Violence against Asian Americans increased nearly one hundred fifty percent in the past year. We have witnessed the boldness of hatred, that was once closeted, break into the open. It is long past time for congregations to have the hard talks, to examine and state their beliefs, to, paraphrasing MLK,..... bring to the surface the hidden tension that is already alive; bring it out in the open, where it can be seen and dealt with. Like a boil that can never be cured so long as it is covered up but must be opened with all its ugliness to the natural medicines of air and light, injustice must be exposed, with all the tension its exposure creates, to the light of human conscience and the air of national opinion before it can be cured.

Support For Vaccine Distribution: Local governments know that ensuring the public can get vaccinated quickly and effectively will be a whole-of-society effort — including our churches. Therefore, the churches of the PA Southeast Conference are urged to be ready to assist with the vaccine distribution. This is an opportunity for your church to locally provide something vitally important to your community! For information on how to help and specifics for your county/region, click here.

Share factual, valuable information: People have questions about the COVID-19 vaccine. In order to build vaccine confidence, the CDC has shared answers for some Frequently Asked Questions found here. This information may be valuable as a bulletin insert or newsletter item. Check out the CDC website for additional tools and resources at cdc.gov/coronavirus/vaccines.

Visitation from clergy is now permitted at Phoebe. Clergy may come anytime and do not need to make an appointment with administration or via the Phoebe website. All clergy must follow the core guidelines that pertain to all visitors. On the Phoebe Berks campus, however, visitation is currently suspended in the Health Center, pending testing of staff and residents. Independent Living and Personal Care are open for visits. If you have been exposed to a COVID-positive person in the past two weeks, you will not be allowed to visit until after 14-day quarantine and no symptoms. All visitors must consent to a temperature and symptom check upon arrival, as well as to wearing a well-fitted mask that must be worn throughout your visit on campus. Also, for duration of the visit you are required to practice social-distancing. Some exceptions can be made, however, for very brief amount of time either at the start or end of visit (e.g. – holding hands in prayer, offering a blessing or anointing). If you are in close proximity to a resident, you will be required to wear a face shield, which will be made available to you. Outdoor visitation is preferred when weather permits, but indoor visitation is also available at this time. If you have questions, contact Staff Chaplain Rev. Leah Knox at lknox@phoebe.org.

Several weeks ago in eNews, Conference Minister Rev. Bill Worley highlighted a resource from the Missouri Mid-South Conference around re-opening. There have been several requests by churches/pastors to be re-sent that information. That resource is available here. This resource is consolidated guidance from several sources that we hope will provide foundational guidance for the way you plan, implement, and evaluate your in-person worship and ministry.

Each Sunday I try to visit a virtual worship service. You have all worked so very hard and I am impressed by your faithfulness to worship in many new ways. One of the things I have noticed is how email lists and prayer lists are sent out. That is a good thing because intercessory prayer of the faith community is a part of our commitment to and with each other. I have also thought about how public those lists are and how email lists include people beyond the membership of a congregation. I have also noticed that people share first and last names and in some situations reveal the cause of the prayer.

Unfortunately, our technological world has a shadow side. There may be information that individuals like sharing with their faith community but do not want others to see or know. So, this is an invitation for you to have a conversation within your community about how you will share information. Please make sure individuals give their consent to having their full names on lists circulated beyond the congregation. If your practice is to list the cause for being placed on the prayer list, please make sure the individual has consent for that. In the case when parents ask for prayers concerning their child, please make sure the child gives consent for that information to be revealed to others.

We are called to pray with and for each other. Let us do so faithfully and with consideration for privacy and protection from those who don’t need that information.

Thank you again for the love and care you express to each other.

Prayerfully your,

Susan A. Minasian, Interim Associate Conference Minister for Search and Call

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"Introduction to Worship Leadership and Liturgical Practices" will be taught by Rev. Dr. Marty Kuchma, equipping worship leaders to plan, prepare, and practice congregational worship, rites, and rituals. Particular attention paid to baptisms, weddings, and funerals/memorial services. Students will be asked to articulate their own self-understanding of the pastoral role in relation to these practices. The class will be six-weeks online, meeting via Zoom on the following dates: April 10, 17, 24, May 1, and 15 from 10:00a–noon and May 6 from 6:00p–8:00p. The cost is $325. Register here by March 30.

