This Week in PNEC --- June 29, 2017 - July 7, 2017

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    [email protected]                            Gilberto Garcia Rodriguez   [email protected]   

Barbara Jennings   [email protected]             Patty Rehrig     [email protected]

 

IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO INCLUDE IN "THIS WEEK IN PNEC" PLEASE EMAIL IT TO   [email protected]

Opportunity for Outreach in Bethlehem
 
     During Musikfest some of the homeless are not fed in the Bethlehem area.  If your church is looking for an opportunity to do outreach in August, here's a great way to help!  Needed are 50 bagged lunches that can include non-perishable items.
 Dates that are available to help are: 
August 7, 8, 9, 10, 11
     Please email Rev. Heather Kurtz at [email protected]  with the date you are available to take the bagged lunches to Christ Church UCC, located at 75 E. Market Street, Bethlehem. (There will be a sign on the door at Christ Church, Bethlehem instructing where to drop them off.)  The bagged lunches will be handed out at 12:00 Noon.  Please have your lunches delivered to the church at 11:45.  If you have any questions please contact Rev. Kurtz.  
 
 
Parish Secretaries' Seminar
"Bridge Over Troubled Water"
 October 3-4, 2017
Bird-in-Hand Family Inn
     The Parish Secretaries' Seminar is a one and a half day ecumenical, educational, non-profit seminar designed to provide opportunities to strengthen work skills needed in the modern office, to network with other secretaries/administrators, and to grow spiritually. Originally started by the Northeastern and Southeastern Pennsylvania Synods of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, we have expanded in recent years. As a result, secretaries, administrative assistants and office support personnel from every denomination are welcome. Scheduled sessions are relevant to the brand-new secretary and the veteran alike. We encourage congregations to provide this event as continuing education for their support staff.
     
Early bird registration ends July 17th!
Click Here for the full flyer & information, and if interested... Click Here for registration
 

Mark your calendars.....                        

 

PNEC MINISTRY DAY

Thursday, October 19, 2017

Place & Time TBA

Guest Speaker:  Lee Barrett

More info to follow...

 

PNEC SleepOut for Homelessness 2017

September 23 (6PM) -24 (8:30AM), 2017

St. John's UCC

1415 Rising Sun Rd., Laurys Station

for YOUTH in grades 7th through 12th

 ALL adult chaperones MUST complete the Safe Child Disclosure Form.  Those adults who are sleeping over must apply for and provide copies of PA Child Abuse and Criminal Background checks.

 

Please CLICK HERE for a flyer and also a registration form and sponsor form.

 
Make It Plain: Authorizing Ministry in the 21st Century  2017 Regional Events

In order to ensure all United Church of Christ pastors are effectively introduced to the new Manual on Ministry, the UCC's Ministerial Excellence, Support & Authorization (MESA) Ministry Team is hosting four regional events to review the most recent draft of the Manual. Registration is now open for the October 23-24 gathering in Philadelphia. For more information or to register, click here. Authorized ministers, Members in Discernment, and Committee on Ministry members are especially encouraged to attend. Register early, other regional events have filled to capacity!
Register NOW
 
Children's Sermon
for  July 2 (to illustrate the meaning  of church)   Items needed:  seedless grapes, bowl, tray.  Beforehand, take some of the grapes off the stem  and leave the rest on.  Put loose grapes  into bowl.  Show kids the grapes in the bowl.  Explain that this is like a group of people.  Pour loose grapes onto tray and point out how they scatter.  Then take the grapes on the stem and drop on tray.  Ask why they don't scatter---because they're connected to the stem, and connected to each other, because they're connected  to the stem.  Hold up grapes on stem---this is like the church.  Each of us is connected  to Jesus, just like each grape is connected to this stem.  And we are also connected to each other through  Jesus, just like all these grapes are connected to each other by the stem
- Rev. David Quinn
 
announcements ANNOUNCEMENTS
 & CLERGY CONNECTIONS
 
 Installation - September 24 - 10:45AM - Rev. Kenneth Hess will be installed as pastor of Flicksville UCC, 1337 Lower South Main St., Bangor.
 
Ted Good, PNEC Licensed Minister has pneumonia.  He and his wife, Margie (also Licensed Minister) are asking for your prayers please.
 
