Important This Week

• From the Conference Minister: How PSEC is working to nurture call and encourage new pastors
• Church merger workshop scheduled for Saturday on Zoom
• Update from the Keystone Project

From the Conference Minister:

“One in Four Pastors Plan to Retire Before 2030.” That was the headline in a recent article describing what we have known for some time. Our churches are struggling to find a new generation of pastors as the current generation begins to step aside.

It is incredibly difficult to find the time to develop leaders amid the unrelenting demands of pastoral ministry — demands that would keep some from even recommending a future in ministry. According to a recent survey by the Barna Group, Forty percent of pastors surveyed said they have thought about the need for developing a leadership pipeline “but have too many other ministry concerns.” That problem is more acute at medium-size and small churches. (Ibid)

Currently, there are ten Members In Discernment (MIDs) in our Conference (MID is the name we use for people preparing for ministry). That number needs to be closer to twenty if we are to meet the current and future leadership needs not only of the churches in our Conference but of the denomination. We get there by encouraging people with the gifts, skills, faith, and maturity to consider a ministry vocation. There are resources to help with that.

First, when you see a spirit of leadership in someone, say something. A simple observation can begin the journey of discernment to a call. Second, invite people to check out “Ask the Question” a short booklet that introduces the journey to ministry. Third, invite them to a one-hour conversation hosted by me, Rev. Kevin McLemore, and a few pastors who have recently entered ministry who got there from very different places by very different paths. You can learn more about that and encourage anyone to register here. Finally, our Conference Church and Ministry Council will take up our need to cultivate a culture of call at their June meeting and to create additional resources and connection points for future leaders.

God is constantly raising up leaders the church needs “for such a time as this.” It is our time to be allies with God in the doing of that work.

With the best of God’s blessings,

Pastor Bill

Rev. Bill Worley

Conference Minister

Keystone Study Group -- Summary of 4/14 meeting

The fifth meeting of the Keystone Study Group* took place Friday, April 14, 2023. This group continues to explore the possibility of mutual or consolidated ministry among the four conferences toward the question, “could we become ONE Keystone Conference?”

To this point in our process, we have explored the needs of our UCC clergy, local congregations and other ministry settings and how we might welcome a process of discernment. From the four conferences, with our unique mission needs and perspectives, we each live into the UCC hope to be a united and uniting denomination, giving life to the prayer of Jesus, “that they may all be one.”

We believe a unified Keystone Conference will better serve, support, challenge and unite our diverse faith communities. Our study group focused on many questions, all grounded in “Do we know our WHY?” Knowing our WHY may mean we choose to leave some other pieces behind in order to move forward. The complexity of the task and all the stakeholders compounds the significance of our WHY! We came to realize that until we knew our WHY we could not fully determine our WHAT and our HOW!

When we studied the options other conferences have taken, and learnings from their experiences, we’ve asked “Is there a way we could do the work with just shared ministries and collaboration between our current conferences? Is there a greater power and voice in combined ministry that can inspire our clergy, congregations, ministry settings and denomination? Can the Keystone Conference offer something better? What can we do better together than we can do separately? Why Now?

We brought together our inspiration of heart and spirit, as well as our intellect and reasoning to give language to what we were all feeling. And finally, the Holy Spirit spoke, and we knew the voice of the One welcoming us to see the “new thing” that God is creating.

“Together we are stronger! The Keystone Conference” and the Spirit is still speaking!

We believe a Keystone Conference can inspire all settings of the Church to thrive in diversity and unity around Christ’s table of love! Our partnered work is greater than our individual efforts. To go elsewhere is to court uniformity, rather than finding our unity through our diversity, to become an agent with God to “answer” Jesus’ prayer, one body with many different parts in Christ.

We are embracing the possibility of our WHY, so we may move forward with WHAT we believe God is calling us to become, and being open to HOW the Holy Spirit will create innovation through us to meet opportunities for ministry and love.

Our ministry continues, empowered and inspired in the hope and assurance that…

“Together We Are Stronger! – The Keystone Conference”

Sharing our progress in grace and hope,

Communications Team

Steve Davis, St. John’s UCC, Fullerton (PNEC)

Sterling Fritz, Redeemer’s UCC, Littlestown (PCC)

Robin Hightower, Peace In Zion UCC, Zieglerville (PSEC)

Deb Long, First Trinity UCC, Youngwood (PWC)

*A study and discernment group of the 4 PA UCC Conferences – Penn West, Penn Central, Penn NE, and Pennsylvania SE

Visit psec.org/keystone for previous meeting summaries.

