Important This Week

• Register for Annual Meeting
• Join a Community of Practice
• Mark your calendars for several upcoming installation services
• Advanced Boundary Training next week or "view on your own" option

Register now for the Annual Spring Meeting

in State College or online

Registration is still open for the 2024 PSEC Spring Meeting. For the first time, all four Pennsylvania conferences of the UCC will be gathering for a shared Annual Meeting on June 7-9 at The Penn Stater in State College. We will have shared worship, workshops, meals and meetings as well as each conference's separate business meeting.

While the hotel block at The Penn Stater is now closed, registration for the event, including virtual attendance, remains open through May 31. Make sure that your church is represented! Each church can send two lay delegates in addition to authorized ministers with standing in the Conference.

Register here today. We recognize that the prices for this event are significantly higher than our most recent Annual Meetings. We do not want budget concerns to prevent your attendance at this important meeting. When you register, use this code: ­­­­­PSECAnnual75

If you're joining us in person, don't forget to secure lodging at a local hotel.

Visit psec.org/annual-meeting-2024/ for more information, including info on the mission project, a weekend schedule, conferring session agenda, reports, and more.

Rev. Melissa Burkhart installation at Zion's Church

Click the invitation below to download a PDF to share.

Join a Community of Practice

There are openings in Communities of Practice for the second half of the year. Spots are available in:

• a group that meets on Zoom Monday afternoons and discussion focuses on Netflix movies and specials
• a group that often meets in-person (usually in Berks County) on Wednesdays and discussion focuses on best practices for church growth
• and a traditional group that meets on Wednesdays on Zoom

These clergy groups meet ten times a year for shared worship, to check in, and to complete a shared study/book discussion/etc. The cost for a group is $250 per year and will be pro-rated for 2024. For more information on Communities of Practice or the available spots, please email brea@psec.org.

Boundary Training: When confidences can be broken

This advanced boundary training will explore the moments in ministry when the confidential conversations between pastors and congregants must be broken for the safety of others. The training will explore PA Mandatory Reporting laws and UCC Ministerial Code. (NOTE: this is NOT a replacement for state mandated requirements for Mandatory Reporting Training). This training will be offered on May 16 at 9:00a on Zoom or completed as a "view on your own". For more information, click here.

Materials for Strengthen the Church offering

The Strengthen the Church offering supports the expansion of ministry and growth of UCC local congregations. Your support of this offering will help the UCC fulfill its commitment to creating a just world for all by investing in new ministries that meet emerging needs of communities. As God calls our congregations to be the church in new ways, your generosity will plant new churches, awaken new ideas in existing churches and develop the spiritual life in our youth and young adults. Most congregations will receive the STC offering on Pentecost Sunday, May 19, 2024. For free downloadable resources, click here.

UCC Musicians Association biennial gathering

Conference 2024, the biennial gathering of the United Church of Christ Musicians Association (UCCMA), will take place July 10-13 in Greenwich, CT. Designed for church musicians, choral and handbell choir members and worship leaders, the three-day event includes workshops, plenary sessions, worship services, evening entertainment and networking opportunities. The conference’s theme, “A place at the table,” inspired the planning. Our goal is to send participants home reenergized with lots of new resources and ideas to use in their congregations. This conference is open to all. Scholarship help is available for first-time UCCMA conference attendees who wouldn’t be able to attend without financial assistance. Complete information is available here.

May Spirit on Tap

The last Theology with a Twist for the season will be "Spiritual Motivation" on May 7, 7:00p at Kutztown Tavern. One of our biggest challenges as people of faith is helping one another grow and change.

A paper delivered in 1983 by Bill Miller and Steve Rollnick launched a movement of counseling focused on helping people find their own motivations. This work was initially applied in addictions care and subsequently used in a wider range of settings. Preaching and pastoral care, too, are often a source of motivational care that is empathetic and person-focused while still working to evoke change.

Rev. Jack Abel, Corporate Director of Spiritual Care for Caron Treatment Centers in Wernersville, will be joining us this month and leading a presentation and discussion that brings thoughtful reflection on the Motivational Interviewing treatment method as it applies to our spiritual lives. Click here for more information.

'Reincarnation and Christianity' topic of next Soul Cafe

Dr. Harry Serio and Dianne Seaman Portier will present at the next Soul Cafe, Tuesday, May 14 at 9:30a at West Lawn United Methodist Church. The concept of reincarnation is widely accepted by millions of people throughout the world, including 25% of Christians in the United States. We will consider this doctrine in its historical context as well as the scientific evidence that suggests reincarnation. For more information, click here.

Spirit on Tap with 'Safe Berks' in May in Reading

Safe Berks is the agency in Berks County that provides support services to survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. During this presentation, they will define domestic violence, who it affects, and what barriers survivors face seeking services or leaving an abusive relationship, with a more specific focus on the role of religious and cultural stigma. They will also briefly discuss what we can do to support survivors in our community and what services are provided by Safe Berks. Click here for more information.

From the Addiction & Recovery Taskforce: Invitation

The mission of the PSEC Addiction & Recovery Task Force is to share God’s love with people suffering from the destructive disease of addiction and their affected family members and friends.

Our goal is to decrease stigma surrounding addiction by broadening individual knowledge, awareness, and understanding while providing support, resources, and other vital information about this disease to ministers and congregations.

Please visit our webpage at the Penn Southeast Conference website where you will find an introduction to the 12 steps, resources and links, essays and stories and much, much more.

PA Academy of Ministry Courses for the summer

The Pennsylvania Academy of Ministry (PAM) is offering some exciting classes this spring and summer! Click here for information and registration.

Practices of Church Leadership

May 21-June 25. Tuesdays, 7-8:30p via Zoom. Instructor: Rev. Sara Hertzog

This nuts-and-bolts class covers the basics of leadership and administration, with practical application for everyone on the ministry leadership team. Topics include: covenant and authority; conflict; family and congregational systems; vision and mission; handling administrative tasks; spiritual care and boundaries. Clergy, lay leaders, and MIDs are encouraged to register. 2.5 CEUs. $325.

Innovation and New Models of Leadership

July 9-Aug. 13. Tuesdays, 7-8:30p via Zoom. Instructor: Rev. Dale Davis

This challenging class engages an array of exciting leadership models and is supported by a podcast series produced especially for the Pennsylvania Academy of Ministry. 2.5 CEUs. $325.

Rev. Joseph Motz installation at Bausman Memorial UCC

Click the invitation below to download a PDF to share.

UCC hiring summer interns for Vote for Climate campaign

The National Setting of the UCC is seeking to hire eight summer interns devoted to the success of a UCC campaign called Vote for Climate Hope. The principal task of interns will be to collect voter pledge cards that prioritize a commitment to a more just and equitable world for present and future generations. Interns will be trained and coached on engaging the public for the advancement of climate justice. Learn more and apply here.

Rev. Dr. Jan Remer-Osborn installation at Zion's Red Church

Click the invitation below to download a PDF to share.

Mercersburg Society Convocation set for May 20-21

On May 20-21, the 2024 Mercersburg Society Convocation -- "The Mystical Presence and Sacred Meals" -- will be held at Lancaster Theological Seminary. The Mercersburg heritage has encouraged a profound and heart-felt sense of the mystical presence of Christ through the celebration of the Eucharist. This Mercersburg Society Convocation will explore the experiential dimensions of this Eucharistic spirituality, focusing on the emotions and dispositions that it has sought to nurture. Information about registration, rooms, and meals can be found here.

This email is brought to you by your generous gifts to OCWM (Our Church's Wider Mission)! Thank you!