Important This Week

Intentional Interim clergy training offered in Malvern

The Interim Ministry Network will offer a three-day, self-contained "Fundamentals of Transitional Ministry: The Work of the Leader" course, introducing theories that are foundational to interim ministry. The class hours are devoted to providing opportunities for experiential learning through the use of case studies and sacred story. The work of the interim leader is presented and discussed along with tools and resources that facilitate the work of the transitional leader. The workshop will be held in Malvern August 27-29. The cost for the training is $740 plus room/meals. Click here for more information and to register.

Register now for 2019 Ventures Retreat at Mariawald

Ventures, in its 44th year, is a retreat for all ages. It is a time of faith, Bible study, worship, fellowship and fun! Come to Mariawald Retreat Center, Sept. 24-26 and experience a beautifully relaxed and peaceful setting. This year’s theme is "Hear Me - Is God Listening". For a flyer,  click here . To register, click here .

Faith and Community Toolkit on Human Trafficking

DHS Blue Campaign   and the DHS Center for Faith and Opportunity Initiatives developed the  Faith-Based and Community Toolkit ,  a human trafficking resource for the faith community. This toolkit provides tips and resources to engage houses of worship and the community to help raise awareness of human trafficking and how to be trauma responsive to the needs of victims or those vulnerable to harm. The Toolkit is available in both English  and  Spanish . 

Learn more about other DHS Blue Campaign Resources , including the General Awareness Training Video .

PSEC summer reading list

Have a book to recommend for other clergy and lay leaders? Send an email to brea@psec.org with a 100-200 word description of the book and why you're recommending it and we'll add it to the PSEC summer reading list and share your recommendation in eNews. Check out all of the books that have been recommended in recent weeks at psec.org/booklist .

Sign up for the Cultivating Generous Congregations event

PSEC and Lake Institute on Faith & Giving invite you and your ministry teams to a seminar experience that could change the way you and your congregation approach giving and generosity.

Cultivating Generous Congregations is a two-day interactive seminar, demonstrating how pastors and ministry leaders can unearth and energize congregational generosity by exploring the significant and necessary steps to creating lasting cultural change within a congregation.

This course is intended for those who:

For a flyer to share,  click here .

To register, click here .

UCC Match Grants for CWS Kits deadline now Dec. 31

UCC Disaster Ministries is extending the deadline for congregations assembling CWS Emergency Cleanup Buckets to apply for Matching Grants up to $250 each. Churches now have until Dec. 31 to stretch their own cash and in-kind contributions to stocking up these supplies so in demand following hurricanes, flooding and other disasters.  Read more

'Disaster Preparedness Manual for Churches' now available

Is your church prepared to withstand a natural disaster and help your congregation and community in the aftermath? Do you want to be prepared but don’t know where to start? Being ready just got easier, thanks to the new “A Disaster Preparedness Manual for Churches” developed by United Church of Christ Disaster Ministries and the Insurance Board. The manual was unveiled June 22 at a UCC General Synod workshop. 

Click here to read more

Click here to go straight to the manual

Free webinar set for Thursday on the Green New Deal

At General Synod, an overwhelming majority of delegates voted to become the first Christian body to endorse the Green New Deal ! This month’s Creation Justice Webinar will follow-up this momentous event with a webinar focused on what faith communities can do to advance the Green New Deal. The webinar will feature Varshini Prakash, one of the leaders of the movement that brought the Green New Deal into public conversation. Prakash is a co-founder of the Sunrise Movement and its Executive Director. The webinar will be July 11 at 1:00p, but a recording will be sent out to all who register. Register today!

Drop off donations for unaccompanied youth at PSEC

Helping Hands is a humanitarian program that reunites unaccompanied youth from Central America with family that already resides in the USA. Bethany Children's Home provides them with a safe place to live and grow until they are reunited with their families.  Click here for a list of the items they are currently in need of, as many of the youth, aged 5-14 years , arrive with just the clothes on their backs.  If your church is collecting items for Helping Hands and is unable to get them to Bethany Children's Home, you can drop items off at the Conference Office, 1441 Laura Lane, Pottstown, during regular office hours (Monday-Thursday from 9:00a-3:00p and Friday from 8:00a-12:00p).

Information available on the 2020 National Youth Event

The National Youth Event website is now available. Visit nye.uccpages.org for a detailed agenda as well as a list of the scheduled speakers. National Youth Event will take place at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana July 22-25, 2020. This four-day event is celebrated as the UCC's largest gathering. Often bringing in 4,000 participants, this time together is centered on faith, leadership, service and social justice to empower our youth and young adults (ages 12-22).