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Penn Northeast Conference UCC, 431 Delaware Ave., Palmerton, PA 18071
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2019 BOUNDARY AWARENESS TRAINING
Next year, the Pennsylvania Southeast Conference UCC is designated to provide Boundary Awareness Training for the conferences, synod, and presbytery. Those dates and locations have been selected and are:
- Saturday, March 2 in Lansdale
- Tuesday, March 26 in Quakertown
- Wednesday, May 15 in Kutztown
- Thursday, Oct. 3 in Schuylkill Haven
Click for the flyer
to register for one of these events. Registration for all four events are now open.
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FREE Advent Bulletin Downloads from 3 Great Loves, UCC
The Season of Advent is nearly here!
Click below to download the FREE 3 Great Loves Advent Bulletins.
We invite you to share how you and your congregation celebrate Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love this Advent Season; use #3greatloves on social media.
To learn more, please visit
3greatloves.org
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(Advent Yard Sign for Refugee/Asylum Solidarity - click on link above)
Advent is nearly upon us and God has created for us a kairos moment – a moment when we see images of families and children at our own border asking for safety and shelter, *
just
* as we are entering into a time of remembering the birth of the Christ child and that the Holy family
themselves
were forced to flee to Egypt to escape state-sponsored violence that targeted the most vulnerable. If there was ever a moment to remind our community that Jesus was a refugee, an asylum-seeker, a migrant – it is now.
There are many things we can do, and you are already doing them, all over the country. UCC Refugee Ministries created this simple lawn sign resource to support you in your ministry of welcome this Advent. Share the story of Jesus’ birth and proclaim to your neighbors that when we welcome refugees, when we welcome asylum-seekers, we are welcoming Christ.
Yours in Christ,
Amanda K. Sheldon, Program Associate, UCC Refugee Ministries & UCC Disaster Ministries,
United Church of Christ
www.ucc.org
+1 (216) 736-3210
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Bethany Children's Home...2018 Bethany Christmas Wish List
Click Here
and you will see a flyer about Bethany Children's Home's Christmas Wish List for their kids. As an alternative to material gifts, please consider monetary gifts to the Brighter Futures Annual Fund, which provides gifts that create smiles all year long! Mail donations to: Bethany Children's Home, Brighter Futures, 1863 Bethany Road, Womelsdorf, PA 19567
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FOR THOSE INTERESTED...Please let the Conference Office Know!
You’ve probably heard about the UCC new initiative, “Q&A: Innovations in Church Leadership,” a free webinar offered to pastors and their stewardship committees and highlighting some of our pastors who have been employing innovative and creative ways to grow their membership and/or revenue. We’ll be taking a break over the holidays but preparing to resume on January 31.
If you have a pastor in your area that we might feature, please let me know at your earliest convenience so I might contact him/her and place them on our 2019 schedule. Thank you for your assistance.
Wishing you a blessed Thanksgiving!
Scott Shirai, APR, Fellow PRSA
Office of Philanthropy, Technology, Identity and Communication (OPTIC)
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Communities of Practice for Authorized Ministers and MIDs
The Penn Northeast Conference will begin offering Communities of Practice to authorized ministers, and those preparing for authorization, in January 2019. Communities of Practice are support, accountability and learning groups for ministers based either on geography or on a topic. Participation in Communities of Practice qualifies as credit for ½ the 25 hours of continuing education. The cost for a year’s participation is $250 which reimburses the facilitators. Congregations are encouraged to support this fee for their pastors. Scholarships are also available.
At the fall Conference Meeting, Rev. Nora Foust provided an overview of the process and the ways of participating. We also encouraged those present to sign up for groups. Noted below are the Community of Practice groups, facilitators and spaces available. If we need more groups, we will work to train more facilitators.
