All of us knew the end of Roe v. Wade was coming but that didn’t take away the sting around the finality of the Supreme Court’s ruling this past Friday. I stumbled upon the news when I was scrolling through my favorite news site, and it hit me then how tenuous something like a “right” really is, how quickly five men and one woman can take away the right to reproductive healthcare from millions of women and their partners. Good people can certainly disagree on the deeply complex issue of abortion, and when a fetus becomes a person, but the stripping away of that right in certain states to make a personal decision around that issue is frightening and maddening. And despite the protestations of the Supreme Court majority, surely other rights around personal autonomy will be in the crosshairs soon.

The other piece of this moment is how it has been framed: Christians against the secular world. I was talking to a pro-choice Catholic friend who didn’t know that whole swaths of Protestant Christians have repeatedly voiced their support for a woman’s right to choose whether to have an abortion. It surprised her that all Protestants didn’t agree on this issue, despite the way some in the media have chosen to simplify the debate. The United Methodists, the Presbyterian Church (USA), the Episcopal Church, and, of course, our own denomination have explicitly advocated for reproductive choice. Christians of goodwill have had a long-standing disagreement on this issue, though one wouldn’t know such a disagreement existed if one followed the simplistic narrative cast by some anti-choice Christians and the news media.

But there is diversity on this issue within the Christian family, and at the very least we need to give voice to that diversity, that Christians are not of one accord on this issue, and that there is no settled Christian position on abortion. For those of us who believe strongly in reproductive choice, I invite us to speak boldly for the right of women to make these sometimes difficult decisions for themselves and to embody that support in our deeds as well. 

Rev. Kevin J. McLemore

‘We will stand with you in protest’: National officers speak out

 

Last Friday the national officers of the United Church of Christ spoke out against the U.S. Supreme Court decision eliminating, after almost 50 years, the constitutional right to an abortion. To read their statement, click here.

Even if you can’t make the scheduled time of 1 pm ET on Wednesday, July 6^th,

sign-up, and we will send you a recording. Register now!

Advanced Boundary Training "Keeping Time for Rest and Renewal" with PSEC Staff - September 14th, 9:00a - 12:00 noon, via zoom. To register for "Keeping Time for Rest and Renewal" click here.

Advanced Boundary Training "Power and the Office of Pastor" with Rev. Nora Faust - October 19th, 9:00a - 12:00 noon via zoom. To register for "Power and the Office of Pastor" click here.

Advanced Boundary Training "Pastoral Self Care" with Rev. Wanda Craner - November 2nd, 9:00a - 12:00 noon at Church of the Good Shepherd, Boyertown. To register for "Pastoral Self Care" click here.

The Walking With God Event will be a one day event at the New Goshenhoppen Park on Oct. 15^th. Mark your calendar and save the date!

The Pennsylvania Governor’s Office of Homeland Security (GOHS), in partnership with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Pennsylvania State Police, Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency, the three Fusion Centers (PaCIC, WPAHFC, DVIC) across the Commonwealth, Faith-based Information Sharing and Analysis Organization (FB-ISAO), and the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), cordially invite you to attend the third a quarterly event of our virtual learning series for Faith-based Organizations. This learning series will provide valuable information to religious leaders, security personnel and members of the houses of worship to enhance security and resilience. The next session is on Thursday, July 28, 2022, from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Please see the attached flyer with additional details. Registration is now open.  

Beginning in the fall, the Southern New England Conference UCC will be coordinating a Community of Practice for youth ministry leaders and clergy through their Faith Formation Leadership program. There are already three PSEC clergy and faith formation/Christian education leaders committed to joining the group, but there are still a few open spots. The cost is $250/year. For more information or to sign up, contact Debbie Gline Allen, the SNEUCC Minister of Faith Formation, at glineallend@sneucc.org.

A generous donor has provided money to pay for two new PAM students to enroll in Lovett Weems's class, Personal Finances for Ministers, which begins July 12. Anyone interested in applying for this scholarship should complete the PAM application found online and indicate that they would like to be considered for the scholarship. Scholarship recipients will be selected by noon on July 5.

Personal Finances for Ministers, July 12-Aug. 16. Tuesdays, 7-8:30p. Instructor Lovett Weems. Introduction to basics of personal financial management, including special considerations for religious professionals and congregations where they serve. Topics include budgeting, debt, compensation and taxes, insurance, investing, and estate planning. For pastors and lay leaders. 2.5 CEUs. $125

Ministerial Ethics and Professional Development, Aug. 23-Sept. 27. Tuesdays, 7-8:30p. Instructor Jessica Young Brown. A Ministerial Institute class. An in-depth look at ethics in ministry, including confidentiality, fiduciary duty, healthy boundaries, and self-care. 2.5 CEUs. $325.

Church Finances, Oct 11.-Nov. 15. Tuesdays, 7-8:30p. Instructor, Lovett Weems. Skills for creating and presenting budgets grounded in the church’s mission, expanding means of giving and sources of income, presenting accurate tracking and reporting of giving, proper financial administration of funds, and exploring new options for funding ministry. For pastors and lay leaders. 2.5 CEUs. $125.

For information or to register, click here.