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UPCOMING CONFERENCE EVENTS
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Camp Director Training - moved from May 20 to June 3
Clergy Leadership Series -
May 24 - at Colonial Park UCC, Harrisburg - beginning at 1:00 p.m.
Board of Directors Meeting - May 31
Hartman Advisory Council - June 3
Camp Director Training - June 4
Basic Boundary Training - June 9, Susquehanna University
Board of Directors Meeting - June 9, Susquehanna University
Conference Annual Meeting - June 9-10, Susquehanna University
Hartman Center Golf Outing - RESCHEDULED for June 17- 1:30 pm
General Synod UCC - June 30 - July 4 in Baltimore
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SAVE THE DATE!
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Mid-Atlantic Regional Youth Event
July 19-22, 2018
California University of Pennsylvania
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NEW - The Pollinator: The UCC Justice Blog
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The Pollinator is a digital platform of the UCC for the sharing of ideas and inspiration among UCC churches. Its focus is the building of a faith-filled and faith-rooted movement for the care of creation. It can be found here
This month's pollinator ideas include the following:
- With a Meal at the Heart of Worship, a small church connects with creation
- Climate March/Empathy for the Earth - What if Earth Treated Us Like We Treat Earth
- Lessons from Pope Francis - Framing Climate
- To revolutionize the Church, Go Outdoors
- The Lead in Drinking Water Crisis and Environmental Justice in Indiana
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P.A.M. Classes for Lay Leaders
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June 10, 2017 Pennsylvania Academy of Mininstry will be conducting our Worship Planning & Prep course at First UCC in Schuylkill Have from 9am to 4pm that also includes "rites and sacraments" of the church. This class is an advanced class and "Understanding Worship" is a prerequisite for this course.
If you have any questions or need additional assistance please contact Rev. Steve Hummel, Program Director at paacademyofministry@gmail.com or 484-239-5578
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Phoebe Messenger Now Available Online
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Visit
Phoebe.org/Messenger to read about the latest news and developments at Phoebe Ministries, including stories of residents and donors.
To receive the Messenger either digitally or by mail, contact the editor at 610-794-5124 or
pmcconnell@phoebe.org.
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| Join Our List |
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 Church Vitality |
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Would You Like a Mystery Visitor to Come to Your Church?
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The conference has trained
12 Mystery Visitors who are willing to visit your church on Sunday morning and give you a detailed report. Pastors can request a visitor (and they are the only ones allowed to do so) and they will receive the report to do with it as they see fit.
These visitors will assess the website, curb appeal and hospitality (as well as the coffee!). They will not be evaluating the pastor or the service itself. While most of the mystery visitors are churched, we also have a few seekers. To request a mystery visitor, contact Laurene Bowers
LBowers@pccucc.org
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| Improving Pastoral Transitions |
| Pastors moving from one church to the next need to focus on how they can effectively conclude their ministry in the church they are leaving... 50 Ways To Improve Pastoral Transitions |
| 5 Mistakes More Likely to be Made by Small Churches |
| Are you holding on to stale traditions? Read to find out more... 5 Mistakes More Likely to be Made by Small Churches |
| Social Enterprises |
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Could social enterprises bring renewed life to your church?
Read to find out more...
Social Enterprises by Matt Overton
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| Funding for Next Generation Ministry |
Does someone in your Conference have a great idea for next generation ministry, but limited funding to get started? Might they consider a move to the Southeast if the right opportunity arose?
On Easter Sunday, Holy Covenant UCC launched a request for proposals, offering up to $100,000/year for new ministry in South Charlotte.
If you would like additional details, please be in touch with Cheri Lovell, Principal at The Strategic Org, 704.564.5049.
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| Clergy News |
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May and June
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May 21: Steve Ericson Installation at Hill, Lebanon - 3:00 PM
May 21: Lou Ann Jones Installation at St. John's Blyemire, Dallastown - 3:00 PM
May 21: Marian Anderson, Ecclesiastical Council at Dreisbach, Lewisburg - 3:00 PM
May 28: Vernon Baum (Retired Area Conference Minister) SURPRISE! 70th Anniversary of Ordination at Trinity East Petersburg - 10:30 AM
June 4: Melissa Burkhart Ecclesiastical Council at St. Paul's Manheim - 3:00 PM
June 4: Tim Hogan-Palazo Installation at St. Paul's West Milton - 3:00 PM
June 4: Dave Bowles Last Worship at Grace Lebanon
June 4: Barb Albert Installation at Green Ridge Village, Newville at 3:00 PM
June 11: Melissa Eicholtz's Last Sunday at St. Jacobs Stone
June 11: Roger Snyder Farewell and 45th Ordination Anniversary Celebration at St. John's Tylersville
June 25: Dave Longenecker Installation at Homestead Village 3:00 PM
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Clergy Breakfast - Save the Date!
