This Week in PNEC

| August 9, 2018

This Week in PNEC

Penn Northeast Conference UCC, 431 Delaware Ave., Palmerton, PA 18071

www.pnec.org 610-826-3113; 610-826-5464 FAX

Conference Minister, Rev. Dr. Bonnie Bates [email protected]

Rev. Gilberto Garcia Rodriguez [email protected]

Rev. Christian Creyer [email protected]

Barbara Jennings [email protected]

Patty Rehrig [email protected]

SEND ARTICLES TO BE INCLUDED TO [email protected]

Call to the Fall Annual Meeting of the Penn Northeast Conference

Saturday, November 3, 2018

Faith UCC, 22 Faith Drive, Hazleton, PA

Theme: Transforming

Guest Preacher: Rev. Bill Worley, Pennsylvania Southeast Conference Minister

More Information and Registration Form

Visit our Website

Upcoming Events

Pride in the Park 2018 - August 19 from Noon to 6PM, Cedar Beach Park, Allentown

Contact Gary Barraco @ [email protected]

Fall Disaster Ministries Webinar Series (sponsored by the UCC Disaster Ministries) - launches August

21 - Topics: UCC Disaster Ministries Grant; Opportunities and Understanding the UCC Disaster

Ministries Structure - Time and registration link coming soon

Phoebe Allentown Celebrates 115th Anniversary with Lawn Fete and Band Concert by the Royalaires on August 22 from 5 to 8 PM - free and open to the public. Lawn Fete Schedule

Joint Conference Vision and Development Team Summer Zoom Discussion - the last date is

August 22 - Updated details to participate

Allentown Mutual Ministry - Calling all clergy and lay members of Allentown Area UCC Churches - Jim Byrnes will speak about the mission of Family Promise on August 26 from 2 to 3:30PM at UCC Greenawalds, Allentown. Details

OPTIC, UCC’s Office of Philanthropy, Technology, Identity and Communication is kicking off a series of free webinars to help churches and stewardship committees meet their challenging goals of increasing funds and membership. The first of these roundtables will be held the evening of August 28. Read More

Pennsylvania Academy of Ministry 3-part educational series called Consistory/Council 101 -

September 15, October 6, October 27 - all from 10AM to Noon - Registration Form

PNEC Sleep Out for Homelessness - September 29-30, Forks UCC, Stockertown

Click for flyer/registration

Pastoral Leadership in Congregational Systems - Three Sessions of Learning to Improve Pastoral

Leadership for Authorized Ministers - 3 days of experiential learning - October 10; February 27, 2019;

May 1, 2019 - 9AM to 5PM each day at Faith UCC, Center Valley - COST: $350 including lunch.

$100 deposit due with registration. Full payment by 10.1.18 - Details & Registration

Understanding Addiction and Older Adults - October 11 at DeSales university - online registration will

be available on September 7 at www.phoebe.org

PNEC Ministry Day - Saturday, October 13 from 9AM to 4PM, Faith UCC, 5992 Route 378, Center

Valley - more details later

Greater Allentown CROP Hunger Walk - October 14 at 1:30PM beginning and ending at St. Timothy's

Lutheran Church, 140 S. Ott St., Allentown - registration starting at 1PM - for sponsor form, info about

CROP or making donations - https://www.crophungerwalk.org/

2018 Boundary Training Workshops - "Essential Boundaries for Wise Leaders" - sponsored by NE PA

Synod - October 23 and October 24 - Brochure Registration

2018 "Widening the Welcome Conference - Living, Learning, Leading" - November 1-3 at the

Sheraton Niagara Falls and the Niagara Falls Convention Center - Also, a Mental Health First Aid

class, November 1 - certified course with cont. ed. credit upon completion - Detailed Flyer

Disaster Response Ministry Team

Friends,

We are in the midst of rebuilding our Disaster Response Ministry Team with the assistance of the national setting and our support staff, Amanda Sheldon and Zach Wolgemuth.

At a recent gathering of Conference Disaster Response Conference Coordinators, the attached list of characteristics of Disaster Ministries Champions was developed. If you feel a passion for responding to the local and national disaster responses of the United Church of Christ, and a connection to the international disaster response work with our partners, please consider joining our PNEC Conference Team. Please indicate your interest by e-mailing me at [email protected] or Barbara Jennings at [email protected] A meeting will be planned for the early fall.

Thank you for your continuing efforts to express God’s love to our neighbors. -Bonnie

UCC Disaster Ministries Champions

Who are they and what do they do? But they don't need to...

Carry the message - Have knowledge of Disaster Ministries or Response
Serve as our local eyes and ears - Always be available
Are Committed - Make a financial commitment
Show Up - Be a certain age/be our peers
Organize Others - Be a UCC member or be a pastor

So who are the people we should engage?

