And keep watching psec.org/annual-meeting-2022 for the agenda, reports, and more!

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. This live continuing education event on Wednesday, May 11 is designed to help you do that! For more info and to register, click here.

On Tuesday, May 31 at 2:00, an Advanced Boundary Training will be held on the topic of "Healthy Boundaries for Retirees Serving Churches." This training will be available at the PSEC Conference Office in Pottstown or via Zoom. Note: this is a change of location and date. Registration for this 3-hour training is open here.

Attached to all UCC Ministerial Profiles are criminal background checks provided by Oxford Document Management Company. For the first time in more than a decade, the price of that background check will increase from $160 to $175. This change will take place on April 1. Background checks are valid for 18 months from the date they were completed. If you have questions about ministerial profiles or this change, contact Rev. Kevin McLemore, Associate Conference Minister for Search and Call, at mclemore@psec.org.

Does your congregation desire to be more prepared for disasters, both to protect yourselves and to help your neighbors in time of need? Willing to Respond is for you!

This new and rapidly growing network is providing congregations with practical tools, training and relationships, including online resources and connection to denominational, ecumenical and other disaster response resources. It's simple to access and easy to register.

Willing to Respond is a joint project of United Church of Christ Disaster Ministries, Disciples of Christ Week of Compassion, Houston Responds, and a growing list of other churches.

If you have questions,please feel contact our Conference Disaster Coordinator, Karl Jones, at kjones275@comcast.net.

Special Event: What is the Status of Pennsylvania UCC churches?

When: March 24 at 10:00a via Zoom

Registration: Click here

Take a Prayer Break every Thursday at noon during Lent join colleagues from the four PA UCC conferences for a short time of prayer on Zoom. Each gathering will be led by a conference staff member and will include readings, reflection, and a time for intercessory prayer. All are welcome to join. Zoom information is below and is the same for every week until they end on April 14.

Lancaster Theological Seminary has been in the process of transformation into a combined theological institution with Moravian Seminary. This process reflects broader shifts in how churches provide theological formation for leaders. Dr Greg Carey, Professor of New Testament, has offered to provide some insight and clarity about what the future might look like at the completion of the combination process and what steps need to take place to get there. We'll also discuss what needs to happen between church bodies and theological schools. Whether you are part of the alumni of either school or just curious, you're invited to the Zoom conversation on March 24. Registration is required.

Lent recalls the 40 days of Christ’s temptations in the wilderness. He is tempted by Satan to worship another god, Satan, and in return he would have all the world has to offer. Christ was able to resist the temptations and remain true to his Father and his mission.

Many of us have had times in our lives when we were in the wilderness. The world offered us gods we could worship in place of the God we are sealed to in baptism and confirmation. Many of us remember times of great distress, depression, anxiety and feelings that we were left alone. But God is always there calling us from the wilderness to the promise of love and grace in Jesus Christ.

Our brothers and sisters who are lost in the wilderness of addiction are seeking a path out of the pain and bleakness of their lives. The church can offer them so much as they take the journey away from the wilderness and rediscover their home with Christ. This Lent think of ways that your congregation can be a light out of the wilderness for someone in addiction. Go to the Addiction and Recovery webpage for ways to be that light.

March 27, the fourth Sunday of Lent, is the recommended date for the offering "One Great Hour of Sharing." Resources to help promote the offering are available here.

The theme for the 2022 One Great Hour of Sharing (OGHS) offering is “Love Remains,” based on 1 Corinthians 13:13, "And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love." These words were written to a church in turmoil to remind them what love looks like in community.

If you would like more information on how OGHS supports our disaster ministries, contact our Conference Disaster Coordinator, Karl Jones, 570-617-4018 or kjones275@comcast.net.

This week, on the "Classified Ads" section of the PSEC website, two closing congregations have advertised items available for other churches. Communion sets, art, furniture, and more are listed. For more information, check out psec.org/classified-ads.

Secretaries, assistants, and church administrators are invited to the annual PSEC Admin Luncheon. After a two year absence, we will fellowship over lunch and then spend time sharing resources and re-connect with one another. For flyer, click here. To register for the event, click here. We hope churches will pay the $15 cost of the event.

Sitters may work one shift, an entire day or both days. Sitters will receive free lunch and/or dinner if covering both shifts on either side of those meal times. Compensation will be $20/hour. Please share this opportunity with childcare/ nursery attendants you know. Anyone interested should contact Susan at the Conference office at susan@psec.org.

Pastoral Relations Committees provide essential leadership in the life of a congregation. On April 4 at 7:30p, come to this workshop from the UCC's Ministerial Excellence, Support, and Authorization (MESA) Team to explore what the purpose of a PPR Committee is and is not. We’ll be talking through and naming the priorities and commitments of a well-functioning PRC. Revs. Tara Barber and Stephen Boyd will share best practices from around the church and be prepared to answer your questions. Open to pastors, lay leaders and judicatory staff. Register here.

Last year, you may have received an email from the United Church of Christ giving an update for where to mail contributions. This change of address at the national church should not effect how OCWM contributions are sent to PSEC. Please continue to send your contributions to the PSEC office as before. If you have questions, contact tammie@psec.org. 

Douglas Tallamy’s books have awakened thousands to the problem of wildlife decline and the solution that resides in habitat restoration. This is a solution of which you and your faith community can be a part. The solution can be as close as your backyard or the property surrounding your place of worship. In this webinar, Tallamy will outline the crisis faced and what we can do in response. Even if you can’t make the scheduled time of 1:00p on March 23, still sign-up, and we will send you a recording. Register now!