Penn Central Conference Weekly eNews

Weekly Update - January 9, 2019

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In This Issue...

A Message from Our Conference Minister and President - NEW!

PCC Annual Meeting - NEW!

Resources

Calendar - NEW!

Events and Training - NEW!

Justice and Community Issues

Book Studies

Clergy News - NEW!

Prayers and Devotions - NEW!

Hartman Center - NEW!

Previous eNews

For Pastors interested in Clergy Sabbath, today is the last day to register and stay at the Sheraton.

News from Penn Central Conference

A Message from Our Conference Minister - NEW

This New Year invites us to pause and reflect on what God has done in and through us in the previous year, even as we look forward to 2019.

Presentations of the 2017-2020 Strategic (Missional) Plan to all 8 Associations are now complete. Most of the Associations are in conversation with each other, per the proposed realignment, to see what is yet possible for their congregations if they work together.

Engaging community and justice issues is one of the goals in the Strategic Plan. I am pleased with emerging efforts to address the opioid crisis in our communities. Rev. Gloria McPherson (Perry County Ministerium), Rev. Donna Hale (First UCC, Carlisle), Rev. Laura Bair (Starview UCC) and Pastor Diane Kinley (St. John's UCC, Bellefonte) are providing leadership for some of these efforts. St. John's support group for grandparents was featured in a recent CDT article.

The Strategic (Missional) Plan also includes strategies to help our local congregations to flourish. Last year, our Conference staff offered several workshops and started new initiatives to better equip our congregations for vibrant ministry:

Healthy Church Initiative (new!); Financial (Generosity) Workshops; Ministerial Education Forums (MEF); Search and Call Workshop (new!); Clergy Retreat (co-sponsored with the Pension Board and Lancaster Theological Seminary) (new!); Innovation Grants (new!)

Six (6) new Innovation Grants were awarded in November 2018 to support new ministries in the Conference: 2 in Central Association, 1 in York Association, 1 in Mercersburg Association, 1 in Northern Association and 1 in Lancaster Association. Grant awards ranged from $1,600 - $5,000. Thanks to the Board of Directors Finance Committee for their work in creating this new initiative for the Conference!

Our Conference staff continues to accompany congregations that are in transition, and we are making good progress. From June through December 2018, five (5) congregations welcomed new settled pastors. In January and February 2019, eight (8) other congregations will also welcome new settled pastors. Based on the number of congregations currently completing local church profiles and involved in the interviewing process, this promises to be a fruitful year for welcoming new settled pastors. I give God thanks for the leadership and diligent work of the profile and search committees in our local churches.

Congregations are transitioning in other ways. As they continue to struggle, some have changed to part-time ministry as a way of managing decline. Therefore, some settled pastors are being called to serve 2 congregations in a shared (cooperative) ministry that optimizes shared pastoral leadership and shared resources for greater community outreach. Twelve (12) congregations are currently in conversation about shared ministry together. Let me know if your congregation is interested in learning more about shared ministry.

In an effort to provide even stronger support for local congregations in transition, Association Search and Call Associates , from each of our 8 Associations,are being recruited and will be trained as part of another new initiative. Here is the information that was discussed with Association Presidents and leaders.

The Associates will work closely with the new ACM for Congregational Discernment, when hired. As an update, the search process for this ACM position has been suspended, until after March 2019, to allow time for the Board of Directors Personnel Committee to review overall compensation.

As I ponder all the possibilities and challenges that this new year holds, I am comforted by the message in this Sunday's gospel text in Luke 3:15-17 about Jesus' baptism.

This passage reminds us that what God inaugurated at Jesus' baptism has been passed on to us as the followers of Jesus Christ. Like Jesus, our initial call is not to do, but a calling that simply loves and names us as: "You are my child, I delight in you!" This is where it begins, where the One who holds our future claims us in relationship.

As we travel life's journey from birth to death, and even as we journey together, as a Conference, into the future God has in store for us in this new year, the blessed assurance we have through our baptism is that we are God's Beloved, and we belong to God! And that makes us enough for whatever we are called to do. Amen.

In Christ,

Monica

Rev. Dr. Monica Dawkins-Smith

Conference Minister and President

Innovation Grants - NEW

The Penn Central Conference recently implemented the use of Innovation Grants, a program to enable Congregations to passionately declare and demonstrate the love of Christ. The entire idea of the grants is to help us as a conference find new and unusual ways we might use to enhance the vitality of our churches or to support untried ways to reach out to our communities with our message and with our generosity.

The world of Grants is one where accountability for results is forefront in the process and helps to ensure that funding is both matched by local sources and actually gets to do what it was originally designed to accomplish. But if you look at some of the synonyms for the word Innovation, they seem to be embracing the concept of higher than normal risk. My dictionary included:

change, alteration, revolution, upheaval, transformation, metamorphosis, breakthrough

new measures, new methods, modernization, novelty, newness, creativity, originality, ingenuity, inspiration, inventiveness

Our collective job in the Innovation Grant process is to first, surface grant applications that both seem well thought out and at the same time truly bring a totally new idea or concept to action; second, have a way to extend the life of the idea, if successful, in time beyond the confines of the grant period; and third, shows a way we can document the reasons why this was a great idea or why it did not work as planned. Ultimately, we wish to share the positive results with the entire Conference in case that idea might work in other communities.

