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Important This Week
- From the Conference Minister: PSEC congregations positively affecting their communities
- Register for the Youth Empowerment Saturday event next month
- It's not too late to sign up for the Feb. 7 Diversity Training workshop
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UCC congregations positively affecting their communities
One of PSEC’s
2020 Vision objectives
was “to see 5 cities or towns being positively affected by the presence of a UCC congregation as measured by the quality of life standards (i.e. education, housing/homelessness, crime reduction, employment opportunities, health/wellness) of those communities.”
That objective was reached in several towns of the Schuylkill Association. The pastors and lay leaders of local churches there worked together in response to summertime flood damage in and around their communities. The Mayor of Tremont, PA, Mr. Ricky Ney presented a plaque, now in the keeping of St. Peter's UCC, Tremont, in gratitude for all that the United Church of Christ did in support of the people in Tremont, Pine Grove, Hamburg and the surrounding areas.
There are too many people to thank for making this happen and I am always fearful of not including someone’s name, but it is important to lift up the work of Rev. Karl Jones, PSEC Disaster Ministries Coordinator, Schuylkill Association Pastors Claude Schach, Jason Stump, Maureen Duffy-Guy, Shawn VanDyke and Craig Zimmerman for the roles they and their congregations played. Add to that a long list of contributors from congregations across our Conference who responded to the call for financial support and we have ‘a portion of the Body of Christ moving in a collaborative direction to effect for God and for good the lives of all people.’
Someone recently reminded me that the church is the only organization in the world that exists solely for people who are not (yet) members. There are countless residents in Schuylkill who now know that is true. I hope and pray the same thing can be said in the cities, towns and villages you call home.
Prayers that it may be so.
Bill
Rev. William Worley
Conference Minister
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Women's Clergy Retreat held last week at Mariawald
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PSEC ministers gathered last week at Mariawald Retreat Center for the Women's Clergy Retreat. This year's retreat was led by Rev. Jacquie Church-Young on the topic of "Nourish: Feeding Our Souls in a Hungry World." If you missed this opportunity for collegiality, spiritual renewal, and education, please consider registering for the
25th Clergy Convocation
on May 7-9 in Lancaster or save the date for the Men's Clergy Retreat, which will be held October 8-10 at Kirkridge Retreat.
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Register: Youth Empowerment Saturday in Philadelphia
Feb. 16 from 12:00-6:00p at The Episcopal Mission Center, 5421 Germantown Ave., Philadelphia, will be the "Y.E.S. -- Youth Empowerment Saturday". The day will include:
- Teen-led worship
- Music from F.U.E.L.
- Food
- Conversations on the topics of Racism, Sexuality, Bullying, and Gun Violence
- Interactive Art Activity
- Time to make new friendships and connections
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February ReadyPA Monthly available with winter tips
Winter is here with all its fury. The February 2019 ReadyPA Monthly provides tips for snowstorms and extreme cold. There is also an overview of common winter weather terminology.
The ReadyPA Monthly provides you with information and links to sign up and receive emergency, weather-related, and travel alerts.
The February Action Sheet provides a Winter Weather Checklist to help you prepare for bad winter weather. Please share
newsletter and action sheet
with your members. Remember, both the ReadyPA Monthly and the Action Sheet are available at
www.Ready.PA.gov
.
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Church stewardship workshop set for Indianapolis this spring
Need to energize and revitalize your church’s strategies for faithful generosity? Does your church find it hard to talk about money? UCC Church Building & Loan Fund would like to make you aware of the Ecumenical Stewardship Center’s “Generosity transformed! your mission*your ministry*your money Conference, April 30-May 3 in Indianapolis. For conference details and to register, visit
ESC’s website
.
UCC Church Building & Loan Fund can help your church with stewardship and much more! For more information, contact Jill White, Regional Mission Interpreter,
whitej@ucc.org
.
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Free UCC webinar: Climate change and forced migration
An upcoming UCC webinar will address one of the most important issues of our time: climate change and forced migration. War, agricultural hardship, severe weather—all of these can connect to climate change and the factors behind migration for millions of people. For example, one of the factors behind the much discussed caravan of migrants from Central America was climate change. How can people of faith respond to increasing climate migration? This webinar will feature four panelists who will address this. It will be on Wednesday, Feb. 13.
Sign-up now to join
! Register even if you can’t make it, and a recording will be sent to you.
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Joint PSEC/PNEC Disaster Ministry Team to meet in March
For some time both the PA Southeast Conference and the Penn Northeast Conference have been active in disaster ministries in eastern Pennsylvania and throughout the United Church of Christ. We can celebrate the ministry that we have had, but now it is time to take a fresh look at what God is calling us to do and be. Over the past few years our Conferences have affirmed that we share a ministry relationship, even though we are not moving forward with the unified conference council at this time. Therefore, we are seeking to consult with people who have a passion for Disaster Ministries as we seek to discover if and how we can work together.
