Bonnie's Letter

Dear Friends,

This is Holy Week; our acknowledgement of the suffering and painful journey Jesus took to the cross. We know that Easter, Resurrection, is coming, but those who originally walked this journey with Jesus didn’t necessarily understand what the week would bring.

I remember when I was in Israel in 2007, I walked the Via Delarosa, surprised to find that it was amid a marketplace, and not a quiet solitary trail of the tears which were shed. I am including a picture of part of the walk. I was deeply moved as I walked the same streets that Jesus walked – and as we approached a possible location of Golgotha (I have also included a picture), I had to acknowledge the pain I felt, and the shame. I wasn’t ashamed of this place because I was responsible for it, but I was ashamed of all the other trails of tears which, we in the United States, are more responsible for –

·      the forced relocation during the 1830s of Eastern Woodlands Indians of the Southeast region of the United States (including Cherokee, Creek, Chickasaw, Choctaw, and Seminole, among other nations) to Indian Territory west of the Mississippi River.[1]

·      the lynchings that white people used to terrorize and control black people in the 19th and 20th centuries, particularly in the South. Lynchings were often public spectacles attended by the white community in celebration of white supremacy.[2] 

·      the 408 American Indian Boarding Schools boarding schools which the U.S. ran or supported between 1819 and 1969 where students endured “rampant physical, sexual, and emotional abuse,”[3]

These, too, were walks of terror and pain, of loss and fear. These, too, were crucifixion moments, but in our own history.

My colleague the Rev. Dr. Carrie Call reflected on a journey the Council of Conference ministers took to Alabama where we visited the National Memorial for Peace and Justice.[4] She reminded me of the walk through the columns which named the 4,400 people who had been lynched in the US, some in Pennsylvania, since the Civil War. I recall the pain of knowing that we, as a nation, continued to crucify people into the 20^th century, and although we don’t call it lynching, probably still are crucifying the least among us – through violence, hunger, homelessness, lack of health care, and war.

It is no surprise that as I think about Holy Week and the crucifixion of Jesus, I would rather have skipped directly from Palm Sunday’s celebration to the joy of Easter, but something would be missed if I didn’t pause to reflect on the pain and horror, we human beings seem to perpetrate on one another. How could I celebrate forgiveness and rebirth without understanding the tomb, without feeling the grief, pain, and loss? How could I look at the tomb of Jesus and not think of the other graves and tombs we, ourselves, are responsible for creating?

My friends, thankfully we are not without hope. Thankfully, we can move beyond our grief and strive to celebrate forgiveness and resurrection. Thankfully, we know that Sunday is coming. And yet, for today, I pause and reflect on the pain, on the loss, and the need to prevent more pain and loss from coming into the world. May it be so. Blessings, Bonnie

[1] https://www.britannica.com/event/Trail-of-Tears

[2] https://naacp.org/find-resources/history-explained/history-lynching-america

[3] https://time.com/6177069/american-indian-boarding-schools-history/

[4] https://legacysites.eji.org/about/memorial/

2024 Summer Conference Meeting

For the first time, all four Pennsylvania conferences of the UCC will be gathering for a shared Meeting on June 7-9, 2024 at The Penn Stater in State College, PA. We will have shared worship, workshops, meals and meetings as well as each conference's separate business meeting.

Below is a letter from the four PA UCC Conference Ministers

about this year’s Summer Meeting:

The planning committee for the Keystone State UCC Conference Summer Meeting has been working diligently to prepare for our June 7-9 meeting. The Keystone Working Group in collaboration with the Conference Ministers have been seeking grants and additional funding to assist with the costs of the meeting.

We want you to know that YOUR attendance is vitally important to us. We need you to help us plan for the future of our conferences. Our General Minister and President, the Rev. Dr. Karen Georgia Thompson will be with us on Saturday and Sunday, and we hope you will be with us to meet her and worship with her on Sunday.

The costs for this meeting will be significantly higher than our usual conference meetings. For one thing, this is a 3-day meeting and incorporates the extensive use of technology and the Penn Stater multiple room assignments for our gathering. We do not want the cost of the event to prevent anyone from attending.

