|
|
Important This Week
- Registration deadlines this week for:
- Saturday's Stewardship workshop
- Basic Boundary Awareness Training on March 26
- Sign up now for a "How to Negotiate a Call Contract" workshop.
|
|
From the Conference Minister: Keeping our churches safe
How do we keep our church safe in a world that feels more dangerous than ever? It’s a complicated question that takes on more urgency with every house of worship that is traumatized by gun violence.
Some churches have adopted a simple answer: arm ushers or other security persons with deadly force. While I understand and respect that decision, I would not prescribe it without considering seriously whether Jesus, who told Peter to put down his sword, would advise us to pick up a weapon — and the countless other concerns of responding to violence with violence.
There are actions steps to take right now to minimize the risks that come with living in world where evil does exist.
First, we speak the love of Christ to each other in our churches and we speak that to the world. There is no room anywhere for hate of any kind, directed at anyone for any reason. The shooting in Christchurch, New Zealand was unconscionable. Its perpetrator targeted brothers and sisters for their faith. My Muslim friends in the US and abroad have, by their faith, made me stronger in mine. The bells that toll this week for their deaths, toll for my own.
Second, congregations must be engaged in regular conversations about ALL manner of safety issues including but not limited to violent actors and active shooters, the protection of children and vulnerable adults, and natural and human caused disasters. If a congregation does not have plans and policies in place to address these and other safety issues, it is neglecting a fundamental responsibility of faithful stewardship. A good place to find help for that work is at our own
UCC Insurance Board website
. The PSEC website also includes resources on
Protecting Houses of Worship
and
Resources for Faith-Based Preparedness
.
Third, the simplest act to increase safety is to know the people around you — the people in your pews, in your church and your community. Deepen connections (or make them) with police, EMS and all local officials (many who will address safety issues/provide active shooter training for free) who need to know that your church is a resource when disaster strikes.
Finally, our Conference has just recently hosted two active shooter training events. We are in the process of evaluating that training and determining what will come next. If you are interested in being part of a future training event, please let me know by responding to this message.
We are called to live by faith and not by fear, as individuals and as church communities, and we can take steps to minimize the risks that come with living in a world where evil does exist. I encourage your congregation to do all it can to keep its members safe; to assess the dangers that are an inevitable part of living this life and do so in ways that reflect the words and teachings of Jesus.
With God’s blessing, may it be so.
Bill
Rev. William Worley
Conference Minister
|
|
Ruling made: Clergy housing allowance continues
From the United Church of Christ's Facebook page on Friday:
In a much-anticipated decision, the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals delivered welcome news to clergy today: the clergy housing allowance is constitutional. The decision reversed the ruling of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin, which ruled in 2016 the clergy housing violated the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment.
In a 3-0 decision, the Seventh Circuit agreed with the Treasury Department’s arguments that the clergy housing allowance is constitutional because it puts ministers on equal footing with secular employees receiving the same benefits; it eliminates discrimination between ministers of different denominations, which may be smaller or poorer and thus less able to provide employer-owned housing; and it avoids excessive entanglement with religion by avoiding the need for the IRS to determine what activities are the business of the church. The court further found that the tax exemption did not have an effect of advancing religion, because under Supreme Court precedent, a tax exemption does not “’connote sponsorship, financial support, and active involvement of the [government] in religious activity.’” Finally, the Seventh Circuit concluded that the housing allowance fell within a long historical tradition of tax exemptions for religion. The court concluded that all of these factors demonstrate that the housing allowance does not violate the Establishment Clause.
“This is terrific news for clergy of the United Church of Christ and other denominations. This is likely not the last time that we will see a challenge to the housing allowance — it may come in an appeal to this ruling or in a new action brought in a different Circuit. For now, the clergy housing allowance continues,” said Heather E. Kimmel, General Counsel for the United Church of Christ.
|
Registrations open for many upcoming PSEC events
On Wednesday, we sent an email to "Register for PSEC Spring Events." Registrations are open for more than a dozen upcoming PSEC events! If you haven't already, take some time to look at all of the events we have coming up. Share them with your church. There's something for everyone!
Read that email here.
|
|
UCC Leaders: Mourning the massacre in New Zealand
On Friday, this statement was released from the United Church of Christ's General Minister and President, Associate General Minister of Justice and Local Church Ministries, Associate General Minister of Global Engagement and Operations, and Minister for Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations.