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The next clergy breakfast will be July 27, 2017 at 9:30 at Hartman Center.
See you there!
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Memorial Service for Rev. Jim Bright
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Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend Jim's Service of Remembrance and Thanksgiving.
June 3rd - 11:00 Visitation, 12:00 Memorial Service
The Church of the Apostles United Church of Christ
1850 Marietta Ave. - Lancaster, PA
In lieu of flowers, please send contributions in Jim's memory to: Trinity UCC, 2340 State St., East Petersburg, PA 17520; or Bethany Children's Home, 1863 Bethany Road, Womelsdorf, PA 19567.
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| Community Events |
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Invitation to Marchers Visiting DC
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One of our sister UCC churches located just outside of DC is making a kind welcome to "Marchers" who may be coming to the capital to participate in the upcoming marches. June 11 is Equality March for Unity and Pride. They will be offering free sleeping space and basic accommodations -- read more here.
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York Revolution Diversity Night Out
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On
Wednesday, June 14th, 6:30 p.m., the York Revolution supports diversity night.
There's nothing more American than baseball and diversity.
Join the Revolution in welcoming the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer fans of our community to PeoplesBank Park in York, PA. It is also PeoplesBank Kids Eat Free Wednesday - Pick up a kids food voucher at any PeoplesBank Financial Center before the game.
Tickets are $8 per person.
Tickets must be reserved by Wednesday May 31st.
Reserve tickets by emailing Rev. Eva O'Diam at reveso@verizon.net.
$4 of every ticket purchased goes to support the Open and Affirming Ministry Team of the Penn Central Conference.
Can you SING? The ONA Singers (all are welcomed... singers and non-singers alike) will do a rendition of Take Me Out to the Ballgame at the 7th inning. Churches participating will be announced.
Wear your rainbow shirt and join us!
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| Faith Connection Stories |
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Read and Share Our Faith Connection Stories!
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Quentin UCC - Bringing extra sparkle to
The Sparkle Box with good deeds and donations
Shiloh, Danville - Expanding the welcome and making the church accessible for all
We love to hear stories of Penn Central Conference congregations working within their communities to passionately declare and demonstrate their courageous love of Christ. Share your story today!
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| Hartman Center |
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It's Time to Register for Camp!
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Hartman Center Summer Camp has robust full week and half-week camps running June 18 through July 29. (Plus, we have our Labor Day Intergenerational Camp as well!) Branch Out and Connect to Christ with great programs geared for fishing, pioneer adventure, soccer, music, drama, dance and many more!
Join us this summer to make your own memories!
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Have you seen the Hartman Center Video?
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SWIMMING POOL FUND - Progress Update!!
Thank you for your support!
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NEW - Hartman Center "Wish List"
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There have been lots of questions on how to best support Hartman Center.
Here is a "wish list" of affordable items or projects that an individual, a group, or a church could adopt as a fun way to support Hartman Center.
The Wish List includes:
- Passenger or Utility Van - $15,000 - 30,000
- Airless Paint Gun - $400
- New Hobart 20-30 Qt. Mixer - $5,000
- New Hobart 10-20 Qt. Mixer - $1,500
- Quilts, comforters, sheets/pillow cases to develop a linen service for Michaux Lodge 32 sets needed x $60-120
- Camp benches - 16 wood or composite
- Pavilion picnic tables
- Shed for program storage
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| NEW UCC Mission Initiative |
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3 Great Loves - Love of Children, Creation and Neighbor
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"3 Great Loves: Love of Children, Love of Creation, Love of Neighbor" is a UCC-wide mission initiative that will be launched at General Synod 2017 and conclude at General Synod 2019. This initiative invites us to look at our work through the lenses of the 3 Great Loves.
How does our work express a love of children, a love of creation, and/or a love of neighbor?
Every Conference as been invited to participate in this initiative by sharing our Conference stories in written or short video (30 sec) form. We encourage each of our congregations to share their stories of ministry moving us toward a just world.
To curate these stories, we are seeking a volunteer "Just World for All Conference Coordinator" for Penn Central Conference. Please email Wendy at whepler@pccucc.org if you are interested.
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| Archive |
| Have a Story to Share?! |
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We would love to hear from you!
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