Therefore, we are increasing our scholarship funds to cover ½ the cost of the registration. The registration materials (which are forthcoming) include some links for additional hotel locations, should you choose to utilize them.

Also, we want you to know that our meetings as a Keystone Conference will likely be shorter and less costly.

Please make plans to join us in State College in June and celebrate the work we are doing together, because we believe “Together We Are Stronger.”

Registration is open. You should have received a separate email regarding registration. (If you have not received that special email...please let Patty Rehrig at the Penn Northeast Conference Office know - pattyr@pnec.org ) In the meantime, please watch this video (click on the link below) featuring all four conference ministers with more information on this event.

Summer Meeting 2024 Announcement Video (youtube.com)

Celebrations: The following items from the team and committee reports to the Board were highlighted as worthy of celebration:

• Conference Meeting Planning Team -celebrates the team members for their contributions and time made to make our meetings efficient, informative and uplifting.
• Coaching team – celebrates their plans for a two-day training which will include basic principles of coaching, practice sessions , and on the second day, coaching churches through conflict.
• Generosity Team – celebrates their successes with recruiting at least 50 Ambassadors, the popularity of the Ambassador newsletter, and a steady increase of stewardship initiatives such as Friends of the Conference which is augmenting OCWM giving by offering an opportunity for individual donors to support PNEC.
• Congregational Vitality Team - celebrates the fruitfulness of our partner project with Local Congregational Support which jointly produces the video series Titled “How to Church: I wish I knew…” to encourage and train church leaders.
• Disaster Response Ministries Team – celebrates the invitation the four PA Conference Disaster Response Coordinators received to conduct a disaster ministry workshop on Friday of the joint conference meeting in June.
• Staff and Personnel Committee- applauds the tireless dedication and commitment of the PNEC conference staff and noted their efforts to assist all who require the resources of the conference.
• Authorization Working Group of the Committee on Ministry – celebrates the commitment of the members who are so sincere and resourceful in their work.
• Spiritual Development Ministry Team - celebrates the flexibility they were able to demonstrate when they had to change the Youth Retreat intended for Spruce Lake into a Faith Formation Leaders retreat with an entirely new agenda.
• Amigos of Guatemala – wants to recognize the faith and hard work of the members who have persevered against so many difficulties and hardships in working toward their goal for the people of Monte Margarita.

Celebrating Our Churches

(shared by the PNEC Local Congregational Support Working Group)

First UCC in Milford, New Jersey was founded as the Milford Christian Church in 1827 by Abigail Roberts, an itinerant Quaker woman preacher. As a result of her efforts 12 churches were started in the Delaware Valley of New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

"We are members of the Milford Merchant Association contributing with local businesses to keep the Milford Boro vibrant. We let them use our fellowship hall for their monthly meetings. We let them use one of our rooms to store their different signs for their annual events. Two of their flagship events are Milford Alive and Christmas in Milford. An example of how reach out to the community during Christmas in Milford is we open our church up to crafters, offer homemade chili, have a cookie sale and have a live nativity scene – usually with assorted animals and people playing the part of Mary & Joseph just outside the church. This is always a hit."

Faith Formation Leadership Retreat

May 3 - 5, 2024

Spruce Lake Retreat Center, 5389 Route 447, Canadensis, PA

COST: $$195/person (includes all programming and 3 meals on Saturday and Sunday breakfast)

This retreat for adults involved in Faith Formation provides an opportunity for those wishing to collaborate, rejuvenate, and innovate their approach to Faith Formation! This retreat will provide practical education around faith formation and we4lcomes volunteers as well as folks working in the church to participate and learn. Set in the scenic Spruce Lake Retreat Center, this promises to be a relaxing and informative time! Please click here for the flyer and how to register.

