Important This Week

• Blue Christmas service available online
• Register now for the Women's Clergy Retreat for unplugging and rest
• Workshop video available from Addiction and Recovery Taskforce

From the Conference Minister:

She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.’ All this took place to fulfil what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet…” Matthew 1: 21-22 (NRSV)

I get a heavy dose of nostalgia this time of time of year. Many of our Christmas celebrations are laced with nostalgia. The Christmas decorations that adorn my house carry stories and provoke longing — the manger scene that was my grandmothers; the tree ornaments my parents brought home from Germany; the stockings I made for my sons when they were very young. I can’t sing “I’ll Be Home For Christmas” without remembering the holiday away from my family in Iraq.

Harsh friends tell me that nostalgia is for the weak minded who try to escape the problems of the present by dwelling in a gooey past that never existed. I’m not so sure. Everything in the beginning of Matthew’s Gospel seems to point backwards to the past with a longing and hope that might today be called rather nostalgic. I don’t think Matthew is weak minded or gooey.

Matthew opens his good news with a genealogy of family members long gone, starting with Abraham. There’s a reference to Isaiah’s prophesy that the child shall be called “Emmanuel.” And then the child is given the name “Jesus,” which not only means “God saves” but in Hebrew it’s also the name of the one who brought the sojourning People of God out of the wilderness and into the Promised Land: Joshua.

Add to this a Joseph…the dreamer…and who will go off, under duress, to Egypt….

Everything points back in time to the story of God that has been unfolding through the ages. Matthew is not unique in this. Luke’s genealogy goes back to Adam, and John begins his Gospel “in the beginning.”

There is unmistakable tension here between what God did do and the new thing God is doing in the Incarnation. God becomes flesh. God pitches a tent among us. But it’s as if this new thing can’t be told or understood without the stories and yearnings of ages past.

We have that in common with our Biblical ancestors. And like those biblical ancestors, what we sometimes take to be nostalgia — a longing for the past — may also have elements of a yearning for what we have YET to experience. It is our soul’s leaning toward that which is still just out of sight, like the hope we feel at the birth of a new child — or the birth of an ancient child whose Spirit is still among us who can take the broken and scattered pieces of our lives and make them whole.

May it be so for us all.

Blessings,

Pastor Bill

Rev. Bill Worley

Conference Minister

Global H.O.P.E. Blue Christmas worship available now

The United Church of Christ Global H.O.P.E. (Humanitarian. Opportunities. Progress. Empowerment.) compiled a Blue Christmas Worship Service that is now available online. The service was held to honor the experiences of persons aggrieved and displaced by disaster and forced migration. Click here to view the service.

Lay Leaders Support Group sets January meeting

A Lay Leadership Support Group exists for Consistory Presidents and those serving on Consistory. We gather once a month on Zoom – so please join us! 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.

For more information and free registration for the Jan. 14 meeting, click here.

Webinar: Midterms & Beyond: A Path for Climate Justice

In this webinar, we will discuss the results of the midterms with an eye to what is possible for climate justice in 2023 and beyond. A full discussion of the midterms entails assessing the power of young voters and voters who care about the climate crisis, tracking the successes of state ballot initiatives, and bringing a lens of justice to the issues faced today. This webinar will equip faith-rooted advocates for advancing climate justice in the coming year. The webinar will be Dec. 14 at 1:00p. Register for this webinar to learn more!

PSEC 2022 Giving Cut-Off

Books of the PSEC will close Jan. 16. All OCWM contributions for 2022 must be in our office by that date or they will be counted towards 2023 contributions. Please mail your contributions as soon as possible due to possible mail delays.

From the Addiction & Recovery Taskforce: New video available

A video of the November 10, 2022, program ‘Harm Reduction and Healing Centered Engagement to End Overdose’ is now available on the Addiction and Recovery Taskforce webpage at the conference website.

This community education event was held at St. Paul’s (Fort Washington). It reviews some of the best practices and theological grounding of Harm Reduction. Harm Reduction is a growing topic in light of the continued drug epidemic. This video will bring you up to date on recent issues from a strong Christian perspective.

The video features Rev. Erica Poellet, UCC Minister of Harm Reduction and Overdose Prevention Ministries, Mr. Terrell Jones, OnPoint (NYC), Ms. Annie Brogan, Philadelphia Dept of Public Health Client Engagement Coordinator, and members of the PSEC Addiction and Recovery Task force.

Improve your church's safety and security with these tips

Many people spend time in their church. They should feel safe when they gather to express their faith or serve their community. FEMA has prepared a blog that identifies five ways your church can get started today to be safer and more resilient.  Learn more at 5 Ways to Improve the Safety and Security of Your Place of Worship or Community Spaces.

Lancaster Theological Seminary nominations for awards

The Alumni Council of Lancaster Theological Seminary awards two special honors annually to graduates of any denomination. Nominations are currently being sought for the Meck and Moss Awards. 

The Meck Award honors the memory of Allan S. Meck, Class of 1911, president of the Seminary from 1947-57. It is presented for distinguished service in the practice of pastoral ministry.

The Moss Award is named for Robert V. Moss, Jr., Class of 1945, president of the Seminary from 1957-69. It is presented for distinguished service in the practice of specialized ministry (e.g., chaplain, administrator, educator, judicatory staff, etc.).