Facilitator
Topic
Spaces Available
Rev. Dennis Schappell Lic./Com. Minister Mentor Group 3
Rev. Cliff Herring Retired Ministers Full
Rev. James Robison Newly Called or Placed Ministers 2
Rev. Nancy Hardy General Ministry Full
Rev. Jeff Brinks Engaging the World Through Faith Practices 2
Rev. Dave DeRemer Church Downsizing 3
Rev. Karen Yonney General Ministry Full
Rev. Heather Kurtz Creative Worship Lab Full
Rev. Dave Quinn Book/Theological Study 4
Rev. Jane Hess A Variety of Ministry Topics 5
Rev. David Charles Smith Solo & Sr. Church Pastors & General Ministry 5
Please let us know if you are interested.
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Crossroads Lay Leadership Program
Starting early January Crossroads Lay Leadership Program is offering two of their Unpacking the Scriptures courses. These eight week long courses our two of their most practical skill building learning experiences. Discipleship begins Jan 3 with Pam Weiss who directs the small group activities in a large congregation. Her experience is incredible with how to build groups and with different types of groups. Pam is a graduate of Moravian Theological Seminary and her classes are both fun and challenging.
Also starting that week, on January 7, is Teaching with the Rev. Roberta Kearney who is both an educator and a pastor. Roberta brings years of parish teaching experience to this course. She will expand your knowledge of how to teach, how to relate to different age groups, adult education and much, much more.
For more details including the exact class times and dates, snow dates, how to register or get your questions answered, see our website at
www.moravianseminary.edu/crossroads
. While you are there check out our Spring courses: Traveling Mercies (Caring Ministries) with the Rev. Maggie Wellert and Preaching with the Rev. Sue Pizor Yoder. All of our instuctors are passionate about their subjects and bring so much experience to their classes.
Contact Jill Peters for more information at
petersj2@moravian.edu
All of our courses are offered in Zoom, a real time, distance learning format. Be a full class participant from wherever you live.
Dr. Jill Peters,
Missional
Leadership Developer, Moravian Theological Seminary
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Disaster Response Ministry
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Webinar hosted by UCC Disaster Ministries
“Care for Clergy in the Aftermath of Disaster” -
Thursday Dec. 13
th
4pm-5pm EST
Join UCC Disaster Ministries and Rev. Beth Goss of Presbyterian Disaster Assistance for a 1-hour webinar discussing the unique challenges clergy face in the midst of and in the aftermath of natural disaster, and how we can understand their particular needs and offer appropriate support. This webinar is open to the public. Information to log-in is below. Please contact Amanda Sheldon at
Sheldona@ucc.org
with any questions.
**********************************************
Join Zoom Meeting
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Meeting ID: 880 108 944
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House of Worship Safety and Security
The Monroe County Office of Emergency Management and The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office is pleased to announce that they have partnered with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to provide a “House of Worship Security Seminar”. This training is being offered free of charge and will be conducted on December 4
th
, 2018 in the auditorium at the JT Lambert School in East Stroudsburg.
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With so many disasters, do not become weary...by Zach Wolgemuth
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Stay Updated and Involved: Visit our disaster
website
.
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PNEC Presents... the 14th Annual PNEC Youth Retreat
"#REALTALK"
"Sexuality and our Faith"
All youth in grades 6th - 12th are invited
February 22-24, 2019
Blue Mountain Christian Retreat, 1 Christian Ln., New Ringgold, PA
$145 per person (includes meals Saturday & Sunday)
Limited Space...Register Early
!
Click here
for Registration Flyer.
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UPDATED 11.20.18...MINISTRY TRAINING UPDATES (continuing education)
ALL Authorized Ministers, please note:
We will start identifying these kinds of links as continuing education opportunities – even though the policy doesn’t go into effect until January 1. If you have any questions, please contact the
Penn Northeast Conference Office at 610-826-3113. Thank You!
Click
HERE
for list of some upcoming opportunities!
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UPCOMING EVENTS...
