•  THIS WEEK IN PNEC                  April 2, 2020
Penn Northeast Conference UCC, 431 Delaware Ave., Palmerton, PA 18071
www.pnec.org   610-826-3113; 610-826-5464 FAX
Conference Minister, Rev. Dr. Bonnie Bates    bonnieb@pnec.org        
Rev. Gilberto Garcia Rodriguez    hispanicucc@rcn.com
Rev. Christian Creyer     christianc@pnec.org       
Barbara Jennings    barbaraj@pnec.org
Patty Rehrig    pattyr@pnec.org
   SEND ARTICLES TO BE INCLUDED TO   pattyr@pnec.org

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"White Fragility" Recording

Friends,
I was so pleased at the turn-out for our book discussion on “White Fragility.” A couple people were unable to attend or had to leave early or arrive late. As you know attending all the sessions fulfills the Anti-Racism Education requirement for authorized minsters. If you were not able to attend the session, please review the recording. Send answers to the questions we discussed to me via email. This will allow us to consider this session completed. Our next session is on April 14, 2020. Please join us.
Blessings, Bonnie
Topic: White Fragility - Meeting 2
Date: Mar 31, 2020 01:21 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Share recording with viewers:
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Regarding PA Sales Tax Exemption Certificates
For those churches who submitted their PA Tax Exemption information to us and we filed for you, here’s an update from the State received Thursday, March 26, 2020:

Subject: Sales Tax Exemption Extension Letter
Due to recent events with COVID-19, we are unable to issue your Sales Tax exemption.  Attached is an extension for your current exemption that can be used by you and your subsidiary churches.
Suzanne Tarlini | Director
Registration and Taxpayer Management
PA Department of Revenue
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Clergy Convocation May 5-7, 2020 CANCELLED
Dear Clergy Colleagues,
               After consultation with Doubletree in Lancaster, our Conference Ministers and staff, and the Clergy Convocation Mission Team, we have decided in the interest and safety of our communities and authorized ministers to cancel our May 5-7, 2020 event. The good news is that our presenter, Rev. Dr. Emily Heath, will be able to be with us at Convocation in 2021. Refunds for those who registered will be issued through Eventbrite in the coming weeks. On behalf of the Convocation Team we pray for all of you faithfully serving your communities in these days of pandemic and give thanks for the grace which binds us together as one in Christ.
Faithfully, Nick Pence, Convener
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IMPORTANT DATES RESCHEDULED…
Rev. Dr. Bonnie Bates will be installed as our fourth Conference Minister on
Sunday, June 28, 3:00 p.m. at UCC Greenawalds .
(The original date of Saturday, April 4 has been cancelled.)
  The April 24-24, 2020 Spring Meeting of the Penn Northeast  has been postponed until April 16-17, 2021 at The Chateau at Camelback
If you registered through Tithe.ly or sent a check to the Conference Office
a refund will be issued.
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The Penn Central, Penn Northeast and Pennsylvania Southeast Conferences
of the United Church of Christ invite you to a  
 
Daily Prayer Pause  
12:00 – 12:30 PM Monday – Friday  
All through April 
 
The plan for each gathering includes: 
 Check-in: Offer 1-2 words to describe how we are feeling 
Share our prayer requests 
Contemplate a scripture for the day 
Join in quiet time for reflection and prayer 
Closing prayer 
Our gathering on Holy Thursday will include communion, so please
be prepared with bread/cracker and wine/juice. 
 
Please plan on joining us, using the following Zoom link for attendance. 
 
Join Zoom Meeting 
 
Meeting ID: 390 624 627 
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PNEC Spiritual Renewal Partners Spring Retreat 2020 
Theme : " Be Still and Know that I am God." 
Place and Time: The comfort of your own home and the time of your own choosing.
"Perhaps in this current time of imposed stillness, it is most important to take moments to quiet our souls."
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Lehigh Valley Progressive Events

