Important This Week

• Register for Annual Meeting
• PSEC data base hit by ransomware
• New pastoral opportunity listed in "Church Openings"
• "Exploring the Pandemic Impact on Congregations" event set for Thursday
• Caroline Bashore ordination Sunday

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.”

PSEC office struck by of random ransomware attack

This week our Conference data base was breeched by a random ransomware attack. Please be assured, we do not keep personal information in data base files that would threaten any Conference member with identity theft. We are working with our tech providers to restore the data base from the files that are regularly backed up in an off-line system and to strengthen the protective measures necessary to prevent a repeat of this occurrence. We have also notified our insurance agent, Gabe Michaels, and received helpful guidance from his office. As of this report, we have received no ransom request to restore the files and do not expect one. Fortunately, we have protected access to all necessary files and programs.

It will take the next several days (and likely into next week) to complete construction of the new data system. This may cause a slower response time from the Conference staff, so I beg your patience as they find adaptive methods to meet your needs. We will update you on this situation next week and expect by then to confirm that our system is up and running. If you have any questions or concerns, please email Rev. Bill Worley (worley@psec.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.

Workshops include:

• "Differ We Must": Steps to engage congregations in overcoming differences (Rev. Dr. Carrie Call)
• The Spiritual Life of the Church Choir (Ms. Caroline Dunleavy)
• Sharing Leadership (Rev. Dr. Sarah Drummond)
• The Keystone Conference: what is it and why does that matter to the people in the pews (Revs. Bill Worley and Kevin McLemore)
• Why Telling Our Faith Story Matters (Rev. Dr. Steve Ohnsman)
• Accompanying Our Aging Selves: Being Present with Older Adults (Rev. Susan Scott)
• Small Sunday School (Ms. Betsy Majewski)
• Engaging the Fringes of the Church (Rev. Dr. Charles Maxfield)
• How Does the UCC Work (Rev. Bill Worley)
• Stewardship & Generosity Impact (Rev. Bill Worley)
• Churches Sharing a Pastor: An Ancient Model of Ministry for a Contemporary Church (Rev. Kevin McLemore)

Conversation on Dynamic Discernment: Reason, Emotion & Power in Change Leadership

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 workshops 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.

The summary of the book that will be the topic of this discussion is here:

Leadership that seeks to be effective must navigate the emotional systems, learning habits, and power dynamics of any community it hopes to serve through seasons of change. When conflict, stagnation, and decline threaten an institution's imagination and sustainability, leaders must be adaptable, self-differentiated, discerning, and liberation-minded if they are going to cast a vision for--and lead the work of--transformation. With experience and practicality, Sarah B. Drummond offers critical tools, social theory, and theological perspective to equip leaders in organizational change.

Caroline Bashore ordination scheduled for March 17

Click the invitation below to download a PDF to share. Don't forget to RSVP.

'Exploring the Pandemic Impact on Congregations'

What effect does the act of leading worship and a religious community have on its leaders, particularly clergy and their capacity to be agents of holy healing? That question was taken up by the Hartford Institute for Religion Research in their project Exploring the Pandemic Impact on Congregations. On March 14, clergy are invited to join in discussing the results of this study and its results. For more information and to register, click here.

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.

Eastwick workday on March 23; help with painting, flooring

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

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.

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.

Spiritual Exploration Project events tonight, this week

For information on the March Spiritual Exploration Project events or to register for their monthly newsletter, click here.

On Tuesday, March 12, the Spirit on Tap focus will be "Artificial Intelligence: Will Robots Develop Consciousness?" This panel discussion will feature Charlie Curtis, Dale Graff, and Bill Worley, moderated by Harry Serio. The event will start at 7:00p at the DoubleTree in Reading. More info.

"UFOs: Theological Implications of Alien Civilizations" will be the theme of the Contemplative Spirituality group, meeting March 14 at 10:30a at St. John's UCC in Kutztown. More information.

Before that, Craig Bennett will lead our book discussion of The Brothers Karamazov as we near the end of this muti-dimensional book. Even if you haven't read the book, you may find the group dialogue interesting. More information.

The theme for this month's Soul Cafe will be "Native American Shamanism" with Dr. Nancy Omaha Boy. Native American shamanism is quite different from the Euro-Asian personality-based religions. Dr. Boy will describe and contrast some of the different ways indigenous people approach the metaphysical world at this event at West Lawn United Methodist Chruch at 9:30a on March 19. More information.

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.

From the Addiction & Recovery Taskforce: An Addict's

Story of Faith and Redemption

I am a recovering addict and my re-introduction to faith is very much intertwined with my recovery. For years, I was a drug addict. Then one day I received my first invitation to attend a recovery meeting and thus my story of redemption begins. After some time attending meetings and working steps with a sponsor, I started to regain hope.

One Easter Sunday morning, I accepted an invitation to a sunrise service. I had found another home, a small, country church within the PA Southeast Conference of the United Church of Christ. I realized that I was missing faith and God in my life.

I am learning to be humble and to serve God by caring for others, and that is what called me to become a part of the Addiction & Recovery Task Force. Having my own struggles and experience with addiction, I felt that being a member of the task force was a chance for me to give back to others. I am so grateful for all that we have been able to accomplish and we are nowhere near done yet! To know that a small group of people are trying their best to make a difference for those that are forgotten or without love is beyond anything that I could ever put into words.

Come and see for yourself what serving on this task force will provide in your own life!

A grateful recovering addict named Trish

How Long Till Justice? Flint, Jackson, and Red Hill

In April, the 10th anniversary of the water crisis in Flint, Mich., will be marked. Yet, justice, in many forms and by measures, has remained elusive. In Jackson, Miss., and near the US Navy’s toxic Red Hill facility in Hawai’i, justice has also been difficult in the wake of water crises. Learn how leaders from these communities envision the path to justice in this webinar on March 13 at 1:00p. Register now!

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.

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.

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.

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.

Bethany Home derby event to support equine therapy

Bethany Children's Home is hosting Bethany Derby Day on May 4 to benefit equine therapy programs for the youth of Bethany Children's Home. Join as they watch the 150th Running of the Kentucky Derby. Enjoy an open bar, dinner, appetizers, and more. General admission is $75. Sponsorship opportunities start at $2,500. For more information, click here.

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