This Week in PNEC --- July 26, 2018 - August 3, 2018

TO CONTACT US OR TO REGISTER FOR EVENTS

431 Delaware Ave., Palmerton, PA18071; www.pnec.org website

610-826-3113; FAX 610-826-546

 

Bonnie Bates  bonnieb@pnec.org    Gilberto Garcia Rodriguez   gilbertor@pnec.org    Christian Creyer  christianc@pnec.org    Barbara Jennings   barbaraj@pnec.org    Patty Rehrig     pattyr@pnec.org

 

IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO INCLUDE IN "THIS WEEK IN PNEC" PLEASE EMAIL IT TO   pattyr@pnec.org

Call to the Fall Annual Meeting of the Penn Northeast Conference

Saturday, November 3, 2018

Faith UCC, 22 Faith Drive, Hazleton, PA

Theme:  Transforming

Guest Preacher:  Rev. Bill Worley, Pennsylvania Southeast Conference Minister

Communion Celebrant:  Rev. Barbara Pence, Chair, Joint Conference Vision & Development Team

Workshop Leaders:  Ms. Amanda Sheldon & Rev. Karl Jones, UCC Disaster Response Ministries...and

Rev. Nora Foust, Penn Central Conference, Association Conference Minister

Registration Information & Form

Joint Conference Vision & Development Team Summer Zoom Discussions

 

The JCVDT is inviting YOU to scheduled Zoom discussions on three separate dates with three separate questions to inform our work to create a new Conference.  The last date is Wednesday, August 28.  Click to view the flyer/registration form/instructions for Zoom     The information is also available on our website   www.pnec.org

Governance and Ministry
 
As the weeks have gone by, I am sure you have heard members of the conference board or ministry volunteers talking about our work on Governance and Ministry. Many conferences, local congregations, and in some ways the national setting of the UCC have been moving toward the model of Governance and Ministry as developed by Dan Hotchkiss. First introduced in 2009 and published by the Alban Institute, Governance and Ministry: Rethinking Board Leadership has been used as a tool for aligning mission and purpose.  (Read More) 
In Christ's love, Bonnie Bates
 
Stretch Out Your With
PRIDE !
PRIDE IN THE PARK 2018
Sunday, August 19 - Noon to 6PM
Cedar Beach Park, Allentown
We will have a UCC booth at the event,
but need your help staffing one-hour shifts.
If you are interested, please email Gary Barraco @ garybarraco@verizon.net 
 

PNEC Ministry Day

9AM to 4PM

Saturday, October 13, 2018

Faith UCC, 5992 Route 378, Center Valley

Watch for more details!

 
 
ANNOUNCEMENTS & CLERGY CONNECTIONS

Services of Interest...
July 29 - 10:15AM - Service of Farewell for Rev. Kevin
Fruchtl - Ebenezer, New Tripoli
August 19 - 9:30AM - INSTALLATION - Rev. Joel Risser -
First, Hellertown
August 26 - Service of Farewell for Rev. David Grant -
Church of the Good Shepherd, Alburtis
September 2 - 10AM - Service of Farewell for Rev. Michael
Lonergan - Salem, Pocono Pines

September 9 - Join us for a reception to celebrate Gilberto
Garcia Rodriguez's 20th Ordination Anniversary. We will enjoy cake and other goodies during our "coffee hour" at 10am at New Creation UCC (3730 Nicholas St. Easton, PA 18045). 
 
September 9 - 3PM - INSTALLATION - Rev. Virginia
Schlegel, St. John's (Mickleys), Whitehall
September 16 - 9AM - Service of Farewell - Rev. David Ellis
 - Trinity (Great Swamp), Spinnerstown
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
SAVE THE DATE
Understanding Addiction & Older Adults
October 11, 2018 at DeSales University
Online registration will be available on Friday, September 7 at phoebe.org
Keynote address by Dr. Joseph Garbely
 
Children's Sermon
for July 29 (based on John 6:1-21)  
Items Needed:  large drinking glass, with a little water in it,  garden hose.   (Beforehand, hide hose and uncoil it so it's easily pulled out when you need it.)  After kids come out, bring out glass and ask---if  we wanted  to give everybody here at church this morning a drink of water, would this be enough---no.  Set glass on floor and pull out hose, being careful to keep one end of the hose hidden, so it  might be connected to a faucet.  Put the end of the hose that is in your hand into the glass on the floor.  Now, would this be enough to give everybody at church a drink of water.  Yes, it could be, because you could turn on this hose to give everybody a drink, and keep the hose going, to have even more than enough.  This is like what happens in today's Bible reading.  The followers of Jesus were like this glass--they didn't have enough But  Jesus was like this hose.  Because Jesus was connected to God, the source of ALL blessings, Jesus was able to provide more than enough.
- Rev. David Quinn
 
