“Now about eight days after these sayings Jesus took with him Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. And while he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white.”        Luke 9:28-29

You’ve heard the sermon on the transfiguration story — We must not linger on the mountaintops of our spiritual experiences (those of us lucky enough to have them). We must return to the valley of human need and suffering and meet the needs of the people around us.” I've heard it and I've preached it. It’s an important message.

You would be replacing our current Volunteer Coordinator who is retiring April 1. She is available to train you and assist as necessary. There is a small stipend with this position. Learn more about this opportunity at this link. Please get in touch for more info: Judy Moore at 802-299-8290 or IsaiasRecoveryVolunteers@gmail.com

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.

On March 10 at 1:00, there will be an Advanced Boundary Training on "Supervising Staff", led by Rev. Bill Worley. Should church members be paid members of staff? Should the Pastor be 'head of staff'? How and when do you end a staff member's tenure? Staff supervision, especially in congregations and faith communities, requires a unique set of skills and very clear boundaries. If you feel like your education prepared you for everything but this critical part of authorized ministry, you are not the only one. No matter the size of your church, healthy, effective working relationships rely on clear lines of authority, defined expectations and good communication. Click here for more information and to register.

Lancaster Theological Seminary has been in the process of transformation into a combined theological institution with Moravian Seminary within Moravian University. 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/ae of either school or just a curious witness, you're invited to the conversation on Thursday, March 24, 2:00p via Zoom. Registration is required. Sign up here.

Deaths from Opioid overdoses reached record levels in the 12-month period ending April 2021 and they continue to rise. A key reason is because fentanyl and other synthetic opioids are being added to the illicit opioid supply chain without the knowledge of the user. If fentanyl test strips were made available to high-risk individuals it could save lives as well as help curtain the fentanyl trade. Fentanyl strips are endorsed by both the Centers for Disease Control and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. However, PA law currently prohibits the possession of and use of fentanyl strips. House Bill 1393 can change that. Call your congress persons and check out the PSEC website.

If you missed the Disaster Relief Celebratory Service held on Feb. 27, you can watch the service on YouTube here. For more information on the High 5 Disaster Response campaign, click here.

The appeal joins an earlier call to prayer issued by the UCC’s executive officers and an invitation from Global Ministries to pray with the worldwide interfaith community. The national ministries are also encouraging people to call on the Biden administration to offer Ukrainians more humanitarian assistance, both in the U.S. and abroad. Read more

To read more about the urgent need for help click here, or visit the Holy Joe's website.

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.

Did you know there is a new Stewardship/Development Mission Team in PSEC? The goal of this new group is to foster a spirit of generosity among the congregations of PSEC. We will provide you with information, resources and best practices to support stewardship in your congregation all year round. To that point, the Wisconsin Conference, in partnership with the national UCC, is offering a series of free webinars on a variety of giving topics. You can read more and register here. In addition, you can check out the related item in this eNews on the new stewardship materials, “From Bread and Cup to Faith and Giving.”

Since we are in the organizational stages of the life of this team, we are meeting about once a month with some assignments in between. It is anticipated we can meet less frequently, perhaps quarterly, after we are fully launched. Meetings are generally held via Zoom. There are no formal prescribed terms for this mission team, so length of service is flexible. If you would like to join us, please contact Caroline Dunleavy at carolineayost@gmail.com or 484.947.9079. Thank you for your prayerful consideration!

We have been told about two different PSEC churches who have found that they have had checks stolen from their mailboxes. The reason they found out is because parishioners stated that their annual giving report didn't match their own check registers. The thieves steal the checks from the mailbox, scribble something on the back, and then deposit them into ATMs.

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.

To learn more, contact our Conference Disaster Coordinator, Karl Jones, at 570-617-4018 or kjones275@comcast.net.

The military is one of the world’s biggest polluters, leading the world in oil consumption and emitting enormous amounts of greenhouse gases. To grasp the environmental impact of the military, one must listen to those from the communities directly affected. This webinar will provide an overview of environmental justice concerns pertaining to the U.S. military while also centering the voices of those engaged in the struggle to stop the pollution caused by the Navy’s Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility on the island of Oahu. Faith communities will learn about the issues and how they can take action. Even if you can’t make the scheduled time of 1:00p on March 9, still sign-up, and we will send you a recording. Register now!