Registration open for PSEC Annual Spring Meeting

The Annual Spring Meeting will be June 2-3 at West Chester. The theme will be "May They All Be One: Unleashing the Spirit", focusing on ways to re-imagine what it means to be the Body of Christ. That includes building partnerships between local churches who share resources (including pastors), merging ministries, and connecting with community partners. Representatives from congregations share how this has been life giving for them and how they overcame longtime resistance to making it happen. Similarly, representatives of the Keystone Study Group will share their conversations about creating partnerships between and among our four PA Conference that may lead to a four Conference merger. Click here for more information and to register. Reports have been added to the webpage.

Music for PSEC Spring Annual Meeting

We are reaching out seeking a church choir, youth choir or bell choir who would like to perform for the closing worship service of our upcoming Annual Spring Meeting. The event is held at West Chester University, West Chester, PA and the closing worship will take place on Saturday, June 3 at approximately 4:00p. If you have a group that would be interested, please contact Susan at the PSEC office at susan@psec.org.

Church Merger workshop with Rev. Cean James this weekend

Many churches are exploring the best way to maintain their ministry during a time of decline. Several churches have found merging with another congregation to be a life-giving decision that energizes both congregations and produces a new ministry that is equipped for the church of today and tomorrow. Merging churches is not an easy decision or an easy process, but when done well many congregations have discovered that they are better together. This workshop is for church leaders who are anywhere in the process of discerning church merger. The workshop will be offered May 6 on Zoom.

UCC webinar on police violence, environmental justice

In Atlanta, faith leaders have been involved in a struggle to confront violence in multiple forms as they seek to prevent the destruction of the Weelaunee Forest for the building of a police training facility in a predominantly Black community. Through their actions for a just world, these faith leaders have additionally sought to honor Manuel “Tortuguita” Terán who was killed by the Georgia State Police while protecting the forest. This webinar will feature faith leaders from Atlanta as they share with us about this cause of justice. Even if you cannot make the webinar at its scheduled time on May 10, still sign-up, and we will send you a link to a recording of it. Register now!

Support the Friedens UCC, Oley Mission Trip to Peru

Friedens UCC, 337 Main St., Oley is sponsoring a two-week Mission Rebuild Trip to Peru, Aug. 5-19, 2023 to help the Fuller Center for Housing build houses. There are still a few spots open for volunteers to join this trip. The cost of the tip is expected to be approximately $3,300 per person. Interested people can contact Sue Henne, s.henne73@icloud.com, 601-451-3209 for more information.

On May 13, the church will hold a Spring Yard Sale to benefit to Mission Trip to Peru. For more information, click here.

The church's shoe collection to benefit the Mission Trip to Peru has been extended to May 10. Click here for more information on that.

Theology with a Twist

tonight on Senior Adults

Tuesday, May 2 at 7:00p Theology with a Twist presents "Golden Years?" What the Old Testament and Contemporary Society say about the value of Senior Adults. 

Our speaker this month is Rev. Dr. Deborah Appler, Professor of Old Testament/Hebrew Bible at Moravian Theological Seminary. Visit the PSEC website for more information. Join us as she presents and leads a discussion about the reverence and challenges of aging in the Old Testament, the modern politics of aging, struggles with elder care, and the joyous possibilities of our older years.

Theology with a Twist meets at Kutztown Tavern at 272 W Main St, Kutztown. We gather in the upper room of the tavern the first Tuesday of each month for a time of learning and discussion about a variety of spiritual, religious, and theological topics presented by local experts. The event is free but food and drink can be purchased in the restaurant downstairs and brought to our event space. Parking is available in the lot behind the tavern or on Main Street.

From the Addiction & Recovery Taskforce: Words to ponder

“It is a self-serving concern to alleviate just your own guilt; it is a loving question to say: ‘How can I free others from theirs?’ ”

Richard Rohr, Breathing Under Water, p.71

Disaster information on Mississippi and Alabama

The Mind, Body, Spirit newsletter from the UCC Wellness Ministries May newsletter (available here) included this helpful information:

In March 2023, deadly tornados ripped through Mississippi and Alabama. On March 24th twenty tornados touched down in the two states. The town of Rolling Fork, MS was severely damaged. One week later, on March 31st, severe thunderstorms again tore through the U.S. Midwest and Mid-South . These storms spawned dozens of tornadoes across seven states. The town of Wynne, Arkansas was especially hard-hit. In the wake of these storms, lives were lost, downed trees interrupted electrical power, and some towns were almost completely destroyed.

