Important This Week

• Register for Annual Meeting before Friday
• VBS materials available for churches
• New part-time positions added to Ministry Opportunities
• Latest Keystone working group update

You can make a difference at the Spring Meeting

"Together We Are Stronger"

Keystone UCC conferences June Meeting

June 7-9, 2024

State College and Online

Registration for the upcoming Spring Meeting will close firmly on Friday, May 31. Please lake sure you get your registration in by that date. We are very close to quorum, but still need a few more delegates.

Register here today. We recognize that the prices for this event are significantly higher than our most recent Annual Meetings. We do not want budget concerns to prevent your attendance at this important meeting. When you register, use this code: ­­­­­PSECAnnual75

Visit psec.org/annual-meeting-2024/ for more information, including info on the mission project, a weekend schedule, conferring session agenda, reports, and more.

Spirit on Tap with 'Safe Berks' in May in Reading tonight

The next Spirit on Tap will be May 28 at the DoubleTree Hotel in Reading. Safe Berks is the agency in Berks County that provides support services to survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. During this presentation, they will define domestic violence, who it affects, and what barriers survivors face seeking services or leaving an abusive relationship, with a specific focus on the role of religious and cultural stigma. They will briefly discuss what we can do to support survivors in our community and what services are provided by Safe Berks. Click here for more info.

Please share this summary in your various ministry settings with ALL!

The 4 conferences met by Zoom, on May 17, inspired by the Spirit of Pentecost. We see the Spirit present, giving hope and new language to God’s eternal empowering of ministry. The four conferences are alive in fresh and exciting ways!

Based on updated financial team projections for 2025 and future, the group worked to refine options for possible staffing models. We noted the emphasis on a new Keystone Conference empowering and resourcing associations, per our UCC polity. Leadership from our regions will be vital in expanding our connections. Illustrations for our staffing/volunteer options will be included in the Conference Delegate Workbook and in our June meeting.

Reviewing the full range of our people and financial resources, the combined areas have many assets which will support and equip ministry. We have a strong endowment capacity of approximately $8.8M, not including the potential sale of some properties. The trend in all 4 conferences of Our Church’s Wider Mission (OCWM) giving continues to decline, yet we have the ability to reverse this trend. Everything is possible with the financial and service support of our people.

Our collaborative spirit can transform our efforts so our people “see visions and dream dreams” in our present and for our future. In our work, some tasks have seemed overwhelming and the Spirit inspires our affirmation, “Together We Are Stronger!” We serve the God who’s Spirit does “exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think!” Ephesians 3:20-21

We urge every congregation to send delegates, for clergy to attend and for congregations to utilize the worship resources prepared and sent to them. Every congregation in our UCC commonwealth community has the opportunity to share in a similar experience of the Conference Sunday worship, in liturgy and message prepared by our worship planning team and conference ministers. We anticipate a great day of worship together!

REGISTRATION INFORMATION is available through all 4 conferences websites! Financial Assistance is available. Our combined gathering of all 4 conference areas is June 7-9, 2024 at State College. Additional hotel options have been contracted due to the response.

Focused individual conference sessions are available to view online for the Friday and Saturday sessions. Please view the various registration options. Plan to take part in this historic gathering of our conferences, affirming in our work, our ministry and our worship, that the Holy Spirit continues to lead us all, equipping and affirming the Church saying, “Together We Are Stronger!”

Please visit the Keystone Conference Project website hosted by the PSEC at psec.org/keystone. We can always share questions and comments by email at Keystone.Conference.Project@gmail.com or direct mail through your own area Conference Office.

Sharing our progress relying on the grace of God!

KWG Communications Team

Steve Davis, St. John’s UCC, Fullerton (PNEC)

Heather Kurtz, Zion UCC, Arendtsville (PCC)

Deb Long, First Trinity UCC, Youngwood (PWC)

Melissa Burkhart, Zion’s Union Church Maxatawny, Kutztown (PSEC)

*A study, discernment and working group of the 4 area UCC Conferences – Penn West, Penn Central, Penn NE, and Pennsylvania SE

Rev. Melissa Burkhart installation at Zion's Church

Click the invitation below to download a PDF to share.

Discussion on 'The Future of American Christianity'

Penn West Conference invites you to join this book discussion on The Future of American Christianity scheduled for tomorrow evening.

