Bonnie's Letter

John15:15 (NRSV): I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father.

Dear friends,

Who are you? Not your name, your role, your job, but who are you at your very core? Are you linked so tightly with the roles you have and play that you cannot separate yourself from them? To see yourself as an individual if all those roles were somehow wiped away?

Recently I was in a conversation with colleagues where we discussed identity and who we are at our core. Is it our role as ministers? Is it as leaders, teammates? 

I affirmed that I am, at my core, a beloved child of God, with a light of Christ shining within me. Is that what you believe? Do you know at your core that no matter what you do or the mistakes you make, that you are a beloved child of God?

I hope that you do. Sharing that belief is how we invite others into a relationship with Jesus. In many ways that is how we grow the church. When we live into our belovedness, our faithfulness, and share that faith, it brings others to Jesus, it ministers to our community and our congregations . 

Know, please know my friends, that you are beloved children of God. I pray you know that.

Blessings, Bonnie

Keystone Working Group – Communications Summary of 2023-08-25 Meeting

The eighth meeting of the Keystone Study Group* took place Friday, August 25, 2023. Relying on the grace of God, we have been busy trying to address next steps in our work outlining how Together We Are Stronger, The Keystone Conference. The work toward becoming ONE Keystone Conference has caused us to anticipate the many questions which this potential new venture in ministry brings.

We focused on developing the “essential functions” that strengthen effective conference support and service in ministry, as well as authorizing ministry in the great diversity of our settings. In this gathering, we named desired outcomes for the Keystone Conference, the “better” and “vibrant” ministry we anticipate. We recognize that God is welcoming us to create something in the power of the Spirit that is new and challenging.

Each conference area is beginning to plan conversations this Fall to welcome the leaders and congregations to explore our process. Members of our working group will communicate through many settings: in person, online, in groups large and small, to secure your participation in this vital time of perceiving the “new thing” our still-speaking God is doing through us all.

Across all 4 conferences, including portions of Maryland and New Jersey, we want to understand how God is speaking to your heart through our affirmation, “Together We Are Stronger, The Keystone Conference.” How do you see God creating new vibrancy and hope through this emphasis? We welcome your responses to questions with the invitation for everyone to visit the Keystone Conference Project website hosted by the PSEC. Read about how this project came about, our study information and summaries following each meeting. https://psec.org/keystone/ Your questions and comments in the next few months will help us all grow toward greater understanding and work together. You are invited to email, at Keystone.Conference.Project@gmail.com. You may also use the postal service and direct mail to the Keystone Working Group through your own area Conference Office.

Each Conference will soon post conversation dates and settings for Fall 2023. Wherever you are, you will have opportunity to engage with us and strengthen the vision of the Church, which God’s Spirit is developing. In addition, Save the Date Now for a “Mini Synod” gathering all 4 conferences, June 6-9, 2024, in State College.

We hear the voice of God still speaking, calling us to trust each other and rely on the grace of God in the next steps of our journey in the assurance that . . .

“Together We Are Stronger! The Keystone Conference.”

Sharing our progress in grace and hope,

KWG Communications Team

Steve Davis                       St. John’s UCC, Fullerton (PNEC)

Heather Kurtz                   Zion UCC, Arendtsville (PCC)                      

Bob Fogal                         Carversville CC, UCC (PSEC)

Deb Long                           First Trinity UCC, Youngwood (PWC)

*A study, discernment and working group of the 4 PA area UCC Conferences – Penn West, Penn Central, Penn NE, and Pennsylvania SE

Vitality Days Are Back!

October 7, 2023 from 9AM to 3PM

Jordan UCC, 1837 Church Rd., Allentown

CLICK HERE for detailed flyer

Announcing...Episode One of our new series

"How to Church: I Wish I Knew... 'How to Be a Good Consistory Member"

Here's the link: https://youtu.be/oBqdiVgrMAE

UCC Webinar—The Climate Strike Movement 5 Years Later

Five years have now passed from when Greta Thunberg and others launched a movement that reverberated around the world. The movement continues as organizers prepare for the March to End Fossil Fuels in New York City on September 17th. This webinar will feature faith-based organizers and activists who will reflect back on the movement and where we are today. Speakers will include Rev. Jim Antal, Aly Tharp, and Gabriela Martinez. Even if you cannot make the webinar at its scheduled time on September 13^th at 1 pm ET, still sign-up, and we will send you a link to a recording of it.

 Register now!

[Hyperlink: https://UCC.zoom.us/webinar/register/5516782920260/WN_ipBZzNbcQR2U8MoAYujf-w]

Call to the 2023 Fall Meeting of PNEC

Saturday, November 4, 2023

In Person or Virtual

8:15 Registration; 9:00 Worship

Ben Salem United Church of Christ

1965 Church Road, Lehighton, PA 18035

Theme

Together We Are Stronger

The Keystone Conference

Scripture

Ephesians 4:1-6

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient,

bearing with one another in love. ...

Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit

through the bond of peace.

Keynoters

Rev. Bill Worley

Pennsylvania Southeast Conference Minister

Rev. David Ackerman

Penn West Conference Minister

Rev. Nora Foust

Penn Central Associate Conference Minister

CLICK HERE FOR REGISTRATION FLYER & DETAILS

Click Here to Register through Tithe.ly

Meditation and Prayer Gatherings with Kris Snyder

Looking for some peace and ways to decompress?

We meet by zoom monthly for meditation and prayer.

Penn Northeast Conference Community

Thursdays at 12noon

September 14 and 28, October 12 and 26, November 9 and 30

Zoom Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81188127483?pwd=TzdmTFpIaXVtMjRQSHY1K1hOdkV2dz09

Meeting ID: 811 8812 7483 Passcode: 348630

NOTE: You can count this as continuing education credits.

OR

Union UCC Community

Tuesdays 7-8pm

September 12, October 10, November 14, December 12

Zoom Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87680378046?pwd=QmozYWJFemJOVENCdWJBbzRpbDVIUT09

Meeting ID: 876 8037 8046 Passcode: 954906

Together We Learn--CHHSM Discussion Group

Dear Friend, We would like to invite you to join us for CHHSM's next Together We Learn discussion group via Zoom, which will focus on the critically acclaimed book Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson. 

This will be our fifth "Together We Learn" offering. We chose this book because during the UCC’s General Synod this summer, CHHSM co-sponsored the Valerie E. Russell Lecture and Luncheon where Stevenson was the keynote speaker. Bryan Stevenson, the author of Just Mercy, is also a lawyer and activist who founded the Equal Justice Initiative, the Legacy Museum, and National Memorial for Peace and Justice and Justice in Alabama.

The group will meet every other Tuesday for one hour (1 pm Eastern/12 noon Central/11 am Mountain/10 am Pacific) from the second week in September to early December for seven sessions:

• Sept. 12: Introduction to the Material and Welcome
• Sept. 26: Introduction, Chapters 1 and 2
• Oct. 10: Chapters 3, 4, 5
• Oct. 24: Chapters 6, 7, 8
• Nov. 7: Chapters 9, 10, 11
• Nov. 21: Chapters 12, 13, 14
• Dec. 5: Chapters 15, 16, Epilogue

Like all of our Together We Learn programs, it is free, online, and you are not required to attend every session. 

If you are interested, here is what to do:

1. Get a copy of the book.

2. Sign up for the group, and we will send you calendar invitations for the group with Zoom instructions.

We hope you will join us as Together We Learn! Sign Up for Together We Learn

OFFERED by Penn Central Conference

Fifth Stream Conversations - Rev. Dr. Nora is planning three fall conversations open to the whole church on the recognition of the UCC’s fifth founding stream, the Afro-Christian Convention. At Synod the Historical Council made a formal report that the Afro-Christian Convention has been named the “fifth stream” alongside the Congregational, Christian, German Reformed, and Evangelical Synod. The Convention was always a part of the denomination but had been lumped in with the (white) Christian stream. There were, as Rev. Dr. John Dorhauer put it in his official apology, “always five.” He shared his grief of how so many children and adults had learned that there were only four theological streams/traditions present at our founding and this fifth tradition had been willfully subjugated, rather than lifted up for recognition.

This will be exciting learning for us as we explore the Afro-Christian Convention together and refresh our existing knowledge around the Christian, Congregational, Evangelical, and Reformed traditions also present at our founding. The first two sessions will be largely the same with in-person and zoom options available and the November date will be sort of a deeper dive into the Afro-Christian Convention with some of the contributors to the new book Afro-Christian Convention: The Fifth Stream of the United Church of Christ available from Pilgrim Press, Amazon, and your favorite local bookseller.

3pm September 24^th Mt. Zion, York In-person and Zoom

3pm October 15^th St. Paul’s at the Farm, Lewisburg In-Person and Zoom

3pm November 12^th ZOOM for all Participants

Register here: https://penncentralconference.regfox.com/the-fifth-stream

Trauma Training Program

Sept. 23rd and Sept. 30th

 (Offered by Pennsylvania Southeast Conference)

A partnership between The Welcome Project PA, Lakeside Global Institute, & PSEC

The Welcome Project PA [WPPA], in partnership with Lakeside Global Institute and the Pennsylvania Southeast Conference of the United Church of Christ , is pleased to offer professional trauma training modules for ministry leaders and volunteers in their respective contexts, to prepare them to better assist their constituents who have suffered trauma. The purpose of this program is to assist professionals in their caring for people who have suffered various forms of trauma, to create an awareness of the causes and consequences of trauma, and how it affects our human relationships and social interactions. Finally, this program strives to enable those who have suffered/continue to suffer from trauma, a path forward to progress and a way out of destructive cycles. Trauma 101 and 102 will cover the basics of trauma. The subsequent sessions with The Welcome Project PA and the PSEC will apply the trauma training to more specifically define, explore, and discuss religious trauma and its effects on both individuals and faith communities.

