Important This Week

• Rev. Nathaniel Mahlberg being installed at UCC Valley Forge this week
• Register for Annual Meeting, Clergy Convocation, Advanced Boundary Training, worship-leading workshop
• Church yearend reporting ends tomorrow

Mark your calendar and register now

Advanced Boundary Training:

The Limits of Pastoral Care

Wednesday, April 26 on Zoom

Facilitators: Revs. Bill Worley and Kevin McLemore

Explore the practical and spiritual limits for providing pastoral care within congregations. Topics include: emotional and spiritual toll of overfuctioning and practical guidance on such challenges as power of attorney documents, convicted sex offenders within the church, and other recent contemporary issues.

Call to Action, Reconnecting the Church to a Vocation of God's Justice

Sunday, April 16 from 2:00-5:00 at Reformed Church of the Ascension, Norristown

Rev. Traci Blackmon, Associate General Minister of Justice and Local Church Ministries for the UCC will provide the keynote address at this event, which has been approved for Diversity Training credit. The question of how to enact the role of the church in community justice work is often overwhelming for many local congregations. Determining the next steps is essential for the church to live out the vocation to which God has called us.Save the date. Registration will open soon.

Lay Leaders Convocation

Saturday, April 15 in Pottstown

Local church leaders are invited to a full day of worship, address, workshops, and fellowship. Click here for a flyer with more info.

Online Youth Book Discussion

Sunday evenings from 7:00-8:00p on Zoom

Starting March 5

Rev. Ernest Glover, Youth Coordinator at House of Faith (UCC) in Philadelphia, and Rev. Anne Cormier are calling on young “Holy troublemakers and unconventional saints-in-the-making” to bring their honest opinions, thoughts, and ideas to the table.

'Foundations of Worship Planning' for lay, clergy

Saturday, May 20 from 9:00a-1:00p on Zoom

Facilitator: Rev. Dr. Cheryl A. Lindsay, UCC Minister for Worship and Theology

This workshop prepares lay leaders and refreshes ministers on the foundational principles of worship with an emphasis on practical application. Participants will gain tools and sharpen skills for planning meaningful worship that facilitates holy encounters. No previous experience with worship planning is necessary.

PA Clergy Convocation

Tuesday, May 2 through Thursday, May 4

DoubleTree by Hilton, Lancaster

Our time together will focus on connection – connecting with God, self and others –with times dedicated for worship, theological reflection, gatherings of affinity groups, connecting with folks from other Conferences, and free time.

Today is the last day for the early bird registration discount.

PSEC Annual Spring Meeting

Friday, June 2 through Saturday, June 3

West Chester University

The theme will be "May They All Be One: Unleashing the Spirit", focusing on ways to re-imagine what it means to be the Body of Christ. That includes building partnerships between local churches who share resources (including pastors), merging ministries, and connecting with community partners. Representatives from congregations share how this has been life giving for them and how they overcame longtime resistance to making it happen. Similarly, representatives of the Keystone Study Group will share their conversations about creating partnerships between and among our four PA Conference that may lead to a four Conference merger.

PSEC Annual Fall Meeting

Sunday, November 12

Save the date for the annual Fall Meeting of the Conference. Theme, agenda, and registration will be announced later in the year.

Reaffirmation of Ordination Vows

Thursday, April 6

Save the date for a Service of the Reaffirmation of Ordination Vows for ordained clergy on Maundy Thursday. It’s a long-standing custom in higher liturgical traditions for clergy to gather on the same day Jesus offered a new commandment for the reaffirmation of their ordination. 

Men's Clergy Retreat

October 3-5

Save the date for the annual Men's Clergy Retreat. More information and registration will be coming later this year.

General Synod 34

June 30-July 4 in Indianapolis

The theme of this year's General Synod is "Making all things New." The keynote speaker is Rev. Nadia Bolz-Weber.

Delegation from PSEC and PNEC to South India

We solicit your prayers for the delegation from PSEC and PNEC as they embark on an ecumenical trip to the Karimnager Dioceses of the Church of South India. The purpose of the trip is to establish a formal ecumenical agreement at the invitation of the Karimnager Bishop, The Right Rev. Dr. K. Reuben Mark. The delegation of six representatives from the Joint Ecumenical Relations Mission Team is traveling as guests of the Bishop to ministry sites around the Diocese with the intention of witnessing and learning how the Christian faith is growing in culturally complex and economically repressed communities. They will learn more about the historic missional connection of the UCC and Church of South India through our American Board of Commissioners of Foreign Missions roots.

The delegation of six are:

Rev. Bill Worley, PSEC Conference Minister

Mr. Sukumar Charles Kuthuru, Moderator of PSEC

Ms. Kelly Johannsen, New Goshenhoppen Reformed UCC, East Greenville

Rev. Dr. Bonnie Bates, PNEC Conference Minister

Pastor Janet Newett, UCC Greenawalds, Allentown

Rev. Dr. David Charles Smith, Jordan UCC, Allentown

Rev. Nathaniel Mahlberg installation at Valley Forge

Click the invitation below to download a PDF to share.

