and communicating with each other about the church's highest purposes. Venmo is a new wineskin for new wine, and I'm happy to learn all the new things it's teaching me. Read more...
When our church started receiving offerings through Venmo
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| Clergy News |
TODAY IS THE LAST DAY TO REGISTER FOR CLERGY SABBATH -
NEW
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 Please register by January 9, 2019!
Building Sacred Relationships in a Time of Conflict and Fear
January 22 - 24, 2019
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Please join us at a new location this year!
Sheraton Hotel, Harrisburg - 4650 Lindle Road - Harrisburg, PA
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To Register -
If you need to register and pay by check, please call the Conference Office.
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Parking Lot Tax - NEW
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In IRS Notice 2018-99, the IRS provides guidance for implementing the new unrelated business income tax on qualified transportation fringe benefits, including employer-provided parking, provided by nonprofit organizations, including churches. The analysis remains straightforward for nonprofit organizations that provide a qualified transportation fringe benefit by paying a third party.
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Health and Human Service Sunday - January 27 Worship
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 Health and Human Service Sunday
United Church of Christ
Liturgical Elements & Prayers for the Third Sunday after Epiphany
January 27, 2019
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Jerusalem Tables
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 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.
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God, who knows the heart, showed acceptance of them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as it was given to us.
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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 e
arliest roots the Church had challenging conversations about the Church
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Now
is time for another Jerusalem conversation.
In
Apostolic tradition, let us gather for discussion about
BE-
ing
the
Church in the world today.
Thursday, February 7, 2019
12:00 Noon - 1:00 PM
(Please bring a
b
rown bag lunch)
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Ministerial Excellence Forums, Spring 2019
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Please join us on the following dates from 1:00 - 4:00 at St. Thomas United Church of Christ.
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Light refreshments will be served.
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Cutting Edge Faith Formation Conference
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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!
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| Prayers for Penn Central Conference |
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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.
- Zion UCC, Blain
- Saint John's UCC, Boalsburg
- St. Paul's UCC, Bowmanville
- Saint Jacob's (Stone) UCC, Brodbecks
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| Hartman Center |
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UCCR Newsletter - NEW
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 Read the Latest UCCR Newsletter
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Hartman Center News - NEW
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Historic Preservation Committee Needed -
Pastors, please make an announcement in your church.
- Do you have a love/passion for History?
- Have you ever worked on a Historic Preservation Committee?
- Do you know someone who has a love/passion for Historic Preservation?
Penn Central Conference is looking for people who would like serve on this committee. The project is the Historic Preservation of the Stone House at Hartman Center that was built in the 1830's. The house needs a complete restoration on the inside. Please contact the conference offices at 717-652-1560 for more information.
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
Next confirmation retreat planning -
1/31 at 10:30 in the
PCC office
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| Archive |
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Open Positions
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Trinity UCC @ State Line, PA is actively looking for an organist/pianist to cover weekly 9:00 a.m. Sunday worship services. Email
Reeny777@juno.com
or call 717-597-0585.
Zion Church in Herndon is looking for an o
rganist/pianist. Please cal
l the church and leave a message at
570.758.1575.
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| Archive |
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In June of 2016, a resolution was passed at the Conference Annual Meeting to have an Annual Offering taken in the congregations of Penn Central Conference to benefit the programs, especially the summer programs of Hartman Center.
Last year in 2018 we had OUR FIRST ALL-CHURCH OFFERING and it was a great success. We are asking that Sunday, February 17 (the Sunday after Valentine's Day) be the 2019 Hartman Center
