“Sabbath rest has become a lost concept in modern life…This is contrary not only to the wisdom of biblical teachings but to all we know about learning, productivity and creativity. For pastors, it creates an expectation that they will ignore Sabbath rest which they are called by the scriptures to proclaim for the community, practice for themselves and model for others.” This is one observation from our PSEC Sabbatical Resource, a guide for pastors and congregations. Sabbatical time is provided for in almost all Call Agreements and must be part of a congregation’s ongoing planning and budgeting process. Our pastors have lived at the edge of ministry adaptation for the last two plus years and need time to recover. Please see they get that (and gently require it if they refuse). I prayerfully request you put this on your next Consistory/Board agenda if it has not been there already.

I “will practice for myself and model for others” Sabbath rest of which I must confess (reluctantly) that I am in need. I planned my sabbatical with the Conference Personnel Committee and Consistory for June 6-September 6, 2022. During that time, I will spend two weeks at Holy Cross Monastery in New York State and two weeks at the Loyola Jesuit Center in Morristown, NJ. I will also spend a week in Hilton Head, South Carolina and several weeks at my family's mountain retreat in northern Pennsylvania. I cannot tell you how much I appreciate this opportunity. Thank you and bless you!

At their meeting this weekend, the PSEC Consistory determined that face masks will be required at the upcoming Spring Annual Meeting. Additionally, KN95 masks will be provided to each attendee at registration. For more information about the meeting, visit psec.org/annual-meeting-2022.

Join the Insurance Board on Thursday, May 26 at 2:00p as Richard Bortnick, J.D. shares the impacts of cyber risks and exposures that your ministry could face. Learn about State, Federal, and International compliance regulations, as well as prominent hacking vectors and schemes. Protect your ministry by learning best practices, and tips from the expertise of our guest speaker. Register here.

Malcolm X was a primary figure in the Civil Rights Movement, even though history has painted him as a dangerous subversive. His leadership in the Nation of Islam, as well his growth as a Muslim, gave him a voice of prominence in the American landscape. It is unfortunate that he was demonized for his early years and not recognized for his positive impact on the Civil Rights Movement. Read more.

Personal Finances for Ministers, July 12-Aug. 16. Tuesdays, 7-8:30p. Instructor Lovett Weems. Introduction to basics of personal financial management, including special considerations for religious professionals and congregations where they serve. Topics include budgeting, debt, compensation and taxes, insurance, investing, and estate planning. For pastors and lay leaders. 2.5 CEUs. $125

Ministerial Ethics and Professional Development, Aug. 23-Sept. 27. Tuesdays, 7-8:30p. Instructor Jessica Young Brown. A Ministerial Institute class. An in-depth look at ethics in ministry, including confidentiality, fiduciary duty, healthy boundaries, and self-care. 2.5 CEUs. $325.

Church Finances, Oct 11.-Nov. 15. Tuesdays, 7-8:30p. Instructor, Lovett Weems. Practical skills for creating and presenting budgets grounded in the church’s mission, expanding means of giving and sources of income, presenting accurate tracking and reporting of giving, proper financial administration of funds, and exploring new options for funding ministry. For pastors and lay leaders. 2.5 CEUs. $125.

For information or to register, click here.

You might have seen the memorial to the Lost Tee-shirts Display somewhere in Philadelphia. We are missing and have lost so many young people, as well as people of all ages, to gun violence in the City of Philadelphia. The Religious Leaders Council and Heeding God’s Call are coming together with various religious community members to honor the memory of those taken by gun murders. The date is Thursday, June 9 at 2 pm at the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul,1723 Race St., Philadelphia. Following an interfaith service honoring all those taken by gun violence in 2021, there will be a witness walk to a place of gun violence in Center City and an advocacy session at City Hall supporting sensible laws and the elimination of illegal handguns from our community. Come out, join with others, and make your voice heard! Say “NO” to the proliferation of guns and gun deaths in our city! Click here for a flyer about this event.

From the Addiction & Recovery Taskforce: Step One

1. There is a continuing need for work groups for our work in the Eastwick section of Philadelphia. Dates are available throughout the summer and early fall. Housing is available at Salt and Light Church. Tools and supervision are also available. For more information and to sign up, contact Sharon Sgriccia, Eastwick Volunteer Coordinator, at 610-689-0583, isaiasrecoveryvolunteers@gmail.com.

2. We are also pleased to support the Indiana Kentucky Conference as they begin to offer work camps in Graves County (Mayfield), KY this May. Contact Rev. Greg Denk, IKC Conference Disaster Coordinator, for more information: gdenk5258@att.net or 317-709-1088.

3. We also ask for support for the Greater Dayton, Ohio area, where a tornado outbreak in May 2019 damaged thousands of homes. The Disciples of Christ's Week of Compassion and the UCC's Heartland Conference are helping families displaced from tornado-damaged rental housing become first-time homeowners. Volunteer teams of 4-10 people are needed. Jaye Herrick, formerly the Construction Site Manager for our work in Eastwick, will be doing the same in Dayton. For more information contact Rev. Caroline Hamilton-Arnold: 203-772-8597 or

caroline@weekofcompassion.org.

Click here for a flyer with further details about the webinar training, including the link to register. Please note, this program will be recorded and posted on the Lehigh County Emergency Management website so those who are not able to attend live may view the recording at a later date.

We are very excited to announce a multi-denominational Ecumenical Worship Service, followed by a picnic, on Sunday June 12 beginning at 4:00p at St. Paul’s Summer Hill UCC in Auburn. Click here for an event flyer.