For more information and to register, click here.

The Colors of Hope Conference

September 30 - 9AM to 5PM (doors open at 8:30AM)

held at First Presbyterian Church, 333 Spring Garden St., Easton

Presented By: Trinity Episcopal Church of Easton, First Presbyterian Church of Easton, and St. Brigid's Episcopal Church of Nazareth

Join us for a one day event as we explore and learn about leadership, faith, and allyship in the LGBTQIA+ community. This is perfect for those who want to learn more about the community or who want to strengthen their allyship skills. This event is free to the public and will include lunch, coffee, and beverages. Resource tables will be on hand to supply further information about each of the organizations present. Seating is limited, so please RSVP no later than September 20 - call Alison at 610-253-0792 or Jonathan at 610-253-3579. Click Here for detailed flyer.

The Psychology of Christian Nationalism: Why People Are Drawn In and

How to Talk Across the Divide

by Pamela Cooper-White.

September 7, 14, and 28 at 7PM

St. Luke’s Episcopal Church,

232 Wyoming Ave., Scranton, PA 18503

On three Thursdays in September (Sept. 7, 14, and 28) at 7PM, St. Luke's will conduct a study of Dr. Cooper-White's brilliant and courageous book. One chapter of the three chapter book will be covered each evening:

 Sept 7 - Unholy Alliances: Christian Nationalism, White Supremacy, and the Pursuit of Power.

 Sept 14 - Why Are People Drawn In by Extremist Beliefs? Conscious Needs and Unconscious Lures.

 Sept. 28 - How to Talk Across the Divide: Creating Human Ties across (Extreme) Difference.

*This event will be an in-person discussion. Copies of the book may be obtained through your favorite book seller. Participants are required to read the text in advance of each session. Those who are unable to attend in person may request a Zoom link in order to participate. To register and for more information, please email Mother Rebecca Barnes at mthrbarnes@gmail.com

About the Author: Pamela Cooper-White is the Christiane Brooks Johnson Professor of Psychology and Religion at Union Theological Seminary in New York. She holds PhDs from Harvard University and the Institute for Clinical Social Work, Chicago, and is the author or coauthor of five books and over seventy scholarly and professional articles. An Episcopal priest and pastoral psychotherapist, Dr. Cooper-White is a certified clinical Fellow in the American Association of Pastoral Counselors, a National Board-Certified Counselor, and a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor in the state of Illinois.

Special Announcement from the Pension Boards for

the Officers of the Church and Conference Ministers

Dear Colleagues, The following premium rates and plan enhancements for the 2024 plan year will be effective January 1, 2024. Our continued participation in coalitions sponsored by the Church Benefits Association help the UCC Health Plan realize savings through collective purchasing power achieved in partnering with health benefits plans of other denominations.

Preliminary rate filings show that ACA Marketplace insurers are requesting a median premium increase of 6% for 2024. UCC Health Plan updates remain competitive with, or even lower than marketplace plans.

• UCC Non-Medicare Plan: 3% increase (no change to copays and deductibles)
• UCC Pharmacy Plan: No change to copays
• UCC Medicare Advantage Plan: 1.5% increase
• UCC Dental Plan: 4% increase
• UCC Vision Plan: No change
• UCC Life and Disability Plan: No change

The following benefit enhancements are also effective January 1, 2024:

For the UCC Non-Medicare Plan: 

• Annual incentive increase from $300 to $500 for participation in Healthy Stewards Wellness Program
• $0 copay for Insulin
• $0 copay for Teladoc services

As is our customary practice, churches/employers and individual plan participants will receive detailed information with applicable rates and enhancements for 2024 early this fall.

Sincerely,

Health Plan Operations

The Pension Boards-United Church of Christ, Inc. 

Moravian Seminary Crossroads Program

 Effective August 31st, we bid farewell to our long-time director of the Moravian Seminary Crossroads program, Dr. Jill Peters, who leaves us after nearly 15 years of building this outstanding lay leadership program. The continuing success of Crossroads can be traced to Jill's deep commitment to ecumenism and dedication to empowering lay leaders and clergy alike with the skills and perspectives needed to bring the word of God to an ever-changing world. Click Here to read full article.

