From the Interim Associate Conference Minister:
Life-long learning IS possible... for all of us
I have a lot of books. Every home I have lived in has had books in every room. AND I mean EVERY room. When I moved back to Pennsylvania to serve in this interim position, I forced myself to only bring books I hadn’t read yet. I almost finished those. I say almost, because I actually bought more since I have been here.
As a child reading was very difficult for me. I just couldn’t understand why people kept saying they read for pleasure. How did they lose themselves in those books when I felt lost just trying to read in the first place? Well, when I became an adult, something clicked. I started reading for pleasure and I actually finished the books I picked up. Reading became something I welcomed instead of dreading. Learning became a joyful experience instead of something that only made me feel shame. Little by little I understood why my family was devoted to learning. Education was always emphasized in our household, but I was the late bloomer. However, I did bloom!!! Now I value life-long learning. I have appreciated how our capacity to learn may be different, but we can learn from the day we are born until the day we die.
Faith Formation is not just about Sunday School for children. Faith Formation, learning and being formed about our faith is something that continues throughout our lifetime. My hope is that the church will remember that all people have the capacity to learn, even if we do so in a variety of ways.
I had a parishioner while serving as an interim in a small church located in a dairy farm community. The New Century Hymnal (NCH) sampler just came out and they agreed to use it. Eventually that year they purchased the NCH and people were surprised that congregation was one of the first in the area to do so.
One Sunday I noticed that a gentleman in the congregation who always sang with gusto was very somber. That went on for a few Sundays and I thought…I bet he hates the new hymnal. So, I decided to make a visit at his home to see if something else was going on or if the hymnal had him twisted.
When I arrived, we engaged in the usual small talk and then I shared how I noticed he stopped singing and he looked somber in worship. I was concerned and wanted to check in and see if he was alright. He bowed his head for a few moments and then said,” I have only shared this with my wife. She is the only person who knows what I am going to tell you. I don’t know how to read. I knew all the hymns in the old hymnal by heart. Now I can’t read the new hymns and the old ones have different words.” Then he looked up and we were face to face. I said, “Thank you for trusting me with that. You are very brave.” We were both relived for different reasons.
At the end of our conversation I asked, “What if we only used one new hymn a month? During Holy Seasons we would only sing one new hymn during the whole season. If we were going to sing a familiar hymn, we would sing from the old hymnal.” He smiled and said, “Yes”. By the end of the month, he was able to sing the new hymn. His face and body language changed. We both learned something new. We were both blessed. I am forever grateful for his vulnerability and honesty.
We all have different abilities. Sometimes the obvious barriers we recognize are easier to remove. It can be a little more challenging when they aren’t so obvious. As people of faith, let’s listen to each other’s stories. There are God moments in those stories and the church is a better place when we make space for each other. Those stories can lead to life-long learning. Thanks be to God! May it be so!
Blessings and Peace,
Susan
Rev. Dr. Susan A. Minasian
Interim Associate Conference Minister
|
|
Deadline today: Register for Advanced Boundary Training
This Thursday, Aug. 19 from 1:00-4:00 online, there will be an Advanced Boundary Training on "Faithfully Fulfilling Covenant Beyond the Local Church.” Boundaries are not just behaviors lines that we don't cross, they also mark areas included in our practice of ministry. In this boundary training workshop, we look at what it means to minister in a system that prizes autonomy with expectations like “actively participates in the Covenantal Life and Work of all Settings of the United Church of Christ.” This, with other sections of “COVENANT WITH THE UCC TO” from UCC Ordained Ministerial Code, invite us into conversation about what it means to be the wider church and how that impacts the role and function of the local church pastor. This training will be facilitated by Conference Minister Rev. Bill Worley. Registration is open until midnight.
|
Requests for religious exemption from COVID vaccine
As more employers and schools are requiring the Covid-19 vaccine, more individuals will be asking their clergy to provide them with a letter for a religious exemption. It is important that we are prepared for these conversations and to help parishioners work through this issue. On Monday, Aug. 23 at 7:00p, we will host a Zoom meeting for clergy and lay leaders in our conference who need resources, including biblical references to help navigate these requests. Click here to register in order to get the Zoom link.
|
Flood recovery volunteer opportunity in Philadelphia |
Here is a mission opportunity right in your own backyard! Many families in Philadelphia’s Eastwick neighborhood are still struggling to complete repairs to damage from severe flooding in last year’s Tropical Storm Isaias.
