Important This Week

• Saturday is the deadline to register for Clergy Convocation
• Register for a church merger workshop
• Calvary UCC in Reading hosting the author of White Too Long
• Register for Annual Meeting

Deadline to register for Clergy Convocation is Saturday

Philadelphia Assoc. members nominated to UC Board

This summer, the 34th General Synod

will confirm new members to the United Church of Christ Board. Of the 12 at-large

members nominated to the UCCB, three are from the Philadelphia Association!

Congratulations to: Sana Del Corazon, Cean James, and Ann-Therese Ortiz.

Church Merger workshop with Rev. Cean James next month

Many churches are exploring the best way to maintain their ministry during a time of decline. Several churches have found merging with another congregation to be a life-giving decision that energizes both congregations and produces a new ministry that is equipped for the church of today and tomorrow. Merging churches is not an easy decision or an easy process, but when done well many congregations have discovered that they are better together. This workshop is for church leaders who are anywhere in the process of discerning church merger. The workshop will be offered April 29 in Limerick and the same workshop again on May 6 on Zoom.

St. Paul's, Kutztown featured for disability-friendly worship

Last year, St. Paul's UCC in Kutztown started holding "Rejoicing Spirits" worship each month for individuals with disabilities, their families, and caregivers. (Read an article on PSEC.org with more info.) Earlier this month, their worship services were featured in the "Rejoicing Spirits" newsletter. You can read the article here or click here for a PDF of the newsletter.

Join St. James, Havertown on a service trip to Florida

St. James UCC, Havertown is going on a service trip to FL from June 24 to July 1. Seven people have committed to the trip and they have room for another 4 or 5. if anyone wants more information, email Rev. Terri McNamara at tmcnamara1@msn.com and absolutely put "FL service trip" in the subject line so it's not labeled as junk mail.

PATHWAYS Theological Education classes coming

PATHWAYS exists to offer a range of stimulating, accessible, and affordable online progressive Christian resources for church leaders, faith explorers, pastors, and those discerning various vocations and callings within and outside the church community. Upcoming courses include:

• Ethics and a Life of Meaning (Foundational Level)
• Faith Formation (Foundational Level)
• Intro to Spiritual Health (Applied Level)
• New Testament Hermeneutics (Applied Level)
• Preaching for Special Occasions (Integrated Level)
• Theology of Gender and Sexuality (Integrated Level)
• Pluralism and Religion in North America (Foundational Level)
• Living the Heart of Progressive Christian Theology (Foundational Level)
• Old Testament Hermeneutics (Applied Level)
• Congregational Ministry and the Future Church (Integrated Level)
• Contemporary Homiletics (Integrated Level)

Theology with a Twist on food insecurity next Tuesday

The next Theology with a Twist is scheduled for Tuesday, April 4 at the Kutztown Tavern on the topic "Feeding the Soul When There's Not Enough to Eat." Click here for more information.

Insurance Board webinar: Help Your Ministry Walk Safely

A significant part of fellowship is spending time working together safely to help expand church ministries. Learn how to prevent common slip and fall accidents associated with walking surfaces to help keep your employees, volunteers, and congregants safe. The webcast will be March 30 at 2:00p. Click here to register.

Calvary UCC, Reading hosting Dr. Robert P. Jones this week

In cooperation with Albright College, Calvary UCC in Reading will host Dr. Robert P. Jones, president and founder of PRRI and author of two award winning books, "The End of White Christian America" and "White Too Long: The Legacy of White Supremacy in American Christianity". Dr. Jones will lead a workshop in the morning and hold a round-table discussion at lunch on March 31. Click here to register for this free program. Spots are limited so register today. Dr. Jones will be speaking at Albright on March 30, at 7pm.

CWS bucket pickup journey

Last week Tim Kissling, a member of Trinity UCC, Mt. Penn, began collecting CWS buckets and kits from several locations in our Conference and in Penn Northeast. This buckets and kits will be delivered to the CWS Warehouse in New Windsor, MD. Pictured are Tim, along with Patty Rehrig and Becky Beckwith of the Penn Northeast Conference staff, loading 43 clean up kits and boxes of school kits on his truck at the PNEC Conference Office in Palmerton.

