Important This Week
  • Register for Boundary Training or Lay Boundary Training in 2019.
  • Sign up for the Women's Clergy Retreat next month at Mariawald
  • January's Secretary Training will focus on year-end reporting and church records
Register: Boundary Awareness Training 2019 opportunities
Each Association of the Pennsylvania Southeast Conference requires that authorized ministers regularly participate in Boundary Awareness Training. most associations require six hours every three years. Registration is now open for several BAT opportunities for 2019.
Lay Boundary Training planned for January 26 in Boyertown

Boundary Training is not just for Pastors... It also pertains to church members! Learn about the boundaries that should exist within the church, child clearances, mandatory reporting and more! The training will be Saturday, Jan. 26 from 9:00a-12:00p at Church of the Good Shepherd, Boyertown. Registration is $20. Click here to register now!
Sign up for the Women's Clergy Retreat next month

The PSEC Women's Clergy Retreat will be held Jan. 22-24 at Mariawald Retreat House in Reading. The theme will be "Nourish: Feeding Our Souls in a Hungry World." Register for the Women's Clergy Retreat where we will seek nourishment together through the wisdom retreat leader Rev. Jacquie Church-Young will bring to the table. Registration fee is $130.
Last chance to join a 2019 Community of Practice

Communities of Practice are groups of clergy that come together monthly for support and learning. Sign up is open for one more day for 2019 groups. There is an annual $250 fee for participants to cover the cost of the facilitator and other program costs. We ask that congregations pay this fee. (Scholarships may be available for churches/pastors with financial difficulties.) Registration is available here . That link also has information on signing up for a new Community of Practice focusing on Christian spirituality and direction and a group on Christian Faith Formation for any Christian Educators, teachers, pastors, Sunday School Superintendents. (Note: The Christian Ed group has openings for 10 members instead of the usual 5-6 which allows that group to charge less for participation: $100/participant.) If you have any questions about Communities of Practice or joining a group, contact Brea at brea@psec.org or 484-949-8774 ext. 311.
January Secretary Training event open for registration

Sign up for the January Secretary Training event in Souderton. The topic will be year-end reporting, churches annual reports, record keeping and more. The training will be Jan. 22 from 12:00p-2:00p. Bring your own lunch and the hostess will provide drinks and dessert. The workshop is free, but you need to register .
PSEC 2018 financial giving
cut-off announced

The financial books of the PSEC will close for 2018 as of close of business on Jan. 15, 2019. All OCWM contributions and pass-throughs for 2018 must be received by our office by the close of business on Tuesday, Jan. 15 in order to be counted as a 2018 contribution.
New Manual on Ministry available online, to purchase
The 2018 edition of the Manual on Ministry (MOM) is available in PDF; and hard copies of the new edition can be purchased through UCC Resources. The role of the MOM in the United Church of Christ is to serve as a living guide, a grounding perspective, and a resource for shared expectations in the essential ministry of Committees on Ministry. For more information, click here .
MA-AUCE Christian educators conference announced

Mid-Atlantic Association of United Church Educators will hold "Cutting Edge Faith Formation 2019: Meeting the Needs of ALL God's People" April 1-3 in Mt. Bethel. Join your Faith Formation colleagues for this conference which will include highly engaging, practical workshops. You will leave with usable tools and ideas that you can implement in your ministry context. In addition, we will have time to share our successes and struggles, network, worship together, and relax and rejuvenate. Whether you work full-time, part-time, or very part-time, are paid or volunteer, are a pastor, Christian Ed professional, or lay leader, this conference is for you! Click here for more information and to register.
2019 Health Insurance rates from the Pension Boards UCC

The Conference Office has received several inquiries about the rate charts for 2019 health insurance. The rates will increase effective Jan. 1 as follows:
  • Non-Medicare Health Plan: 2%
  • Medicare Supplement Plan: 2%
  • Dental Plan: 4%
  • Vision Plan: no change
  • Life Insurance & Disability Income Plan: no change
Rate charts are no longer made available from PBUCC, but there is a convenient online Rate Locator . Enter your church's zip code and the pastor's age range to see the quarterly rate chart for your church.
John Dorhauer issues Call to General Synod 32 in Milwaukee
I am officially calling all delegates, visitors, and friends of the United Church of Christ to join us in Milwaukee, Wisconsin for the 32nd General Synod, June 21-25, 2019!

The 32nd General Synod promises to be an inspiring and engaging event in the life of the Church. Our keynote speaker is Dr. Matthew Desmond, professor of Sociology at Princeton University and Pulitzer Prize winner for the book, “Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City.” Read more.
Moravian Seminary offering UCC History, Polity & Theology

This comprehensive course will meet 6 – 9pm Mondays from Jan. 28 to April 29. You may attend at Moravian Seminary in Bethlehem or by video conference. The cost is $900. Academic Course Credit is available at regular tuition costs. For details contact instructor Rev. Dr. David DeRemer deremerd@moravian.edu.


Lancaster Seminary to hold UCC History, Polity & Theology

United Church of Christ History and Polity will be taught at Lancaster Theological Seminary during Term III in Spring 2019, beginning Friday, Feb. 22 and ending Friday, April 12. The class will be held for 7 weeks Friday afternoons from 2:00-5:00p. Assignments include reading and writing, resulting in a History and Polity paper that can be used as part of the ordination paper requirement for authorization. Successful completion of assignments in the class will result in a Certificate of Completion that may be shared with the individual's Committee on Ministry to designate completion of an approved course. This class is non-credit. Registration is required . The course fee is $ 300.
Registration deadline is Feb. 15 .
UCC webinar features leading climate scientists, faith leaders

Recently, a couple of  major climate reports  have been released that highlight the impact of climate change on our world and the urgent need to act. As part of the UCC’s monthly  Creation Justice Webinar Series , the insights and moral imperatives of the reports will be discussed by three leading climate voices. Katherine Hayhoe was a coauthor of the National Climate Assessment, and she has frequently focused on communicating about climate change to an evangelical audience. Naomi Oreskes is a professor at Harvard University and has long been engaged in high profile discussions and documentaries about the science of climate change. Jim Antal is a national leader in faith activism on climate change and is the recent author of "Climate Church, Climate World: How People of Faith Must Work for Change."  Sign-up now to join this webinar . While the webinar is on Jan. 9, register even if you can’t make it, and a recording will be sent to you.
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