The UCC is inviting mission teams to bring a helping hand and hope to 60 families like these:
- The elderly couple rescued from their home just in time as water rose around their necks. Physically unable to climb their stairs to safety, they sat holding hands as they awaited their fate.
- The elementary schooler who now panics every time it rains, asking his mom, “Will that man come with his boat to get us again? I’m scared, mommy.”
- The Katrina survivor who relocated to Pennsylvania and felt safe until flooding there forced a harrowing evacuation through a second-floor window.
Teams of 2 to 5 volunteers are welcome for one to five days at a time. Commute in, or stay overnight for free at Salt and Light Church, Philadelphia. Read more...
|
Clergy now eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness
Clergy and religious workers are now eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness based on their religious work. To be eligible, 120 payments must be made, clergy must work for a qualifying employer (the UCC is a qualifying employer), monthly payments must be made after Oct. 1, 2007, and payments must be for the full amount due and paid no more than 15 days after due date. Only payments made while employed full-time are eligible. View these links for more info:
|
FEMA "Ready Senior" workshop set for next week
FEMA will present a "Ready Senior" workshop on Aug. 25 from 1:00-4:00p. Increasingly, frail older adults with complex health issues live alone in the community, far from relatives and caregivers. An older adult may depend upon community service providers for basic necessities and support prior to a disastrous event. However, the need for these critical services increases when services are disrupted, or the senior is impacted during a major disaster. This workshop will address this disparity by preparing organizations that provide critical services. Register for the workshop here.
|
Former PSEC, Schuylkill Christian Ed. volunteer dies
Shirley L. Johnson, of Pine Grove, died earlier this month. Shirley was the wife of the late Rev. Richard Johnson. Shirley was active with the Schuylkill Association and PSEC. To read the obituary, click here. |
|
Free Lay Boundary Training event postponed until October
The Lay Boundary Training, previously scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 26 at 6:30p will be postponed until October. Pay attention to future eNews emails for more information and updated registration links.
|
Webinar: Understanding the impact of Haiti's earthquake
|
The M7.2 earthquake that struck southwest Haiti on Aug. 14 left more than 1,200 dead and caused widespread devastation. Now, Tropical Storm Grace is headed toward the island, likely bringing heavy rains and strong winds, and hampering recovery efforts. The Center for Disaster Philanthropy is hosting a webinar this Thursday, Aug. 19 at 1:00p to look at the impact of the earthquake and tropical storm. Panelists will share the latest information, discuss critical needs, and explore how funders can effectively support relief and recovery efforts in Haiti.
The UCC announced Monday that it has issued $100,000 emergency appeal after deadly 7.2 earthquake, followed by tropical storm. Read about that here.
|
UCC "Be the Healing" Conference set for Aug. 27-28
The Valarie Russell Lecture during General Synod featured a keynote address from international scholar, lecturers, and author Dr. Joy DeGruy on the socio-political impact of racism in our society. The lecture was so well received we are offering a 2 day BE THE HEALING course with Dr. DeGruy featuring her Post-traumatic Slave Syndrome Work as well as her healing work to an anti-racist world on Frontline Faith. I hope you can attend and help spread the word in your conferences. Click here to register.
|
FEMA webinar: Emergency Planning for Churches
FEMA will present the webinar, "Emergency Operation Planning for Houses of Worship" on Thursday, Aug. 19 from 3-5:00p. This webinar is intended to provide the safety, security, and emergency planners of houses of worship with an overview of the FEMA Guide to Developing High Quality Emergency Operations Plans for Houses of Worship; and through collaboration with other houses of worship, share lessons learned and ideas while walking through the development or improvement of emergency operations plans. Who should attend? Houses of worship safety and security committee members, interfaith preparedness organizations and the whole community. Register here.
