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Important This Week
- From the Conference Minister on Fall Meeting, COVID-19, and more
- Recorded services available
- Jon Bauman ordination and installation this weekend
- November is National Native American Heritage Month
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From the Conference Minister:
I remain grateful for all the work and effort put into creating a Conference Fall Zoom meeting by the officers and the members of Conference Consistory. I'm also grateful for the work of Sue Creswell and Rev. John Folk to help us into the meeting. The folks on our Conference tech team and the tech team at New Goshenhoppen UCC were amazing in a crisis moment. Rev. Tony Villareal did a great job moderating his first Conference meeting. Together, we facilitated a faithful gathering. The reports of our task forces were sources of deep inspiration for many. I am so very proud of, and humbled by, the people who are committed to those efforts. The work of the Addiction Task Force, taken seriously, may very well save lives. The anti-racist statement from the Jeremiah Walker Racial Justice Task Force is one of the best I've read from around our denomination. I am very pleased that our Conference investments will soon be Fossil Fuel free and to that end, and with inspiration from our Climate Justice Task Force, I've started searching for an electric 4-wheel drive vehicle.
At Sunday’s meeting I said that as COVID 19 cases grow rapidly in our area, it is important that we consider moving back to virtual worship only. I know that some have already made that decision while many never left virtual only services. I continue to council, caution, encourage, implore you to please err on the side of being safe, and keeping safe, those with whom you work and worship. For us that is not a political statement it is a response to the very call on our lives by Jesus to protect and care for the most vulnerable among us.
I spoke about the effect the pandemic is having on churches that have been discerning the future of their ministry that include decisions about bringing their ministry to a close. David Schoen (UCC Church Building and Loan Fund) has written a brief piece regarding church closures during the pandemic. Some of the statistics are sobering. They are also important as we look to the future.
I know that you rely on several sources of information to makes decisions about ministry in the presence of COVID. Here is a new one from Georgia Tech University that provide the % probability that at least one Covid-positive person will be at an event. This tool is useful as you consider your own risk factors and what you take into consideration when deciding whether to attend or hold an event. The tool only shows the likelihood of a Covid-positive person being present. It says nothing about your chances for becoming infected. Use the information along with other factors (location of event, size of room, spacing of people, air flow, etc.) to assist with making decisions. More and more the numbers include our own clergy and church members. Please continue to lift in prayer those touched by this disease.
This is a stressful time for all of us. As with Easter, Thanksgiving, Advent and Christmas are not going to be the same as they have been in years past. It is a sad and confusing time and our hearts break as we think about those who will not be gathered at our tables, in our sanctuaries, or at our celebrations. Be kind to yourself. Be kind to your pastors, your church members, and your neighbors. There still are countless reasons to offer thanks. God comes into our lives, and the world, every moment of every day.
Be at peace my friends and live in hope and rest assured that God is blessing you even now.
Rev. Bill Worley
Conference Minister
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PSEC held its Fall Meeting online this weekend
At the beginning of this weekend's Fall Meeting, participants were invited to share a word about how they were feeling. At the end of the meeting, Rev. Becky Hoover shared this word cloud she had created with those words. Click here to download the word cloud.
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UCC Medicare Update
The new UCC Medicare Advantage Plan w/ Rx will replace the current UCC Medicare Supplement Plan with Rx, administered by Humana, on Jan. 1. The Pension Boards and Humana hosted informational webinars about the new plan. Several hundred current plan participants joined the webinars. If you were unable to participate or wish to review the information presented, a recording is now available. Click here to view the presentation. Humana Benefit Kit packets to current participants in the current UCC Medicare Plan have been sent out, and you may have already received yours in the mail. You may also view the Humana Benefit Kit here.
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November ReadyPA Monthly available online now
This month's Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency's ReadyPA Monthly includes info on holiday fire safety, winter weather awareness, heating assistance for low income households, and more. Click here for the newsletter.
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Churches commit to change;
PSEC 50-50-50 Challenge
The PSEC Climate Justice Working Group has started the 50-50-50 Green Church Initiative, challenging 50 PSEC churches to make a commitment to do something to mitigate climate change in the coming months. Churches can hold a special service, share educational materials, take on a project of recycling or composting, or many other things. One is example is here:
Carversville UCC, Carversville: Our congregation has made the commitment to replace traditional fluorescent tubes with LED tubes, not only to bring down our energy bills but also because they are more environmentally friendly. LED bulbs consume less power per unit (lumen) of light emitted. This reduces greenhouse emissions from power plants. To date we have installed 32 LED tubes, which is about 1/3 of the job done. We will do the rest as cash flow enables us to do so.