(More as Tim's journey continues)

From the Addiction & Recovery Taskforce: Words to ponder

“…we got so preoccupied with needing to prove and worship Jesus’ divinity that we failed to let him also be a sage, a wise man, a teacher of commonsense spiritual wisdom.”

Richard Rohr, Breathing Under Water, p.76

Faith-based security workshop

The PA Office of Homeland Security is offering a virtual learning event to faith-based organizations on March 30 from 1:00p to 4:00p, providing valuable information to religious leaders and members of churches to enhance security and prepare for outdoor events.

Keynote speaker Kenneth Strish, Chief of Police, Berwick Police Department, will present an overview of a targeted vehicle-ramming incident during a community event and the lessons learned from it.

David Wood, Protective Security Advisor from the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency, will also discuss important security procedures for the properties of our houses of worship, and how to best implement these procedures based on best practices and potential funding sources.

Guidance and further resources will be provided via handouts, and there will be time set aside at the end for Questions & Answers. Click here to register.

UCC webinar: Getting Ready for Earth Sunday: Resources

Many churches celebrate God's creation on the Sunday closest to Earth Day (April 22). Creation Justice Ministries has created a resource that brings the lens of justice to food, the most immediate and tangible way that we connect with the natural world around us. In this webinar, Karyn Bigelow will introduce the resource and talk about ways churches can deliver a powerful message and experience on Earth Sunday. Even if you cannot make the webinar on April 12 at 1:00p, still sign-up, and we will send you a recording of it. Register now!

Registration open for PSEC Annual Spring Meeting

The Annual Spring Meeting will be June 2-3 at West Chester. The theme will be "May They All Be One: Unleashing the Spirit", focusing on ways to re-imagine what it means to be the Body of Christ. That includes building partnerships between local churches who share resources (including pastors), merging ministries, and connecting with community partners. Representatives from congregations share how this has been life giving for them and how they overcame longtime resistance to making it happen. Similarly, representatives of the Keystone Study Group will share their conversations about creating partnerships between and among our four PA Conference that may lead to a four Conference merger. Click here for more information and to register.

Reaffirmation of Ordination Vows set for Maundy Thursday

The Conference Ministers of the four Pennsylvania UCC Conferences will host a Service of the Reaffirmation of Ordination Vows for ordained clergy on Maundy Thursday, April 6, at 10:00a via ZOOM. 

It’s a long-standing custom in liturgical traditions for clergy to gather on the same day Jesus offered “a new commandment”— to love and serve one another — for the reaffirmation of their ordination. We hope this will be an experience of spiritual encouragement and connection.

Clergy are encouraged to wear a stole received at their ordination, a red stole, or any other stole that has significant meaning. The service includes the sacrament of virtual communion so please prepare in advance. Click here to register.

Lay Leadership Support Meeting summary

We are pleased to announce that a summary of each meeting will now be included each month for review. We would love to have you bring your thoughts and suggestions to our discussions each month - please join us!

Click here for the March summary.

Click here for information of the group's next gathering.

Rev. Sonja Ingebritsen installation at Glenside UCC

Click the invitation below to download a PDF to share.

Register for the Lay Leaders Convocation on April 15

Local church leaders are invited to a Lay Leaders Convocation, a full day of worship, address, workshops, and fellowship on Saturday, April 15 in Pottstown. If you are a consistory president, elder, deacon, council member, or active member of your church community, this event is for YOU.

Workshops include:

• The Post-COVID Church (Zack Jackson)
• Reviving the Sunday School (Betsy Majewski)
• Stewardship of Financial Resources (Donald Wargo)
• Spiritual Leadership (Charles Maxfield)
• An Environmentally Friendly Church (Constance Lezenby)
• How Does the UCC Work? (Bill Worley)
• Making a Joyful Noise with Whatever You've Got (Caroline Dunleavy)
• Stepping into the Pulpit (Kevin McLemore)

Click here for more info and to register.