Do you know an LTS grad who is doing exceptional work in either pastoral or specialized ministry? Consider nominating someone you know or admire. Self nominations are also welcome. The Alumni Council is seeking nominations for the Meck and Moss Awards to be conferred on Alumni Day May 5, 2023. The deadline for nominations is Jan. 6. 

Questions?

Click here for more information and specific details about the award criteria.

Have someone you would like to nominate?

Here's a link to the online nomination form.

Additional questions may be submitted to Committee Chair, Rev. Len Knighton, at lenknighton@comcast.net or Associate Director of Engagement & Philanthropy, Kristin Warner, at kblocher-warner@lancasterseminary.edu.

The Selection Committee asks that you pass this information on to members of churches and agencies and institutions served by graduates of Lancaster Theological Seminary.

Basic Boundary Training opportunities in 2023

PSEC is hosting three opportunities for Basic Boundary Training in 2023:

• Saturday, Jan. 14 in Quakertown
• Tuesday, May 2 in Norristown
• Thursday, Sept. 14 in Schuylkill Haven

Click here for more information and to register for the January training. Registration will open for the other trainings closer to the events.

Details on 3-hour Advanced Boundary Trainings will be announced at a later date.

Stewardship event: Generosity and Vitality in the NOW Normal

On Saturday, Jan. 21, the Southeastern PA and Northeastern PA Synods of the ELCA will host "Generosity and Vitality in the NOW Normal - a Stewardship Extravaganza." This in-person event will be held at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lansdale. For more information, including workshop descriptions, registration link, and an event flyer, click here.

Addiction team hosting study on Richard Rohr book

Starting Jan. 10, the Addiction and Recovery Taskforce will host a book study on Breathing Under Water by Richard Rohr. The book is written within the framework of the 12 steps for those experiencing addiction. The number of sessions will be determined by the group. If you're interested in learning more about spiritual healing, click here to register.

Register now for the

Women's Clergy Retreat

Attention all Authorized women clergy! Jan. 24-26, the Clergy Women's Retreat is back after COVID-19!  It will be held again at Mariawald Retreat Center in Reading. We have invited our women clergy friends from Penn Northeast to join us this year so we are hoping to fill the center! We would like to get as many people registered as soon as possible so the committee knows how many to plan for. Who doesn't need 42 hours or so of unplugging and resting after Advent and Christmas season? Join us and let us know by registering now! If funding is an issue, please reach out to Rev. Bill Worley.

We are asking everyone to be vaccinated and to get a negative Covid test within 48 hours of the retreat.

Phoebe Richland accepting applications for chaplain

A full-time staff chaplain is being sought at Phoebe Richland to conduct a variety of religious activities and provide for the spiritual needs of residents and families and ministry with staff. Click here for more information and to apply. For questions or inquiries contact Marie Joseph at majoseph@phoebe.org or Scott Brooks-Cope at scope@phoebe.org.

"When Does Closure Become an Option Workshop"

Since 2014, one PSEC congregation has closed, on average, every six months. This isn’t often talked about — partly because that news is filled with feelings of profound loss and grief. It’s the source of uncomfortable shame — that somehow church members failed to do all they could to maintain their sacred space. It provokes questions about the power and/or presence of God. Taken together, these things make it difficult to say what sometimes needs to be said: “It’s time for our church to close.” 

A workshop will be held Feb. 4 in Limerick to create a safe space where difficult questions can be asked and information shared with congregations facing decline and potential closure. You will receive resources and hear about church closure experiences. Click here for more information and to register.

UCC accepting applications for Generosity Officers

The United Church of Christ, National Setting has an opening for four Generosity Officers to be deployed throughout the U.S. by region. The Generosity Officers will assist the Director of Philanthropy, the Development Strategist, OPTIC team, and volunteers in carrying out the major gift program/planned giving program of the national setting of the UCC. Each will hold primary responsibility for the solicitation of individual gifts of $10k or more for the UCC. These positions will be charged to identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward 75-100 prospects and donors, concentrating on one of the identified Regions of the UCC, partnering with other staff and conference offices and local churches as appropriate. This position will require both electronic and direct face-to-face solicitation and stewardship, with an expectation of travel. 

Generosity Officer: PNEC, PSEC, Penn Central, Penn West, Central Atlantic – Apply here

Apply now: Ministers' Financial Vitality Initiative

Since 2017, the Ministers' Financial Vitality Initiative (MFVI) has worked to increase and improve financial wellness for more than 210 UCC authorized ministers who are overburdened with debt.

Each year, 60 authorized ministers commit to a three-year personal finance education that encourages participants to draw upon the expertise of an Ernst and Young financial planner to help meet their financial goals, as well as obtain free access to tools and educational resources.  

The program provides a yearly financial incentive of $3,000 for three years, which participants can use to alleviate their debt, or seed an Annuity Plan account to secure lifetime income. 

Active UCC authorized ministers interested in joining the MFVI program for the 2023 cohort can email MFVI@pbucc.org for instructions. Application deadline is Dec. 31. Applications will be processed on a first come, first served basis. Learn more by reading the Frequently Asked Questions.