Important This Week
  • Last chance to sign up for the celebration of Rev. Sharon Morris
  • Register for Boundary Training
  • Church leaders and consistory presidents will gather this weekend
  • Sign up for the Spring Youth Event
From the Associate Conference Minister for Search & Call:
The Stewardship of Love

Picture in your mind’s eye, that one thing that you absolutely love the most in your entire life. I am talking about something you love with your entire being, something or someone that you would be willing to give your life in order to protect. Hold on to that picture for just a moment.

In Matthew’s Gospel, Chapter 22, verses 34-40, Jesus stands like an artist in front of a blank canvas and illustrates what he believes to be the essential understanding of our relationship with God. In an effort not to be encumbered by legalism, Jesus cites two commandments direct from Jewish traditions. And Jesus, with two strokes of a very tiny brush, is able to create a masterpiece portraying the very foundation under girding the relationship between the human and divine — and that is, our love for God and our love for our neighbor.

What Jesus has made very clear in this text and elsewhere in the Gospels is that our love for God and our love for our neighbor are an essential part our Christian faith. You cannot do one without doing the other. You cannot say you love God and hate another person.

The ability to love our neighbor is essential in our ability to exist as a people of God. Our ability to love others is the only thing in our lives that guarantees the survival of the human race. It is not the stock market, not a cure for the coronavirus, not even being the most powerful nation in the world. It is our ability to love. 

My call into the ministry is based on this very scripture. For me this text says it all…no matter what is happening around me, no matter the decision that I must make I always ask myself this question, “What is the most loving thing to do?” It isn’t about what the so called “right” thing to do, it isn’t about which choice will make me look the best, it is about the most loving thing! 

It is interesting that as you grow older, all the rules and regulations, all the legalistic matters of life really don’t mean a whole lot. Yes, we do need to have rules in order to live a peaceable life; and I’m sorry children and youth, you also need rules and boundaries in order to grow to be responsible adults. I guess what I mean is that once you get my age, I have come to realize that everything is not black or white and so I have consciously decided that in my decision making, I will choose to do what is the most loving thing. That way if I make a mistake, and I am sure that I will, I will have erred on the side of love. 

I have also realized that when I love God with my entire being, I am so filled with God’s presence and Spirit that I can do nothing less that love those around me. Loving God is to love others! It is that simple.

Let me give you an example. This example is in the form of a parable much like Jesus might have used:
To love God with all your heart is like the husband and wife who were coming home from church on a warm summer’s day. As they drove past the pasture where their dairy cows were lounging lazily in the sun, they saw a cow who had just had a calf. At first glance, the husband could tell that the calf was unhealthy. She was very small, she was weak, and all odds were, she would not live long. The husband said nothing to his wife; the wife said nothing to her husband as they made their way to the driveway to their home.

As the couple changed from their church clothes into their everyday clothes, the husband made his way to his favorite recliner, waiting for his beloved wife to prepare a scrumptious Sunday Dinner. His wife, looking at him with disdain says, “What do you think you’re doing?” 

“I am waiting for a scrumptious Sunday dinner,” came his reply. “No, you’re not,” his now angry wife said. “You get out there right now and help me get that calf and take it to the calf barn where I can feed it and take care of it.” 

With his head hung low in humble obedience, the farmer walks out of the house to the pasture field where the calf and its mother waited.

This is a true story. This happened many years ago on our farm in Virginia. I share this story to illustrate what it means to love. Pat, as a dairy farmer could have cared less about that little struggling calf because he knew it would never be worth a plug nickel. But I saw it as a creation from God. I raised that calf and I would like to say it grew into a productive addition to our milking herd, but it did not. But that is not the point. It is not the point to a person who is able to see all of Creation belonging to God. All things, regardless of their value or their ability to be productive members of society are part of the kingdom of God.

Loving God is to love others. Loving God is to be willing to care for others. Loving God is giving all you have, no strings attached. Is that risky? You bet it is. Will you get hurt sometimes? You bet you will. But that is what it means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ — the cost and joy of discipleship. 

I want to go back now to the beginning of this article when I asked you to picture in your mind’s eye that one thing or person that you love. Do you see it? I would guess that the majority of you have pictured a loved one. And I would also guess that you would be willing to lay down your life for this person. That is the same kind of love that we are to have for our Lord and for each other. 

Loving others is a choice we make. It is something all of us should decide to do right here and right now. Let us all pray to God to give us the body, mind and soul to love others as much as God loves us.
Rev. Sharon Morris
Associate Conference Minister
Register now for Boundary Training opportunities in 2020

There are many opportunities coming up to fulfill your requirements for Boundary Awareness Training (6 hours every 3 years) and Diversity Training (3 hours every 3 years). Sign up now:

Boundary Training
March 10: Advanced Training: Political Boundaries with Dr. Lee Barrett, 9:00a-12:00p at Zwingli UCC, Souderton. Register here.