Caring responses have begun through national and regional organizations. Varieties of aid and assistance are needed. People in these communities express hope for rebuilding and restoring their daily lives, even as they are surrounded by destruction. The UCC Disaster Ministries provide physical, financial, emotional, and spiritual care to those affected by disasters and respond through a network of Conference Disaster Coordinators. Check with your Conference Coordinator, Rev. Karl Jones (kjones275@gmail.com), for current response work and support.

PSEC Addiction Taskforce Training for Pen Pals

Lord, when did we see you sick or in prison and visit thee? And the King will answer them, “Truly I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren you did it to me.”

The practice of visiting with men and women while in prison is perhaps one of the least practiced traits of discipleship on the list. Members and congregations often make charitable gifts for the sake of the poor, the homeless, those suffering from personal or environmental accidents. Members in congregations routinely remember, pray for, and visit those whom we know are sick. But to visit the imprisoned? For the most part that does not happen. This is for a variety of very legitimate reasons: ignorance of the mostly hidden population, institutional restrictions, and fear and prejudice. Yet the call of the Christ still exists.

The PSEC Addiction Task Force is now working with Rev. Russ Gates, former Chaplain at Phoenix Maximum Security State Prison (in Graterford) to raise awareness of the people held in our criminal justice system and to remember that they too are children of God and worthy of our compassion. We hope to offer our conference an email “Pen Pal” program (pun intended). This program would give some especially caring individuals a safe and effective way to communicate with some inmate electronically. The purpose is to simply relate person to person and give that stranger some hope of knowing that others care about their wellbeing.

The communication would be through a secure App, sanctioned by the Department of Corrections. No personal phone or address information would be exchanged.

If you are interested in learning more about this act of discipleship, we welcome you to attend an informational/training event led by Russ Gates.

Click here for more information and to register.

Memorial to the Lost Installation at Gulph UCC

The members of Gulph United Church of Christ are partnering with Heeding God's Call to End Gun Violence in The Memorial to the Lost, a display honoring gun violence victims and their surviving families.  T-shirts with the names of Montgomery County residents murdered by gun violence will be mounted and displayed on the front lawn of the church property from April 29 through May 12. The display will be installed on Saturday the 29th beginning at 11:00a. Members of other congregations and folks from the wider community are heartily encouraged to join us! The Memorial will be formally dedicated at our April 30 worship. It is a poignant and personal witness to the cost of gun violence, visible to those passing by and available to people who would want to stop and walk among the t-shirts in reverence and prayer. Gulph UCC meets at 101 Matsonford Road in Gulph Mills. For further information contact Scott Hutchinson at peacepoet@msn.com

Chaplain in the Park Opportunity at Locust Lake

Do you love the outdoors? Do you enjoy worshipping surrounded by God’s beautiful creation? Consider becoming a campground minister this summer at Locust Lake State Park!

Every summer, chaplains lead Sunday worship in many Pennsylvania State Parks through the Campground Ministry program of the Pennsylvania Council of Churches. Chaplains can be -- but need not be -- ordained ministers. Duties include the worship service as well as visiting campsites to lend a listening ear and invite campers to worship.

Wonderful ministry comes out of this ministry! If you are interested, you can learn more and apply here. You can also contact Rev. Maureen Duffy- Guy for more information: mduffyguy@hotmail.com or text her at 717-619-8337.

Free clergy training on aiding veterans' whole health

From May 11-12, Cranaleith Spiritual Center, in partnership with the Department of Veterans Affairs Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center, is offering a two-day training to educate clergy about issues facing returning Veterans and their families following deployment. Rev. Dr. Chris Antal, a veteran of the U.S. war in Afghanistan, and staff chaplain at the CMCVAMC, will facilitate the training.

Training topics will address post-deployment readjustment challenges, the psychological, physical, behavioral, and spiritual effects of war trauma on survivors, such as moral and spiritual injury, and the important role of community in helping to reduce mental health stigma and support Veterans and their families.

For more information:

Click here for a flyer

Click here for a press release

Click here to register

Lay Leadership Support Group via Zoom

A Lay Leadership Support Group exists for Consistory Presidents as well as those serving on Consistory. We gather once a month on Zoom – so please join us at our next meeting May 13 at 10:00a.

We have found it to be a great place to form new friendships, to gain support, and to be educated on a variety of topics concerning our churches. The discussions are centered around sharing valuable information about what our churches are doing or maybe could be doing. This meeting will be online to make ease of attendance for all!

All past attendees will automatically receive an email with the zoom link the Thursday, prior to the meeting. If you are new to the group, please reach out to Susan at the PSEC office at susan@psec.org to be added to the list.