Important This Week

• Register for Annual Meeting
• Advanced Boundary Training on 'When Pastoral Confidences can be Broken' on Zoom
• Eastwick volunteer workday Saturday
• PAM and Pathways summer courses

From the Conference Minister:

Several weeks ago, I sent out letters of invitation to the retired clergy event happening April 17th at St. James UCC in Limerick. Among the many responses to those was one from Rev. Bob Polk, who will turn 96 this May. He sent a very kind note with a copy of his new memoir titled Fly in The Buttermilk: One Black Man's Odyssey (https://a.co/d/7Mhbaz3). In it, Rev. Polk describes his time from 1955-1960 as the 48th official black resident (as he was told) of the state of North Dakota. It is, he says, ‘the story of a young, black, urban, recently graduated seminary student who dared to accept his first call as a pastor to a tiny and decidedly white, rural parish.’ He also shares stories of his time as Youth Director at the Minot YMCA for over 300 teens in the nearly all white state of North Dakota. He wonders whether his presence made a difference in the lives of the white youth and adults he met (I am beyond confident that it did).

I’ve only started to read the book and I look forward to the possibility of conversation with Bob about it. But even from the Preface, it was not much of a leap to see the connections between the courage, vulnerability, patience and grace required of him as he embarked on his ministry in Minot and the courage, vulnerability, patience and grace required by Jesus as he embarked on his journey to Jerusalem. Moving into places where people are different and even threatening takes guts. That is where God constantly called our ancestors in faith. Their faith inspires us still — as do the people in our day who continue to follow their lead. People like Rev. Bob Polk.

On Palm Sunday, Jesus moves forward toward enemies who plot his death. He also goes to Jerusalem to fail his followers. He moves towards confrontation, pain, and the reality that he would let down friends and acquaintances who laid many lofty expectations upon him. But he went anyway.

If we’re going to do great things, we need to be willing to dare to do great things. This demands us to bear risk: risking failure, risking disappointing others, and disappointing ourselves. Even risking our safety. I look for the people who do that and rejoice when I meet them. They are in our pews and in our pulpits; in our Associations and Conferences and around our United Church of Christ. With that assurance, I can face the horrors of Holy Week certain that we may live in a Good Friday world.

‘But Sunday’s coming.’

May God bless you on your journey,

Rev. Bill Worley

Conference Minister

Rev. Patrick Morris installation at Zion Blue Mountain UCC

Click the invitation below to download a PDF to share.

Boundary Training: When confidences can be broken

This advanced boundary training will explore the moments in pastor ministry when the confidential conversations between pastors and congregants must be broken for the safety of others. Through exploring the Mandatory Reporting laws in Pennsylvania, the UCC Ministerial Code of Ethics, participants will have a clearer sense of the times when the boundaries around received information need to broken, and when they should not. (NOTE: this is NOT a replacement for state mandated requirements for Mandatory Reporting Training). This training will be offered on May 16 at 9:00a on Zoom or completed as a "view on your own". For more information, click here.

Eastwick workday on March 23; help with painting, flooring

Click the flyer to view larger image. To help, email pr-volunteers@epaumc.org.

Lay Leadership Convocation share information and register

The Lay Leadership Convocation will be held Saturday, April 6 from 8:30a-3:00p in Boyertown on the theme Sharing Leadership. Click here for agenda, registration, and workshop descriptions. The deadline to register with lunch is this Sunday.

Workshops include:

• "Differ We Must": Steps to engage congregations in overcoming differences
• The Spiritual Life of the Church Choir
• Sharing Leadership
• The Keystone Conference: what is it and why does that matter to the people in the pews
• Why Telling Our Faith Story Matters
• Accompanying Our Aging Selves: Being Present with Older Adults
• Small Sunday School
• Engaging the Fringes of the Church
• How Does the UCC Work
• Stewardship & Generosity Impact
• Churches Sharing a Pastor: An Ancient Model of Ministry for a Contemporary Church

Conversation on change leadership for clergy and lay

Enjoy an afternoon with Rev. Dr. Sarah B. Drummond while she leads a workshop on her book Dynamic Discernment: Reason, Emotion & Power in Change Leadership. This workshop is designed for both clergy and lay leaders to be engaged in practice application for their own settings. The event will be held Sunday, April 7 from 2:00-4:00p. To register, click here.

