This Week in PNEC

This Week in PNEC --- September 29, 2016 - October 7, 2016

TO CONTACT US OR TO REGISTER FOR EVENTS

431 Delaware Ave., Palmerton, PA18071; www.pnec.org website

610-826-3113; FAX 610-826-5464

Alan Miller alanm@pnec.org Gilberto Garcia Rodriguez gilbertor@pnec.org

Barbara Jennings barbaraj@pnec.org Patty Rehrig pattyr@pnec.org

IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO INCLUDE IN "THIS WEEK IN PNEC" PLEASE EMAIL IT TO pattyr@pnec.org

PLEASE TAKE NOTE...PNEC STAFF WILL BE TRAVELLING A LOT NEXT WEEK

Barbara Jennings & Patty Rehrig will be attending a Continuing Education event and will be out of the office beginning at 12Noon on Monday, October 3 and will not return to the office until Thursday, October 6 at 9AM. Rev. Alan Miller will be in and out of the office on Monday and Tuesday and the office will be closed on Wednesday, October 5. If you were planning on coming to the Conference Office next week, please call first 610-826-3113 to make sure someone will be there.

THANK YOU.

2017 Annual Meeting of the Penn Northeast Conference will be

Saturday, April 29, 2017, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. -

St. John's UCC, 1415 Rising Sun Road, Laurys Station, PA

STAND UP BETHLEHEM

Serving Those in Need in Our Community

Saturday, October 8, 2016

10AM to 2PM

Christ UCC, 75 East Market St., Bethlehem

FOR THE FULL FLYER, CLICK HERE

Gwilym Williams Scholarship Gwilym T. Williams

SCHOLARSHIPS

If you are a college or graduate student who is preparing for a career either as a/an ordained minister, certified teacher or educator,

doctor of medicine then you may qualify for a scholarship grant from the

Gwilym T. Williams Scholarship Fund

This Trust Fund, created over a generation ago by a now deceased PNEC benefactor from Scranton, is administered by the Penn Northeast Conference of the United Church of Christ. The purpose of this Fund is to provide financial assistance for post-secondary students enrolled in accredited institutions of higher learning, and who are preparing to embark on a career either as an ordained minister, a certified teacher or educator, or a doctor of medicine.

Grants are limited by stipulation of the Trust to students pursuing one of these three career options, and who are also currently members in good standing of a PNEC congregation. Financial assistance will be awarded only to help pay the institution-stipulated costs of tuition and/or housing.

You are required to submit to the PNEC office all application materials (your application, certification of an acceptable program of study, your school's financial bill) before your request will be considered. Application materials must be in our office by October 1st in order to be considered for a grant for the (preceding) summer and/or (current) fall terms, and by March 1st in order to be considered for a grant for the (preceding) winter and/or (current) spring terms. Reimbursement checks will be issued directly to successful applicants. Even if you have received a Gwilym T. Williams scholarship in the past, you must reapply in order to be considered for a new grant. Applicants are awarded a maximum ten grants for undergraduate work, and ten (more) grants for post-graduate studies.

Please go to www.pnec.org to obtain the application packet.

Please note: your application will not be processed until all three application materials are received in the PNEC office.

IMPORTANT NOTICE

The 2017 Compensation Guidelines are now available for viewing and downloading on the PNEC website at www.pnec.org

MINISTRY DAY

Monday, October 17, 2016

9AM - 4PM

(Registration Begins at 8:30AM)

St. John's UCC (Fullerton)

575 Grape St., Whitehall

TOPIC:

Conversations with

Rev. John C. Dorhauer,

General Minister and President of

the United Church of Christ

Free Will Offering will be taken for lunch

Please email or call Patty Rehrig at the PNEC Conference Office pattyr@pnec.org

or 610-826-3113

to make your reservation

We have extended an invitation to the pastors in the Pennsylvania Southeast Conference

Please get your reservations in early!

Lay Ministry of the 21st

Century has changed its name to PENNSYLVANIA ACADEMY OF MINISTRY (PAM)

to better reflect our educational mission. We are currently in the throes of launching a brand new website with our class schedule, a listing of new class offerings to churches and associations, ONLINE registration for all classes and ONLINE payment, as well as our LIVE BROADCAST and recorded classes for a more flexible attendance.

Pennsylvania Academy of Ministry's new curriculum with brand new GOALS & OBJECTIVES that are matched to the MARKS OF EFFECTIVE MINISTRY can now be fulfilled within a 2 ½ year fast-track option or a 4 year regular rotation. All classes are held at First UCC in Schuylkill Haven with a new pre & post class assignment format.

PAM is a Pennsylvania Southeast, Penn Central and Penn Northeast conference sponsored training program designed to provide an educational foundation for our laity, our churches and our licensed/commissioned ministry programs aimed at helping our congregations thrive as the body of Christ.

Please visit our website and check out the new classes and registration and for more information please call Rev. Steve Hummel, Program Director or email paacademyofministry@gmail.com

UPCOMING CLASSES:

UCC History and Polity-Sept. 7, Oct. 8, & Nov. 19th

Stewardship-Oct. 15th

Biblical Interpretation Dec. 10th

Children's Sermon for

for Oct. 2 (in honor of World Communion Sunday) Items Needed: Scotch tape, deck of cards, with a Joker on top and the King of hearts right underneath. Tell the kids you're going to do a card trick. Have a child take the top card and show to all. Say, (assuming you have a sense of humor,) "This card, the Joker, is me." Ask child to rip card in half. Say, "See how easy it is rip that card in half." Then fix card, using Scotch tape. Ask another child to pick the next card off top of deck, and show all. Say, "This card is Jesus, the king of hearts, the King of Love. (Then, while holding up the rest of the deck, say:) And the rest of these cards are the people that belong to Jesus, the Church, here and all over the world. Now, we are going to take me, a Joker that's easily ripped up when alone, and put him/her under the King of hearts, and in with His people, the Church." Have child put Joker in the middle of the deck of cards. Now, give whole deck to another kid and ask them , without taking Joker out of deck, to rip that card in half. She/he won't be able to. "See, a card that, by itself, is easily ripped in half can't be ripped up when it's in the deck. When I put myself under the King of hearts, Jesus, and among His people, the Church, I become much stronger than I am by myself."