'People of peace,' not necessarily pastors
However it is powerful when the pastor asks other congregants to be involved
This is all about creating relationships

Committee on Ministry Structure Change

The Conference Board of the Penn Northeast Conference approved a restructuring of the PNEC Committee on Ministry to begin implementation this summer. Rather than four separate committees, there is now one Committee on Ministry (Chair - Rev. Jeff Brinks) with three working groups. This helps the Penn Northeast Conference to more easily implement the revisions of the Manual on Ministry. Thirty-nine individuals will make up the Committee on Ministry. The Committee will then, self-select based on skills, interest and experience, to serve on one of three working groups:

Authorization (15 members) working on the authorization of ministers through discernment and ordination, dual standing and privilege of call. - Chair - Rev. Cecilia Baxter; Asst. Chair - Pastor Jim Stanley
Oversight (15members) working on assuring authorized ministers meet their standing requirements as to training, continuing education, ethics, church membership, and the Marks of Faithful and Effective Ministry. - Co-Chairs - Rev. James Robison and Rev. Dr. Becky Beckwith
Local Congregational Support (9 members) working to support congregations during times of conflict, transition, revitalization, and closure. - Co-Chairs - Jeff Carlton and Rev. Rich Teitsworth

These changes have begun to be implemented. As we move forward there will be increased support, clarity of expectations, opportunities for collegial partnership, and efficiency in the work of the conference with regards to authorized ministers and congregations. Please pray for these members of our conference who have undertaken this important work in and on behalf of our conference and the whole of the United Church of Christ.

Blessings , Bonnie

Children's Sermon from Rev. David Quinn

For August 12 -- (based on John 6:35, 41-51)

Items needed: large suitcase with heavy items inside, paper chain, metal chain. Let one of the kids try to pick up the suitcase, so they know it's heavy. Show them the paper chain, the metal chain, and ask, "If I wanted to pull this suitcase, which of these should I use?" Let's try the paper chain first---tie paper chain around suitcase handle. Then pull on paper chain until it breaks. That didn't work! Now let's try the metal chain--tie it to suitcase handle and pull. See how the metal chain doesn't break the way the paper chain did. In today's Bible reading, Jesus says, "whoever believes has eternal life" That means the love of Jesus is like this metal chain---it won't break, no matter what, so Jesus will hold us always.

2019 UCC Medical and Dental Benefits Plan Premium Rates & Enhancements

We are pleased to announce the following premium rates and plan enhancements for the 2019 plan year, effective January 1, 2019:

Non-Medicare Health Plan: 2% increase
Medicare Supplement Plan: 2% increase
Dental Plan: 4% increase
Vision Plan: no change
Life Insurance and Disability Income Plan: no change

The following benefit enhancements are also approved as of January 1, 2019

Dental Plan

The Annual Benefit Maximum per person is increased from $1,800 to $2,000.
Annual Preventive Services (e.g., cleanings and examinations) will not reduce the Annual Benefit Maximum.

Vision Plan

The Annual Allowance for frames and contact lenses is increased from $140 to $150

As is our customary practice, churches/employers and individual plan participants will receive detailed information by mail later this Summer regarding applicable rates for 2019.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions at [email protected] or by phone at 212.729.2806 .

PATHWAYS Theological Education offers a variety of course for continuing education for ordained ministers, chaplains, and those in designated ministry roles. Up-coming courses for continuing education include:

Singing the Bible (4 weeks for 1.5 CEU’s beginning September 12): This course offers tips and tools for choosing music for congregational singing and ensembles that enhance the themes and stories of Biblical passages chosen for proclamation
Howard Thurman: Living Wisdom for God’s Justice and Love (4 weeks for 1.5 CEU’s beginning September 12): An exploration of Thurman’s three “hounds of hell” (fear, hypocrisy/deception and hatred) that track the trails of persons living with their backs against the walls – the disinherited.
Practicing Our Faith in the Public Square (6 weeks for 4 CEU’s beginning October 3): Examines the why, how, and direction of faith-based engagement in the political life of our communities and nation.
For members of UCC COMs and Conference Staff, a special section of Professional Boundaries and Ministerial Self-Care (6 weeks for 4 CEU’s beginning October 3). This course explores professional ethics for clergy, including the development of an ethical paradigm, state requirements for the mandatory reporting of abuse, relational boundaries, financial management, and social media self-disclosure. This course is free for members of COMs and Conference Staff.

For more information or to register for any of these courses visit: www.PATHWAYS-UCC.org . Or email PATHWAYS at [email protected]

Mutual Ministries

At our last Mutual Ministries meeting we chose literacy & homelessness as our primary focus for shared ministry in 2018-2019. We lifted up the work of several churches and their members who are already engaged in mentoring children in reading programs of local elementary schools. We chose to support the work of Family Promise of Lehigh Valley in their program which is nearing a start day to provide transitional housing for families in need. We designated Sunday, September 23 for a special offering to benefit Family Promise. Fittingly, the text for the Sunday is Mark 9:30-37:

He took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.” (vs, 36,37)

Wanting to provide information about the work, goals and mission of the organization in advance of the offering we have invited Jim Byrnes, Executive Director of Family Promise of Lehigh Valley to speak at our August meeting. Some of our congregations are already involved as host or support churches with plans to provide shelter, meals, and/or volunteers.

Our Conference Minister Bonnie Bates is unable to be with us for the August meeting and I will facilitate in her absence. Please share the attached invitation with your congregation. We hope to have a large gathering as we strategize our involvement with this important work in the community. Please post the attached flyer.

Information for bulletin inserts prior to the offering will be provided.

Peace in Christ, Judy Brandon

Informational

UCC Refugee Ministries

As of 7.23.18 only 17,564 refugees have actually been allowed to come into the country to restart their lives. Are you or your congregation interested in the U.S. Refugee Resettlement Program? If so, there is a step-by-step guide for meeting with your Member of Congress to say #RefugeesWelcome.