Since the beginning of 2020, 137 people have joined Salt & Light, in-person and online. We started baptizing again to start this year and have put exactly 62 new believers in the water. We prayed for our under 18 crowd this Sunday; there were about 40 of them in church.

Rev. Cean James

Associate Conference Minister for Congregational Development

For those who would like to do a deep dive into Dr. Drew Hart’s powerful witness and call on the Christian church to a discipleship that embodies God’s love, justice and deliverance, the Racial Justice Initiative of the PSEC will be offering an Advent book study featuring “Who Will Be A Witness?” on Tuesdays at 3:00p and 7:00p from Nov. 30-Dec. 21. This training has been approved for Diversity Training. For information and to register, click here.

Registration for Walking With God has been extended until Friday, Oct. 29 at noon. Join us for a day of fellowship, fun, laughter, and learning, ending with worship and communion. Out of an abundance of caution, this year's retreat will be held in the New Goshenhoppen Church park where many activities can take place outside. The park includes a covered band shell and a dining hall, in case of inclement weather. Click here to register.

One of the ways to look at the problem of substance abuse is to look at risk and protective factors. There is a lot of literature now available that can help guide congregations in how to provide protective factors for children, youth and adults. The Surgeon General’s 2016 report on Alcohol, Drugs and Health provides some excellent information on these factors. One of the factors listed as protective is spirituality which is define as “a belief in a higher being, or involvement in spiritual practices or religious activities” (p 3-6 of the report). Also listed as protective factors are opportunities for positive social involvement, recognition for positive behavior, bonding to others, and healthy beliefs and standards for behavior. These factors positively affect both youth and adults.

Think about your congregation. Are you providing these protective factors to your youth and adult members?  Protective factors can alleviate some of the damage of the risk factors. Think about how your congregation can be more intentional about providing these protective factors to all you come in contact with.

DHS Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships has resources for protecting houses of worship, including guides and self-assessment tools. They also have several opportunities to attend a webinar on nonprofit security grants. To find out more, click here.

Penn Northeast Conference is offering virtual Ministerial Boundary Training for $75. Once registered, participants can work at their own pace to complete the five modules and required written reflections. Click here for details and registration. Registration is open until Oct. 31 and a check must be received before that point. 

Salem UCC in Doylestown hosted a conversation on Afghan resettlement in the US. A video of that is available here. Learn how your church or organization can help. Hosted by Michael Flanagan, Social Action chair of Salem Church.

On Wednesday, Nov. 10 at 9:00a, we will host "Working with Children, Youth and Vulnerable Adults: What Pastors and Lay Leaders Need to Know about Child Sexual Abuse Prevention in the Congregation." This training is great for lay members of your church who work with young people and for clergy (clergy will receive Advanced Boundary Training credit for attending). Topics covered at the training will include:

For more info and to register, click here.

ANOTHER OPTION!! If you cannot make the Wednesday morning time for this training, you will have another opportunity to complete the training. Register for the training and indicate that you will not be available to attend on Wednesday. A link to view the training online will be sent to you following the training and you will have one week to watch the video and submit a one-page paper on how you will apply this training to your ministry setting. Once the paper is received and approved, you will receive your certificate. If you plan to take advantage of this opportunity, you must let us know in advance that you will not be attending the live training.

Christian Concern Communities, in Douglassville, has been providing mission driven affordable housing for the elderly and disabled for over 50 years. The Board of Directors is seeking an Executive Director to carry out the goals and mission of our Faith Based, Not for Profit organization. For the position posting, click here. For a full job description, click here.

Disasters like this summer's Hurricane Ida deplete Church World Service's stock of Emergency Clean Up Buckets and School and Hygiene Kits. Whatever disaster people are trying to move forward from, these supplies assure them that “they are not doing it alone,” said Mark Munoz, CWS Associate Director, Domestic Disaster Program. UCC churches are called urgently to help replenish these essential supplies. A $250 Kits Matching Grant from UCC can help.

Did you register for Fall Meeting yet? Registration is now open. Also, check out the Fall Meeting page on the website for agenda, standing rules, and reports.

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”.

The Last Computer Side Chat will be held on Nov. 9. Each month we have been meeting on the second Tuesday of the month to discuss a topic of interest for congregations in some kind of transition. Recently, the conversations have been around Shared Ministry. This month is the final installment of our Shared Ministry Conversation. We will be meeting with Rev. Maureen Duffy-Guy. If your congregation is thinking about how to partner with others in meaningful ministry, this conversation is for YOU! We are always better when we are together. Creativity abounds when we share our resources and passion for ministry. Please join us by emailing Brea@psec.org for a link.

Holidays can be a very difficult time for youth at Bethany Children's Home; many of them have never received Christmas gifts or participated in traditions. Each year, youth look forward to Hanging of the Greens service, cookie socials, ornament exchanges, fellowship opportunities, the Youth Christmas Dinner, Christmas Eve service, and of course, Christmas Day! Click here to visit the "Holidays at Bethany" webpage where you can learn how to donate and view the Wish Lists.