--
Beginning December 1, 2018 through March 31, 2019,
Bethlehem Emergency Sheltering (BES)
provides a meal and overnight sheltering daily to our homeless neighbors at Christ UCC, 75 E. Market St., Bethlehem, opens Sunday through Saturday 5PM and closes at 7AM (the following morning). It is volunteers who make this important ministry possible. If you are interested in volunteering for this outreach, call the shelter at 484-379-6694 or visit
http://www.bethlehememergencysheltering.org/
--
Check out these webinars for churches on the ONA journey!
December 4
-- ONA 101 shares best practices for designing an ONA process that builds consensus in your church and reduces the danger of conflict. A well-planned ONA journey can leave a congregation feeling more united and with more energy and passion for the Gospel!
December 11
-- ONA and the BIBLE shows how the Bible can be foundational for a successful ONA process. We'll explore the eight verses from scripture that are often a roadblock for some Christians, but we'll also discover how basic biblical values can help you on our ONA journey.
Click to Register
--
Creativity Workshops for Church Leaders-
Saturday, December 1 - 10AM to 2PM - Montoursville Presbyterian Church 900 Elm St., Montoursville, PA --
Gift of Wonder: Creative practices for delighting in God, with Dr. Christine Aroney-Sine - 10 to 11:30AM --
Creating Your Best Church for the 2020's with Dr. Tom Sine - 12:30 to 2PM
See attached flyer for full details
--
We ThirstTM - Christian Reflections on Addiction.
Join us for a five-part series beginning in January on the epidemic of addiction and our Christian response. This series is presented by author and facilitator, Nina Marie Corona, M.A., C.R.S. On
Thursday evenings from January 29th through February 26, 2019
, these multi-media presentations will explore the importance of mercy, faith, and love.
These sessions are particularly useful for clergy, counselors, nurses, and educators, but all will benefit from the tools and resources that are provided.
Click here to register today
!
--Uniting Church & Community Through Music & Art -
June 25-28, 2019 at First Cong. UCC, Madison, WI -- 12th Biennial National Conference of the United Church of Christ Musicians Association
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PNEC and PSEC will sponsor two rebuild mission trips to
Puerto Rico this spring!
April 28 - May 4, 2019 &
May 12 - 18, 2019
The cost will be about $800 per person, including all costs: transportation, food, lodging, supplies, etc. Now is the time to register for either one of these trips. The first trip is almost full and the second is filling up fast. Registration requires a $50 deposit. Make the check payable to Penn Northeast Conference and mail along with this
PR Mission Trip Application.
To learn more about the rebuild site and the work go to
click here.
The next planning meeting will be Tuesday, January 8, at 6:30p at Trinity UCC, 101 S Main St, Telford, PA 18969. Phone: (215) 723-3889. It is projected that you will have the option to join the meeting electronically if you cannot join in person.
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Creating Sustainable Communities in Puerto Rico (AMANESER) 2025
We want communities to be prepared for another hurricane, like Maria, without depending on someone else to come and impose what they want to do, says Juan Rosario of AMANESER 2025. Most citizens are trying to solve their problems. We are sharing how they can collaborate, so that each community decides what they want to do.
In celebration of the Caribbean Initiative, Global Ministries is highlighting the work of two partners in the Caribbean for a special giving focus during Alternative Christmas. While any gift to Global Ministries can be shared as an Alternative gift in honor of a loved one, Global Ministries is lifting up the work of AMANESER 2025 in Puerto Rico as one of the two special giving focuses for 2018.
Continue reading about Global Ministries Alternative Christmas here.