This events calendar   is sent twice each month.  It is a grassroots effort to publicize progressive events in the Lehigh Valley area of Pennsylvania. Please forward this email and share with family and friends!
Email  tomulrich41@gmail.com  and ask to be added to the Lehigh Valley Events email list.
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Complete Lehigh Valley Progressive Events  Calendar
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Also,  "Hate Has No Home Here" lawn signs, bumper magnets, and window stickers are now available ($5 each) Email Tom Ulrich at tomulrich41@gmail.com for more information and purchase sites.
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Most all in-person events are cancelled until further notice. However, there are online meetings, events and webinars being held. Here is a listing of those.
Thurs. April 2, 7 PM -  Fair Districts PA Monthly Statewide Conference Call  on redistricting reform. Click  Here  to join. (first Thurs)
Tues. April 7, 7 PM -  Good Government/UUPLAN Conference Call .  Concerned about our democracy? Join our First Tuesday Monthly CC to reclaim our democracy. Click  Here  to join the zoom video all or phone call. (1st Tues)
Wed. April 8, 2 PM -  Webinar on the 2020 Census  from Vote.org. Click  Here
( postponed until June 2nd ) Tues. April 28, 7 AM to 8 PM -  PA Primary Election
* Info  Here  on Mail-In and Absentee Ballots request dates
Sun. May 3, 5 PM -  FairVote Week of National Action on Ranked Choice Votin g .  Click  Here  for info and  Here  to join the conference call.
Tues. May 5, 7 PM -  Good Government/UUPLAN Conference Call . Concerned about our democracy? Join our First Tuesday Monthly CC to reclaim our democracy. Click  Here  to join the zoom video all or phone call. (1st Tues)
Tues. May 26 -  Final Day to request a Mail-In or Absentee Ballots . Info  Here .
Tues. June 2, 7 AM to 8 PM -  PA Primary Election
* Info  Here  on Mail-In and Absentee Ballots request dates
Extra viewing 
*  Video  of PA Budget and Policy Center's presentation on its 2020 state budget analysis.
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Please be aware that you can find continuous updates on the Coronavirus on the Penn Northeast Conference website. Just click on the COVID-19 tab. Thank you.

Information & Updates from Pennsylvania Council of Churches
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Payment Protection Plan

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) was found in the Disaster Ministries Tool Trailers that are located at Greenawalds per request of Karl Jones.  As listed below, this PPE has been donated locally to East Allen Township Ambulance Corp in Northampton, PA. This organization depends on donations and volunteers and is not part of a larger ambulance company. Due to the Coronavirus supply shortages, a plea was posted from their president for additional supplies. With approval from Karl Jones, the following was donated: 
169 N 95 Masks 
36 Tyvek hazmat suits with zipper (2 with hoods and boots) 
1 box Nitrile blue gloves 
I believe this to be consistent with the mission of the UCC Disaster Ministries to aid in disaster (and pandemic) situations. I am very appreciative that this has helped locally within our Penn Northeast Conference. 
 
Sincerely, Grant B. Field, UCC Greenawalds/PNEC Disaster Committee 
Do Americans Replace Traditional Church with Digital Faith Expressions?
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National Youth Event
The plan for National Youth Event is to reschedule at Purdue University for the summer of 2022 -- this will take the place of the Regional Youth Event that would have normally been planned for 2022.
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New Easter Hymn for these days
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2020 Boundary Training
offered by Lehigh Presbytery
(3 different sessions)
PLEASE NOTE: These are the only boundary training being offered in 2020
Click here for the flyer for three sessions of Boundary Training Offered by the Lehigh Presbytery in 2020. These sessions will be led by David Olsen. NOTE: The May training has been cancelled.
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NAVIGATING CONGREGATIONAL CONFLICT & CRISIS
(from PA Academy of Ministry - Lancaster Theological Seminary)
 
I am pleased to announce a new continuing education class in church leadership - Navigating Congregational Conflict and Crisis - will start this summer as part of the Pennsylvania Academy of Ministry at Lancaster Theological Seminary. SIGN UP NOW for the 2.5 CEU class that features one on-campus meeting - Saturday, June 27 from 9am-3pm - followed by five convenient online classes for just $325. Designed for lay ministers, individuals in discernment, and other church leaders, PAM offers ecumenical classes focused on leadership in the local congregation . 
F or more information, please see the attached flyer
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The Story of Worship
June 11, 2020
9AM to 4:30PM (Registration 8:30AM)
Jordan UCC, Allentown -- details TBA
(This will count for 7 hours of continuing ed.)
Stories are powerful. But harnessing the power of story in worship requires more than a few film snippets or sermon illustrations. Whether we realize it or not, most people make sense of their lives in terms of a life story. Every Sunday, when people gather in our churches to worship, it is an opportunity for peoples’ life stories to be woven into the fabric of God’s story and the story of the church. This workshop will look at how we better seize that weekly opportunity by being more attentive to the story our worship tells and presenting a more holistic view for incorporating story and storytelling practices into our worship.
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ITEMS OF INTEREST...

