Important This Week

• Upcoming opportunities for Basic and Advanced Boundary trainings and Diversity Training
• Word of caution related to church donations
• Theology with a Twist is tonight

From the Conference Minister:

Carl Bard once observed that, “Although no one can go back and make a brand-new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand-new ending.” I love the possibility in that. With the assurance of Psalm 121, that God keeps a particular vigilant watch at our times of "going out and coming in," our times of ending and beginning, we can launch with confidence into this new year.

Still, transitions are crazy-making times -- whether of the calendar or in the seasons of our lives. They can be confusing and exhilarating; chaotic and creative. That certainly has been true of our Conference life as we discern merging four Pennsylvania Conferences. That’s true of our congregational lives where all of us worship in “the church that has been” feeling anxious about “the church that will be.” And it’s true of our personal lives where change (those we make happen and those that happen to us) is the only constant. Change is coming. Most certainly for my life and maybe for yours.

But that is NOT the only constant. When everything else may seem up for grabs or in flux, one thing is not: God's abiding light and love. “I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope. Then when you call upon me and come and pray to me, I will hear you. When you search for me, you will find me…”

This I know to be true. And it is my prayer for you and all our brothers and sisters in Christ that we move confidently into this New Year holding fast to that which is true and good, ready to receive what is going to be even better.

God bless your New Year with the Light of this Epiphany Season,

Rev. Bill Worley

Important Message regarding church donations

Friends around the Conference have alerted us to individuals misrepresenting themselves (or their charities) in order to take advantage of the generous and open-hearted during this holiday season. Please do use care when making financial donations to potential ministry partners unknown or uncredentialed to you or the people of your congregation. And do alert the Conference office if you have an experience like this.

Diversity Training view on your own option this month

FOR Pennsylvania Southeast Conference pastors ONLY!

Diversity - what is it, how does it increase the vitality of our communities and congregations and our commitment to Christ? Revs. Kevin McLemore and Cean James led a Diversity Awareness Training for pastors in November. This training is required for all PSEC clergy at least every three years.

We are offering an opportunity to watch that November training and answer questions for three hours of Diversity Training credit. The video link and questions will be sent to those who sign up on Jan. 22. All answers must be submitted back within 7 days, no later than Jan. 29.

UCC webinar: Climate Action Commissioning Service

The UCC Council for Climate Justice is convening a Climate Action Commissioning Service as members launch into advancing climate justice in 2024. The preacher for this event will be Nellis Kennedy-Howard who once worked as the Co-Executive Director of Honor the Earth in addition to later working as the Sierra Club’s Director of Equity, Inclusion, and Justice. Sign-up to join us online on Jan. 3 at 1 pm.

MLK Day of Service - Care Packages for Homeless Vets

The WC Atkinson Memorial Community Service Center in Coatesville is looking for churches and individuals to partner with them to donate/collect and/or prepare Care Packages for Homeless Veterans. The Activity will be coordinated by the Minority Nurse Educators of Chester County. The distribution of the Care Packages will be coordinated through the VAMC Office of Volunteer Services. The packages will be prepared on Monday, Jan. 15 at the WC Atkinson Memorial Community Service Center, 822 East Chestnut Street, Coatesville. Click here to register and for more information.

TONIGHT January Theology with a Twist: Images of God

The next Theology with a Twist will be held tonight, Tuesday, Jan. 2 at 7:00p at the Kutztown Tavern. With presenter, Rev. Dr. Beth Toler, we'll look at how our images of God are formed through complex processes and are influenced by myriad cultural, institutional, psychological, relationship, and cognitive experiences. Click here for more information.

Generosity Extravaganza event: Tools for Today

The PSEC Generosity Mission Team would like to call your attention to an upcoming event offered by our ELCA partners in the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod on Saturday, Jan. 20. There were several attendees from PSEC at last year's event, and everyone found it to be worthwhile. The deadline to register for this year's event is Jan. 10. Click here to register and for more information. We also ask you to watch for details on PSEC's Generosity educational opportunities to be offered in 2024!

