The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” John 1

About clergy and COVID, we have recently learned that pastors are in the second tier of vaccine distribution planned by the state. You can read more about the vaccine distribution and who is included by clicking here. The second tier of vaccines has not yet begun. However, we do expect the Governor’s office to provide information on that in the next two weeks. For more information, contact your county health office and other local officials for specific information about availability of the vaccine in your area.

It is with regret that, due to the current situation with Covid-19, the Clergy Convocation Committee has postponed Clergy Convocation 2021 to NEXT YEAR 2022. The committee is looking into different dates for 2022 and would like you to give us your opinion for which dates work best for you. Please use this link to take a quick 3 question survey so that your voice can be heard.

Join church administrators from around the Conference for a Community of Practice on Zoom 12:00-2:00 Wednesday, Jan. 20. We will fellowship over lunch and have some time for sharing resources and connecting with one another. Click here to register. This meeting will include an overview of 2020 year-end reporting.

Full-time and half-time positions for service between Memorial Day and Labor Day are available. Salary, travel reimbursement and training provided. Housing may be available at some locations. Must have an automobile, be in good health and available between May 24 and Sept. 5. For more info call 717-545-4761 or email campgroundministry@pachurches.org.

Additional information and application are available online here. Early applicants have best choice of location.

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:

St. Paul’s UCC, Fort Washington: We offered an electronics recycling event at our church focused on small household electronic items and will partner with a neighboring school in 2021 for another recycling event focused on large electronic devices.  

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.

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 have any questions contact Susan Minasian at minasian@psec.org. If you need info to phone in, email brea@psec.org.  

The Consolidated Appropriations Act was signed into law on Dec. 27. The CAA is an enormous bill. For information on the sections that may be of interest to churches -- related to extensions of the Paycheck Protection Program, Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, the CARES Act, and the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) -- click here for a summary from the UCC legal counsel.

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.

"We commit ourselves to opposing racism wherever it appears, whether it be institutional, economic, faith-based, or social."

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).

Back Bay Mission was started by the Evangelical Synod of North America (a predecessor to the UCC) in 1922 in Biloxi, Miss. Since then UCC churches, including many from PSEC, have supported this mission with money and their work teams. Learn more about Back Bay Mission. Work is resuming using safety measures implemented by the mission. The Mission Trip Calendar for 2022 is open and ready for bookings! There are also some small group openings for 2021. To book email volunteercoordinator@thebackbaymission.org with your preferred dates including your first option and a second option. The email requests are fulfilled on a first come first served basis. To see the weeks that are open you can access the calendar here. Note that updates to the calendar will take some time, so please be patient. 

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.

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.

Gov. Tom Wolf announced the availability of $5 million in funding for security enhancement projects for nonprofit organizations. 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 that is owned or operated by the nonprofit organization. Learn more. 

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.

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.

Brea Rarick, brea@psec.org

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.

In August 2020, Tropical Storm Isaias destroyed a bridge, cutting off a family with an expectant mother and medical issues. Penn Northeast and Pennsylvania Southeast Conference disaster response ministries along with Team Orwigsburg worked to secure funding and replace the 44-foot bridge. Click here to read more.

Lancaster Theological Seminary launched a new series called Learn LTS! These online events aim to help individuals who are discerning their next steps in ministry and theological education whether that be pastoral leadership, chaplaincy, social justice organizer, non-profit leader, or in bi-vocational ministry. You are invited to one of the upcoming Learn LTS events (Jan. 19 or Feb. 4), 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.

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.

Click here for more info and registration. If there are any questions, please contact Betsy Majewski at bmajewski10@aol.com

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.