March 12: Basic Boundary Training sponsored by the Lehigh Presbytery, 9:00a-3:00p at East Stroudsburg Presbyterian Church, East Stroudsburg. Register with the Presbytery by Feb. 27.

May 21: Basic Boundary Training sponsored by the Lehigh Presbytery, 9:00a-3:00p at First Presbyterian Church of Bethlehem, Bethlehem. Register with the Presbytery by May 7.

June 4: Advanced Training: Emotional Intelligence with Rev. Dr. Carrie Call, 2:00-5:00p at the Inn at Reading (prior to 2020 Annual Meeting). Registration with Annual Meeting registration.

September 24: Advanced Training: Sexual Decision-Making: How to teach it, how to live it with Rev. Dr. Beverly Dale, 9:00a-12:00p at First UCC, Schuylkill Haven. Register here. (An opportunity for continuing education credits is available from 1:00-4:00: Advancing Sexual Health for the Christian Clergy. Register here.)

October 14: Basic Boundary Training sponsored by Lehigh Presbytery, 9:00a-3:00p at Schwarzwald Lutheran Church, Reading. Register with the Presbytery by Sept. 30.

November 5: Advanced Training: Responding to the Other with Rev. Dale Davis, 9:00a-12:00p at Wentz's UCC, Lansdale. Register here.


Diversity Training
Save the date for Diversity Training, the registrations are coming soon:
  • March 4 from 10:00a-1:00
  • June 4 from 2:00-5:00p at the Inn at Reading (prior to 2020 Annual Meeting).
  • October 21 from 10:00a-1:00p
Registration open for PSEC Spring Youth Event 2020

The PSEC 2020 Spring Youth Event will be April 24-26 at South Mountain YMCA Camp, 201 Cushion Peak Road in Wernersville for youth in grades 7 thru 12.
Registration fee of $90 per person includes meals, lodging, events, and activities.
The event will begin at 5:00p on Friday and conclude around noon on Sunday. For more info and to register, click here .
Church leaders gathering this Saturday for support, sharing

A gathering for lay leaders and Consistory Presidents will meet Feb. 15 from 9:00a-11:00a at Falkner Swamp Reformed UCC, 2077 Swamp Pike, Gilbertsville, to support one another, share ideas, and pray for each other. Church lay leaders have opportunity and roadblocks facing us at all times. Our goal is to brainstorm, support, pray, laugh, and learn together in a confidential environment, so that we are strengthened to build healthy, vibrant, and faithful churches. There is no fee to attend. Contact Brenda Semach, Consistory President of Falkner Swamp Reformed UCC, with any questions and to RSVP: kbsemach@aol.com.
Last chance to register: Celebrating Rev. Sharon Morris

PSEC invites you to join us in celebrating Rev. Sharon Morris and wish her well on her next journey! A dessert reception will be held Sunday, Feb. 23 from 1:00-3:00 at Sunnybrook- Gatsby's in Pottstown. The cost is $25 (with $10 to go towards a "Love Offering"). Register or donate now by clicking here . For more info, click here . The deadline to register is this Sunday .
Earthquake updates from Puerto Rico partners

The Iglesia Evangelica Unida de Puerto Rico, who PSEC and PNEC worked with during two 2019 mission trips to Puerto Rico, have released an emergency update about the earthquakes in December and January. Take a moment to read that here .
Pottstown pastor chosen for pilgrimage to Holy Land

Rev. Austin Chinault II, Zion's UCC, Pottstown, was selected by the Knights Templar to represent Pennsylvania on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land next week. For more information, read this story from the Pottstown Mercery.
PSEC churches recognized as top givers in the denomination

One Great Hour of Sharing has released their 2020 mission offering information. The document includes the previous year's top 100 churches based on per capita giving. Three of those churches are in Pennsylvania Southeast Conference! Congratulations to:

  • Trinity Christian UCC, Skippack
  • Heidelberg UCC, Schwenksville
  • United Church of Christ at Valley Forge, Wayne
A Capella University Choir wants to visit your church

Lenoir-Rhyne University (North Carolina) has an exquisite A Capella university choir. They are performing in Virginia on March 17, and in Manhattan on March 19, and want a place to stay / perform on March 18.

They are willing to perform a church concert or during worship (free of charge) at one of our churches on Wednesday, March 18. What they need in return is for a congregation (or multiple congregations) to house their 60 university students. They are aware that March 18 is right in the middle of Lent, and have a Lent-appropriate Christian repertoire. I am writing to see whether any PSEC/PNEC churches (or any cooperative combination of churches) would be interested.

Any interest or inquiries can go DIRECTLY TO Dr. Ryan Luhrs, the Lenoir-Rhyne Director of Choral Activities: 828-328-7149 or Ryan.Luhrs@lr.edu .

