Important This Week

• Services for Rev. Dr. F. Russell Mitman
• Register for "When Does Closure Become an Option" workshop in Feb.
• Stewardship workshops

Celebration of life service set for Rev. Dr. F. Russell Mitman

The Rev. Dr. F. Russell Mitman, former Conference Minister for the churches of the Pennsylvania Southeast Conference died on Saturday, Jan. 7. To read his full obituary announcement, click here. A service of celebration of the Resurrection will be held on Saturday, Feb. 4 at 11:00a at Church of the Good Shepherd in Boyertown. Those who are not available to attend are invited to register to receive a link to view the service online.

"When Does Closure Become an Option Workshop"

Since 2014, one PSEC congregation has closed, on average, every six months. This isn’t often talked about — 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 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.” 

A workshop will be held Feb. 18 (Please note, the date has been changed.) in Limerick to create a safe space where difficult questions can be asked and information shared with congregations facing decline and potential closure. You will receive resources and hear about church closure experiences. Click here for more information and to register.

One Great Hour of Sharing: Order materials, prepare now

March 19, the fourth Sunday of Lent, is the recommended date for the "One Great Hour of Sharing" offering. Unlike previous years, OGHS promotional materials will NOT be automatically mailed to your churches this year so that you may order only the quantities you need from UCC Resources. For your newsletters and worship planning purposes, graphics, videos and other resources are available for download on the OGHS website. Additional resources will be added soon.

Stewardship event: Generosity and Vitality in the NOW Normal

On Saturday, Jan. 21, the Southeastern PA and Northeastern PA Synods of the ELCA will host "Generosity and Vitality in the NOW Normal - a Stewardship Extravaganza." This in-person event will be held in Lansdale. For information, including workshop descriptions, registration link, and an event flyer, click here.

From the Addiction & Recovery Taskforce: Words to ponder

“All societies are addicted to themselves and create deep codependency on them. There are shared and agreed-upon addictions in every culture and every institution.”

Richard Rohr, Breathing Under Water, p.xxiii

PBUCC: Sign up for a Pre-Retirement Planning Seminar

If you are an actively-contributing Pension Boards member, 45 years of age or older, we invite you to join a Financial Wellness Seminar themed “Planning for the Transition to Retirement" Jan. 25 from 12:00-4:00p.

Whether you are planning to retire soon or are in the middle of your career, this seminar is designed to help you transition to retirement. Register here by Jan. 24.

In this session, we will discuss: 

• The retirement planning process and assessing if you are on track 
• Social Security planning including common questions 
• Decisions you'll need to make when starting your retirement benefits 
• Medicare and insurance considerations 
• Investing planning as you approach retirement
• Common estate planning documents 
• Planning for a fulfilling life after retirement 

Support/join Friedens UCC, Oley's mission trip to Peru

Friedens United Church of Christ, Oley is sponsoring a two-week Mission Rebuild Trip to Peru Aug. 5- 19 to help the Fuller Center for Housing build houses. Interested people, contact Sue Henne: s.henne73@icloud.com, 601-451-3209.

To support the Mission Trip Friedens UCC, Oley, is undertaking a shoe collection fundraising event. They are collecting shoes from now until April 30. They will accept any kind of shoe that can be worn on a person’s foot so long as it’s a pair and they are new or gently used. The goal is to collect 5000 pounds of shoes. For every pound they collect, they receive $.50 per pound. The shoes are refurbished and are sent to Third World countries. A poster is here. Shoes can be dropped off at Friedens UCC, 337 Main St., Oley PA 19547 at any time, including their Saturday drive-through drop off collections on Feb. 11, March 11, and April 15 between 9:00a and 11:00a in the church parking lot.

Engaging Christian Contemplative Practices

“Engaging Christian Contemplative Practices:” Six 90-minute evening sessions on: Jan. 18, Feb. 1 and 15, and March 1, 15, and 29. Register here.

What does “contemplation” mean? When we “contemplate” an idea, contemplation implies something deeper than thinking only. In contemplation, we start from a place of mystery and an acceptance of not knowing. This is often called the “mystical” dimension of faith, which shares a root with the word “mystery”. We shall talk about the foundations of mystical Christianity over the course of these gatherings.

UCC stewardship webinar

On Jan. 25, the UCC will host "3 Best Practices: Set a New Year's Resolution for Increasing Giving". Click here to register. Lee Gagen will discuss the three practices most likely to increase giving in a local congregation: teaching about generosity, pastoral leadership, and online giving options. The webinar will examine why these practices matter and discuss how to implement them in a congregation.

PA Academy of Ministry (PAM) New Class Dates

Jews and the American Civil Rights Movement, Feb. 8 and 15, March 1, 8, 15, and 22. Wednesdays, 7–8:30pm via Zoom. Instructor, Jack Paskoff. The American Jewish community played a meaningful role in the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. This class opens a window into this complex and multi-faceted era in Black-Jewish relations. 2.5 CEUs. $325.

Church History 1, Beginnings to Reformation Rumblings, four Tuesdays and two Thursdays, Feb. 23 and 28, March 7, 14, 23, 28. 7–8:30pm via Zoom. Instructor, the Rev. Matt Deal. Exploring how the church sorted out key paradoxes from the first century up to the Reformation. 2.5 CEUs. $325.

Click here for information and registration.

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).

Global H.O.P.E. hiring part-time Communications Specialist

The Wider Church Ministries' Global H.O.P.E. Team is hiring a Communications Specialist for 16-18 hours per week. For more information, click here.

Church Admins CoP

All Admins Welcome

Join with other "Assistants and Secretaries of the PSEC Conference for our "Community of Practice". On Feb. 15 at noon, the Church Admins will fellowship over lunch (via Zoom this time) and take time to share resources and connect with one another. All admins welcome. If you haven't joined us in the past, you are more than welcome to join us on Feb. 15. Register free, by clicking here.

Pension Boards accepting applications for NGLI

The Next Generation Leadership Initiative is a transformative leadership initiative for younger clergy, energizing and empowering UCC church pastors to create vibrant congregations that change lives.

The Pension Boards is currently accepting applications for our 14th cohort. Notice of intent to apply is February 1.

The ideal candidate is:

• 35 years of age or under by June 2023*
• Served a total of five years or less as an authorized minister in a parish*
• Authorized for ministry in and on behalf of the UCC
• Hold a called position of 20 hours per week or more in a parish setting
• Committed to long-term ministry in local churches of the United Church of Christ

(*note, if a candidate meets the last three criteria, they are allowed to be a bit over in one of the first two. We will consider people up to age 40 OR people with up to 10 years of parish ministry experience.)

Those selected to participate in NGLI receive…

• Six years of advanced training, education, and field trips to hone pastoral leadership skills,
• Cohort of colleagues that encourages, challenges, and reflects together on the life of a pastor in these changing times,
• Financial incentive—a $6,000 seed contribution to the participant’s Annuity Plan account, which should have a value of approximately $45,000 at the end of a 35-year career.

Information about the program and application process can be found here.