Trouble viewing this email? Click here to view as webpage.
Important This Week
  • Registration Open - Men's Clergy Retreat
  • Celebrate "Open Table" a PSEC New Church Start
  • Save the dates for upcoming installations
Time of Remembrance and Prayer:
August 13 marks the anniversary of the public lynching of Zachariah Walker, a steel worker in Coatesville, Pa. Please join the Racial Justice Initiative in remembering Zachariah Walker and all whom were murdered by the atrocity of lynching. This link is to the Service of Remembrance and Lament observed on the 110th anniversary of Mr. Walker’s lynching. (Appx. 12 min.) May we, as God’s people, work for racial justice and dismantle systemic racism and the white supremacy culture that birthed and continues to perpetuate racial injustice and violence. Special thanks to Leslie and George Mamas for their wonderful work in putting the video together.
Men's Clergy Retreat 2022

The topic of this year's Men's Clergy Retreat will be "Racism in Church and Society: Past and Present". COVID vaccination is required and masks are required indoors, other than during meals.
The Retreat will cover topics from the following books: The Cross and the Lynching Tree by James H. Cone and White Too Long by Robert P. Jones. (Reading is suggested, but not required.)

Retreat will be led by PSEC Conference Minister Rev. Bill Worley, PSEC Associate Conference Minister Rev. Kevin McLemore, and Rev. Dr. Stephen Ohnsman, PhD.

To register, click here.
Rev. Kevin Fruchtl Installation
 
Click the invitation below to download a PDF to share.
Rev. Mark Johnson Installation

Click the invitation below to download a PDF to share.
PSEC Racial Justice Initiative Curriculum Recommendation
With September quickly approaching, the Racial Justice Team would like to inspire you to consider this richly impactful Sunday School curriculum – Holy Troublemakers & Unconventional Saints by Daneen Akers for ages 8-14. Click here for more information.
Stewardship Theme Materials
“From Bread and Cup to Faith and Giving”

Download Stewardship Theme Materials for your congregation's stewardship efforts. Materials include practical tools such as logos, commitment cards, bulletin inserts, and letters, and provide resources for preaching and teaching about stewardship throughout the year. Campaign guidance and calendars help leaders make the best use of these robust materials for their specific context and size.

Various download options available. Printed packs also available. Order here.
Save the Date
Sunday, Sept. 11th 3 – 5 p.m.

The Carousel at Pottstown - 30 W King St, Pottstown, PA 19464

Join us in our celebration as we launch Open Table UCC, Pottstown, an Open and Affirming (ONA) and intentionally antiracist, Pottstown-centered, Christian community. We are gathering at The Carousel at Pottstown for a worship of celebration and thanksgiving, information sharing, and fun for the whole community.
Assistance for East Kentucky and West Virginia Churches
Click here to find out what the UCC is doing at the moment to assist churches affected by the flooding in Eastern Kentucky and West Virginia. Learn how your church can help. 
New ONA Church!
 
Congratulations to the United Church of Christ's newest Open and Affirming (ONA) congregation: Open Table United Church of Christ in Pottstown. Congratulations to Open Table UCC, the 1781st church to become ONA since 1985. Their Open and Affirming Covenant reads:
 
Open Table United Church of Christ is a faith community founded on the expansive and expanding love of God as made known by Jesus Christ. We affirm the worth, dignity, and inherent belovedness of all people, celebrating our various genders, sexual orientations, gender identities/expressions, abilities, ages, races, nationalities, faith backgrounds, marital standings, and family configurations. We seek not to erase our distinctions, but to embrace the many ways our diversity reflects our infinite God. We acknowledge the historical Church’s role in the ongoing persecution of those in the LGBTQIA+ community and commit ourselves to loving louder than the hate. Though we are founded on these ideals, we acknowledge that we are a work in progress, and that there is always room to grow. We trust that the ever-present Spirit of God will continue to give us new opportunities to expand our love and our reach. No matter who you are or where you are on life’s journey, you are welcome here.
From the Addiction & Recovery Taskforce: Step Twelve

Having had a spiritual awakening as a result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to addicts, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.

The Steps lead to an awakening of the spirit and this is evidenced by changes in our lives. We live by spiritual principles and carry a message of hope to suffering addicts. We realize that we keep what has been given to us by sharing what we have learned with others. This sharing is referred to as carrying the message and can be accomplished in a variety of ways.

