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Important This Week
- Team Orwigsburg builds bridge to help family after Isaias
- Pennsylvania announces grants for security in nonprofits
- Local Church Profile Computer-side Chat next Tuesday
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From the Conference Minister:
When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. 11On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Matthew 2:10-11
I tried to be more intentional about my gift giving this Christmas season. Amazon helped — at least when my family members shared with me their Amazon wish lists. The things they asked for were not the things I would have thought to purchase. Which got me to thinking about how I approached gift-giving in general. Which got me to thinking about how the magi chose their gifts. Which got me to thinking about the theological reasons for each gift I was giving and ultimately to the question, if I was to give a gift to Jesus, what would I give?
My family insists that the best gift that I could give Jesus is the one they want from me. That is, they just want time with me. Especially in this season of life threatening COVID. They are loving and kind to say so, but I struggle to believe. I've never tested that by showing up on Christmas morning and saying, “Here I am. Merry Christmas.” The gift of self is the most important to give and the hardest to quantify.
Gold, frankincense, and myrrh are not. Each has inherent value. Incense stimulates the senses during prayers; our prayers stimulate God and ourselves into action. Gold provides substance, subsistence and joy (after all, who doesn’t like to receive a card with money?). In this year of intense pain, I have come to appreciate myrrh. Myrrh was mixed with oil to make a perfume. It was also used medicinally to reduce swelling and stop pain.
I don’t use myrrh much. Perhaps I should. But I do know through the very difficult days of my journey that the things that stopped the most difficult pains in my life are the people with whom I have shared that pain. The best way we can give ourselves to God is to give ourselves to each other — to be Christ carriers and pain bearers for each other — as Christ is for us.
Christmas, the season, is still here. Give yourself time today to receive the gift that transcends all seasons.
With prayers and best wishes,
Pastor Bill
Rev. Bill Worley
Conference Minister
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UCC grant helps support bridge project to help eastern PA family |
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It's safe to go home again...
A Northampton County family with an expectant mother and other medical issues rely on the bridge over the creek in front of their house to connect them with their community. This includes being able to get to doctor appointments or to receive emergency vehicles.
But in August 2020, Tropical Storm Isaias churned their quiet creek into rushing, swollen floodwaters. Their bridge was rendered structurally unsound and undrivable, cutting off the family’s lifeline to their community.
“The only access in and out was on foot, and that with some difficulty,” said Karl Jones, Disaster Coordinator for the United Church of Christ’s Penn Northeast and Pennsylvania Southeast conferences. “It involved carefully traversing the part of the damaged bridge that remained — then negotiating the last few yards between bridge and bank on a plank.”
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The UCC’s Penn Northeast Conference, in cooperation with the Unmet Needs Committee of the Northeast PA VOAD (Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster, applied for a $5,000 UCC Long-Term Recovery Grant, with rebuilding the bridge the top priority for the funds. Thanks to the UCC funds together with contributions from the family and Team Orwigsburg, an experienced volunteer bridge-building team from Schuylkill County in the UCC’s Pennsylvania Southeast Conference, the 44-foot bridge was completed just before Christmas.
One team member, Susan McCartney, a member of St. John’s UCC in Orwigsburg, shared her joy: “The teamwork we continue to enjoy within our own ranks, and the expansion of some new faces involved for this project have been very heartwarming. We surely DO need to carry this joy and teamwork into a new year. The wacky year of 2020 brought out the best in our Team and that is truly a gift.”
This article was written for use on the United Church of Christ website and social media. A video to go along with it will be available over the next day or so. Follow the Pennsylvania Southeast Conference Facebook page or look in next week's eNews for that video!
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State announces funds for nonprofit security grants
Governor Tom Wolf has announced the availability of $5 million in funding for security enhancement projects for nonprofit organizations serving diverse communities throughout the commonwealth. The Nonprofit Security Grant Fund Program issues grants to 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations that principally serve individuals, groups or institutions that are included within a bias motivation category for single bias hate crime incidents as identified by the FBI’s Hate Crime Statistics publication. Applicants are eligible for security enhancements designed to protect the safety and security of the users of a facility located in the commonwealth that is owned or operated by the nonprofit organization. “These grants will continue to help our many nonprofits address security needs and any safety concerns that exist for religious, social and other nonprofit organizations across the commonwealth,” Gov. Wolf said. Learn more.
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Looking for stained glass
work recommendations
A congregation in Schuylkill County needs bids for some work on their stained glass windows. Has your church had any work done on their stained glass over the past few years? If you have recommendations, send them to kjones8022@aol.com.
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Webinar: What's Possible? Faith, Climate Policy in 2021
After the Georgia Senate runoff election on Jan. 5, we will know the legislative landscape for the new Congress. What will be possible for climate policy? Aside from congress, what might President Biden accomplish through executive orders? This webinar will address these questions with an eye toward what faith communities can do to put their values into action in pressing for the kind of climate policies urgently needed in this time of crisis and inequality. The featured panelists will be Anthony Rogers-Wright from the Climate Justice Alliance, Emily Wirzba from the Environmental Defense Fund, and Clarence Edwards from the Friends Committee on National Legislation. Even if you can't make the webinar’s scheduled time on Jan. 13 at 1:00p, still sign-up, and we will send you a recording of it.
