Penn Northeast Conference UCC, 431 Delaware Ave., Palmerton, PA 18071
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Last Call for These Up-Coming Events & Deadlines |
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2021 PNEC YOUTH
Sleep-Out for Homelessness
When: Nov. 13-14, 2021
Time: 7:00 pm-7:00 am
Where: Union UCC, Neffs
(in the grove area)
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A Conversation with Pastors, for Pastors
Wednesday, Nov. 10 at Noon via Zoom
The Center for Continuing Education Yale Divinity Schooll
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Lay and Clergy: child safety at church training
Wednesday, Nov. 10 at 9:00a, we will host "Working with Children, Youth and Vulnerable Adults: What Pastors and Lay Leaders Need to Know about Child Sexual Abuse Prevention in the Congregation." For more info and to register, click here. |
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Bonnie's Letter
Romans 1:8 “First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, because your faith is being proclaimed throughout the whole world.”
Dear Friends,
When Paul writes to the church in Rome and offers thanks, he does so to acknowledge the church’s faithfulness and support for the Gospel. As I share the scripture with you today, I share it as an offering of thanksgiving for how your faith and support has been expressed to me and my family in the last few weeks. With the final hospitalization, transfer to hospice, death and memorial service offered for my beloved husband, Steve Vulcheff, you have exemplified the best of faithful people of grace, comfort, and hope.
Without our exemplary Conference Staff and your support, the last few weeks would have been even more intolerable than they were. The fact that I could count on your support, without question, and your understanding, without criticism, means more to me than I can say.
The outpouring of cards, support for the Conference Minister’s Discretionary Fund, emails and phone calls have been nothing short of amazing. I am back at work, and it is through the grace of God, and your prayer support, that I can do so. I will be present at the Fall Conference Meeting on Saturday and may see many of you there. I will share my appreciation in person, but I wanted you all, those who will be there in person, those attending virtually, and those not able to attend the meeting, to know how deeply I appreciate you and your support.
I truly do give thanks to God for You through Jesus Christ.
Blessings, Bonnie
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Save the Date!
Please save the date for a virtual celebration, as we commemorate more than 30 years of ministry at the Church House, live from Amistad Chapel, on Saturday, December 4 at 2:30 PM ET. We'll honor our first three decades in Cleveland, as we prepare to transition from 700 Prospect to our new downtown location in early 2022. Look for more details in the coming weeks.
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Continuing Education for Authorized Ministers - Advanced Boundary Training
Retirement: Transitions and Boundaries in Ministry
Thursday, December 9, 2021
8:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Jordan UCC, 1837 Church Road, Allentown
Cost: $35 per person, in person (no Zoom option)
Led by Rev. Dr. Becky Beckwith
Click Here for detailed flyer and registration information.
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Staying Sane in Todays’ World of Covid-19
A helpful look at increasing resiliency
“This new normal doesn’t feel normal.”
Wednesday, December 1, 2021 – 10:00 to 11:30am via Zoom
COST: $10 (payable to PNEC and mail to 431 Delaware Avenue, Palmerton, PA 18071)
Zoom link will be sent upon your registration.
A practical and helpful webinar dealing with ministry, stress, and self-care in todays’ world. Focus points include assessing your current stress impacts, implementing self-care resources in multiple arenas, strengthening resiliency, and caring for those around you. The course length two hours. (Authorized Ministers earn two continuing education hours.)
It is taught by Chris Farrand & Rev. Fred Meade and been used in UCC conferences around the country.
Rev. Fred Meade Rev Meade is an ordained minister of 36 years. He has taught for the New York Disaster Interfaith Services as well as the National Disaster Interfaiths Services and the American Red Cross for about the last six years and has also been deployed many times around the country. He has also served as a local fire chaplain and a member of the CISM Team.