MId-Summer update and From the Ground Up Report
On Behalf Of John C. Dorhauer
 
Dear Colleagues,
     I know that we are living in and through a time of transition. No where has that been felt more than here in the National Offices. 
      We continue to onboard new employees and implement new programming. It is early in our time of transition, but I do want to implement a pattern of periodic reports to you about the impact of our transition. What I am including is a mid-summer report of the work and the outcomes of our staff, who continue to thrive while making their own adjustments during this time of transition. 
      I hope this helps; and I will continue to report out to you what is happening as we move through this time. While this report has some length to it, it is far from comprehensive. These are some highlights, and ones that I hope represent the good work we are doing on your behalf as we share with you the call to live out our mission together. 
    Also attached is the report out from the Theological Summit - From the Ground Up. We have now begun to schedule follow up meetings with the small groups that formed, who will continue their work together. Our hope is to have a galvanizing moment around this at Synod - but those plans are only now developing and will be dependent on what happens in the small groups between now and then.
 
UPCOMING DATES  
  calendar
JULY
28 - 9AM - JCVDT - First UCC, Quakertown
29 - 10:15AM - Service of Farewell for Kevin Fruchtl - Ebenezer, New Tripoli
30 - 10AM - Disaster Response Ministry Coordinators from across the state of PA - Zoom Meeting
31 - 6PM - Youth & Young Adult Ministry Team - Conference Office

Pastoral Leadership in Congregational Systems

Three Sessions of Learning to Improve

Pastoral Leadership

Who: Authorized Ministers

What: 3 days of Experiential Learning

When: October 10, 2018; February 27, 2018; May 1, 2019

            9AM to 5PM with a break for lunch

Where: Faith UCC, 5992 Route 378, Center Valley

Cost: $350 including lunch & breaks each day

deposit $100 due with registration; full payment by 10.1.18

More Details & Registration Form 

 

UCC Refugee Ministries

 

As of July 23 only 17,564 refugees have actually been allowed to come into the country to restart their lives.  If you and/or you congregation are interested in the U.S. Refugee Resettlement Program there is a step-by-step guide for meeting with your Member of Congress next month to say #RefugeesWelcome.

 
We're Almost There!
  
     The PNEC Amigos de Guatemala team wants you to know we are close to completing our building project in Monte Margarita. The building is up and all that is left to be done is finish the interior and install a few necessary items such as a back-up electrical generator. However, we need more funds to finish this last phase of the project.
     If your congregation would like to learn how they can support us we have a slide presentation to show you and hand crafted items to sell as gifts.
     You can also donate online on the PNEC website. Click on the events Amigos. Or mail a check with Amigos in the memo line to PNEC, 431 Delaware Ave. Palmerton, Pa 18071
     The Amigos and our partners in Guatemala need your continued support. To learn more, please contact Roger & Karen Heim at rksdheim@rcn.com or phone 610-481-9704.
 
Crossroads Lay Leadership Program
at Moravian Theological Seminary
has two Info Session in early August, both with remote attendance possible through Zoom. Registration is highly recommended; link is:   www.moravianseminary.edu/crossroads   and look for the Info Session Registration link
 
Pennsylvania Academy of Ministry
a 3-part educational series called
Consistory/Council 101
September 15th, October 6th and October 27th
10AM - 12 Noon
We are asking all Consistory/Council Presidents to place this educational opportunity on their upcoming agenda for consideration.  Download your Registration Form 
 
CORRECTION...
Greater Allentown CROP Hunger Walk
Sunday, Oct. 14 - 1:30 P
beginning and ending at St. Timothy's Lutheran Church, 140 S. Ott St., Allentown 
registration starting at 1 p.m.
     The CROP Hunger Walk is a great fellowship and service event for families, youth groups, adult groups, and congregations.  Twenty-five percent of the funds raised by the CROP Hunger Walk returns to the Lehigh Valley to support the Allentown Area Ecumenical Food Bank and the Lehigh Conference of Churches Soup Kitchen. The remaining 75% is used by Church World Service for disaster relief (e.g., for communities in the United States and around the world devastated by hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, and floods) and development assistance (e.g., assisting poor families with clean drinking water, seeds, tools, and irrigation).
     For a sponsor form, https://www.crophungerwalk.org/
for further information about CROP or for making online donations.
 
Do YOU need Boundary Training in 2018???
2018 Boundaries Workshops
"Essential Boundaries for Wise Leaders"
                      Sponsored by NE PA Synod 
 
IN SEARCH OF...

 

For the complete list of churches who are searching for organists, choir directors sextons, pianist, etc., etc., and also churches who are giving away items, please CLICK HERE

 
What's Happening in Our Churches
We love advertising the "happenings" in our churches Complete Listing of