We share our experience, strength, and hope; make new people feel welcome and help them learn the principles of recovery. The spiritual principle of Step Twelve is our selfless service to others. We received our recovery through God and we allow ourselves to be used by Him to help others who seek it.

The power of example by what we practice may be what is needed to enable a suffering addict to ask for help. God gives us the ability to help another addict when no one else can. We share our personal recovery experience but avoid offering our advice, because it can confuse our message. Carrying a simple and honest message of recovery from addiction proves to be the most powerful.

The first way we carry a message is to stay clean. We attend meetings, get involved in service work and others notice the changes happening within us. Our lives become worthwhile. We are happy to be alive because we are living and not just surviving. Honesty, humility, and open-mindedness are essential in our new lives.

God helps us as we help each other. We carry the message of hope as examples of the program working. We live clean and happy lives. The steps do not end here, they are a new beginning.
Endowment Webinar
THIS Wednesday

An endowment can provide support to a congregation and its wider mission. But where do you start? This webinar, on August 10th at 7:30 pm, will provide ideas and policies for creating and growing an endowment for your congregation. To register, click here.
Free Youth
Service Project Curriculum

Justice and Local Church Ministries, and the Faith Education, Innovation and Formation team are proud to share "Understanding our Mission - Service Project Curriculum 2022", a free curriculum for youth groups engaging in service work over the coming months.
This curriculum is in direct response to what has been asked for and provides four sessions of engagement with youth in preparation for, during, and after service projects, focusing on themes of meaning making, understanding difference, working together, and bringing it all home and back to your communities. For more information, click here.
Electronic Resources...UCC News Digest

Each Tuesday afternoon, the UCC News Digest is sent, featuring UCC news stories, statements from the executive officers, upcoming events, and more. The Digest has a lot of information, but mostly through links, so it’s a quick read. Visit the UCC News webpage (https://www.ucc.org/news/) to sign up for the email.
UCC Webinar—Water and Environmental Justice

For the UCC’s next Creation Justice webinar, our special guest will be Lynn Thorp who serves as the National Campaigns Director for Clean Water Action. She will discuss how we can make effective and equitable strides in reducing water pollution, including exposure to toxic substances such as the highly toxic “forever” chemicals found in almost everyone’s blood in the U.S.
Even if you can’t make the scheduled time of 1 pm ET on Wednesday, August 10th, still sign-up, and we will send you a recording. Register now!
Part-time Chaplain Position at
Tower Health in West Reading

Tower Health has a part-time chaplain position open at their West Reading location. To learn more, click here.
Lay Leadership Support -
Share with Church Leaders

A Lay Leadership Education Team, has been formed. Their hope is to be a support team for Consistory Presidents and/or representatives. Wouldn’t it be helpful if Lay Leaders had a place to ask questions, find support, and to learn from each other?

Pre COVID several Consistory Presidents and/or representatives started gathering once a month. It was a great place to gain support, knowledge and form friendships. We are revising this gathering. Join us on Saturday, Sept. 17 from 10am to 12 noon at St. John’s UCC, 500 Main St., Lansdale (Entrance by rear of church).

This is a free event. Click here to register.
Church Openings
Many openings are on UCC's Ministerial Opportunities page. Especially note:
  • Barnesville-Delano Tri-Charge, Schuylkill County (full-time settled)
  • Bern Reformed UCC, Leesport (three-quarter time settled)
  • Brownback's UCC, Spring City (full-time interim)
  • Community UCC, Reading (full-time interim or designated)
  • Immanuel UCC, Shillington (half-time associate pastor)
  • St. Andrew's UCC, Perkasie (full-time settled)
  • St. James UCC, Havertown (full-time interim)
  • Trinity Reformed UCC, Pottstown (full-time interim)
  • Wentz's UCC, Lansdale (full-time settled)
If you’re interested in a position, contact Rev. Kevin McLemore: 484-949-8774 ext. 302 or mclemore@psec.org.
Classified Ads

Sexton being sought in Fleetwood

Starck Spinet Piano available in Fleetwood

Submit Classified Ads here
View a complete list of Classified Ads here
Missed an email? Read past emails here:
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!