Chris Farrand Chris Farrand is the Regional Coordinator of Emergency Disaster Services (EDS) for The Salvation Army in MA, CT, and RI. Chris has worked for The Salvation Army for 12 years and oversees both the development and operations of the EDS program including Immediate Response, Long Term Recovery, and Emotional and Spiritual Care. Chris has responded to many regional and national disasters.
Key subjects introduced and discussed includes:
- Defining emotional and spiritual care
- Personal stress assessments
- Understanding trigger points
- Cognitive “reframing”
- Post Traumatic Growth
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Register Now for the John W. Hatch Lecture Series
NOVEMBER 30, 2021
Mental Health—An Expanded Landscape
A Virtual Event
November 30, 2021, 9:30 am – 2:30 pm EST
Sponsored by the FaithHealth Division-Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist and the National Association of Community Health Centers
This is a virtual and free event, but registration will be required. Just click on the Register Now button below. More information on how to connect to the webinar will be sent to all registrants closer to the event date.
The Series engages faith and health leaders in thought provoking dialogue reflective of the strength of where faith and health intersections in improving population health and building stronger communities. It is named in commemoration of the pioneering work of Dr. John W. Hatch, William Rand Kenan Jr. Professor Emeritus, Health Behavior and Health Education, University of North Carolina Gillings School of Global Public Health. Dr. Hatch’s esteemed career includes over fifty years of experience in the areas of faith, health, and community organization with a special focus on underserved communities and social justice.
FaithHealth Division of Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist
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Justice Update: Monday, November 1
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Build Back Better (Reconciliation): Last week, after progressives held strong and insisted that Reconciliation bill (Build Back Better) and infrastructure bill be voted on in tandem, the House is looking to possibly pass both bills as early as this week. However, recent remarks from Sen. Manchincomplicates that ambitious timeline. Following the release of the initial BBB framework last Thursday, the Progressive caucus endorsed the outline in principle and reiterated they will support additive elements pending final negotiations. Negotiators are narrowing down the last outstanding issues that need to be addressed, including paid leave, prescription drug pricing, immigration, and expanding coverage for dental and vision services, among others. On timing, Sen. Manchin (and perhaps Sinema) is waiting for more details before committing to supporting a final BBB bill. If he or others insist on waiting for scoring from the Congressional Budget Office and/or Joint Committee on Taxation, that could further push back the timeline for Senate consideration of the bill.
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Climate: COP26 started with the goal of enacting policies globally that will prevent crossing the threshold of global catastrophe; and the absence of leaders from Russia and China from the meeting cast doubts on how united the world can be in the struggle. In better climate news - climate will also be the single largest category in the spending bill BBB package.
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Voting Rights: Sen. Schumer will bring up the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act for consideration on Wednesday. It will likely be filibustered by the Republicans. The window is tightening on getting this legislation passed to help protect the mid-terms from voter suppression.
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Abortion: Today the Supreme Court heard arguments in the Texas abortion bill SB 8 and a majority of the justices seemed willing to allow a challenge by abortion providers to the Texas law that bans most abortions after six weeks and allows enforcement by private citizens. With Kavanaugh saying “There’s a loophole that’s been exploited here, or used here.” Listen to the full arguments here.
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Immigration: Last week the administration expanded the list of sensitive locations off limits to immigration enforcement designating schools and hospitals, as well as a wide array of other locations. The Secretary of DHS also issued a letter saying that he will not move forward with the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP) a Trump era program that forced asylum seekers to wait in Mexico. He wrote the program, “impos[ed] substantial and unjustifiable human costs on the individuals who were exposed to harm while waiting in Mexico."
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Palestine & Israel: Last week, Israel designated six Palestinian human rights NGOs as terrorist organization, including Defense for Children International – Palestine and Al Haq. The move has drawn criticism by many human rights groups, governments, and faith groups around the world, including the UCC, which issued an emergency action alert. In addition, last week an Israeli planning forum gave approval to build 3,000 homes for Jewish settlers in the occupied West Bank in spite of (some limited) criticism from the Biden Administration.