--April 14 & 28, May 12 & 26 - All Conference Book Study "White Fragility" Zoom Conversations - We will be reading and discussing the book, White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Robin Diangelo. This book examines the emotions and behaviors which impact our ability, as Caucasian or Euro-American individuals, to talk about issues of race. The Conference will be sponsoring 5 Zoom conversations about the book. (Please see the attached flyer for dates, times and Zoom links.) For authorized ministers, attending all 5 sessions will qualify as the completion of the triennial anti-racism training requirement.

--May 30 - Valley Over The Edge - Lehigh Conf. of Churches is hosting, to help those most in need in the Lehigh Valley. Read more...
DISASTER MINISTRIES UCC

FYI ...Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) was found in the Disaster Ministries Tool Trailers that are located at Greenawalds per request of Karl Jones.  As listed below, this PPE has been donated locally to East Allen Township Ambulance Corp in Northampton, PA. This organization depends on donations and volunteers and is not part of a larger ambulance company. Due to the Coronavirus supply shortages, a plea was posted from their president for additional supplies. With approval from Karl Jones, the following was donated: 
169 N 95 Masks 
36 Tyvek hazmat suits with zipper (2 with hoods and boots) 
1 box Nitrile blue gloves 
I believe this to be consistent with the mission of the UCC Disaster Ministries to aid in disaster (and pandemic) situations. I am very appreciative that this has helped locally within our Penn Northeast Conference. 
Sincerely, Grant B. Field, UCC Greenawalds/PNEC Disaster Committee 
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April Preparedness Toolkit (Financial Preparedness) from FEMA
With the call to stay at home at this time due to COVID-19, April could be a good time for people to look at ways to prepare financially for a disaster. April is National Financial Capability Month and FEMA is working with its private sector and governmental financial partners to get the word out on the importance of financial preparedness.
There are so many ways to prepare yourself financially should you or your loved ones be affected by a disaster. It goes beyond just saving money in a bank account. That’s what makes financial preparedness so important. Implementing a multi-faceted approach to financial preparedness can give you peace of mind during your response to and recovery from a disaster. Mentally, knowing that certain expenses will be taken care of can lift a heavy burden.
Take, for instance, insurance. Each year, you should review your policies to make sure they are up-to-date and that your coverage is adequate. This means reviewing your homeowners insurance and renters insurance. It doesn’t stop there. This is also an opportunity to review all types of insurance that you may carry, to include auto, flood and other types of insurance.
 Another strategy to follow is backing up critical documents. Take a day in April to make copies of important documents, like deeds, mortgages and personal identification cards. Keep them in a waterproof safe or fireproof safe. If you don’t have access to a safe, talk to a neighbor and see if you can keep it in theirs, or, keep it in a secure and accessible part of your home so that you can access these documents when you need them the most. To this end, we’re reminded of stories during disasters where residents had to provide documentation and proof of residence to return to their homes.
You don’t need an economics degree to prepare financially for a disaster. Many of the strategies you’ll find in this toolkit are common sense solutions. Remember, it’s not all about saving money, but we encourage that too if you’re able. Even if it is $5 a week in a savings account, that can add up over time. Every little bit will help.
Take the month of April to do a bit of spring cleaning of your financials, your critical documents and your insurance. Click Here for more information.
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Would those congregations who are continuing to reach out in mission to the broader community please send Karl at his email kjones275@comcast.net a list of those activities and the population you are serving? Additionally, please identify to him any additional resources you might need to continue those ministries and missions.
 
It is important in these days to stand together, to serve our communities, and to consolidate resources as much as possible
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Shalom, Karl Jones, Disaster Response Coordinator; cell: 570-617-4018
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**You can find more information & updates at UCC Disaster Ministries: www.ucc.org/disaster