Important This Week

• Hurricane disaster response updates
• Message from PSEC Racial Justice Team for Indigenous Peoples' Day
• Online FAQ session on ERHS future and move

From the PSEC Racial Justice Initiative:

Open your mind to Indigenous Peoples' Day

While many around us continue to celebrate Christopher Columbus on the second Monday in October, the movement to recognize that day as Indigenous Peoples’ Day has been growing since 1977. For indigenous Americans, Columbus Day has always been hurtful in its glorification of a character who participated in the violent colonization of communities who had prior existed in successful, self-sufficient communities.

In an effort to broaden our understanding of indigenous populations, we thought it would cool to highlight recent native-led entertainment options that you may have missed. Native American representation in both storyline and talent have been severely underrepresented in media, and virtually nonexistent in creative roles behind the camera. This is changing and this list proves it. One or more will surely scratch your entertainment itch!

Prey (Action Adventure film/Hulu): The film is a prequel to "Predator," and it stars Amber Midthunder as Naru, a young Comanche woman who is determined to protect her family, including her dog. Midthunder is Hunkpapa Lakota, Sahiya Nakoda and Sisseton Dakota. And behind the scenes, producer Jane Myers ensured that the language, regalia and every last cradle board were authentic to the Comanche Nation in time. She is a member of the Comanche and Blackfeet Nations.

Dark Winds (Crime Drama series/AMC+): Follows Leaphorn and Chee, two Navajo police officers in the 1970s Southwest that are forced to challenge their own spiritual beliefs when they search for clues in a double murder case. Based on Tony Hillerman’s novel series, Dark Winds makes history for its predominant Native cast and crew with a promised second season on the way. Among others in this production, Native representation is seen in the following: Director Chris Eyre is Cheyenne/Arapaho. Staff writer Maya Ross Dittloff is Mandan, Hidatsa, and Blackfoot. Actor Eugene Brave Rock is Blackfoot from the Blood Tribe in Alberta Canada.

Rutherford Falls (Comedy series/Peacock): Rutherford Falls centers on lifelong best friends Caucasian Nathan Rutherford and indigenous Reagan Wells clash over changes to their hometown. In Season 2, the two help each other tackle work, romance and major changes to their small town and the Native American reservation it borders, initiated by Tribal Casino CEO.

The series had one of the largest Indigenous writer’s rooms on television with five Native writers staffed on the series including Teller Ornelas (Navajo), Bobby Wilson (Sisseton-Wahpeton Dakota), Tai Leclaire (Kanien’kehá:ka [Mohawk Nation]/Mi’kmaq), Schmieding (Cheyenne River Lakota Sioux) and Tazbah Chavez (Bishop Paiute/Diné/San Carlos Apache) as well as Greyeyes ([Nêhiyaw (Plains Cree) from Muskeg Lake Cree Nation – Treaty Six Territory in Saskatchewan]) on screen.

And my favorite:

Reservation Dogs (Comedy/dramedy series/Hulu): Reservation Dogs is an Indigenous American teen comedy drama television series created by Sterlin Harjo and Taika Waititi for FX Productions. It is a notable first in that it features all Indigenous writers and directors, along with an almost entirely Indigenous North American cast and production team. Set in Oklahoma’s Native American territory (and filmed there!), it blends humor, satire, pathos, social and magical realism, and tribal lore and history into a fresh, funny, and heartfelt series appealing to teens and adults alike.

By Liz Brunton, Racial Justice Team

Responding to Hurricanes Fiona and Ian and how to help

Several years ago, Zion Blue Mountain UCC volunteered to be a drop off point for clean-up buckets. They also responded to disaster events in northern Berks County and in Schuylkill County. In the process they forged a partnership with the Salvation Army. As a result, Pastor Jason Stump and Zion Blue Mountain were able to respond to our request for help to send clean-up buckets to Mission Central in Mechanicsburg for deployment to Florida. Pastor Stump recruited the help of The Wellness Center for Pets & Their People, which is an educational center providing alternative, holistic therapies integrating body, mind and spirit for pets and their human companions.

Pastor Stump and Zion Blue Mountain provide a model of how to partner with community organizations to achieve a common good, both in our communities and in a wider response. In all 45 clean-up buckets were provided to Mission Center for transport to Florida. The value of these buckets is $3,375.