-Scott Owens, Finance Committee

Many thanks to this year's grant awardees:

Conference Updates

Year End OCWM

Thank you for your gifts to OCWM. All 2018 donations (OCWM or others) must be received at the Penn Central Conference Office by Monday, January 14, 2019. Any money received after that date will be counted as 2019 donations.

Pledge Forms

We are grateful for the monthly OCWM gifts and appreciate those churches that added OCWM as a line item in their 2019 annual budget. Please let us know what you have pledged to OCWM in the coming year by completing and submitting this online pledge form or by sending this paper form into Wendy via email or mail.

Yearbook

DataHub is open. It will close on March 6 at Midnight. In the meantime, please continue collecting data and information. As always, are happy to help in any way. Thank you, in advance, for all your hard work

PCC Annual Meeting

Logo Contest - NEW

We invite members of the Penn Central Conference who are called or inspired to create a logo to be used at our Annual Meeting. Please consider our verse and theme and then submit your logo to Stephanie by February 1, 2019. The PCC Annual Meeting committees will vote and winner will be notified by February 14, 2019. For details

June 7-8, 2019

Theme: Renaissance Ministry: BE-ing the Church Today!

Verse: Ezekiel 37: 4-6

Calendar of Events

Link to Our Web Site Calendar

Printable Calendar - NEW!

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

Resource Links

Join Our Weekly eNews Mailing List

Association Links

Hartman Center

UCC Weekly Seeds

Daily Devotional

The Pollinator

Phoebe Messenger

Pennsylvania Academy of Ministry

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Lancaster Theological Seminary

UCCR

UCC Homes

Events and Training

UCC Polity and Theology Courses

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.

This class is non-credit. Registration is required. The course fee is $ 300.00.

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 .

Community and Justice Issues

January 20 - MLK Event: Honoring the Dream - NEW

Many thanks to Vonny Eckman for sharing. All are most welcome and encouraged to attend the worship service as well. This event is always uplifting and a wonderful opportunity for our youth to share in the history and diversity our country. Flyer

In the Executioner's Shadow

"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 20^th, 2019

4:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Please see flyer for additional information and to register.

Book Studies

The Power of Habit

To Register

Registration deadline: January 20, 2019

Everyone is invited to participate (lay and clergy)!

(Please read the book prior to February 6^th)

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

Book cost: $15.30 (order online)

Creation Justice - Climate Church, Climate World

In January, Creation Justice will be doing a book review on Climate Church, Climate World: How People of Faith Must Work for Change by former UCC Conference Minister, Jim Antal.

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.

Clergy News

TODAY IS THE LAST DAY TO REGISTER AND STAY AT THE SHERATON - NEW

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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Flyer - Agenda - Speaker Bios

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To Register - If you need to register and pay by check, please call the Conference Office.

Registration for LTS Students (Wednesday only)

Extraordinary Lenten Worship - NEW

Thanks to all that attended the Extraordinary Lenten Worship: A Collaborative Planning Experience. We are grateful for the reflection, collaboration and discussion!

We will be planning more events like this and hope to make Advent, Lent and ordinary time collaborative worship planning annual events!

Health and Human Service Sunday - January 27 Worship - NEW

Health and Human Service Sunday

United Church of Christ

Liturgical Elements & Prayers for the Third Sunday after Epiphany

January 27, 2019

Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10
Psalm 19
1 Corinthians 12:12-31a
Luke 4:14-21

Worship Resource

Jerusalem Tables

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. 8 God, who knows the heart, showed acceptance of them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as it was given to us. 9 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 . 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)

Flyer

To Register for York

To Register for Lewisburg

To Register for Harrisburg

To Register for Lancaster

Ministerial Excellence Forums, Spring 2019

Please join us on the following dates from 1:00 - 4:00 at St. Thomas United Church of Christ.

March 7 - Dr. Greg Carey, Pastoring Everyone in Divisive Times

April 11 - Rev. Jes Kast and Rev. Megan Malick, Back at the Table

May 9 - Rev. Dr. Carolyne M. Call, Emotional Intelligence

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Light refreshments will be served.

For Details and Presenter Bios

Cutting Edge Faith Formation Conference - NEW

Join us at MA-AUCE's annual Cutting Edge Faith Formation Conference and learn more about how to be anti-racist with Dr. Jennifer Harvey! Early-bird registration ends Jan. 15 -- sign up today! Flyer and Registration

Prayers for Penn Central Conference

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.

Zion UCC, Arendtsville
Saint John's UCC, Bellefonte
Peace UCC, Berrysburg
Trinity UCC, Biglerville

Hartman Center

Historic Preservation Committee Needed -

Pastors, please make an announcement in your church.

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.

Hartman Center Legion

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. For details...

Love Offering - February 17!

This year's Hartman Center Love Offering will be February 17. Here are the

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