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G20 in Rome: Despite calls by faith and environmental groups to G20 leaders to heed the urgency of the climate crisis, increase global COVID-19 efforts, and seek more sustainable economic and environmental policies, the G20 meetings in Rome offered little tangible success, outside of agreement on a global corporate minimum tax rate of 15% and some additional promises to send vaccines to developing countries. President Biden’s leadership in Rome showed that he intends a more multilateralapproach, but his hope of catalyzing more climate commitments went unrealized, blamed in part on the lack of political unity on the issue at home. Here is the official G20 leaders declaration.
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Transgender Day of Remembrance
The annual Transgender Day of Remembrance is coming up on Saturday, November 20 @ 4pm at Payrow Plaza (10 E. Church St. in Bethlehem). Your supportive presence is warmly welcomed and encouraged. Posters are attached to inform your communities and here is the link to more information via the Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/3145248955704325?active_tab=about
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Clergy Convocation 2022
with Rev. Dr. Emily C. Heath
May 3-5, 2022
Double Tree by Hilton, 2400 Willow Street Pike, Lancaster, PA 17602
Qualifies for 10 Contact Hours
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MORE BOUNDARY TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES
Registration deadline is November 8. Please note that participants must attend both sessions in order to receive your certificate of completion.
Boundary Training for Those in Specialized Ministries
Boundary trainings have traditionally focused on the issues faced by local church ministers. Our ministers serving through COVID in specialized settings have an even greater need for a training that better attends to their unique circumstances. Stephen Boyd, Ministerial Excellence, Support & Authorization (MESA) Minister for Chaplains and Ministers in Specialized Settings, and Tara Barber, MESA Minister for Ministerial Support and Accountability, have developed a Boundary Awareness Training with case studies and examples based on the experiences of specialized ministers. They are piloting a training for those in the Western Region on Monday, November 15, from 2:30-5:30 p.m., Hawai'i time.
Click here to register for this meeting: Meeting Registration - Zoom. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
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Building Towards a Just Future: PA IPL 2021 Annual Conference
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Crossroads Courses this Fall
Looking ahead:
Missional Leadership, Mondays 1/3 - 2/21/2022 Dr. Jill Peters
Road Hazards (Congregational Ethics), Thurs 1/6 - 2/24/2022 Rev. Derek French & Dr. Jill Peters
Story of Christianity, Mondays 3/7 - 5/2/2022 (Except Holy Week 4/11) Rev. Dr. Bill Falla
My Journey (Formative Spirituality) Thursdays 3/10 - 5/5/2022 (Except Holy Week 4/14) Rev.
Maggie Wellert
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Vital Conversations
Every fourth Monday of each month at 7 PM, clergy and lay leaders are invited to attend a Zoom conversation where they can talk through situations with other leaders, learn, and brainstorm together. On November 22nd, the topic of conversation will be the upcoming Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays and the challenge of balancing tradition with creative freshness. How do we tell the old, old story in new, new ways? Join us for discussion and idea sharing!
Meeting ID: 817 9668 4439
Passcode: 292474
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PA Academy of Ministry
Introduction to Pastoral Care, Tuesdays Jan. 6 – Feb. 10, 2022, via Zoom. 2.5 CEUs. $325. Register by December 21.
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Lombard Mennonite Peace Center Workshop in December
THealthy Congregations will be held on Thursday, December 2 (8:30am-4:30pm Central Time).
Register a group of four or more and save $15 apiece! For your convenience, feel free to use this LMPC Registration Form to compile the names and contact information for your group. Questions?
Call 630-627-0507.
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The Extraordinary Give
Join the Lancaster Theological Seminary community - Hosted by the Lancaster County Community Foundation. This Extraordinary 24-hour giving campaign will be held on Friday, November 19.
Gifts to Lancaster Theological Seminary
will support financial aid &scholarships at LTS. Thank you for making a difference for our LTS students!
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DISASTER MINISTRIES UCC
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