The remaining challenge for us is: We need to replace the buckets that are being sent to Mission Central. Please keep putting them together. For information on how to do that go to psec.org/drop-off-locations-for-church-world-service-buckets-kits/. Remember a $250 mini-grant is available from the national setting of the UCC.

We are grateful: We are getting 15 buckets and 15 kits from the inventory at St. Stephen's UCC, Perkasie. They will be delivered to Zwingli UCC, Souderton before Sunday. We will add 65 buckets and 25 kits from the inventory at Zwingli, with the help of members of Zwingli Church after worship on Sunday.

R & J Tours and Transportation, Cressona, is donating the transportation. They will pick up the buckets and kits at 11:30a on Sunday and deliver them to the warehouse in Mechanicsburg on Monday morning, where they will join the ones taken there today from Zion Blue Mountain. They will join many others from our partners on a journey to Florida and other places of need. 

If you can help, please contact our Disaster Coordinator, Karl Jones, at kjones275@comcast.net.

How to help with hurricane recovery:

• Pray for those impacted.
• Put together CWS kits and clean-up buckets. Learn more.
• Donate: Donate Now – United Church of Christ (ucc.org)
• Sign up to Volunteer: https://support.ucc.org/volunteer-opportunity-form
• Volunteer Opportunities: UCC Ministry Opportunities
• Have your congregation join the Willing to Respond Network of Churches: Willing to Respond Preparedness Network
• Participate in and/or share information on the UCC Hurricanes 2022 Emergency Appeal

PSEC staff unavailable next Tuesday

On Tuesday, Oct. 11, the PSEC staff will be unavailable due to a staff retreat. Please excuse any delays in responses

2023 PSEC Compensation Guidelines available now

Conference Consistory has approved a 6% increase for Conference Compensation Guidelines. To view a letter from the Conference Minister about this increase and the 2023 guidelines, click here.

Online FAQ session on the ERHS future and move

Do you have questions on the future of the Evangelical and Reformed Historical Society and recently announced plans to explore a move to Eden Theological Seminary? If so, the Officers of the Society will be holding an FAQ session on Oct. 15 from 2:30-3:30.  

The purpose of this informative session will be to address questions on the timeline and logistics of the proposed move in addition to the transport of church record groups and manuscript collections and how researchers will utilize these collections before, during, and after the move.  

While we recognize that this decision will evoke grief amongst some of our constituents, the focus of the FAQ Session will be on the planning, management, and carrying out of the relocation of the Society in Lancaster, PA to Eden Theological Seminary in St. Louis, MO. This decision has been made based upon a number of factors, including infrastructure, a changing relationship with Lancaster Theological Seminary, and a lack of storage space. We understand that change of this magnitude is never easy. The primary goal of the Board is to ensure that the integrity of the collection is preserved and that the Society continues to prosper.

Advanced registration is required. Click here to register. A Zoom link for the event will be sent to all registered participants 24 hours prior to the event. 

In order to honor everyone’s time, the session will be moderated. The FAQ portion will consist of answers only to questions that have been submitted beforehand. Please note, this is not an open forum. Therefore, we ask that you submit any and all questions to future@erhistoricalsociety.org by 12:00 noon on Oct. 13. Should you have any additional questions you may also submit them directly to the same email address.

Dedicated PSEC, Covenant Association volunteer dies

Mary Ann Hayes, a devoted lay leader in the former East Berks Association, Covenant Association, and in the life of the Conference, passed away last month. A funeral is scheduled for Saturday. Click here to read the full obituary.

Save the date: Women's Clergy Retreat set for January

Mark your calendars for the 2023 PSEC/ PNEC Women's Clergy Retreat, to be held Jan. 24-26 at Mariawald Retreat Center in Reading. More information coming soon.

2022 Fall Book Study

Recovering Racist: Dismantling White Supremacy and Reclaiming Our Humanity

The PSEC Racial Justice Initiative is offering a 2022 Fall Book Study on Recovering Racist: Dismantling White Supremacy and Reclaiming Our Humanity by Idelette McVicker.

As a white Afrikaner woman growing up in South Africa during apartheid, Idelette McVicker was steeped in a community and a church that reinforced racism and shielded her from seeing her neighbors' oppression. Recovering Racists shares McVicker's journey over thirty years and across three continents to shatter the lies of white supremacy embedded deep within her soul.