Are you wondering what is next for the church? Are you tired of hearing words like “revitalization” and “membership growth?” Are you willing to make drastic changes if it means that your children and grandchildren may be interested in participating in a Christian community? In this presentation, author, pastor, and professor, Laurene Bowers walks us through the process of letting go of everything “church.” She will lead a discussion about how to envision and create a new community, based on her most recent book, The Future of American Christianity. She will also take questions from those who have read the book. This discussion will take place on Wednesday, May 29, at 6:30p, via Zoom. Below, please find Zoom details for this meeting. We hope to see you by then!

Join Zoom Meeting:

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82819935023?pwd=Io9KJAkEaOOz2Hl6KZLUZhbvZ5yVYI.1

Meeting ID: 828 1993 5023

Passcode: 439538

Dial by your location

• +1 929 436 2866 US (New York)

• +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)

Spirit on Tap with 'Safe Berks' in May in Reading tonight

The next Spirit on Tap will be May 28 at the DoubleTree Hotel in Reading. Safe Berks is the agency in Berks County that provides support services to survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. During this presentation, they will define domestic violence, who it affects, and what barriers survivors face seeking services or leaving an abusive relationship, with a specific focus on the role of religious and cultural stigma. They will briefly discuss what we can do to support survivors in our community and what services are provided by Safe Berks. Click here for more info.

From the Addiction & Recovery Taskforce: Good news

CDC: “Provisional data from CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics indicate there were an estimated 107,543 drug overdose deaths in the United States during 2023 — a decrease of 3% from the 111,029 deaths estimated in 2022. This is the first annual decrease in drug overdose deaths since 2018.”

This includes about a 10% decline in Pennsylvania. Narcan helps. Please have it available at your church. The Addiction and Recovery Taskforce has Narcan available. Contact us through our contact list at our webpage at PSEC.

VBS materials to share

Is your church storing supplies, decorations, or curriculum from a previous Bible school that's in good condition but likely won't be used again soon? If you have VBS materials available that you would be willing to loan or donate to other churches, email brea@psec.org. To see the updated list with LOTS of materials churches are willing to share, click here.

Black Churches leading with Solar: Incentives, Financing

With the federal government paying for at least 30% of the cost of solar installation, if not 40 to 50%, many congregations that own their own building can no longer afford to not go solar. In this webinar, we will focus on Black churches leading with solar. We will hear experts discuss everything one needs to know about government incentives and solar financing. Even if you can’t make the webinar at 1:00p on Wednesday, May 29, still register, and we will send you a link to the recording afterward. Register now!

Compelling Preaching program beginning this summer

Southern New England UCC Conference (SNEUCC) received $1.25 Million from Lilly Endowment Inc. to help establish a Compelling Preaching program in partnership with the PATHWAYS Theological Education, Inc. and Hartford Stage Company.

Jointly developed (PATHWAYS and SNEUCC) preaching courses will be on the PATHWAYS asynchronous online learning platform. The following year, the Hartford Stage Company and SNEUCC will bring Part II with a preaching camp and a Revival.

In our regular program this summer, the following Four-week and Six-week courses include:

• What about the Bible (4-wks) – June 1-30
• Pluralism and Religion in North America (6-wks) – July 10-Aug. 20
• Introduction to Spiritual Health (Pastoral Care) (6-wks) – June 19-Aug. 6

Go to pathwaystheological.org to find out more.

Join a Community of Practice

There are openings in Communities of Practice for the second half of the year. Spots are available in:

• a group that meets on Zoom Monday afternoons and discussion focuses on Netflix movies and specials
• a group that often meets in-person (usually in Berks County) on Wednesdays and discussion focuses on best practices for church growth
• and a traditional group that meets on Wednesdays on Zoom

These clergy groups meet ten times a year for shared worship, to check in, and to complete a shared study/book discussion/etc. The cost for a group is $250 per year and will be pro-rated for 2024. For more information on Communities of Practice or the available spots, please email brea@psec.org.

May ReadyPA Monthly available online now

This month's PA Emergency Management Agency's ReadyPA Monthly includes info on hurricanes and dam safety. Click here for the newsletter. Please share this information with your congregations to help keep everyone safe and prepared. 

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