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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:
Calvary UCC, Barto: I have downloaded the Creation Justice Brochure to share with our Congregation. We will have the link available to our faith family for the Pollinator via our weekly email and newsletter. Looking forward to working with our congregation to become more "green". This will be a work in progress for all of us.
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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Sign the PSEC
Anti-Racism Statement
The Zachariah Walker Racial Justice task force of the PSEC of the United Church of Christ is inviting individuals and entire congregations to join our anti-racism initiatives and sign this anti-racism statement. Please click here to sign: ipetitions.com/petition/psecucc-antiracism-statement.
The statement with signatures will be released to the media on Jan. 15, the start of the weekend of MLK Day.
It is our hope that as we circulate this statement during Advent and Christmas-tide it promotes both reflection and discussion. Together, with courage in our hearts, we pray that Christ gives us the ability to understand this as a white problem that mars the soul of Christianity and our nation.
"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."
Click here to read the entire statement and add your signature. Click here to share the statement to your Facebook page (or a page you manage).
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PSEC 2020 Giving Cut-Off
Books of the PSEC will close Jan. 18. All OCWM contributions for 2020 must be in our office by that date or they will be counted towards 2021 contributions. Please mail your contributions as soon as possible due to possible mail delays.
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Next Computer-side Chat on Local Church Profiles |
PROFILES!!!
Why do we have to do them?
How do we start?
How honest do we have to be?
Are they only good for the search process?
Many congregations don’t even think about a Congregational Profile until they have to do one. There are many pieces to consider and it can seem like an arduous task.
Join me at 7:00p Jan. 12 for a conversation that just might change your mind. We will also explore how useful that document can be for the life of your ministry beyond the search process. The link to join that Zoom meeting on Jan. 12 is here. If you need info to phone in, email brea@psec.org.
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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 Conference Minister Rev. Bill Worley on a Zoom call, share experiences in this season of COVID, ask for advice, and be in community. 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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2021 UCC yearbook church reporting coming soon
The annual UCC year-end reporting will open for churches next month. Details will be emailed to church offices and pastors the second week of January. Several times this year, I've been asked about how attendance figures will be calculated for online worship services. I now know that only those services that were entirely in-person should be figured into your attendance numbers for 2020. There will be a general question about online attendance included in the supplemental survey. More information on that will be included in the materials in mid-January.
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Zoom UCC History and Polity course starting in February
Lancaster Theological Seminary will partner with Rev. Dr. Carrie Call (and Penn Central Conference staff) to offer UCC History and Polity via synchronous Zoom sessions. This course satisfies the History and Polity requirement for authorization by association Committees on Ministry. Join us live on Zoom each Friday from 2:00p-5:00p Feb. 12-March 26. Cost of the course is $100 and you can register now. The course is fun and informative and will change the way you think about the UCC.
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Updated list available:
PSEC churches online
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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Upcoming online Admissions events at Lancaster Seminary
Lancaster Theological Seminary launched a new series called Learn LTS! These online events aim to help individuals who are discerning their next steps in theological education and ministry whether that be pastoral leadership, chaplaincy, social justice organizer, non-profit leader, or in bi-vocational ministry. You are invited to attend one of the upcoming Learn LTS events on Jan. 7, Jan. 19, or Feb. 4. These events are curated to speak to the needs of individuals leaning into their call and vocational exploration. Each event will have a different programmatic focus with diverse presenters that can answer some of your questions. For more information and to register, click here.
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Planning webinar for churches during, after emergencies
Churches are invited to a webinar that will provide them with the knowledge and tools to develop a continuity plan and sustain continuity of operations before, during and after an incident or emergency. The webinar will discuss the essential elements and key planning considerations for a viable continuity capability.
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Tuesday, Jan. 26 from 11:00a-12:30p; English
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Thursday, Jan. 28 from 11:00a-12:30p; Spanish
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Spirituality of Generosity webinar coming next month
On Jan. 20, Pennsylvania Southeast, Penn Northeast, and Penn Central conferences will co-host a seminar on the Spirituality of Generosity. Jesus talked about money second only to the kingdom of God, yet many in the church today treat money as a non-spiritual topic. We can theologically engage questions of money, wealth, and giving. Teaching and preaching about generosity and the use of our financial resources can deepen the faith life of our congregations. For a flyer on this event, click here. To register, click here.
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Mid-Atlantic Association of United Church Educators event |
This has been a truly strange year and continues to be so. We were forced to cancel our gathering in 2020, and missed the valued time of being together and sharing successes and challenges. Providing Christian Education has never been more mystifying whether you are a pastor, youth minister, children's program coordinator, or lay leader. We need each other and the sooner the better. So our 2021 retreat is going virtual – like everything else. We've changed the dates from a mid-week event to a Friday-Saturday event hoping to make it accessible for more of our churches' part-time leaders. Workshops will include an opening presentation, small group reaction/ sharing, and large group report outs. All of our conversations will include ideas for virtual, in-person, and hybrid situations.
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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)
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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Church Events
Submit Church Events here
View a complete list of Church Events here
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Educational Opportunities
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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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