She helps us realize that grappling with the legacy of white supremacy and recovering from racism is lifelong work that requires both inner transformation and societal change. As we work for the freedom for everyone, we also find freedom for ourselves. Join us for five on-line sessions, Tuesdays Nov. 1-29, 3p or 7p each week.

Approved for PSEC Diversity Training Credits

Registration is free! To register click here.

UCC webinar: Churches get paid for going solar

The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) changes the landscape of what’s possible for faith communities when it comes to solar and energy efficiency. For example, did you know that this new law now makes it possible for nonprofit organizations to receive a direct payment from the federal government that equals 30% of a solar installation’s cost? Yet, there is much about the law and how it can benefit faith communities that requires careful attention and navigation. Register for this webinar to learn more! It's set for Oct. 12 at 1:00p.

Rev. Jon Bauman Installation

Click the invitation below to download a PDF to share.

Theology with a Twist returning to Kutztown tonight

On Tuesday, Oct. 4, attend Theology with a Twist at the Kutztown Tavern. Dr. Greg Carey (Biblical scholar, author, and Professor of New Testament at Lancaster Theological Seminary) will speak on Christian Nationalism: what it is, how it has developed, and why it is dangerous for democracy and for the church. Click here for more information.

Theology with a Twist is BACK! We are meeting at 7 PM the First Tuesday of the month at the Kutztown Tavern, 272 Main St Kutztown, in the upstairs room We will no longer have a server upstairs. Feel free to enjoy dinner in the restaurant prior to the meeting. You are also welcome to purchase food and drink at the bar to take upstairs. For more info go to our Facebook page or call 610.926.3907. 

Option for Boundary Training

The New York Conference has several dates for upcoming Boundary Awareness Training sessions in October, November, and December. Please check with your COM chair to see if this would fulfill your requirement before registering. The cost of the training is $95. For more information and to register, click here.

Upcoming PA Academy of Ministry course on finances

Church Finances, Oct. 11-Nov 15. Tuesdays, 7-8:30pm via Zoom. 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. $125. Scholarships available — contact dstephens@lancasterseminary.edu.

Beginning January 2023:

Jews and the American Civil Rights Movement, Jan. 11-Feb. 15 Wednesdays, 7-8:30p via Zoom. Instructor, Rabbi Jack Paskoff. Ideal for lay and clergy leaders.

Church History To the Reformation, Jan. 10-Feb 14. Weeknights via Zoom. Instructor, Rev. Matt Deal. Ideal for lay and clergy leaders.

Information and Registration.

From the Addiction & Recovery Taskforce:

Trauma and harm reduction

Victims of childhood traumatic experiences become more vulnerable to substance abuse disorders. Our brain chemistry can change due to stress responses, leading to addictive behaviors. Being aware of this can shift attitudes and lead to implementation of harm reduction strategies that are sustainable and not judgmental. Harm reduction is a set of practical strategies and ideas aimed at reducing negative consequences associated with drug use. HR is also a movement for social justice built on a belief in, and respect for, the rights of people who use drugs. HR means not ignoring, but accepting; recognizing the complexity and variety of behaviors; focusing on the well-being and community as being the most important things; creating space for those who have experienced addiction to lead programs and create them; and emphasizing that the realities of poverty, class, racism, social isolation, past trauma, sex-based discrimination, and other social inequalities affect both people’s vulnerability to and capacity for effectively dealing with drug-related harm.

In our faith communities, we can focus on harm reduction and create safer, more inclusive, and non-judgmental spaces where people can actually get help and be treated with love, dignity, and respect. To learn more about harm reduction, visit https://harmreduction.org/

Christianity in America: Sacred or Supremacist?

PSEC Racial Justice Initiative is proud to be a sponsor!

The PA Council of Churches is beginning a dialogue on Christian Nationalism, a topic of rising interest in a critical election year where individual candidates describe themselves as part of this movement. The Council of Churches will present a forum titled “Christianity in America: Sacred or Supremacist?” on Oct. 6 at Colonial Park UCC, 5000 Devonshire Road, Harrisburg.

The keynote speaker is Dr. Robert P. Jones, the President and founder of Public Religion Research Institute and the author of White Too Long: The Legacy of White Supremacy in American Christianity and The End of White Christian America.

