Last Chance...Congregational Leadership Training

Cost: $25 per person OR $100 maximum per church

Topics covered: leadership basics, meting management, defining core values, behavioral covenants, governance and ministry models, specific position training for Chairs, Vice-Chairs, Secretaries, Treasurers, Pastoral Care Teams, Pastor Relations Teams

Theme: Blessed to be the Children of God

Scripture:  Galatians 3:26-29

²⁶ So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, ²⁷ for all of you

who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. ²⁸ There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female,

 for you are all one in Christ Jesus. ²⁹ If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Author of White Too Long: The Legacy

Robert P. Jones is the CEO and founder of Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) and the author of White Too Long: The Legacy of White Supremacy in American Christianity. Jones writes regularly on politics, culture, and religion for The Atlantic online, NBC Think, and other outlets. He is frequently featured in major national media, such as CNN, MSNBC, NPR, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and others. He holds a Ph.D. in religion from Emory University and a M.Div. from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is the author of The End of White Christian America, which won the 2019 Grawemeyer Award in Religion.

a very informative webinar, and life in Fukushima ten years after the disaster. Terumi Kataoka goes into detail about daily life and some of the struggles that she is involved in to fight for the rights of the people living in Fukushima. The other piece of information I have is a "prayer" composed by the leadership of the Tohoku Conference in northeaster Japan. They are our partners in mission. They will be praying this prayer on the 11th, at the worship service commemorating the tenth anniversary of the disaster (earthquake, tsunami and nuclear).

Join us on Wednesday, March 17 at 2 PM ET for a discussion of the painful legacy of the 10th anniversary of the “triple disaster” in Japan. This webinar will feature an interview with Terumi Kataoka, Representative of the Aizu Radiation Information Center in Fukushima Prefecture. Register here

Sandy -- Rev. Sandra L. Strauss, Director of Advocacy & Ecumenical Outreach

Pennsylvania Council of Churches

We have officially passed the one year marker of the beginning of the pandemic. Our lives and ways of worship were uprooted and adapted, and we have tackled challenge after challenge. It can be all too easy to look at the past 12 months with a mindset of scarcity, but there have also been amazing stories of triumph and abundance! The Generosity Committee wants to hear from you! Share your story with us about where you and your congregation have moved from scarcity to abundance! Where have you seen generosity alive and well? Please email your stories, photos, and videos to pattyr@pnec.org so we can share and be inspired together! God Bless!

-Rev. Rebecca Sausser, Generosity Committee Chair

To register and receive the link call: 717-272-6621 ext. 5085 or

email Vince: Vincent.Zvorsky@va.gov

Veterans are at higher risk for suicide than the average population. Moral Injuries can have an underlying effect upon the Veteran, as the Veteran feels overwhelmed with shame and guilt. Faith community leaders are encouraged to join us for this virtual training event to learn more about how to help Veterans who may be contemplating Suicide and/or suffering from moral injury.

Guest Speakers include: Chief of Chaplains, Dean Luther

Suicide Prevention Coordinator, John Lucas

Even though we've started a new year, it feels like so much of 2020 is still with us doesn't it? People are dying, loved ones hurting, and the space for grief feels smaller and smaller. You may have experienced loss personally, within your church, or throughout your larger community. None of it is easy, and there are people looking to you for support. How prepared are you? Maybe the most honest answer for any of us is "I'm not really sure."

Most of us are well-equipped to sermonize about eternity, resurrection, and life ever after. There's nothing wrong with that - as long as we don't miss the chance to, as the Apostle Paul write, "mourn with those who mourn." How to do that can be complicated. We can help. Beginning in March we will be hosting an all-new online course entitled "Ministering to Grieving People." Led by author, minister, and Master Certified Coach, Dr. Don Eisenhauer. These four weekly sessions will prepare you- and your congregation - to care for hurting people in a deeper, more connected way. This course could not be more timely. Click here for more information about the course and how to register.

Intro to Worship Leadership & Liturgical Practices 

The Pennsylvania Academy of Ministry at Lancaster Theological Seminary is delighted to offer a new, six class series: Introduction to Worship Leadership and Liturgical Practices. 

Taught by the Rev. Dr. Marty Kuchma, this class will prepare worship leaders to plan, prepare, and practice congregational worship, rites, and rituals, especially baptisms, weddings, and funerals/memorial services.

 Register NOW

The six-week online class runs from Saturday, April 10 through Saturday, May 15. Five of the classes meet Saturdays from 10:00 am until noon. One class will be held on Thursday, May 6 from 6:00-8:00 pm.

Just $325 all inclusive. Register now! Blessings, Rev. Darryl Stephens, PhD, Director of PAM

As you may be aware, the Commonwealth recently announced (click here to access the press release) the selection of a vendor for the Resource Information and Services Enterprise – or RISE PA – the upcoming statewide resource and referral tool. When fully implemented, anyone in Pennsylvania will be able to access this tool from their personal computers, tablets, and mobile devices to find information about services and resources and self-refer to participating social services agencies. Read More...

A UCC History, Theology and Polity Course that meets the requirements as set forth by the UCC Polity Teacher's Network will be offered online in Feb/March 2021. The instructors will be Rev. David Gaewski, Conference Minister of the New York Conference, UCC, and Rev. Shernell Edney Stilley, Associate Conference Minister, New York Conference. Classes will begin at 9:30am and end at 3:30pm EST on the following dates: May 1, 8, 15, 22, 2021. The platform utilized will be Zoom Video Conferencing (zoom.us) The tuition will be $495. Electronic payments preferred (PayPay, Zelle, Venmo). For more information contact Rev. David Gaewski, davidgaewski@uccny.org

This polity course is sponsored by the Oneida Association of the New York Conference. Payments should be made no later than April 25th. A syllabus is available upon request. Laity, Members in Discernment and Privilege of Call candidates are all invited! The course will be cancelled if we do not obtain seven registered students. A student is considered registered when full payment has been received. Students who cancel enrollment will receive reimbursements up until April 30th. Please note several recent courses reached maximum capacity. Registration is now open.

Here is what is coming up at Moravian Theological Seminary

Wisdom Way of Knowing Gatherings

Learn More & Register

DHS Announces Funding Opportunity for $1.87 Billion in Preparedness Grants. Read More.

The Department of Homeland Security Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) maintains a nationwide presence through regional offices that consist of personnel, including Protective Security Advisors (PSAs), who can assist in enhancing security at houses of worship and related facilities through assessments, exercises, training and other tangible capabilities. To learn more, visit, https://www.cisa.gov/.

Obtain information on CISA’s Faith Based Organization-Houses of Worship (FBO-HOW) resource page and learn about their new CISA Houses of Worship Security Self-Assessment Tool. This new resource provides the faith-based community with an easy-to-use assessment tool that produces a formatted report with resources which can be used to identify and address your facility’s security concerns.

Attached is the flyer for a series of webinars that are sponsored by multiple agencies entitled, "FAITH-BASED VIRTUAL WORKSHOP SERIES” concerning keeping our churches safe. The webinars for eastern PA will be held at the beginning of June. We are also reminded that if there is a need to report an incident at one of our churches, we are to contact the Pennsylvania State Police Criminal Intelligence Center (PaCIC) at sp-protectpa@pa.gov or (855) 772-7768.

**You can find more information & updates at UCC Disaster Ministries: www.ucc.org/disaster