UPCOMING DATES  calendar

JUNE
30-July 4 - 2017 General Synod - Baltimore, MD
JULY
4 - PNEC OFFICE CLOSED - Independence Day
10 - 10AM - Licensing/Commissioning MID Committee - Conf. Office

FOR THE FULL LIST OF DATES...

DEADLINE IS QUICKLY APPROACHING FOR...

 

Rev. Alan Miller is retiring after serving the Penn Northeast Conference for 15 years

as PNEC's Conference Minister

 

We want to say "thank you" so we are having a banquet in Alan's honor on:

 

Sunday, July 23, 2017

4PM Gathering & Fellowship

5PM Dinner

Northampton Memorial Community Center

1601 Laubach Ave., Northampton, PA

Cost:  $25/person for the banquet

Please Click Here for the full flyer and

reservation instructions

Also available on our website www.pnec.org under the News & Events Tab -

Alan Miller's Retirement Banquet

Deadline:  June 30 for dinner reservations

 
Special Announcement: 2018 UCC Medical and Dental Benefits Plan Premium Rates and Plan Enhancements from the UCC Pension Boards  
Dear Colleague,
     Thank you for your participation in the UCC Medical and Dental Benefits Plan. At a recent meeting, the Benefits Committee of PBUCC's Board of Trustees approved the following rates and benefit enhancements for Plan Year 2018:
     Health, Dental, and Vision Rates (effective January 1, 2018)
  • Non-Medicare Plan: 7% increase (no change to deductibles, copays, and co-insurance)
  • Medicare Supplement Plan: 3% increase (no change to deductibles, copays, and co-insurance)
  • Dental Plan: No increase
  • Vision Plan: No increase
     As in past years, churches/employers and individual Plan participants will receive detailed information by mail later this Summer regarding their actual rates for 2018.
Plan Enhancements
     At a time when many of our members are hearing about potential rollbacks of various essential benefits and services under proposed health care legislation, the UCC Plan continues to provide comprehensive health and wellness coverage for UCC employees and their families. We are pleased to announce the following benefit enhancements to the Non-Medicare Plan:
     Please feel free to contact a Health Services Representative with any questions at [email protected]  or by phone at 800.642.6543, ext. 2870.
Sincerely,
  Frank Loiacono --  Director, Health Plan Operations
 

SAVE THE DATEucc logo

2018 REGIONAL YOUTH EVENT

July 19 - 22, 2018

California University of Pennsylvania

CALU

Participating Conferences...

Penn West, Penn Northeast, Pennsylvania Southeast, Penn Central, New York, Central Atlantic, Connecticut, Maine & Rhode Island

 

The 2018 RYE Vision...

#SELFLESS

Selfies make us focus on our physical appearance and what other people think of it.  We must focus on our gifts to build the kingdom of God.  The idea of #selfless means moving beyond the selfie culture and its obsessions to a place where we can focus on Christ's call for us to love one another.

Watch your emails for future information !!!

 
 PNEC Boundary Training Workshops
October 4, 2017
Rev. Diane Wheatley, Presenter
8:30AM Registration; 9:00AM to 3:00PM Workshop
St. John's UCC, 183 S. Broad St., Nazareth
Host Pastor:  Rev. Jeff Brinks
Cost:  $20/person
Make checks payable to PNEC and send to
PNEC, 431 Delaware Ave., Palmerton, PA  18071
The cost includes lunch and a workbook that will be handed out at the workshops
  AND   
October 5, 2017
Rev. Diane Wheatley, Presenter
8:30AM Registration; 9:00AM to 3:00PM Workshop
Faith UCC, 21 Faith Drive, Hazleton
Host Pastor:  Rev. Jane Hess
Cost:  $20/person
Make checks payable to PNEC and send to
PNEC, 431 Delaware Ave., Palmerton, PA  18071
The cost includes lunch and a workbook that will be handed out at the workshops
To register for one of these events, please email Patty Rehrig at [email protected]  or call the Conference Office 610-826-3113 

Boundary Training needs to be done once every 4 years
 
IN SEARCH OF...

 

For the complete list of churches who are searching for organists, choir directors sextons, pianist, etc., etc., and also churches who are giving away items, please CLICK HERE

 
What's Happening in Our Churches
 
(PLEASE NOTE:  We love advertising the "happenings" in our churches, however the list is getting too long for this publication.)
 
FOR THE COMPLETE LISTING of
"What's Happening in Our Churches"

CLICK HERE