Dr. Jones’ presentation will be followed by a panel discussion which, in addition to him, includes: Marilyn Mayo, Senior Research Fellow, Center on Extremism, Anti-Defamation League, addressing anti-Semitism in the movement; Rev. Dr. Gregory Edwards, Founder and Senior Pastor, Resurrected Life Community Church UCC, Allentown, addressing racism and white supremacy; and Rev. Jennifer Butler, Founder in Residence, Faith in Public Life, addressing a scriptural response to the movement. Dr. Greg Carey of Lancaster Theological Seminary will moderate.

We also plan to livestream the program via YouTube Live inclusive of remote sites for groups to participate throughout the state.

Click here for more information and to register. Registration is free!

Rev. Mark Johnson Installation

Click the invitation below to download a PDF to share.

Ministry Loss Control workshop in Pottstown

The Insurance Board is hosting a Loss Control Workshop for all PA Southeast Conference Churches on Oct. 25 from 5:00-8:00p at Shenkel UCC in Pottstown. Topics of the workshop include, Active Shooter Awareness and Response, Abuse Prevention Considerations, Church Operations and Trending HR Concerns, Financial Controls Best Practices and Cyber Awareness. A member of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security will be in attendance as a presenter of the Active Shooter segment of the program.

Click here for a PDF brochure and click on the “To Register Click Here” section of the PDF to register for this event.

Should you have any questions regarding this workshop, please contact Gabe Michaels at 215-322-0815 x-126 or Mike Doyle at 215-357-8600 x-112.

Clinical Pastoral Education opportunity at Phoebe

Phoebe Ministries is accepting applications for a CPE unit from January through May. For more information, click here for a flyer.

Climate Hope Cards contest

The UCC launched an art contest for children and youth as part of a campaign to generate hope in making a difference when confronting the climate crisis. How to participate?: Draw or paint about climate hope, environmental justice, or protecting the Earth. Sunday school class and youth group participation encouraged. Click here for more information and to register.

Pathways Theological Education registration open

Pathways Theological Education has opened registration for winter courses. Pathways is an online theology program for those on the path to authorized ministry, clergy looking for continuing education, or anyone interested in a certificate in Biblical Studies, Preaching, Theological Studies, or Foundational Theology. Courses are aligned to the UCC Marks for Faithful and Effective Ministers. Courses include an online CPE unit and UCC History & Polity. For details, visit pathwaystheological.org.

Justice and Local Church Ministry grants from the UCC

Justice and Local Church Ministry grants fund justice and love of community around the country. This article details past recipients, as well as provides information for applying for the 2023 grants.

Register for Walking with God

Registration is now open for "Walking with God", scheduled for Oct. 15 in East Greenville. Please join us for a day of fellowship, fun, laughter, and learning, ending with worship and communion. This year’s retreat will be held in the New Goshenhoppen Church park where many activities can take place outside, (in God’s Good Creation). The park includes a covered band shell and dining hall, in case of inclement weather. For more information and to register, click here.

SNEUCC Faith Formation Leadership Program

Beginning in the fall, the Southern New England Conference UCC will be coordinating a Community of Practice in Pennsylvania Southeast Conference for youth ministry leaders and clergy through their Faith Formation Leadership program. There are already three PSEC clergy and faith formation/Christian education leaders committed to joining the group, but there are still a few open spots. The cost is $250/year. For more information or to sign up, contact Debbie Gline Allen, the SNEUCC Minister of Faith Formation, at glineallend@sneucc.org.

Christian Concern seeking

new board members

Board Members are needed for Christian Concern Management and Development (CCMD), Jefferson Apartments and Jefferson East Apartments. Jefferson and Jefferson East are living facilities that provide quality housing for lower income people.

CCMD is the management company that oversees Jefferson Apartments and Jefferson East Apartments. Our Boards oversee all three entities. We have four quarterly meetings a year: December, March, June, September. On three of our four meeting dates, we have one meeting which includes CCMD and both residences. Thus our meetings are not long unless there is a particular problem which needs to be addressed by the Board. The fourth meeting requires that we have an individual meeting for each entity but again, it is not a long drawn out evening. Our meetings are held at Jefferson Apartments in Norristown.

If you have an interest in helping to make sure that our seniors have good housing conditions that are affordable, and would like to serve on a Board of Directors who have been overseeing such living facilities for many years, please call and we can answer any additional questions you may have. It is not a terribly time consuming on taking, but this is one small way we, ordinary people, can help to do an important part of God’s work.

If you have any questions or would like to share in our ministry, please contact: Betty Booraem, Secretary. 610-639-8774.