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Important This Week
- Join a Community of Practice for antiracist accountability, spirituality, or interim clergy
- Help with disaster response
- Save the date for Rev. Jonathan Bangera's installation at Grace-Trinity UCC
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From the Conference Minister:
Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.
Luke 2:10-11
I suspect that both you and I have sung this hymn for years in church, caroling in nursing homes, at holiday parties with friends and neighbors, and maybe even on a mid-summer’s evening when the memory and mood came together in a magical moment.
Joy to the world!
Confessionally, I am not feeling very joyful at the moment. The latest COVID variant brings more sickness and death and makes us groan with the Psalmist “How long O Lord?” Despite my own abundance of caution and compliance with mask and vaccine mandates, I tested positive for COVID this week. Fortunately, I have only mild head cold symptoms and worry more about spreading the virus to others and not being present to and with my family for Christmas.
So, I am not feeling very joyful at the moment, but I know that that is when my proclamation of joy is even more important. I sing “Joy to the World” to make space in my heart for a hope that my mind tells me is impractical or impossible. Like much in our lives, proclaiming joy is difficult work. Though we mourn that which is lost in our lives, our families, and our communities, “Joy to the world!” — said and sung — is our proclamation that light shines darkness and darkness does not overcome it.
While we work to pull up the twisted and thorny vines of fear and anxiety, hatred and bigotry sing Joy to the world! Through streaming tears, shallow breath, and gritted teeth sing Joy to the world! because God is breaking into our lives this Christmas season.
We will prepare him room in our hearts by taking on the ministry Jesus demands of us: to love the unlovable, feed the hungry; welcome the stranger; clothe the naked; heal the sick; visit the prisoner. Sing joy into this world. Prepare him room.
“[Mary] gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.” There, in the simplest bed, in the cool of the night, in a trough, in bands of cloth, lies the One for whom no room was made. And yet strangely, there lies the One whom not even the universe can contain.
Joy to the world! The Lord is come.
Thanks be to God!
Pastor Bill
Rev. Bill Worley
Conference Minister
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SPOTS STILL OPEN: 2022 Community of Practice updates
We are really excited about the Community Of Practice response for the coming year. We wanted to get back to you and let you know that there are a couple of spots still open for people to consider. Please review the information below and email Brea@psec.org to sign up! You don’t want to miss this meaningful opportunity.
Blessings and Peace,
Susan
There are still spots available in the groups dedicated to Interim Pastors, Christian Spirituality (more info below), Racial Justice Accountability (more info below), clergy in their 20s and 30s, and clergy nearing retirement. If you haven't registered yet and are interested, please sign up now. Scholarships may be available if the financial commitment ($250/year) is a difficulty.
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Antiracist Pastoral Leadership & Accountability group
The focus of this group would be antiracist pastoral care and leadership. Practice is needed as well, as is reflection, accountability and mutual support. Pastors can find a safe space for learning and support among other pastors for such work. A Community of Practice offers a unique fit for this area of pastoral growth and development.
The PSEC's Racial Justice Initiative regularly hears from pastors who are asking for tools to strengthen their skill set in order to lead their congregations in faith-centered antiracism work. Antiracism work is not exclusionary work, it is Christ-centered work – the work of healing, the work of justice, the work of learning and the work of growing. If we hope to build healing communities in our churches and in our world, it will be essential to equip our pastors with the skills and tools to offer leadership for the times in which we live. We hope an Antiracist Pastoral Leadership & Accountability COP could be a small step in that direction.
COPs are voluntary opportunities for pastoral growth and development. This group will do that by:
- Offering care, support, and accountability
- Nurturing practices of spiritual discipline
- Developing “the craft” of ministry and strengthening practices of pastoral leadership
- Engaging in theological reflection on pastoral identity and congregational ministry
- Fostering a sense of ministry as a shared endeavor
Preparing for a church whose future we cannot yet see or imagine
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Christian Spirituality Community of Practice
A new Community of Practice, focusing on Christian spirituality, will re-form to begin in January 2022. Through conversation and experiential learning, the group will reclaim a tradition of spiritual practices and disciplines, ones maintained within some Christian faith traditions, yet less so among mainline Protestants (since the Reformation, we have largely been stuck in our heads!).
Topics for previous gatherings have included discernment; "Mary for Protestants"; Ignatian spirituality; anger; the Enneagram; lamenting in Lent; the dignity model; Theological Worlds; various prayer practices; Christian Celtic spirituality, and more. There is also ample time for personal and professional sharing, with all conversations held in strict confidence.
This Community will be facilitated by Janeen Adil. Janeen is Commissioned Minister of
Christian Spirituality in the Covenant Association, as well as a trained spiritual director through Kairos: School of Spiritual Formation. She offers spiritual direction through her Hungry Soul Ministries and has also led a variety of workshops and retreats.
The group will meet on a Wednesday morning, from 9:00-11:00, with a commitment to gather at least 10 times during 2022. Depending on community health (and winter driving!), meetings will be either via Zoom, or in person, at Janeen's home in Robeson Twp.
Questions? Please contact Janeen at adil.birdsboro@gmail.com. And know that your decision is already being held in prayer!
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PAM: Today is the deadline for Intro to Pastoral Care
Grief and loss don't take a break for the new year. We often are called to provide pastoral care after the distractions of the holiday celebrations end. I invite you to register by Dec. 21, for the Pennsylvania Academy of Ministry's new online class, Introduction to Pastoral Care. This online class will offer lay and ordained minsters as well as Members in Discernment basic pastoral care skills and timely topics including trauma-informed care and the impact of the pandemic.