For a list of all churches that have made a commitment, more suggestions for actions your congregation can take, and a form you can use for your church to accept the challenge, visit psec.org/green.
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Several recorded services for churches to use available
Council of Conference Ministers: You and your congregation are invited to the Council of Conference Ministers’ virtual worship service that was made ready to use last week, but can be used at any time. The liturgy and sermon are centered around the Parable of the Talents. Click here to view or download the whole service or in pieces. You can also download a bulletin or worship script here.
PSEC Ministry Team: The PSEC Ministry Team will be creating a recorded service for use in churches on Sunday, Nov. 29. A link to the service will be in an upcoming eNews.
'A Very UCC Christmas': The staff of the national setting is working on a Christmas Pageant and full worship service coming for Local Churches to use as worship for on or around Dec. 27, or in pieces, with each piece downloadable as a video file. In the meantime, as you're planning for Advent and Christmas, a list of music videos and scripture, and details about a "Lessons and Carols" service and a full movie "A Very UCC Christmas" are available here.
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Join the livestream ordination of Jon Bauman this Sunday
Click the invitation below to download a PDF to share.
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Cean James moderating event on COVID-19 and its effects
Rev. Cean James, Association Conference Minister for Congregational Development, will be the moderator of "Faith, (Mis)Trust, & COVID-19: An Honest Community Conversation" on Thursday, Nov. 19 at 6:30. This town hall will provide a forum for an honest, factual discussion between the community, health care providers, along with representatives from the CoVPN faith initiative and PA State government, to increase awareness and knowledge of the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on Black communities in Philadelphia. To register, click here. To view an event flyer, click here.
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National Native American Heritage Month |
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November is designated as National Native American Heritage Month. As we honor the indigenous people of this land in all of their beautiful diversity, may we also be mindful of the ongoing injustices they continue to suffer.
Below are links to view short videos. You are encouraged to share them with your congregations.
Indigenous communities are some of the poorest communities in the United States. Conditions have been described as comparable to “Third World”. Here are just a few statistics from a report on Pine Ridge Oglala Lakota County. Native Americans living on Pine Ridge have the lowest life expectancy rate and suffer extremely high unemployment rates, reaching as high as 89%. The officially reported poverty rate for Native Americans living on Pine Ridge is 53.75% (pre-pandemic). In a report from Pine Ridge Oglala Lakota County ranked 59-out-of-60 counties in South Dakota for overall health outcomes in 2017. Statistics produced by the Oglala Sioux Tribe paint a bleak picture about the health of the reservation:
- Tuberculosis: 800% higher than America as a whole
- Infant mortality: 300% higher than America as a whole
- Teen suicide: 150% higher than America as a whole
- Approximately 85% of Lakota families are affected by alcoholism
- Approximately 58% of grandparents of Lakota families are raising their grandchildren
- Approximately 50% of adults over the age of 40 have diabetes
The public witness of the UCC General Synod around the Doctrine of Discovery and other areas of concern for Native American communities provides the grounding for the policy advocacy work the UCC does in Washington, DC, and at the state and local level, to right historic injustices still experienced by Native Americans across the spectrum of public policy decisions, including issues of economic justice, religious liberty, education, civil rights, criminal justice, environmental justice and cultural expression.
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Sign on to the PSEC Anti-Racism Statement
The PSEC Zachariah Walker Racial Justice Initiative (Zachariah Walker RJI) task force, named for the man who was brutally lynched on August 13, 1911 in Coatesville, Pa., is committed to expanding our consciousness and conversations around racial justice issues with the hope of nurturing anti-racism efforts in our congregations and communities. The task force invites congregations and individuals to a deeper awakening of the impact systemic racism and white supremacy have on white American Christian faith and culture. To that end, we issue the following statement on anti-racism.
PSEC Anti-Racism Statement
The Pennsylvania Southeast Conference of the United Church of Christ commits itself to the proclamation of the Gospel and the furthering of the mission of Jesus Christ. As disciples of Jesus, we are all called to follow the mandate to love one another completely, regardless of race, creed, gender, culture or difference. This is our mission: to speak the truth with love to powers and principalities, confronting bigotry and bias wherever we go.