From the Addiction & Recovery Taskforce: Prayer for the

New Year (for us all)

Serenity Prayer

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. Reinhold Neibuhr

MLK Day of Service:

Lutheran Disaster Response

The Southeaster Pennsylvania Synod and United Lutheran Seminary are coming together on Monday, Jan. 15 for an MLK Day of Service, assembling and collecting disaster kits and hygiene kits. Click here for more information.

PSEC 2023 Giving Cut-Off

Books of the PSEC will close Jan. 22. All OCWM contributions for 2023 must be in our office by that date or they will be counted towards 2024 contributions. Please mail your contributions as soon as possible due to possible mail delays.

Advanced training: Boundaries for Part-time Pastors

Through a mixture of presentations, case studies, and discussion, Rev. Kevin McLemore will lead a training Jan. 24 on the particular boundaries for pastors who are serving a congregation on a part-time basis. Issues around time management and time limitations, keeping to the tasks outlined in a call agreement, and how to set those boundaries earlier (and sometimes later) in the ministry, will be discussed. Whether you are currently serving on a part-time basis or think you may do so at some point in the future, this workshop will be a useful resource for managing the challenges of serving a congregation in a part-time capacity. For information and to register, click here.

Book Study on Simon Wiesenthal's The Sunflower

Tuesday evenings in February, PSEC will hold an online book study for clergy and laypersons on the book The Sunflower: On the Possibilities and Limits of Forgiveness by Simon Wiesenthal. Participation is free and will constitute 3.75 hours of continuing education for clergy. Click here for more information and to register.

Basic Boundary Training opportunities in 2024

Next year the Lehigh Presbytery will host Basic Boundary Training for the regional agreement PSEC is part of. The trainings will be "Not-Your-Average Boundaries Training", tailored to focus on strategies to foster clergy emotional resiliency and well-being. The trainings will be split over two days and held on Zoom. Cost is $65. The trainings will be held Jan. 31 and Feb. 1; May 7 and 8; and Oct. 15 and 16. For more information, click here for a flyer with registration link. Spots are open to 40 people per class, so register soon.

Disaster response continues in Berks; seeking paid help

PSEC is partnering with our ecumenical partners in responding to the summer flooding in Berks County. We had volunteers who supported the Multi Agency Resource Center in July at the Exeter Municipal Building, helped make call backs to survivors, and/or played a critical role at the mobile outreach center in the Antietam Pool Parking lot in November.

Funding has been found to help with materials for repairs from Pennsylvania Housing Finance Administration Berks Community Action Program (BCAP). The national setting of the UCC is providing 2 Partners in Service to manage volunteers and construction supervision. St. Paul's UCC, Amityville, is helping to manage a grant from the national UCC as well.

To help survivors navigate the available resources, high quality disaster case management is necessary. The Lutheran Disaster Response program of Lutheran Congregational Services has received funding to provide disaster case management services. Therefore, they are seeking to recruit three part time paid contract case managers. It is projected that these positions will last 6 months to a year. Please read the Position Description and consider applying for one of these positions. Being fluent in both Spanish and English is helpful.

If you want to learn more, contact Julia Frank, Director of Community Outreach, 

Lutheran Congregational Services, 215-430-1299 or jfrank@libertylutheran.org.

CPE semi-intensive opening at Phoebe beginning in March

Phoebe Ministries will be holding a spring semi-intensive CPE unit beginning in March. The dates of the unit are March 11 to June 28. For more info, click here.

Registration open now for

2024 Clergy Convocation

Registration is now open for Clergy Convocation, May 7-9 in Lancaster. Open to UCC clergy in Pennsylvania, our time together will focus on rest, renewal, connection and healing. Healing in our ministries and our world often begins with healing within. We know how important it is for clergy to have time away from their ministry settings and to find support. There will be time dedicated for worship, reflection, gathering of affinity groups, and free time. Click here for more information, a tentative agenda, and registration.

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