 Calendar of Events |
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Mid-Winter Clergy Sabbath (formerly Clergy Convocation) - January 22 - 24, 2019
Annual Meeting
- June 7-8, 2019, Susquehanna University
General Synod, 2019
- June 21-25, 2019,
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
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| Resource Links |
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| Events and Training |
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UCC Polity and Theology Courses
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United Church of Christ History and Polity will be taught at Lancaster Theological Seminary during Term III in Spring 2019, beginning Friday, February 22, 2019 and ending Friday, April 12, 2019.
The class will be held for 7 weeks on Friday afternoons from 2:00pm to 5:00pm.
Assignments include reading and writing, resulting in a History and Polity paper that can be used as part of the ordination paper requirement for authorization.
Successful completion of assignments in the class will result in a Certificate of Completion that may be shared with the individual's Committee on Ministry to designate completion of an approved course.
Registration deadline is Friday, February 15, 2019.
Course Dates: Seven weeks - Fridays, Feb. 22 through April 12, 2019, from 2-5pm
 UCC History, Polity & Theology Course
This comprehensive course will meet Mondays from 6 - 9pm from January 28 to April 29, 2019. You may attend in person at Moravian Seminary Bethlehem PA or by video conference. The cost for a certificate of completion is $900. Academic Course Credit is available at regular tuition costs. For more information contact the instructor, Rev. Dr. David DeRemer
deremerd@moravian.edu
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| Community and Justice Issues |
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In the Executioner's Shadow
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"In the Executioner's Shadow" casts a penetrating look at the consequences of the death penalty through three powerful stories - the rare perspective of a former state executioner who comes within days of executing an innocent person; a Boston Marathon bombing victim who struggles to decide what justice really means; and the parents of a murder victim who choose to fight for the life of their daughter's killer. As the battle to overturn capital punishment comes to a head in the U.S., this provocative film challenges viewers to question their deepest beliefs about justice.
St. Paul's United Church of Christ - 626 Williams Grove Road, Mechanicsburg, PA 17050
Sunday, January 20th, 2019
4:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Please see flyer for additional information and to register.
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The Power of Habit
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Registration deadline: January 20, 2019
Everyone is invited to participate (lay and clergy)!
(Please read the book prior to February 6th)
A significant portion of what we do each day is not the result of deliberate decision making, but out of habit. Habits have power, and some are good while others are bad for us. Whether as individuals, an organization, or a community, those habits can lead to success or to frustration. In his book "The Power of Habit," Charles Duhigg examines the nature of our habits and how it is possible to change bad practices into good ones.
Penn Central Conference is offering the opportunity for interested pastors and lay people to explore the nature of habits, both personally and as a church (for indeed churches have habits) during the month of February.
The group will focus on how changing habits can lead to more effective leadership and witness within the church.
Date: Wednesdays in February (February 6, 13, 20, 27)
Time: 10:00am
Location: Penn Central Conference Office - 900 S. Arlington Avenue, Harrisburg, PA 17109 or via ZOOM
Facilitator: Rev. George Heberling
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Creation Justice - Climate Church, Climate World
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You can buy the book now from Hearts and Minds with a 20% discount! Just go to their order form page and type in the titles you want. Use promo code "UCC Creation Justice" and you'll get a 20% off.
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| Generosity |
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Friends of Penn Central Conference - NEW
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Many thanks, Penn Central Conference, for your generosity!
We are still finalizing our totals but already have $10,650 for our Friends campaign. THANK YOU!! Your generosity supports the important work we do with our local churches, Associations and the wider church. This enables us to invest in the programs, resources and tools needed to help our congregations flourish.
THANK YOU!
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Disaster Ministries -
NEW
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Where do your donations to UCC Disaster Ministries go?
Funds totaling nearly $443,000 were released in September, October and November and included:
- $258,000 for Hurricane Maria recovery in Puerto Rico.
- $100,000 for Hurricane Harvey recovery in Port Arthur, Texas
Other domestic disaster response disbursements September through November included these grants:
- $5,250 to 21 UCC congregations in the form of $250 matching grants for assembling CWS Kits and Emergency Cleanup Buckets.
- $2,000 to the UCC's Southern Conference for early response to Hurricane Florence and subsequent flooding.
- $3,000 to First Church UCC in Ipswich, Mass., for families who lost all their perishable food due to a gas explosion in Lawrence and Andover.
- $3,000 to the UCC's Northern California Nevada Conference for gift cards for survivors of the Carr Fire in the Redding area in July 2018.
And internationally, disbursements September through November included:
- $16,724 to the Theological Community of Mexico for library roof repair following the earthquake earlier in 2018.
