MARK THIS ON YOUR CALENDAR !!

All PNEC Women are Invited to our Second Women's Retreat -

A One Day Event

September 19, 2015

10:00 AM - 7:00 PM

Jerusalem UCC (Trachsville),

545 Church Drive, Palmerton

Registration and More Information will be Forthcoming This Spring!

DID YOU REGISTER FOR THIS?...IF NOT,

THE DEADLINE TO REGISTER IS BY THE CLOSE OF BUSINESS ON JANAURY 29

MINISTRY DAY

Thursday, February 5, 2015

9AM to 4PM

Registration begins at 8:30AM

(Snow Date:  Thursday, February 12)

Northampton Memorial Community Center

1601 Laubach Avenue, Northampton, PA

610-261-1113

(PLEASE NOTE THE CHANGE IN LOCATION FROM PREVIOUS YEARS)

Free will offering will be taken for lunch

Keynote Speaker:  Rev. Cameron Trimble

Please email or call Patty Rehrig at the Conference Office to make your reservation

[email protected]         610-826-3113

"Ev'ry time it rains, it rains pennies from heaven." If this is true, the Amigos de Guatemala are hoping for a flood.......a flood of pennies that is.

Consider asking your congregation to donate a penny to the Amigos de Guatemala every time they use water-to wash their hands, take a shower, do laundry, cook or takes a drink of water. When using water, think about how fortunate we are to have potable water to do all of these things. Our friends in Guatemala do not have potable water from their spigots to drink.

The donations will support the PNEC's Guatemala Building Fund.

We have the contractor and the building plans. All we need are the funds to make this a reality. The people of Monte Margarita in Guatemala have been waiting for 3 years for a proposed multi-use facility/clinic. They need a place where they can receive basic medical care. The building will also house doctors/nurses and other staff so they will not have to travel the local pot-holed dirt roads on a continual basis. In addition to the clinic, the facility will be used for conferences and teaching classrooms.

If you have questions about our mission please contact us at [email protected] (610.481.9704).

Gracias!

Michelle Alexander to Speak on

Mass Incarceration and Race

     The United Church of Christ has always been an advocate for racial justice.  Recent events in Ferguson, MO,  Cleveland and New York City, which led to the police killing of unarmed black men and a black youth, have motivated communities across the country to consider the impact of racial prejudice.

You are invited to be part of this dialogue by attending the Martin Luther King event at Lehigh University on January 28 at 7:00 p.m in BAker Hall of the Zoellner Arts Center:

     Michelle Alexander, the New York Times best-selling author of The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness, will deliver the keynote address for the Lehigh University's yearlong celebration of the life and legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the slain civil rights leader.

Alexander, a highly acclaimed civil rights lawyer, advocate and legal scholar, holds a joint appointment at the Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity and the Moritz College of Law at The Ohio State University. Prior to joining the Kirwan Institute, Alexander was an associate professor of law at Stanford Law School, where she directed the Civil Rights Clinics.

- To see more, cut and paste the following in your web browser:

http://www1.lehigh.edu/news/%E2%80%9Cnew-jim-crow%E2%80%9D-author-keynote-mlk-celebration#sthash.CufmR5PQ.dpuf

--Lloyd Steffen,  Professor, Religion Studies University Chaplain & Director Dialogue Center/Lehigh Prison Project.  Lehigh University,  661 Taylor St.,  Bethlehem -  office: 610-758-3877

CLERGY CONNECTIONS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

Rev. Donald Brown will be installed as Pastor of Salem UCC (Moorestown), Bath on Sunday, January 25, 2015 at 3:00PM

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 

St. Peter's Union Church (Lynnville), 5129 Schochary Rd., New Tripoli is searching for an organist.  They have one service at 9:30 AM.  For additional information, please contact Karin at  [email protected] 

                   or 484-239-9709

WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR CHURCHES....

 Thursdays starting January 15 through April 16, 2015 - GriefShare Support Group - Jordan UCC, 1837 Church Rd., Allentown - for individuals who are recovering from the death of a spouse, child, sibling, parent, family member, or friend - 7 to 8:30 pm, excluding Maundy Thursday, April 2, 2015 due to Maundy Thursday services. The groups will be self-contained video lesson segments based on GriefShare's materials and will focus on three areas: comfort (January 15-February 12); answers (February 19-March 12); and hope(March 19-April 16). Individual seminar topics will cover areas such as guilt; anger; heaven/the afterlife; challenges of grief; wondering why a death happened; and what "normal" will look and feel like after a loved one's death. The support groups are open to the entire community, and you do not have to be a member of the church to participate. For more information, please contact the church office by phone at(610) 395-2218 or email at [email protected], or register online at http://www.jordanucc.org 

January 24 (9AM-2PM & January 25 (11AM-2PM) - Used Book Sale - Emmanuel UCC, 509 Hamilton Street, Bowmanstown - large selection books, magazines, music cassettes, CDs, movies VHS, DVDs, puzzles, games.   Kitchen will be open with light refreshments 

January 25 (order by) - Souper Bowl of Caring Soup Sale - St. Thomas UCC, 902 E. Macada Rd., Bethlehem - order by January 25 for pick up on February 1 from 11:30AM to 1PM - Chicken Pot Pie and/or Chili - $6.50/quart -

call 610-868-9167 to order.

January 30 - Longaberger Basket Bingo - St. John's UCC, 575 Grape Street, Whitehall doors open 6PM games begin at 7 pm, $15 tickets presale and $20 at door - reserve a table for eight or more in a party, food available - Please send a sase to St. John's UCC, Fullerton 575 Grape Street to order your tickets or stop in to purchase them. For more information, please call 610-264-8421

February 7 - Pork & Sauerkraut Supper - Jacob's UCC, 138 Franklin St., Weissport - 4 to 7PM - homemade desserts

February 7 - Valentine's Day Spaghetti Dinner/Dance - St John's UCC (Fullerton) - reserved seating begins at 5:30 pm. Singles, Couples, Groups, Families Welcome! To make a reservation call 610-264-8421 ext 14  Supports St John's Fullerton Youth Group trip to NYE 2016.  *Snow date Sunday, February 8th Same seating times

February 8 - All You Can Eat Spaghetti Dinner - St. James UCC, 37 South 15th St, Allentown - Noon to 2PM - SNOW DATE: February 15 - for more information call (610) 432-7677

February 14 - Valentine Buffet - Friedens UCC, 7227 PA Route 873, Slatington - 4 to 7pm - Menu:  Soup, salad, spaghetti with vodka sauce or marinara sauce with meatballs, chicken cacciatore, baked ravioli, ziti with broccoli, dinner rolls, ice cream, coffee or tea. Reservations needed by Feb. 10.  Call 610-767-5519 or 610-760-1170

February 28 - Pork & Sauerkraut Dinner - St. John's UCC, 1415 Rising Sun Rd., Laurys Station - 4-7PM - For more info. call 610-262-8061

March 28 - Spring Basket Social - Jacob's UCC, 138 Franklin St., Weissport - 9AM to 2PM - baked goods, kitchen open, Easter candy, handmade jewelry

June 28 - Field of Valor - Good Shepherd UCC, 3940 Mountain Rd., Slatington - 10AM - Honoring our military and first responders with a Field of Valor - to purchase a flag to Honor or in Memory of (deadline May 17)... contact  the church at 610-767-9680 for more information.