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Children's Sermon for Dec. 2 (based on Luke 21:25-36):
by Rev. David Quinn
Items needed
: small table, Thanksgiving or Halloween decoration(something large enough to take up much of the table); non-breakable Christmas decoration(again, something large enough to take up much of the table.) As kids come up, put out table with Thanksgiving/Halloween decoration on it. Tell kids, at this time of year, many people put out Christmas decorations. Ask how many of them already have Christmas decorations up at their house. Tell them you are going to decorate for Christmas now. Bring out your Christmas decoration. Try to put on the table, but do it in such a way that the decoration that you already have on the table makes the Christmas decoration fall on the floor. Oh no, that didn't work! Let's try again--repeat what you did, so Christmas decoration again falls on the floor. Ask kids why the Christmas decoration keeps falling off--because this "old" decoration is getting in the way. What do I need to do, so my Christmas decoration will stay on the table--remove the "old" decoration(then do so.) Now that the old decoration has been removed, there's room for the new, Christmas decoration. Today's Bible reading is hard to understand. And it' kind of scary, too. But what Jesus is saying here is that. some day, God is going to decorate the world kind of like I've just decorated this table--by getting rid of what's old and bringing in what's new. God is going to get to get rid of old things, like hate, fear, and meanness, and bring in new things like love and forgiveness and sharing. We show that we are looking forward to that day by showing love and forgiveness and sharing, today.
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Ecumenical Advocacy Days!
Registration for the 2019 Ecumenical Advocacy Days for Global Peace with Justice Annual Conference is now open! Join us for this important gathering of Christian clergy and laypersons from across the country and around the world as we gather for ecumenical worship, learn from educational and training workshops, advocate on Capitol Hill and stand together in public witness. Click
HERE
to register now!
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Latest Mission Newsletter
from Rev. Jeffrey Mensendiek, Japan
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ONLINE UCC History
, Theology &
Polity Course -- Jan/Feb 2019
Course meets the requirements as set forth by the UCC Polity Teacher's Network will be offered online in Jan/Feb 2019. The instructor, Rev. David Gaewski. Classes are 9:30am to 3:30pm on: Jan 19, 26, Feb 2, 9. Platform utilized will be Zoom Video Conferencing (
zoom.us
) Tuition is $495. C ontact Rev. David Gaewski,
davidgaewski@uccny.org
Send payment no later than January 11
th
to: UCC Polity Course, Attn: David Gaewski, 5575 Thompson Road, Dewitt, NY 13031. Make checks payable to David Gaewski.
A syllabus is available upon request. Laity, Members in Discernment and Privilege of Call candidates are all invited! Class size is limited to the first fifteen to register. A student is considered registered when full payment has been received. Students who cancel enrollment will receive reimbursements up until January 15th.
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November JPANet Newsletter: Extending Extravagant Welcome to All, Podcast for a Just World Season 2,
and More
Save the Date!
Ecumenical Advocacy Days is April 5-8, 2019
The 2019 EAD theme is “Troubling the Waters for the Healing of the World.” This event will draw on the wisdom and inspiration from the Civil Rights movement and young movement leaders today to share best practices, and encourage one another to “Trouble the Waters” to bring healing to our nation and world. On Friday April 5th, there will be a UCC pre-event to help weave together our many justice movements. Join us in Washington D.C. in April as we seek to stir up #GoodTrouble for all God’s children.
World AIDS Day - December 1- World AIDS Day is recognized globally every year on December 1 to call attention to the effort to eliminate HIV and AIDS. World AIDS Day is about reminding us all that HIV is an issue for everyone. Get resources from
Global Ministries and
UCAN (UCC HIV & AIDS Network).
The Trial of the Century Begins as Preachers Continue Their Support -
On November 2, the Supreme Court denied the Trump administration’s attempt to halt a lawsuit filed by 21 youth against the federal government over climate change.
Sermons from around the country continue to be preached as part of a campaign initiated by the UCC called Justice for #EachGeneration. The campaign calls for 1,000 sermons in solidarity with the youth.
Make a pledge to preach!
White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard For White People To Talk About Racism -
The January 2019 Racial Justice Ministry Book of the Month Discussion will feature Robin DiAngelo’s newest book, White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard For White People To Talk About Racism. The New York Times best-selling book exploring the counterproductive reactions white people have when their assumptions about race are challenged, and how these reactions maintain racial inequality.
Purchase your book today, start reading and be prepared to join the discussion.
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