- $12,000 to the United Church of Christ Philippines to respond to the needs of families impacted by Typhoon Ompong in Luzon.
- $3,000 to Global Ministries partner PGL responding to the Indonesia earthquake, providing food, medicine and roof tarps.
- $20,000 for clean water and drinking facilities in areas of Central Sulawesi, Indonesia, affected by the earthquake, tsunami and aftermath.
- $15, 000 to help Church World Service build 60 houses and a public school in earthquake-battered Northwest Haiti.
- $5,000 through the ACT Alliance partners for food, clean water and repair and maintenance of a water distribution system for families in El Salvador & Honduras displaced by heavy rains and flooding.
Thank you for your gifts!
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| Clergy News |
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Extraordinary Lenten Worship Planning for Clergy and Music Directors - NEW
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Jerusalem Tables
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 In a moment of great change and growth in the early church, Paul and
Barnabas
went up to the apostles and elders in Jerusalem with their testimonies. In Acts 15:7b-9, 12a Paul addressed this body, "Siblings, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe.
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God, who knows the heart, showed acceptance of them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as it was given to us.
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God did not discriminate between us and them, for their hearts were purified by faith." The whole assembly became silent as they listened.
The Council at Jerusalem reminds us that from its e
arliest roots the Church had challenging conversations about the Church
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Now
is time for another Jerusalem conversation.
In
Apostolic tradition, let us gather for discussion about
BE-
ing
the
Church in the world today.
Thursday, February 7, 2019
12:00 Noon - 1:00 PM
(Please bring a
b
rown bag lunch)
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Clergy Sabbath: January 22 - 24
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 Please register by January 9, 2019!
Building Sacred Relationships in a Time of Conflict and Fear
January 22 - 24, 2019
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Please join us at a new location this year!
Sheraton Hotel, Harrisburg - 4650 Lindle Road - Harrisburg, PA
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To Register -
If you need to register and pay by check, please call the Conference Office.
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Ministerial Excellence Forums, Spring 2019
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Please join us on the following dates from 1:00 - 4:00 at St. Thomas United Church of Christ.
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Light refreshments will be served.
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| Prayers for Penn Central Conference |
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Ephesians 6:18 (NLT): 18 Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.
Beginning in 2018, we created a prayer list to invite you to pray with us as we pray for all. We will continue this each week in 2019 as we list names of various churches in Penn Central Conference and hope you will add them to your prayers.
- Saint Peter's UCC, Aaronsburg
- Salem (Spring Mills) UCC
- Emmanuel UCC, Abbottstown
- Christ Church UCC, Annville
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| Hartman Center |
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Historic Preservation Committee Needed
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Do you have a love/passion for History? Have you ever worked on a Historic Preservation Committee? Do you know someone who has a love/passion for Historic Preservation?
Penn Central Conference is looking for people who would like serve on this committee. The project is the Historic Preservation of the Stone House at Hartman Center that was built in the 1830's. The house needs a complete restoration on the inside. Please contact the conference offices at 717-652-1560 for more information.
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Hartman Center Legion - NEW
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Lots of people committed to many different opportunities to serve in many different ways. And the organization of such a group needs "called out". And so in 2019, we are announcing a Hartman Center Legion.
Folks who sign up will be asked to support one or more of the following:
1) An annual "Love Offering" gift directly or through their local church.
2) Help recruit for the summer camping and other Conference sponsored programs (maybe as a BIG SPLASH visitor...certainly in their home congregation).
3) Be willing to attend a WORK WEEKEND the first weekend in May (May 2-5) to help get camp ready for the summer
4) Be part of an elite team with high level construction /handyman skills that could be called upon for special projects (example...upgrading Michaux Lodge after 35 years of great memories).
5) Be part of an elite team that seeks to encourage and attract other non-profit groups to use HC facilities especially year-round and weekly
6) Be part of a special project to restore the Stone House for historical purposes and finally,
7) Volunteer to be part of an elite team of leaders (Directors, SSTs, Counselors, and nurses) for the summer camping program.
8) Be part of elite teams to plan Hartman Center Fundraising events (like Fall Festival or the Golf Outing).
So what am I asking you RIGHT NOW? Let me know if you think the LEGION is a good idea. Better yet, let me know if you will be a member of the LEGION. PLEASE let me know at
abushnell@aol.com
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Hartman Center Legion - NEW
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 This year's Hartman Center Love Offering will be February 17!
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| Archive |
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Many thanks to the work of Kathy Brown and Trinity UCC, Waynesboro as well as the Creation Justice team. They have submitted a
Save the Date: June 7-8, 2019