Rev. Leslie Mamas
Pastor, Oivet-Schwenkfelder UCC, Norristown
Resources available, webinar set on planned giving

Many conferences and local churches express a desire to engage their members in conversations about planned giving, but they are often lacking in time, ability or confidence to proceed. The United Church Funds wants to share and increase expertise in securing planned gifts that will benefit the future mission in all settings of the United Church of Christ. As your covenanted partners, we invite you to be in touch with us any time, so that we can discover mutually beneficial ways of carrying out this important ministry. You can also learn more about our work and planned giving generally by visiting  ucfunds.org/planned-giving/ . 
 
We want to take this opportunity to alert you to a free planned giving webinar being led by Andrew Warner, Generosity Outreach Officer in OPTIC, on March 31. Please consider attending and sharing the availability of this resource with your staff and churches in your Conference. Learn more and register here . 
Registration open for Disaster Response workshop in March

Clergy and lay people are invited to join with people from throughout southeast PA on March 10 for a day of resiliency building among human services providers, houses of worship, and disaster responding organizations.

Pennsylvania is facing more precipitation, hotter temperatures, and more volatile weather overall. Not only does our region face more frequent disruptions to daily life because of these types of events, but we also find ourselves welcoming disaster survivors from outside of our area.

In an effort to build resilience to disasters in our communities, join us on March 10 to both build relationships in our communities so we can together leverage resources when disaster strikes, and so that we can look to agencies who specialize in disaster response to help bolster local efforts when assistance is needed. We need all of us!
 
One of the leaders for the day will be Mr. Ken Skalitzky, Recovery Specialist for UCC Disaster Ministries at the national setting. The event is approved through TrainPA, therefore continuing education credits will be available. For more information and to register, click here for a flyer and please feel free to share.
Spiritual life workshops being offered for lay leaders

A course on Spiritual Life will meet at Trinity UCC, Telford on Saturday mornings from 9:00-11:00 as follows:
  • March 28 - Spiritual growth through congregational worship
  • April 25 - Spiritual growth through personal disciplines
  • May 16 - Spiritual growth through small groups.
This course is designed for church leaders but is open to anyone who feels challenged to deepen their spiritual life. The course will be led by Dr. Charles Maxfield, an ordained UCC minister with experience in lay ministry training. He will be assisted by Constance Lezenby, a spiritual director recognized by her Friends’ Meeting as a traveling minister. Cost is $25 per congregation. Registration, including names of participants, with phone and e-mail, are required by March 20. Click here for more info including how to register.
Sign-up: MA-AUCE Christian educators conference

Mid-Atlantic Association of United Church Educators will hold their 2020 Annual Conference "Holistic Faith Formation: Engaging Our Whole Selves" April 27-29 in Mt. Bethel. Join Faith Formation colleagues for three days of learning, networking, and renewal. We will have times of worship and spiritual practices to both renew ourselves and share, as well as time for fellowship to build and renew connections. Click here for information and to register.  
Educational Opportunities



View more events on the PSEC Calendar
Classified Ads

Submit Classified Ads here
View a complete list of Classified Ads here
Church Events
Feb. 20: Miller-Keystone Blood Drive in Barto

Feb. 22: What do Beer & Church have in common? in Shillington

Feb. 22: Free Community Lunch in Barto

Submit Church Events here
View a complete list of Church Events here
PSEC Events
Feb. 22: ALICE Training in Bernville

Feb. 23: Celebration of Rev. Sharon Morris in Pottstown

March 7: ALICE Training in Quakertown




May 5: Clergy Convocation in Lancaster




Sept. 24: Advancing Sexual Health - Continuing Education in Schuylkill Haven


View more events on the PSEC Calendar
Church Openings
Many openings are on UCC's Ministerial Opportunities page. Especially note:

  • St. Paul's UCC, Kutztown (full-time settled)
  • St. John's (Hain's) UCC, Wernersville (full-time interim)
  • Wyomissing UCC (part-time settled)
  • St. Luke's UCC, Ottsville (part-time supply)
  • Salem Hetzel's UCC (shared ministry; full-time interim)
  • Trinity UCC, Rehrersburg (part-time supply)
  • St. John's UCC, Orwigsburg (full-time settled)
  • St. John's UCC, Pottstown (part-time interim)
  • St. Mark's UCC, Reading (10 hrs/ week)
  • St. Paul's UCC, Pottstown (part-time settled)
  • St. John Hill UCC, Boyertown (full-time settled)

If you’re interested in a position, contact Rev.Sharon Morris: morris@psec.org or 484-949-8774 ext. 302.
Staff Preaching
Rev. William Worley
Feb. 16: St. Andrew's Church, Bangalore, India
Missed a week? Read past eNews 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!