We acknowledge the role that white Christians have played in both denying and, at the same time supporting, racist structures and attitudes, and we humbly beg forgiveness for our conforming to the evil of racism. We understand that bias can be an unconscious and unintentional failure, as well as a chosen worldview. We are reminded by the Scriptures that diversity and inclusion are necessary components of a mature, radically welcoming faith. We accept that each one of us has our own story to tell, our own history to own, and our own confession around racism for which we must atone.
Over the centuries, we have seen the pain and suffering brought about by systemic racism, and we commit ourselves to being proactively anti-racist in our work, our worship, and our communities. While we mourn the tragic losses created by a system rooted in white supremacy and nurtured by a system of white privilege, we commit ourselves to doing the work of Jesus to overcome hatred and oppression in our faith communities. We commit ourselves to opposing racism wherever it appears, whether it be institutional, economic, faith-based, or social.
Finally, we promise to be allies to all who are oppressed by these systems, committing ourselves to listen to the words of those who have been harmed by racism. We will stand in support of all who face oppressive situations, working together to dismantle the structures of this sin. We do this as servants of the risen Christ, who was Himself a poor person of color, oppressed by an invading nationalistic power, who was murdered for standing with others just like Him.
Add your name to the PSEC Anti-Racism Statement:
It is our hope that, as we circulate this statement during Advent, it promotes both reflection and discussion. During this time, individuals and congregations are invited to add your signature to ours. The letter with signatures will be released to the media on Jan. 15, the start of the weekend of MLK Day.
In order to add your name to ours, email Anne Cormier (annecormier@comcast.net). Please put “PSEC Anti-Racism Statement” as the subject of the email, and in the body of the email include your name, your church’s name and town.
Together, let us begin this Advent season with courage in our hearts and pray that Christ gives us the ability to understand this as a white problem that mars the soul of Christianity and our nation.
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Coronavirus resources available for churches, pastors
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Download your free 3 Great Loves Advent toolkit today
Download your free 3 Great Loves Advent Toolkit today. Knowing that this Advent season is unlike past years due to the pandemic, this resource was adapted with online and streaming worship in mind. The toolkit includes:
- a sample suggested calendar
- theme graphics
- weekly social media graphics
- weekly Advent video prayers on the themes of Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love for use in worship and on social media.
Prayers are written and recorded by UCC clergy and lay leaders from across the life of the church.
3 Great Loves is our denomination-wide mission initiative, telling the story of how we live out God’s love through the lens of 3 Great Loves: Love of Neighbor, Love of Children, and Love of Creation. To share the stories of how we, as a united church, live out God’s love in missional, measurable, and meaningful ways, please visit 3greatloves.org.
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Advent Candle Lighting Liturgy from Zachariah Walker team
On behalf of the Zachariah Walker Racial Justice Initiative Team, we’d like to thank Rev. Rebecca Hoover for creating this wonderful Advent Candle lighting liturgy for congregations this Advent season. To download or view the liturgy, check out the "Liturgical Offerings" section of the Zachariah Walker Racial Justice Initiative webpage: psec.org/zachariah-walker.
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Monday Meetings with the Conference Minister continue
Each Monday at 11:00a, authorized ministers and church leaders are invited to check in with the Conference Minister, Rev. Bill Worley, on a Zoom call to share experiences in this season of COVID, ask for advice, and be in community together. We encourage you to join this opportunity for theological and practical reflection and discussion. Click here to join the call on Monday.
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Updated list available: PSEC churches online this fall
If your church isn't currently worshipping or you are not able or comfortable attending services, we have compiled a list of churches in PSEC that are holding digital/ virtual worship experiences. Share this with others that might not have another option for worship. Click here for an updated list.
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Church Openings
- Allegheny UCC (Sunday supply)
- Bern Reformed UCC, Leesport (three-quarter time settled)
- Calvary UCC, Barto, and Pennsburg UCC (full-time designated-term)
- Christ Delong UCC, Bowers and St. Peter's UCC, Topton (3/4-time interim)
- St. James UCC, Limerick (3/4-time, interim)
- St. John's UCC, Pottstown (part-time interim)
- St. John's UCC, Schuylkill Haven
- Salem Hetzel's UCC (shared ministry; full-time interim)
- Wyomissing UCC (part-time settled)
- Zwingli UCC (full-time associate)
If you’re interested in a position, contact Rev.Dr. Susan Minasian: minasian@psec.org or 484-949-8774 ext. 302.
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Classified Ads
Submit Classified Ads here
View a complete list of Classified Ads here
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Educational Opportunities
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Church Events
Submit Church Events here
View a complete list of Church Events here
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Missed a week? Read past eNews here: |
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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! |
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