Desert Garden UCC invites all clergy and laity to a free webinar on the topic of prayer on Saturday, October 14 from 10 a.m. to noon Arizona time

The Rev. Rachel Hackenberg will deliver the lecture Imaging God, Imaging Ourselves: The Exercise of Prayer. She will follow the lecture with a Q &A segment open to all registrants. The Rev. Hackenberg is an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ, serving as publisher for The Pilgrim Press. She is the author of several books, including Denial Is My Spiritual Practice and Writing to God. She regularly posts reflections and prayers at rachelhackenberg.com. The webinar will also feature Tina Datsko de Sanchez reading original poetry. She is the author of several collections including Swimming in God.

Save the date now. You can register by going to the church’s website at wwwdesertgardenucc.org. This is the fourth Sawitski Memorial Lecture in recognition of the Rev. Dr. Samuel Sawitski and his passion for teaching. Attached is a flyer. This event is approved through the Southwest Conference UCC for 2 hours of Continuing Education time available when registration opens later this summer. www.desertgardenucc.org  

PSEC/PNEC Clergy Men's Retreat

October 3-5, 2023

Clergymen, give yourself the gift of joining the PSEC/PNEC Clergy Men's Retreat, October 3rd through the 5th. Take a step back from all the demands that are placed on you, step out of your comfort zone with friends you can trust, rest and spend some time in nature. Engage in thoughtful conversation that will help give perspective on life's biggest obstacles and have some fun. Guys from the Retreat Planning Committee will facilitate conversation based on Richard Reeves book Of Boys and Men. You don't have to read the book to be on the retreat and our conversations will go far afield from that text. So feed your soul to strengthen your ministry this October at Kirkridge.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/mens-clergy-retreat-2023-tickets-695588081677?aff=oddtdtcreator

Installation of the UCC's 10th General Minister and President

The Rev. Dr. Karen Georgia A. Thompson will be installed on Friday, Oct. 20 at 5:00p at the Lakewood Congregational Church in Lakewood, Ohio. The service will be livestreamed. More information is available now at ucc.org/gmp-installation. Details about the livestream and registration with be coming soon.

Rev. Dr. Thompson was elected General Minister and President at the 34th General Synod on July 3 in Indianapolis. She is the first woman to serve as GMP of the UCC. She took office on Aug. 1

Upcoming PAM Classes

Convenient. Affordable. Online Learning

Earn CEUs from The Pennsylvania Academy of Ministry at Lancaster Seminary

SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2023

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION - September 11 - October 30, 2023 -- Online on Zoom -- Eight Mondays from 6:00-9:00pm ET

MORAL INJURY & VETERANS MINISTRY In November

INTRODUCTION TO PREACHING Starting in January

PREACHING & WORSHIP THROUGH THE YEAR In the spring

Click Here for Detailed Flyer and Registration Information.

 Cost Effective Apply online at PATHWAYStheological.org

6-week courses are $325.

The 12-week UCC History and Polity course is only $625.

UCC History & Polity

●     HT21206 UCC History & Polity (12-weeks) (Sept 6- Dec 8)

Fall II: 6-week Courses Begin October 2 or 9, 2023

●     BF10602 Understanding the Bible as a Progressive Christian (Oct 9-Nov 10)         

●     BF20602 Old Testament Hermeneutics (Oct 9-Nov 19)

●     TH30605 Ecological Theology (Oct 2-Nov 12)

●     MP30609 Practicing Our Faith in the Public Square (Oct 9-Nov 19)

●     HT10604 Stories of Christian Saints and Sinners (Oct 9-Nov 19)     

Our Fall courses include: Unpacking the Scriptures: Teaching with Rev. Roberta Kearney, Monday nights 9/11 - 10/30/2023 from 6-9 pm. This course covers teaching through the various ages and stages including how to give a Children's Sermon. 

Compass - Thursday nights 9/7 - 10/26/2023 from 6-9 pm. Participants in this course will explore their sense of call while brushing up on basic communication skills that leaders need including writing, researching, and presenting. Taught by several instructors.

All courses are taught in person at Moravian Theological Seminary or on Zoom. Participants choice. Go to our website for more information or to register.  www.moravianseminary.edu/crossroads

Disaster Ministries

SEPTEMBER IS NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION MONTH...Multiple agencies are pleased to share this resource guide for communities for National Suicide Month. The week of September 10^th-16^th is recognized as National Suicide Prevention Week, with Sunday, September 10^th marking World Suicide Prevention Day. 

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Ready PA Monthly - Click Here to Read

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Our Lutheran partners in the Lehigh Valley are hosting an event on September 10, 2023 to replenish hygiene kits and flood buckets that we used to respond to the flooding events of July 2023 in Berks, Northampton and Bucks counties. The event will take place at the Lutheran Center, 2354 Grove Road, Allentown, from noon to 3 PM. There are several ways you can help:

• Sign up to donate supplies for Flood Buckets  and Hygiene Kits
• Make buckets ahead of time and deliver them on Sept 10
• Come to learn how you can get more involved

See the attached flyer for more information. Questions? Please contact Heidi Shilanskas.

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