|
From the Addiction & Recovery Taskforce: Saving Lives
The PSEC Addiction and Recovery Task Force continues work in our communities. Naloxone (Narcan) is a life-saving intervention in the case of an opioid overdose is administered as a nasal spray and designed for use in the community. The Task Force believe that naloxone belongs in our congregations and pastoral settings alongside other First Aid/AED equipment. Pastors and fellow congregation members are often the first to hear, of an individual or family member battling an opioid addiction in our churches. As such, we are uniquely positioned to be able to hand naloxone to people and families at-risk of an overdose. Naloxone distributed by the PSEC Addiction & Recovery Task Force may be kept on-site or sent home with individuals to keep at their homes or both.
The PSEC Addiction & Recovery Task Force’s work in Montgomery County is done in coordination with the Montgomery County Deputy Director of Public Safety/ 911 Operations, The Montgomery County Office of Drug and Alcohol/Public Health and the Montgomery County Overdose Task Force. Employees of those various settings have all expressed their gratitude in recent weeks for our work and are hopeful that this program will grow beyond our PSEC Congregations and be embraced in the wider ecumenical/ interfaith settings. They see this partnership as an important expansion of their existing work and an important way to get naloxone to families/into homes where it is most needed. The Deputy Director of Public Safety thanks the Penn SE Conference, UCC for this work and recently said to us, “the sooner you are able to distribute [the naloxone] to your churches and members, the better. Your work will save lives.”
|
|
Rev. Dionne Boyice installation at St. James UCC, Havertown
Click the invitation below to download a PDF to share.
|
More on Critical Race Theory from a teacher's perspective
Teacher, Jack Conrad, posted the following conversation on his Facebook page and does a beautiful job addressing Critical Race Theory (CRT) in a polarized society. Click here for the posting.
|
Phoebe hiring at all locations
For 118 years, the UCC has supported Phoebe's ministry to senior adults. Join our mission to enhance the lives of our elders by applying for a position today. We have immediate employment opportunities for cooks, dining staff, RNs, LPNs, CNAs, and more at our Allentown, Berks, Richland, and Wyncote campuses. More info.
|
|
Spiritual life workshops for lay leaders planned for this fall
A course on Spiritual Life will meet at Trinity UCC, Telford on Saturday mornings from 9:00-11:00 as follows:
- Sept. 18 - Spiritual growth through congregational worship
- Oct. 9 - Spiritual growth through personal disciplines
- Oct. 30 - Spiritual growth through small groups.
This course is designed for church leaders but is open to anyone who feels challenged to deepen their spiritual life. The course will be led by Dr. Charles Maxfield, an ordained UCC minister with experience in lay ministry training. He will be assisted by Constance Lezenby, a spiritual director recognized by her Friends’ Meeting as a traveling minister. Cost is $15 per person for the three sessions. Registration is on a first-come basis. For more information including how to register, click here.
|
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 (image of the 4’x10’ Vinyl Banner with grommets below) and $7 per yard sign (image of the 18’’x24’’ Yard sign above right). 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”. |
|
Church Openings
- Allegheny UCC, Mohnton (Sunday supply)
- Bern Reformed UCC, Leesport (three-quarter time settled)
- Christ Delong, Bowers, and St. Peter's, Topton (3/4-time interim)
- New Goshenhoppen Reformed UCC, East Greenville (part-time Minister of Confirmation & Pastoral Care)
- New Goshenhoppen Reformed UCC, East Greenville (settled senior pastor)
- St. John's UCC, Pottstown (part-time interim)
- Salem Hetzel's UCC (shared ministry; full-time interim)
- UCC Valley Forge (full-time settled)
If you’re interested in a position, contact Rev.Dr. Susan Minasian: minasian@psec.org or 484-949-8774 ext. 302.
|
|
Classified Ads
Director of Christian Formation Position available in Glenside
Submit Classified Ads here
View a complete list of Classified Ads here
|
|
Church Events
Submit Church Events here
View a complete list of Church Events here
|
Educational Opportunities
|
|
Missed a week? Read past eNews here: |
|
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! |
|
|
|
|
|
|
