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Important This Week
- Good-bye from Associate Conf. Minister Rev. Sharon Morris
- The deadline for early registration for Clergy Convocation is this week.
- Register for a Church Closure workshop, Boundary Training, Spring Youth Event, Diversity Training
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From the Associate Conference Minister: Good-bye
Good-byes are hard! Especially when you have loved the people you work with and for and when you love the work you do. I have loved getting to know the many people that make up the Pennsylvania Southeast Conference!!! Thank you for all the ministry you do in your churches and in your communities. Your ministry touches the lives of people who have never heard of Jesus Christ or the love that God has for them.
There are no words to express all the emotions that I am feeling this week. I wish there were. I have been so blessed by this work as your Associate Conference Minister. I never in my wildest dreams ever thought I could do this work. God has a great sense of humor of that I am sure. From leaping off a tall building to support Bethany Children’s Home to getting caught in a snowstorm trying to get to a meeting with PA SE Conference and PA NE Conference. (THANK you, Bill for rescuing me!!!) I must say, getting caught in that snowstorm in an unfamiliar place was the scariest experience of my life. It was much scarier than leaping off a building.
I want to thank the Conference for a wonderful celebration on Sunday, February 23! It was a great day and thank everyone for your kind words and for all the cards and emails that I have received. Thank you!
My last words as your ACM are these: BE THE CHURCH! Be willing to risk and follow the path that God is calling you to walk! Do not fear because God will provide you all that you need. This will require you to have courage, perseverance and patience. It will call you to go outside your comfort zone. I challenge you to discern and if necessary close your ministry and look for another congregation that you can enhance with your presence and gifts! The church is not dying!!! Our faith is in jeopardy! We have become much too comfortable in our buildings and in the way we do things that God is unable to call us to a new thing! God is going to lead us into a new promised land! Trust God and all will be well!
Again, thank you for all that you do, and I look forward to seeing all of you as I continue to be a pastor in the PSEC.
Blessings and THANK YOU!
Sharon
Rev. Sharon Morris
Associate Conference Minister
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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).
Register here.
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
- March 4 from 10:00a-1:00. Register here.
- June 4 from 2:00-5:00p at the Inn at Reading (prior to 2020 Annual Meeting). Register here.
- October 21 from 10:00a-1:00p. Registration will open soon.
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Clergy Convocation early registration this week
May 5-7, join PSEC and PNEC for a time of collegiality, spiritual renewal and education for authorized ministries and members in discernment... Clergy Convocation 2020! Rev. Emily Heath will join the group as the Presenter. For more information and to register,
click here
.
The deadline for the discounted early bird registration is this week. Register now!
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Registration open for Church Closure workshop in April
On an average day in the US, 9 churches close their doors for good. Since 2014, one PSEC congregation has closed, on average, every six months. This isn’t often talked about in church circles — partly because that news is filled with feelings of profound loss and grief. It’s the source of uncomfortable shame — that somehow church members failed to do all they could do to maintain their sacred space. It provokes questions about the power and/or presence of God. Taken together, these things make it difficult to say what sometimes needs to be said: “It's time for our church to close.”
PSEC will hold a "Necessary Endings - When Does Closure Become an Option?" workshop on Saturday, April 25 from 9:00a-12:00 at St. Luke's UCC, Trappe. This workshop is intended to create a safe space where difficult questions can be discerned with brothers and sisters who are sharing a similar predicament of congregation decline and potential closure. You will receive resources and meet lay people and pastors who have church closure experiences that can be put to work for you as you discern your congregation’s future. There is no fee for this event, but you must register.
Click here
to register and for a flyer to share.
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UCC launches campaign to plant 50,000 trees for Earth Day
Over the course of 50 days in 2013, the United Church of Christ planted over 141,000 trees as part of Mission 4/1 Earth. In celebration of the 50th anniversary of Earth Day on April 22nd, this year we are seeking to
plant over 50,000 trees in ten days from April 17 to 26.
In expanding the scope of our collaborative efforts in 2020, the UCC’s
Ministry of Environmental Justice
has partnered with Interfaith Power and Light to make this tree planting campaign part of their
Faith Climate Action Week
. To participate, churches and their members can plant their own trees or they can have trees planted on their behalf. The UCC has provided four options for organizations that can do the work for you. Additionally, worship resources are provided for congregations to celebrate the planting of trees.
Learn more about the different possibilities and resources available.
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CWS Kit and Blanket Shipping Report now available for 2019
The UCC and Church World Service have released the 2019 CWS Kit and Blanket Shipping Report.