Karen Georgia Thompson recommended for GMP

The UCC Board's Search Committee for General Minister and President has announced their nominee: Rev. Dr. Karen Georgia Thompson. Read that announcement here.

Tammie Wisniewski ordination

Click the invitation below to download a PDF to share.

Indiana-Kentucky Conference scheduling work camps

The Indiana-Kentucky Conference UCC disaster ministry is scheduling work camps for Summer and Fall 2023. Full recovery in south-central/western Kentucky from the 2021 tornadoes will take years. And we’re committed to being there for the long haul.

Whether you're a group or an individual considering partnering with multiple churches to form your team, all are welcome! We need 6-week notice of when you would like to volunteer to plan for work and housing. The registration forms are available on the IKC website. Questions? Email Rev. Greg Denk: gdenk5258@att.net

Church yearend

reporting ends tomorrow

Several emails have been sent to church offices and pastors with information on year-end reporting. If you aren't sure if your church's reporting is complete, or if you need help with the reporting, please contact the Conference Registrar, Brea Rarick, at brea@psec.org or 484-949-8774 ext. 311. Also, you may visit psec.org/reporting for more information on this year’s reporting. The deadline to enter reporting is Wednesday, March 1.

Calvary UCC, Reading to host Dr. Robert P. Jones

In cooperation with Albright College, Calvary UCC in Reading will host Dr. Robert P. Jones, president and founder of PRRI and author of two award winning books, "The End of White Christian America" and "White Too Long: The Legacy of White Supremacy in American Christianity". Dr. Jones will lead a workshop in the morning and hold a round-table discussion at lunch on March 31. More details will be forthcoming. Mark your calendar as seating will be limited. This will be a free program. Dr. Jones will be speaking at Albright on March 30, at 7pm.

Global H.O.P.E. email from UCC available for February

The February Global H.O.P.E. email (Humanitarian. Opportunities. Progress. Empowerment.) email from the UCC's Wider Church Ministries is now available. Read about:

• Jenny Smith (PSEC) attending Disaster Ministries conference
• description of the Emotional and Spiritual Care Team
• vacancy at Global HOPE for a Minister of Volunteer Engagement
• and more!

Read the Global H.O.P.E. email here and use the button in the upper left corner to subscribe to receive future emails.

From the Addiction & Recovery Taskforce: Point to ponder

“God does not love us if we change. God loves us so that we can change.”

Richard Rohr, Breathing Under Water, pp. 41-42

New security grants available to churches through FEMA

The Nonprofit Security Grant Program can provide funding support to nonprofit organizations, including churches, that are at high risk of terrorist attack. This funding can help your organization implement physical security enhancements and activities. Click here for more information.

UCC webinar: Leaky Stoves and Deadly Gases

In the media and social media, gas and electric stoves have recently been a "hot topic." In this webinar, we will seek to put this "heated debate" within its proper ethical context in terms of environmental justice, public health, and concerns about methane pollution. This webinar will prepare faith communities for informed action in caring for our neighbors and our planet. Even if you cannot make the webinar at its scheduled time on March 8 at 1:00p, still sign-up, and we will send you a link to a recording of it. Register now!

Climate Justice Team offering Green Grants for 2023

Would your church like some seed money to kick-start a new season of climate-saving activities? The Climate Justice team of PSEC invites applications for grants of up to $250, to be matched by the churches themselves. Please apply by April 1 at psec.org/green.

• Could you use $100 for seeds and soil for your community garden? 
• $100 to buy the books on climate activism and theology you’ve been meaning for your study group to read? 
• $200 toward the $400 needed to replace every light bulb? 
• $250 to add to your $250 for a $500 jump-start on replacing a drafty window? 
• $250 toward the $500 for food, books and activities for your environmental summer outdoor school for the neighborhood? 
• A couple of hundred in sight so you can go to an individual donor and ask them to match it?

Questions: Marian Shearer (uccrev77@gmail.com), Liz Brunton (lizbrunton2462@gmail.com).

Penn Central Conference ONA Ministry Team hosting event

The PCC ONA Ministry Team Winter Gathering will focus on "Embracing the Beloved LGBTQ+ Community: The Role of the Church". The event will be March 4 starting at 9:30a. For more information, click here to view a flyer.

PA Academy of Ministry classes announced

Convenient, affordable, online learning from the Pennsylvania Academy of Ministry at Lancaster Seminary. Upcoming courses include Church History 1 and 2, and Biblical Interpretation 1 and 2. For more information click here.

Phoebe Berks looking for kneeling benches for chapel

If your church is looking to sell or get rid of one or two keeling benches, please contact Rev. Leah Knox (lknox@phoebe.org).