Therefore, you are invited to the initial meeting of the joint PNEC/PSEC Disaster Ministry Team on Monday, March 11 at 6:30p at the Penn Northeast Conference Office (a Zoom option will be available).
We will explore some
"What if..."
questions, seeking ways to grow and enhance our Disaster Ministries Initiatives:
- What if … our Conferences would be engaged in a collaborative disaster ministry program, sharing leadership and resources? Is this the right time?
- What if … we could get others involved? Who should that be?
- What if … we had some common goals and objectives? What protocols should guide our collaborative ministry?
- What if … we would start working together? What are the first steps we would take?
We ask that you ponder and prayer about your response to this opportunity. If you will participate please respond to
kjones275@comcast.net
, so we can prepare for your attendance.
Shalom,
Karl
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Penn Central Conference hosting ONA Winter Gathering
The Penn Central Conference Open and Affirming Ministry Team will hold its 2019 Winter Gathering on the topic of "Does 'All Are Welcome' Really Mean ALL?" on Saturday, Feb. 23 from 9:30a-2:00p at St. Paul's UCC in Mechanicsburg. The event will cover the following topics:
- Why don't LGBTQ? people attend welcoming and inclusive churches?
- Are there actions, signs, symbols that distract from OUR Welcome?
- Graceful Engagement/ONA 101
- Healing Religious Trauma
- Faith Formation for people damaged and hurt by "church"
Register by emailing Shirley Keith Knox at
skeithknox@comcast.net
. There is no cost to attend, but a goodwill offering will be used to cover food costs.
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Cean James presenting for Campolo Lecture Series
The Campolo Center for Ministry at Eastern University has announced the Spring 2019 Campolo Fellows Lecture Series, including PSEC Associate Conference Minister Rev. Cean James. These lectures, sermons, and discussions are open to the public. For details,
click here
.
Cean will speak three times Jan. 30-Feb. 1 on “Christianity Unboxed”. Modern American Christianity is as tribal as ever. The two big boxes into which most Americans try to fit, and sometimes force, their faith are “conservative” and “progressive.” Like any labels, these are both defining and restrictive. What might be possible if the church returned to the big tent philosophy of both/and, determined to be a church of Spirit and Truth?
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Free VA Community Clergy Training events scheduled
St. Andrew’s UCC in Perkasie, has partnered with the Philadelphia Department of Veterans Affairs to set up Community Clergy Training (CCT) events at sites throughout PSEC. CCT is a program of the Veterans Administration to equip pastors in veteran care, helping to identify veteran needs, tend to difficulties of homecoming, and make referrals. Training events will be held this winter/spring at churches in Wyomissing, Souderton, and Schuylkill Haven. Additional training will be held at Moravian Seminary and the Cranaleith Retreat Center in Philadelphia. For more details on these free VA Community Clergy Training events, including registration links, click here to download an event flyer:
VA Clergy Training Schedule Philadelphia Region Winter Spring 2019
.
The first event is will be tomorrow.
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'Leadership in Unchartered Territory' workshop next month
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Last month, Conference Minister Rev. Bill Worley recommended the book "Canoeing the Mountains: Christian Leadership in Unchartered Territory." The author, Tod Bolsinger, will be presenting a workshop Feb. 28 in Philadelphia.
Rather than seeing graphs of decline or propaganda of a hopeful church, the event will acknowledge the challenge of our time and hear stories of resurrection and hope from real leaders doing the work of Christian ministry in today's drastically changing world.
Click here
for more details and to register.
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MA-AUCE Christian educators conference announced
Mid-Atlantic Association of United Church Educators will hold "Cutting Edge Faith Formation 2019: Meeting the Needs of ALL God's People" April 1-3 in Mt. Bethel. Join your Faith Formation colleagues for this conference which will include highly engaging, practical workshops. You will leave with usable tools and ideas that you can implement in your ministry context. In addition, we will have time to share our successes and struggles, network, worship together, and relax and rejuvenate. Whether you work full-time, part-time, or very part-time, are paid or volunteer, are a pastor, Christian Ed professional, or lay leader, this conference is for you!
Click here
for more information and to register.
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Classified Ads
Submit Classified Ads
here
View a complete list of Classified Ads
here
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Church Openings
Gulph UCC: part-time beginning ASAP
St. Paul's UCC, Pottstown: part-time beginning ASAP
If you’re interested in a position, contact Rev. Sharon Morris:
morris@psec.org
or 484-949-8774 ext. 302.
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Church Events
Submit Church Events
here
View a complete list of Church Events
here
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Educational Opportunities
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Missed a week? Read past eNews here:
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