Important This Week
  • Deadline for "Cultivating Generous Congregations" registration is Thurs.
  • UCC webinar this week on solar power for churches.
  • Follow us on Facebook for a daily Advent reflection.
Deadline this week: Cultivating Generous Congregations

On Jan. 24-25, church teams are invited 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 generosity by exploring the significant and necessary steps to create lasting cultural change in a congregation. The deadline to register is Thursday, Dec. 5 . For more info and to register, click here .
PSEC 2019 financial giving deadline announced

The PSEC financial books will close for 2019 on Jan. 17, 2020. All OCWM contributions and pass-throughs for 2019 must be received by our office by the close of business Friday, Jan. 17 in order to be counted as a 2019 contribution.
Rev. Sharon Morris resignation received by Conference

Last week, Rev. Sharon Morris resigned from her position as Associate Conference Minister for Search and Call. Conference Minister Rev. Bill Worley shared this information with the conference on Wednesday. If you missed that email, click here to read it now.
Lehigh Presbytery sets 2020 Boundary Training workshops

The Pennsylvania Southeast Conference has a reciprocal relationship with other local judicatories to accept one another's Boundary Awareness Training workshops. In 2020, the Lehigh Presbytery will be offering training. Workshop and registration information is available here . If you need Boundary Training in 2020, please save these dates now:
  • March 12 in East Stroudsburg
  • May 21 in Bethlehem
  • October 14 in Reading
PSEC providing daily Advent reflections on Facebook
Save the date: Mark your calendar for these 2020 events

Did you know PSEC has scheduled more than three dozen events so far for 2020? Read this news story for a complete list of events on our website.
Thursday: Webinar scheduled on solar power for churches

Does your faith community have soul-ar power? For faith communities, solar power can mean putting panels on a roof, but the pursuit of solar power can also be a way to serve the community and advocate for a more just society. In this area, Solar United Neighbors has done ground-breaking work that has been replicated all over the country. Anya Schoolman, their founder and executive director, was honored by the White House in 2014 as a Champion of Change. In this webinar, she will cover three critical areas for faith communities interested in solar power: practical tips for going solar, solar co-ops as a way to lower costs for faith communities and neighborhoods, and how faith communities can advocate for energy equity. The webinar will be on Dec. 5, but register even if you can’t make it in order to receive a link to the video later. Sign-up now!
Christmas Fund materials and podcast available online

Next month, many of our churches will take an offering for The Christmas Fund for the Veterans of the Cross and the Emergency Fund. Materials to help churches prepare for that offering are available now. O n the Pension Board website, you will find :
  • Christmas Fund offering guide
  • weekly PowerPoint slides for the lighting of the Advent candles
  • weekly bulletin inserts for each Sunday in Advent
  • a litany in celebration of the Christmas Fund
  • poster
  • printable coloring book
Also check out the latest episode of the Pension Board's Podcast "Faith & Finance in Action" on The Christmas Fund for the Veterans of the Cross. This short episode includes info on the 117-year history of the fund, gives examples of how the money is used throughout the year, and provides suggestions for promoting the offering.
LGBTQIA+ workshop approved as Diversity Training

The Covenant, North Penn, Schuylkill, and Ursinus associations have approved the Faith-based LGBTQIA+ Cultural Competency Training that Boehm's UCC is hosting on Jan. 11 as meeting the requirement for Diversity Training (or continuing education hours). The Philadelphia Association Committee on Ministry plans to address this in December. The training will be from 9:00a-12:00p and costs $5. This is open to everyone. Registration is now open. Click here for a flyer to share.
Recommend something to the conference 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 your recommendation to the PSEC reading list and share it in eNews.  Check out all of the recommended books at psec.org/booklist.
UCC extends care to children displaced by Hurricane Dorian

UCC Disaster Ministries has contributed $15,000 to support care for 25 orphaned, abused, neglected or abandoned children evacuated from Grand Bahama after Hurricane Dorian destroyed the Children’s Home there. Read the whole story here .
Save the date: Philly Faith & Spiritual Affairs conference

The Philadelphia Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disABILITY Services will hold its 14th Annual Faith and Spiritual Affairs Conference on April 17 from 8:00-3:00 at the PA Convention Center in Philadelphia. The theme will be "Community Response to Violence: Renewing Our Faith in Brotherly Love & Sisterly Affection." For updates email Samantha.Grannum@phila.gov .
Christian Ed. workshops set for 2020, starting in January

The PSEC is sponsoring a series of workshops in 2020 for Christian Educators, Pastors, Teachers, Sunday School Superintendents, and anyone interested in Christian Faith Formation. Save the date for the first workshop on Sunday, Jan. 26 at Calvary UCC, Reading from 2:30-4:30p. More information will be available later. Please note: there will be one topic addressed at each workshop around a Christian Ed. or Sunday School theme.
Shop AmazonSmile to benefit the PSEC this holiday season
AmazonSmile is a website operated by Amazon that gives customers the same selection of products and the same prices, but the foundation donates a percentage -- usually 0.5% -- of eligible purchases to the charitable organization selected by the customer. If you haven't attached your Amazon account to PSEC, please consider doing so now! Support PSEC Here   
PSEC Events

Jan. 14: 2020 Women's Clergy Retreat in Reading

Jan. 24: Cultivating Generous Congregations in Boyertown

May 5: Clergy Convocation in Lancaster

View more events on the PSEC Calendar
Educational Opportunities

View more events on the PSEC Calendar
Church Openings
Many openings are on UCC's Ministerial Opportunities page. Especially note:
  • St. Mark's UCC, Reading (10 hrs/ week)
  • St. John's UCC, Orwigsburg (half-time designated)
  • St. John's UCC, Pottstown (part-time interim)
  • St. Paul's UCC, Pottstown (part-time settled)
If you’re interested in a position, contact Rev.Sharon Morris: morris@psec.org or 484-949-8774 ext. 302.
Classified Ads

Submit Classified Ads here
View a complete list of Classified Ads here
Church Events
Dec. 6: Illumine Christmas Concert in Pottstown


Dec. 7: Christmas Bazaar in Reading


Dec. 7: Cookie Sale and White Elephant in Pottstown


Submit Church Events here
View a complete list of Church Events here
Missed a week? Read past eNews here:
PSEC is the link that connects our church’s various and diverse ministries both locally and globally. Together, we provide our local churches, pastors and congregations with the training and inspiration they need to carry out our church’s wider mission. We are stronger together; therefore, we embrace diversity, and above all, we spread God’s love!