This morning we awoke to the horrendous news of the mass shooting of Muslims at Friday prayers in two mosques in New Zealand. In the Masjid an-Nur mosque (“Mosque of Light”), Christchurch, and in the Linwood Mosque, 49 people were killed and more than 40 are injured. We hold the victims and their families in prayer. As a Christian community of faith, the United Church of Christ stands with the Muslim community of New Zealand, in the U.S., and around the world, particularly those living with the daily realities of racism, Islamophobia and anti-immigrant sentiment.
We condemn this atrocious act of hate and terror and pray for the safety in worship for all communities of faith, especially Muslims today, and that they are free to do so without fear.
Read more.
|
Sign up for 'How to Negotiate a Call Contract' workshop
The Church & Ministry Council is following up on the survey conducted last year with the actively serving female clergy. One of the results of that survey was a request for education regarding negotiating a call. Therefore, on April 10 at Trinity UCC in Pottstown from 1p.m. to 3 p.m. we will be offering a negotiating call workshop. This is open to ALL clergy not just female clergy. The event is free, but registration is required.
Click here
to register.
|
Register for the Ministerial Institute at Lancaster Seminary
Lancaster Theological Seminary is launching the new Ministerial Institute of the Pennsylvania Academy of Ministry that will offer a new, non-degree program to prepare people for ministerial leadership.
The Ministerial Institute’s three-year program includes online classes plus an on-campus summer session for one week each year. The Seminary is accepting applications for the first summer session to run from July 21 - 26.
Read more.
|
|
Youth, young adult service opportunities with UCC, FEMA
The United Church of Christ
is seeking 15 interns for Summer Communities of Service and 10 interns for the year-long Young Adult Service Communities. Please spread the word about these opportunities at the intersection of faith and social justice, living and working in intentional Christian community.
Summer Communities of Service
support local programs across the United States that include disaster recovery in Houston/ Beaumont, Texas, and Volusia County, Fla. Other opportunities include food justice through community gardening, and economic equity through children's enrichment. 10 weeks. For young adults aged 19 and above. Placements for summer are happening now.
Young Adult Service Communities
participants join local communities acting for affordable housing, immigration reform, public health and racial justice. 11 months. For ages 21-35. Placements for 2019-2020 are happening now.
FEMA
is accepting applications for its Youth Preparedness Council. This program brings together teens (8th through 11th grade) from across the country who are interested and engaged in community preparedness.
Click here for FEMA's news release with full info.
Application deadline is March 31, 2019.
|
Environmental justice webinar: Green Values and Voting
Those who care about the environment tend to vote less than others by a sizable amount. This has enormous implications for the issues that elected officials choose to address and how they choose to address them. Fortunately, there are proven approaches to increasing voter turnout, and faith communities can play a leading role in encouraging more people to vote their values. This month’s
Creation Justice Webinar
will feature the “voting guru” Nathaniel Stinnett as he educates and equips us for this vital role.
Sign-up to join us for this informative webinar!
|
|
One Great Hour of Sharing offering date coming soon
|
The suggested date for the One Great Hour of Sharing offering is March 31. One Great Hour of Sharing, as part of Our Churches Wider Mission, is the special mission offering of the UCC that carries God’s message of love and hope to people in crisis. The UCC works with international partners to provide sources of clean water, food, education and health care, small business micro-credit, advocacy and resettlement for refugees and displaced persons, and emergency relief and rehabilitation. OGHS also supports domestic and international ministries for disaster preparedness and response. In 2017, OGHS offering received over $2 million to support disaster, refugee, and development activities. Visit the UCC website for
OGHS resources
, including videos, preaching/lectionary notes, sermon starter, bulletin inserts, children’s sermons, and more.
|
UCC resource list released to help support churches
The United Church of Christ has released a booklet entitled "Equipping the Journey: Resources for Mission and Ministry in the Local Church and Beyond." This includes a list of all of the UCC resources that exist in support of local churches, Associations and Conferences. An updated version was released for March 2019:
UCC Equipping the Journey - Revised 3-5-19
|
Home Depot offers Community Impact Grants for nonprofits
The Home Depot Foundation offers grant awards up to $5,000 to 501c designated organizations (recognized and in good standing with the IRS for a minimum of one year) and tax-exempt public service agencies in the U.S. that are using the power of volunteers to improve the community. Grants are given in the form of The Home Depot gift cards for the purchase of tools, materials, or services.
Click here for full information.
|
|
|
|
Church Events
Submit Church Events
here
View a complete list of Church Events
here
|
Classified Ads
Submit Classified Ads
here
View a complete list of Classified Ads
here
|
|
Educational Opportunities
|
|
Missed a week? Read past eNews here:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