Registration open for PSEC Boundary Training events

Six hours of Boundary Training is required for every PSEC authorized minister who hasn't received Exempt Standing. Registration is now open for several upcoming Boundary Training opportunities. Click the event name below for more information and to register:

• Advanced Boundary Training: The Limits of Pastoral Care. Wednesday, April 26 from 9:00a-12:00p on Zoom
• Basic Boundary Training. Tuesday, May 2 from 9:00a-4:00p in Norristown
• Basic Boundary Training. Thursday, September 14 from 9:00a-4:00p in Schuylkill Haven

Register for Traci Blackmon event for Diversity Training

On Sunday, April 16, Reformed Church of the Ascension in Norristown will host "Call to Action: Reconnecting the Church to a Vocation of God's Justice." Rev. Traci Blackmon, Associate General Minister of Justice and Local Church Ministries for the UCC will provide the keynote address at this event, which has been approved for Diversity Training credit. The question of how to enact the role of the church in community justice work is often overwhelming for local congregations. Determining the next steps is essential for the church to live out the vocation to which God has called us. Click here to register.

PNEC offering event on Indigenous boarding schools

On April 12 from 9:00a-3:00p, "Repenting of the Unforgivable" and "Beyond Lament: Movement Towards Repair" will be held at Jordan UCC, 1837 Church Rd., Allentown.

Breakfast and lunch are included with the $35 cost. Click here to register.

Keynote; “Repenting of the unforgivable” Through the medium of storytelling, Rev JimBear Jacobs will share how the legacy of Indigenous residential boarding schools has left a stain upon the church. The sin of complicity in the boarding school has for far too long been ignored or rationalized away. It is time to face this sin head on and enter into a season of lament that can hopefully lead to repair. Workshop: “Beyond lament: Movement towards repair” In this workshop Rev. JimBear Jacobs will explore some tangible and challenging steps that churches might wrestle with as they consider reparations for the traumatic legacy of the boarding school system

Treat your church admins: Register for annual luncheon

Secretaries, assistants, and church administrators are invited to the annual PSEC Admin Luncheon on Administrative Professionals Day, April 26. We will check in, fellowship over lunch, and enjoy a presentation on a ministry of the Conference. Click here for information and to register. We hope churches will pay the $20 cost of the event. 

Free clergy training on aiding veterans' whole health

From May 11-12, Cranaleith Spiritual Center, in partnership with the Department of Veterans Affairs Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center, is offering a two-day training to educate clergy about issues facing returning Veterans and their families following deployment. Rev. Dr. Chris Antal, a veteran of the U.S. war in Afghanistan, and staff chaplain at the CMCVAMC, will facilitate the training.

Training topics will address post-deployment readjustment challenges, the psychological, physical, behavioral, and spiritual effects of war trauma on survivors, such as moral and spiritual injury, and the important role of community in helping to reduce mental health stigma and support Veterans and their families. Attendees will learn about VA and community mental health services and who clergy can connect with at their local VA to request information or assistance.

For more information:

Click here for a flyer

Click here for a press release

Click here to register

Facilitators sought for table discussions at Spring Meeting

In the evaluations of last year’s annual meeting there were requests

for time to bring together like-minded individuals.  

The planning team has heard this request and although our schedule is already extremely tight, it was decided that lunch time, and the round tables in the dining hall, would make for perfect, relaxed spaces to begin these conversations.

The next step is finding individuals with passions they want to share by leading these conversations. So, we are seeking anyone who is willing to take a topic and lead open discussions around that topic over lunch Saturday afternoon.

Topics could range from “pastors under 40”, “how do I help my church become ONA”, “LBGTQ”, “Consistory Presidents”, etc. There is no limit.

IF YOU have a topic and you are willing to lead that discussion during the lunch hour, please reach out to Susan at the PSEC office at susan@psec.org.