Click here
to view that.
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Princeton Forum on Youth Ministry set for this spring
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Working with young people requires vision. Working with families, parents, and communities requires vision. Youth ministry is a response to God’s vision for the world- a God who sees, knows, and calls us to respond in love to the young. Let us help you reimagine the work that God can do through you and your ministry at this year’s Forum on Youth Ministry event. Come to hear lectures from Kenda Creasy Dean, Fr. Gregory Boyle, and John Swinton. Check-out our discounted pricing for program alumni, seminar for prospective students, and first-ever cohort for leaders in predominantly black churches!
Click here
for the event website.
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UCC to livestream press conference on Toxic Air Report
On Ash Wednesday, the United Church of Christ will be livestreaming a press conference from Washington, D.C. as a new environmental justice report is released. In the spirit of the UCC’s pioneering 1987 report on environmental racism, this report will focus on 100 super polluters across the country and the communities that suffer from their toxic air emissions. The children living in these communities will be a particular focus of the report. The press conference will feature the Rev. Benjamin Chavis who coined the phrase “environmental racism.” Other speakers will include the Rev. Traci Blackmon and community voices from the most affected communities. The press conference will be livestreamed on the
UCC Facebook page
. You can learn more about the press conference on the
UCC Facebook event page
.
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Ground Zero in the Struggle for Environmental Justice
Around the country, the health and well-being of communities, especially their children, are threatened by corporations that pump toxic chemicals into the air. This webinar will take place Thursday, Feb. 27 at 1:00p. It will feature leaders from grassroots organizations in parts of the country suffering from high concentrations of pollution. These leaders will help us discern what faith communities can do to confront this moral crisis. Even if you can't make the webinar’s scheduled time, still sign-up, and we will send a recording.
Register today!
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PNEC installing Conference Minister Rev. Dr. Bonnie Bates
You are invited to the installation of Rev. Dr. Bonnie Bates as the fourth Conference Minister of the Penn Northeast Conference on Saturday, April 4 at 2:00p at UCC Greenawalds, 2325 Albright Ave., Allentown. RSVP to
BarbaraJ@pnec.org
by March 27. There will be a reception following the service in the Fellowship Hall. There will be procession of clergy; please wear your favorite stole.
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ReadyPA Monthly for February features weather, outages
In Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency's February ReadyPA Monthly is:
- “Ask a Utility Worker” with questions about what to do before, during, and after unexpected power outages
- an overview of common weather terminology you'll hear in the winter
- The State Meteorologist explains polar vortexes and bomb cyclones.
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Mid-Atlantic Region has new regional rep. for Christian Ed.
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Ashley Martinage is the newly elected representative from the Mid-Atlantic Region to the National Board of Directors of the Association of United Church Educators (AUCE). AUCE is a membership organization for UCC Christian Educators and Clergy, which advocates for excellence in faith formation ministries.
Ashley is Director of Faith Formation at Rock Spring Congregational UCC in Arlington, Virginia. In her new role, she will provide resources and networking opportunities for local church educators and clergy who are working to provide faith formation. She will also advocate for faith formation within the Mid-Atlantic Region, which is made up of the Central Atlantic, New York, Penn Central, Penn Northeast, Pennsylvania Southeast and Penn West conferences of the UCC. For information on becoming a member of AUCE, go to
https://www.auce-ucc.org/membership
.
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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.
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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.
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Deadline this week: MA-AUCE Christian ed. conference
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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. The deadline to register is March 1.
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Church Events
March 1: Curry Moyer and His Brass Ensemble Concert in Souderton
March 7: Annual Pot Pie Supper in Norristown
March 7: Free Community Breakfast in Gilbertsville
Submit Church Events
here
View a complete list of Church Events
here
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Transitions
Week of February 25
Rev. Dr. Susan Minasian's first week at Pennsylvania Southeast Conference.
Rev. Sharon Morris's last week at Pennsylvania Southeast Conference.
Rev. Linda Kozlowski's installation at Good Shepherd Tuckerton UCC, Reading.
Week of March 2
Rev. Jane Kropa's last day at Huff's Union Church.
Rev. Sharon Morris's first Sunday at Calvary UCC, Barto.
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Educational Opportunities
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Classified Ads
Submit Classified Ads
here
View a complete list of Classified Ads
here
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Church Openings
- 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.
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Staff Preaching
Rev. William Worley
March 1: Trinity Reformed UCC, Pottstown
March 8: Pleasantville UCC, Chalfont
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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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