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Important This Week
- Today is the last chance to sign up for this week's preaching workshop.
- Read about updated health insurance legislature that might affect your church and pastors.
- Conference Minister's message on this week's lectionary text.
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From the Conference Minister: Pray always and do not lose heart
Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray always and not to lose heart. –
Luke 18:1
Tell me about a time when you lost heart.
It happens. I have come to treasure those times (once survived) and to be grateful for the people and parables that help me get found.
I lost heart in Iraq long ago when one of our Marines was shot by a sniper. After keeping an exhausting 24-hour prayer vigil going, I was invited to offer a blessing on his departure to the next level of medical care in Germany. The prayer I offered was much more frustration and fear than it was faith. I had lost heart long before I realized it.
Late that same day, I was called to the office of our battalion Sargent Major. He was built like a tank. Commended with a look as much as with a word. Exuded courage and conviction and had absolutely no interest in anything Christian.
“Chaps,” he asked, “why are you so angry with God?” His simple question unleashed confession, tears and conversation that remains to this day a moment of life sustaining redemption. My atheistic Sargent Major lead me back to my heart.
Before I left his office, he gave me a key inscribed with the only prayer he’d ever known: “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.”
When I lose heart, I go back to that moment. I go there often. As often, I imagine, as the widow went to the judge in Jesus’ parable. I’ve let go of some of the anger. I’ve held onto the compassion and understating.
I trust you have those moments. I hope in our churches and communities we are creating those moments – and telling of them. Often. Our nation and our people continue to lose heart; as nations and peoples always have. And God is always asking us, the church, clergy, lay people and leaders, to help them find their way back.
I pray for your heart and for the people blessed by it.
Pastor Bill
Rev. William Worley
Conference Minister
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Updated Health Insurance rules may affect churches
Under the Affordable Care Act, it is not legal for a company to reimburse an employee for health care insurance premiums. The IRS issued guidance on this in 2013 that was revised in 2015 to give some relief to smaller organizations (less than 50 employees) that engaged in this practice. That relief has now expired, and a company can incur a significant fine if it reimburses health care premiums to employees. UNLESS, there is only one employee (for instance, the pastor), that has health insurance provided, then you are exempt from the rules and can continue paying directly OR reimbursing the pastor/employee for out of pocket costs.
Specifically, this means that a congregation that reimburses the cost of a health insurance policy or pays the cost of such policy directly to the insurer for an employee/pastor, on either a tax-free or after-tax basis, regardless of whether the coverage was purchased through the health marketplace or through the private market, will incur significant penalties.
Employers may legally adjust the salaries of their employees to take into account a particular employee not participating in the group health plan, but it may not REQUIRE the employee to spend that adjustment on healthcare premiums, nor can it ask for proof of coverage as a condition of paying the extra salary.
If you have any additional suggestions or questions, please contact Tammie Wisniewski at
tammie@psec.org
or call the conference office at 484-949-8774 X304.
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Sign up: this week's preaching workshop with Cean James
Today
is the final day to register for this week's workshop.
"Preaching Like the Choir: How to prepare and present sermons with rhythm, melody and prose with Rev. Cean James" will be held Thursday, Oct. 17 from 9:00-3:00 at First UCC, Schuylkill Haven. For more info and to register,
click here
.
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Volunteer opportunity opens in West Virginia from 2016 floods
Hello from West Virginia VOAD. We have exciting news to share! WV VOAD has received a grant to repair and reconstruct 111 homes that were damaged in 2016 flooding. This work will continue over the next two to three years. Volunteers are working with WV VOAD site supervisors to complete projects. That’s where you come in! Please consider placing us on your mission schedule in the coming months. We will help you get set up with housing in the community where your team will be working. We are engaged in all phases of construction and will match your team up according to their skills. For a volunteer application packet or for more information, use the contact info below. We hope to hear from you soon! Volunteers like you are crucial to helping people get home!
Thanks, Melisa Morse
WV VOAD Housing Construction Liaison
(304) 553-0927 Office
(304) 785-9284 Cell
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Shenkel UCC hosting Spirituality Fair this weekend
Shenkel UCC, 1580 Shenkel Rd., Pottstown, will host its Spirituality Fair on Saturday, Oct. 19. This year, will begin a 3-part Community Discussion Series on Spirituality and Aging:
- Part 1 – “Spirituality and Aging” led by Rev. Dr. Priscilla Denham (Oct. 19)
- Part 2 – “Aging, Loss, and Grief” led by Rev. JoEllen Mauger (Dec. 4, 7 p.m.)
- Part 3 – “Montessori for Elders” led by Margie
The schedule for Saturday is:
- 10:00a - Registration and coffee
- 10:30a - “Aging as Spiritual Practice” led by Rev. Dr. Priscilla Denham
- 11:45a - Break (Soup and bread lunch will be available for $5 or you may “brown-bag” your own)
- 12:00-2p - Opportunity to experience Body Prayer, Guided Meditation, Reiki, and Discussion with Rev. Wanda Craner, and individual labyrinth walking
- 2:00p - Guided Labyrinth Walk
Folks are welcome to come for the morning discussion, the afternoon to sample the various spiritual practices, just for the Labyrinth Walk, or for everything.
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October ReadyPA Monthly features cyber security tips
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October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month. In this issue of the
Ready PA Monthly
, learn how to protect yourself - Own IT. Secure IT. Protect IT. Read tips on how to be personally accountable and proactive in protecting yourself from common cyber threats. The Ready PA Action Sheet provides information on Cyber Safety for Kids.
With Fall upon us, the risk for outdoor fires increases. Only you can prevent wildfires and the State Meteorologist tells you how.
Please share this newsletter and action sheet with your church, your family and friends. Remember, both the Ready PA Monthly and the Action Sheet are available at
www.Ready.PA.gov
.
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Registration is open for the PSEC Fall Youth Event 2019
The PSEC 2019 Fall Youth Event will be Nov. 8-10 at South Mountain YMCA Camp
for youth in grades 7 thru 12. The theme is "Caring for Creation." The focus scripture is Psalm 24:1 "
The earth is the LORD’s and all that is in it, the world, and those who live in it." The r
egistration fee ($90) includes meals, lodging, events, and activities. The
deadline is Nov. 1.
Click here
for info.
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Clean-up Buckets needed by Church World Service
UCC Disaster Ministries is asking churches to help overcome a shortage of cleanup buckets, stocked with essential supplies for after a natural disaster strikes. Disaster Ministries is offering matching grants of up to $250 as an incentive to assemble Church World Service kits — in particular, the Emergency Cleanup Buckets. To learn more about these kits and how to apply for the grant
click here
. For a list of PSEC and PNEC congregations that have offered to be drop-off locations for the kits you assemble, visit
psec.org/drop-off
. Email
kjones275@comcast.net
with your stories and pictures so we can share your story.
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Church Openings
- St. Mark's UCC, Reading (10 hrs/ week)
- UCC Valley Forge (full-time interim)
- 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.
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Educational Opportunities
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