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How to help: tornado outbreak earlier this month
A tornado outbreak Dec. 10-11 took the lives of at least 88 people across five states and caused damage and economic losses projected at $18 billion. The outbreak is already considered the costliest tornado event in U.S. history, according to AccuWeather. For information about how you and your church can help from Rev. Karl Jones, our Conference Disaster Coordinator, click here.
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How to help NOW: Volunteers needed in Philadelphia, Ohio
Questions are being asked about how our churches can help in Kentucky. We have published the various ways that churches and individuals can help (above). However, there is not a need for volunteer groups from churches in response to those tornadoes yet.
However, there is an immediate opportunity in Dayton, Ohio. Click here to learn more. And there is an immediate need for volunteers in the Eastwick section of Philadelphia. Click here to learn more.
It will take time to identify volunteer opportunities for rebuilding in the most recent tornadoes, but you can be a great help right now in Philadelphia and Dayton.
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Do you work with youth? Join this conference; take a survey
On Feb. 7-8, the national setting will offer a virtual conference for 100 youth ministers and leaders to reimagine youth ministry, National Youth Event and other events for the future. For more information and the link to register, click here.
Additionally, they are asking anyone who has regular contact with youth in the United Church of Christ to complete a short survey to provide additional insight to the Faith INFO team and national setting. You may access the survey here.
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Jonathan Bangera installation at Grace-Trinity UCC
Click the invitation below to download a PDF to share.
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Admins: Sign up for the next church secretary gathering
On Wednesday, Feb. 2 from 12:00-2:00p, join with other "Assistants and Secretaries of the PSEC Conference for our "Community of Practice." We will fellowship over lunch (via zoom this time) and then there will be time to share resources and connect with one another. Brea will cover important details of the end-of year reporting. To register, click here. |
Justice updates from the United Church of Christ
Did you know the UCC has a Washington DC office in addition to the Cleveland offices? The dedicated staff of the Washington office work to promote public policy for both international and domestic issues. Conferences are regularly updated on their work and we will periodically share those in eNews. The Justice Update for this week is available here.
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From the Addiction & Recovery Taskforce: Jesus and the leper
I just read a commentary on the story of Jesus and the leper. The author stressed the importance of Jesus’ touch in the leper’s healing. While the leprosy was healed by Jesus’ words, the leper’s heart was healed by his physical touch.
In this time of COVID we have been constrained from touching others, even those we care about. This holiday season please think about ways to “touch” those afflicted by addiction, including their families. While you may not be able to touch them physically, there are many ways to “touch”: calls, cards, visits, prayers.
People suffering from substance abuse are the new lepers of our times. Stigma drives them into the wilderness because they are considered “unclean.” We can give a healing “touch” to them and those who support them during this season of hope and love. We can be the hands of Christ to bless.
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Advent prayer gatherings set for Thursdays in December
Pastors are you weary? Is the yoke of pastoring in this extended season of COVID heavy? Share your burdens and joys as we pray together on Thursdays at noon during the season of Advent! A brief period of facilitated check-in will be followed by curated poems, prayers, and silence. Light a candle and feed your spirit this Advent by gathering in prayer with colleagues from Penn Central, Penn Northeast and Pennsylvania Southeast conferences and prepare for the inbreaking of Emmanuel once again! Join us Dec. 23 at noon https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88299554125?pwd=cU90LzZhS2lOU05qVFo5QWhjK2p3UT09. We will end promptly at 1pm.
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PSEC 2021 Giving Cut-Off
Books of the PSEC will close Jan. 17. All OCWM contributions for 2021 must be in our office by that date or they will be counted towards 2022 contributions. Please mail your contributions as soon as possible due to possible mail delays.
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Insurance Board newsletter now available for Fall/Winter
The Fall/Winter issue of The Steward, the Insurance Board's newsletter on insurance concerns that affect churches, is available now. Get a legal perspective on church reliance on volunteers, best practices for volunteers and copyright, volunteers and abuse prevention, and more. Click here.
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Racial justice banners and yard signs available |
The Zachariah Walker Racial Justice Initiative team, in promoting racial justice, is offering banners and yard signs free to churches and individuals.
For those who are able, we are suggesting a love offering of $70 per banner (4’x10’ Vinyl Banner with grommets) and $7 per yard sign (18’’x24’’). The love offerings will go to further our efforts in this sacred ministry of racial equity and justice. To order, please email Anne Cormier at annecormier@comcast.net. Include in the subject box “banner” or “yard sign”.
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Church Openings
- Barnesville-Delano Tri-Charge, Schuylkill County (full-time settled)
- Bern Reformed UCC, Leesport (three-quarter time settled)
- Christ Church UCC, Norristown (full-time designated)
- Glenside UCC, Glenside (full-time settled)
- Huff's Union Church, Alburtis (full-time settled)
- New Goshenhoppen Reformed UCC, East Greenville (settled senior pastor)
- St. James UCC, Limerick (3/4-time settled)
- St. John's (Hain's) UCC, Wernersville (full-time settled)
- St. Peter's UCC of Wilshire (full-time interim)
- UCC East Goshen (full-time interim)
- UCC Valley Forge (full-time settled)
If you’re interested in a position, contact Rev. Dr. Susan Minasian: 484-949-8774 ext. 302 or minasian@psec.org .
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Classified Ads
Submit Classified Ads here
View a complete list of Classified Ads here
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Missed an email?
Read past emails here:
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PSEC is the link that connects our church’s various and diverse ministries both locally and globally. Together, we provide our local churches, pastors and congregations with the training and inspiration they need to carry out our church’s wider mission. We are stronger together; therefore, we embrace diversity, and above all, we spread God’s love! |
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