From the Zachariah Walker Racial Justice Initiative: “Journey to the Waters: A Service of Remembrance and Healing” is the first of “Wednesday for the World” webinars sponsored by the national church. The service, which creates a space to honor victims of slavery and the Transatlantic slave trade, will be held March 24 at 10:00a. Click here to register.

From the Racial Justice Initiative Team: Brene Brown, in a 2017 video, lifts up the importance of owning our story, our truth. She states that “we spend a lot of time running away from our stories. And our collective story in the United States is a largely a story of white supremacy. That is the story. That is our story.” She goes on to say that “if we truly own our story we get to write the ending…The stories that we don’t own collectively, own us.” As we enter into Holy Week and examine the wounds of Jesus, his suffering and sacrifice, may we also be willing to look at the wounds and long suffering of Black America inflicted largely by white America and racist policies. May we commit ourselves to the process of owning our collective story so we can write the ending – an ending of healing, resurrection and new life!

“Deepening our Connections, Deepening the Journey” is the theme, and the hope, of PSEC’s Annual Spring meeting that begins Friday, June 4 with nationally celebrated social justice leader and guest presenter Sister Simone Campbell, a Catholic nun who, with a few sisters in faith, chartered a bus to change the world.

Our connecting continues with Saturday’s conferring sessions, workshops and worship services to honor anniversary clergy and congregations, to lament the losses endured through the pandemic and to welcome the hope of better days ahead. We gather online in a new virtual meeting space (“Whova”) for our (hopefully) last completely virtual Conference gathering. Click here to access the Call to Annual Meeting. Click here to access the annual meeting page on the PSEC website which includes the link to registration. 

The service is open to the public on Zoom, though registration is required. Click here to register. Download and share this flyer.

The Cultivating Generous Congregations Seminar for pastors and lay leaders offers an opportunity to explore faithful, practical, and tested ways to promoting generosity in our congregations. The seminar draws on current research, seeks guidance from the wisdom of scripture, and discusses the best practices in church-based fundraising. Class sessions held May 19, May 26, June 2, June 9, June 16, and June 23, 2021 from 6:30 – 8:00pm EST. Between class sessions, the instructors provide materials to help you analyze the culture of your own congregation and learn how to create change. Register today: The CGC Seminar is $150 per participant. Register here by April 30, 2021: cvent.me/7yV37Q.

The Zachariah Walker Racial Justice Initiative team, in promoting racial justice, is offering banners and yard signs free to churches and individuals.

For those who are able, we are suggesting a love offering of $70 per banner (image of the 4’x10’ Vinyl Banner with grommets below) and $7 per yard sign (image of the 18’’x24’’ Yard sign above right). The love offerings will go to further our efforts in this sacred ministry of racial equity and justice. To order, please email Anne Cormier at annecormier@comcast.net. Include in the subject box “banner” or “yard sign”.

St. Luke’s Trappe is assembling clean-up buckets for CWS. WE HAVE THE BUCKETS. They are taller than a 5 gallon bucket that is normally used but CWS said they would be happy to take them. So, St. Luke’s is willing to drop off a bucket or buckets at your church and you can fill them. Or you can send us a check for $75 and we will fill them for you!. (Obviously sending us a check would be much easier!) If you have any questions or you would like buckets call Rev. Patrick Morris at 610-207-7361, Interim Pastor.

Each Monday at 11:00a, authorized ministers and church leaders are invited to check in with Conference Minister Rev. Bill Worley on a Zoom call, share experiences in this season of COVID, ask for advice, and be in community. We encourage you to join this opportunity for theological and practical reflection and discussion. Click here to join the call on Monday.

If your church isn't currently worshipping or you are not able or comfortable attending services, we have compiled a list of churches in PSEC that are holding digital/ virtual worship experiences. Share this with others that might not have another option for worship. Click here for an updated list.