April Theology with a Twist:

A Theology of Protest

The next Theology with a Twist will be held Tuesday, April 2 at 7:00p on the topic "Facing the Abusing God: A Theology of Protest." Join Rev. Kevin McLemore for a deep dive into the book, “Facing the Abusing God: A Theology of Protest” by Dr. David R. Blumenthal. We’ll learn more about Blumenthal’s post-Holocaust theology and his argument that God is certainly merciful and kind, loving and fair, but God is also capable of acts so unjust that they can be considered abusive. We’ll also engage with some of the work of theologian Wendy Farley throughout the text. This session is a unique opportunity to learn the main ideas found in this book, as well as some of the challenges that understanding an unjust God poses to us. For more info, click here.

Missing keys?

If you attended Rev. Caroline Bashore's ordination service on March 17 at Zion Blue Mountain UCC, make sure you didn't lose your keys at the church. If these are yours, contact 610-488-7361 or

lshupp@zionbluemountainucc.org.

From the Addiction & Recovery Taskforce: Great Resource

For those of us who have families in our congregation and community that are non-parental (which is all of us), there is a great resource online from the state of Pennsylvania. “PA KinConnector provides guidance, advice, and support to grandparents raising grandchildren and other relative and non-relative Kinship Caregivers.” Health, financial and legal as well as other information is available.

The site is www.kinconnector.org/.

Exploring the UCC workshop on March 23 on Zoom

The Southern New England Conference UCC will host "Exploring the UCC: Our History, Our Beliefs, Our Identity on Saturday, March 23 from 8:30a-12:30p. Click below to see the flyer. Click here for more information or to register.

UCC Musicians Association biennial gathering

Conference 2024, the biennial gathering of the United Church of Christ Musicians Association (UCCMA), will take place July 10-13 in Greenwich, CT. Designed for church musicians, choral and handbell choir members and worship leaders, the three-day event includes workshops, plenary sessions, worship services, evening entertainment and networking opportunities. The conference’s theme, “A place at the table,” inspired the planning. Our goal is to send participants home reenergized with lots of new resources and ideas to use in their congregations. This conference is open to all. Scholarship help is available for first-time UCCMA conference attendees who wouldn’t be able to attend without financial assistance. Complete information is available here.

VBS materials to share

Is your church storing supplies, decorations, or curriculum from a previous Bible school that's in good condition but likely won't be used again soon? If you have VBS materials available that you would be willing to loan or donate to other churches, email brea@psec.org. To see materials churches are willing to share, click here.

PA Academy of Ministry Opportunities

The PA Academy of Ministry (PAM) is offering some exciting classes this spring and summer! Additionally, the leadership classes are augmented by a podcast series produced in collaboration with PAM. Leaders interviewed include UCC superstars Sarah Drummond and Karen Georgia Thompson. 

Preaching and Worship through the Year. April 9-May 14. Tuesdays, 7-8:30p via Zoom. Instructor Rev. Dr. Ronnette Comfort-Butler. To preach and preside effectively requires planning and preparation throughout the liturgical year. This class equips ministers with many skills, including use of the lectionary, planning sermon series, music and arts, special services and occasions, and more. 2.5 CEUs. $325.

Practices of Church Leadership. May 21-June 25. Tuesdays, 7-8:30p via Zoom. Instructor Rev. Sara Hertzog. This nuts-and-bolts class covers the basics of leadership and administration, with practical application for everyone on the ministry leadership team. Topics include: covenant and authority; conflict; family and congregational systems; vision and mission; handling administrative tasks; spiritual care and boundaries. Clergy, lay leaders, and MIDs are encouraged to register. 2.5 CEUs. $325.

Innovation and New Models of Leadership. July 9-Aug. 13. Tuesdays, 7-8:30p via Zoom. Instructor: Rev. Dale Davis. This challenging class engages an array of exciting leadership models and is supported by a podcast series produced especially for the Pennsylvania Academy of Ministry. 2.5 CEUs. $325.

Each class is six weeks online. Click here for information and registration.

Spring and summer

courses from Pathways

For PATHWAYS Theological Education Late Spring and Summer courses, go to the schedule to find out more and sign up: 

• Small Church Administration
• Contemporary Homiletics
• Living the Heart of Progressive Christian Theology
• Ethics and a Life of Meaning
• Stories of Christian Saints and Sinners
• Preaching for Special Occasions
• UCC History and Polity
• Congregational Ministry and the Future Church
• What about the Bible
• Variety of Belief within Christianity Today
• Introduction to Spiritual Health (Pastoral Care)
• Practicing Our Faith in the Public Square
• Pluralism and Religion in North America

Register now: Annual Meeting in State College

For the first time, all four UCC Pennsylvania conferences will gather for a shared Meeting, June 7-9, 2024, at The Penn Stater in State College, PA. We will examine the exciting possibilities of our four Conferences uniting as one. We will share worship, workshops, and meals. Each conference will also meet Saturday morning to conduct their own separate business meeting.