- Rev. David Quinn

ANNOUNCEMENTS & CLERGY CONNECTIONS

Rev. Samantha Drennan, Associate Lutheran Pastor at Jerusalem Western Salisbury, Allentown has resigned her position.

Services of Interest...

October 23 - 3:00PM- INSTALLATION - Sharon Frye - Salem UCC, 330 First St., Weatherly

November 6 - 3:00PM - INSTALLATION - Rev. Teresa Martin - St. John's UCC, 538 E. Thomas St., Coopersburg. The theme of the day is "Passion for Christ and Life" and a tail gate reception/party will follow!

UPCOMING DATES

SEPTEMBER

30 at 3PM to October 1 - 3PM - PNEC/PSEC Retreat - Diamond Ridge Convention Center, 1965 Deer Run Dr., Jamison, PA 18929

OCTOBER

1 - DEADLINE TO SUBMIT APPLICATIONS to the Gwilym T. Williams Scholarship Fund

3-5 - Parish Secretaries Seminar - Bird in Hand, PA

4 - Easton AMC Clergy - New Creation UCC, Easton

6 - 11:30AM-1:00PM - Southwest AMC Clergy - LVHospital Cedar Crest Cafeteria

6 - 6PM - PNEC Annual Youth Retreat Planning Team - St. John's UCC (Fullerton), 575 Grape St., Whitehall

10 - PNEC OFFICE CLOSED - Columbus Day

10 - 10AM - Licensing/Commissioning Member in Discernment Committee - Conf. Office

FOR THE COMPLETE LIST OF "Upcoming Dates"

Click Here

UCC Resources

2016-2017 UCC Desk Calendar & Plan Book

This popular UCC essential runs from July 2016 - December 2017. Has complete lectionary readings for every Sunday, special mission offering dates, special observances, and National Staff directory. 1-4 copies $16 each; 5+ copies $14 each

Click Here to order

LICENSING/COMMISSIONING MID DAY

(Member in Discernment)

November 19, 2016 - 9AM to 3PM

Penn Northeast Conference Office,

431 Delaware Avenue, Palmerton, PA

Save the Date...

PNEC Annual Youth Retreat

May 19-21, 2017

Spruce Lake

More information will be forthcoming!

Phoebe - Berks

Assistant Chaplain

Part Time

Phoebe Berks, a premier Continuing Care Community providing skilled nursing, personal care and independent living for older adults is seeking a part time, 24 hrs. per week, Assistant Chaplain to support the spiritual needs of our residents, family members and staff at our Wernersville campus. Responsibilities of this position include but are not limited to conducting a variety of religious activities, volunteer development and community networking. This candidate will provide support for CPE intern chaplains and field education students as well as resident care and counseling as part of the healing team. Pr eferred candidate will enjoy serving a diverse population with varied spiritual backgrounds and beliefs. Candidate will possess Master of Divinity or related degree, two units of CPE and ordination in United Church of Christ or partner denomination. Preferred eligible for certification by Association of Professional Chaplains or moving toward this goal. Please apply

on-line at phoebe.org/careers or forward resume to:

Rhonda Wade, Human Resources

Phoebe Berks, 1 Reading Drive

Wernersville, PA 19565

Fax - 610.927.8400; rwade@phoebe.org

EOE

PHOEBE ALLENTOWN OFFERS MONTHLY ALZHEIMER'S ASSOCIATION SUPPORT GROUP

Phoebe's Alzheimer's Association Support Phoebe Ministries

Group is held from 3:00 to 4:30 p.m. on the 3rd Wednesday of each month at The Terrace at Phoebe Allentown, 1940 Turner Street, Allentown. The group is free and open to members of the public who have friends and relatives with dementia.

This support group provides a time for people who have loved ones with Alzheimer's disease or other related dementias to come together and support one another. There is an opportunity to share ideas that may help in creative problem solving, provide education on topics the group is interested in and share experiences. For further information call Carol Kester, Director, Social Services, Phoebe Allentown at 610-794-5273.

"WE ARE ONE".... CELEBRATING OUR COMMON HUMANITY

Learning to dialogue for understanding

As our world becomes more contentious and divided, we hope to help people conquer fears of "otherness" by gaining knowledge of others and forging relationships by asking about and sharing issues of concern with serious respect for each person.

Participants are invited to learn and use the tools of dialogue to open ongoing communication throughout our faith and cultural communities. An important part of this dialogue series will be exploring social identities.

We are committed to teaching and learning listening skills that will further respect for the American value of freedom of expression while coming to understand that historical experiences matter... to all people.

Please join us for four initial sessions September 22, October 27, November 17 and December 15, 2016 for the first series of "We Are One" Community Dialogues. Sessions will be held at Muhlenberg College, 6:45 - 8:30 p.m.

RSVP: Institute for Jewish-Christian Understanding

at Muhlenberg College, 484-664-3292

There is no cost, but pre-registration is required. Space is limited.