Below is a letter from the four PA UCC Conference Ministers about the meeting:

The planning committee for the Keystone State UCC Conference Summer Meeting has been working diligently to prepare for our June 7-9 meeting. The Keystone Working Group in collaboration with the Conference Ministers have been seeking grants and additional funding to assist with the costs of the meeting.

We want you to know that YOUR attendance is vitally important to us. We need you to help us plan for the future of our conferences. Our General Minister and President, the Rev. Dr. Karen Georgia Thompson will be with us on Saturday and Sunday, and we hope you will be with us to meet her and worship with her on Sunday.

The costs for this meeting will be significantly higher than our usual conference meetings. For one thing, this is a 3-day meeting and incorporates the extensive use of technology and the Penn Stater multiple room assignments for our gathering. We do not want the cost of the event to prevent anyone from attending.

Therefore, we are increasing our scholarship funds to cover ½ the cost of the registration. The registration materials (which are available here) include some links for additional hotel locations, should you choose to utilize them.

Also, we want you to know that our meetings as a Keystone Conference will likely be shorter and less costly.

Please make plans to join us in State College in June and celebrate the work we are doing together, because we believe “Together We Are Stronger.”

Reaffirmation of Ordination Vows set for Maundy Thurs.

On March 28 at 10:00a on Zoom, the Conference Ministers of the four PA UCC Conferences will host a Service of the Reaffirmation of Ordination Vows for ordained clergy. It’s a long-standing custom in liturgical traditions for clergy to gather on the same day Jesus offered “a new commandment” – to love and serve one another – for the reaffirmation of their ordination. We hope this will be an experience of spiritual encouragement and connection. To register, click here.

Understanding the Hopes of Our Donors to Create Change

On April 24 at 7:30p, Rev. Andrew Warner, Generosity Outreach Officer for the UCC, will lead an online workshop on "A Good Pitch: Understanding the Hopes of Our Donors to Create Change".

Once a upon a time, donors gave out of a sense of obligation and loyalty. Today, most donors care about the impact they make in the world. How do we understand the motivations of our donors? What kind of change do they want to make in the world? Andrew Warner will talk about five basic ways donors look to create change. We will discuss ways to discuss your congregation's impact on your community. For more info and to register, click here.

For Children & Youth: UCC Climate Hope Art Contest

To give our children and youth a voice this election season, while also reminding adults of their responsibility for the next generation, the UCC is conducting a Vote for Climate Hope Art Contest. From now until April 16, art submissions will be accepted. Participating churches should register now to receive important information and updates.

Chaplain in the Park: Locust Lake State Park

Do you love the outdoors? Do you enjoy worshipping surrounded by God’s creation? Consider becoming a summer campground minister at Locust Lake State Park! Every summer, chaplains lead Sunday worship in many State Parks through the Campground Ministry program of the PA Council of Churches. Chaplains can be, but need not be, ordained ministers.

The chaplain visits folks in the campground, welcomes them, answers questions about God or where to go for firewood or which trail is the hardest. The chaplain invites campers to worship and conducts a Sunday worship service each week from Memorial Day to Labor Day weekends. Wonderful ministry happens every summer! If you are interested, you can learn more and apply here. You can also contact Rev. Maureen Duffy-Guy for more info: mduffyguy@hotmail.com or text at 717 619-8337.

Registration open for the

2024 Retiree Event

Retirees and their significant other are invited to the PSEC 2024 Retiree Event scheduled for April 17 from 10:00a-3:00p at St. James UCC in Limerick. Join us for a time of fellowship, worship, lunch, and information geared toward retirees. To register, click here or contact Susan at 484-949-8774 option 1.

Join PNEC for Faith Formation Leadership Retreat in May

A Faith Formation Leadership Retreat will be held May 3-5 at Spruce Lake Retreat Center in Canadensis. Cost is $195 and includes all programming and three meals on Saturday and Sunday breakfast. Click here for an event flyer. To register, email pattyr@pnec.org or you can register here. Any questions, contact Rev. Janet Newett at pastorjanetn@gmail.com.

This email is brought to you by your generous gifts to OCWM (Our Church's Wider Mission)! Thank you!