You can also register and pay through tithe.ly using this link:

https://tithe.ly/event-registration/#/8424164

White Deer Run Treatment Network

April Events

Click Here

REGISTER HERE - for free

Mental Health Sunday

Mental Health Sunday is May 19, 2024. The Mental Health Ministry Team is requesting that you use some of these resources – in your worship planning experience for that day! If you have any questions or concerns and would like support for your worship planning that day – please reach out.

https://www.mhn-ucc.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/MH-Sunday-Worship-Resources.pdf

Rev. Dr. Emily B. Hall, Pastor - Hope UCC, Wind Gap, 610-863-4474

From the Addiction & Recovery Taskforce: Great Resource

(taken from Pennsylvania Southeast Conference) 

For those of us who have families in our congregation and community that are non-parental (which is all of us), there is a great resource online from the state of Pennsylvania. “PA KinConnector provides guidance, advice, and support to grandparents raising grandchildren and other relative and non-relative Kinship Caregivers.” Health, financial and legal as well as other information is available.

The site is www.kinconnector.org/.

A Theology of Protest

The next Theology with a Twist will be held Tuesday, April 2 at 7:00p on the topic "Facing the Abusing God: A Theology of Protest." Join Rev. Kevin McLemore for a deep dive into the book, “Facing the Abusing God: A Theology of Protest” by Dr. David R. Blumenthal. We’ll learn more about Blumenthal’s post-Holocaust theology and his argument that God is certainly merciful and kind, loving and fair, but God is also capable of acts so unjust that they can be considered abusive. We’ll also engage with some of the work of theologian Wendy Farley throughout the text. This session is a unique opportunity to learn the main ideas found in this book, as well as some of the challenges that understanding an unjust God poses to us. For more info, click here

2024 Lehigh Valley Pride

SAVE THE DATE

We are so excited to announce that Lehigh Valley Pride will be held on Sunday, August 18th at the SteelStacks in Bethlehem from 2:00 to 7:00 p.m.

This year's Lehigh Valley Pride will be the most inclusive to date with accessibility features such as FREE entry, ASL interpreters, ADA restrooms, large-print Pride guides, alcohol-free experiences, indoor air conditioned spaces, accessible seating for those with disabilities, indoor sensory-friendly area, spirituality space, and reserved parking near the festival entrances.

To include even more community members and vendors, Lehigh Valley Pride will expand its square footage and encompass more of ArtsQuest’s campus, including an expanded baby & tot spot.

Stay tuned for more information as it becomes available. We can't wait to see you there! 

Penn Northeast Conference needs someone who is willing to lead the Pride booth setup at this years event. This includes ensuring a tent is setup and staffed, activities and/or giveaway items, and something that helps us standout among the community.  For More information, please contact Rev. Gary Barraco at garybarraco@verizon.net

The Annual Robert K. Campbell Memorial Lecture on Christian Unity Presents

Revisioning Faith For The 21st Century

Thursday, April 11, 2024

3:00 to 8:00PM

DeSales University, (University Center), 2755 Station Ave., Center Valley

$20 Registration Fee

featuring author Sue Pizor Yoder and the members of Co.Lab.Inq.

(This event will count for Authorized Ministers Cultural Competency Training.)

About Event...What will faith communities look like in 2040? What actions can church leaders take to address the new religious context of Gen Xers and Millennials—now representing 40 percent of adults living in America? What do these generations teach us about belonging, adversity, legacy—and faith? Join us for an interactive, multisensory event aimed at seeking a path to revisioning faith for the 21st century.

AGENDA

3:00 – 3:30: Registration

3:30 – 5:00: Lecture and Q&A

5:00 – 6:00: Buffet Dinner

6:00 – 7:30: Interactive Workshop

7:30 – 8:00: Book Signing:

“Hear Us Out: Six Questions on Belonging and Belief.”

Register at: www.lehighchurches.org/events

NEW CHURCH DEVELOPMENT SERIES BEGINS APRIL 18

Thought About Starting a New Congregation? Does the idea of starting a new congregation intrigue you, even a little? Would you like to learn more? Do you want to reach out to people who have felt excluded from churches in the past because of their race, ethnicity, or language, sexual orientation, age, preference for a different worship style, 'nones' and 'dones,' or those who describe themselves as 'spiritual but not religious'?

The CAC New Church Development Committee of the Central Atlantic Conference (UCC) has created an opportunity for you this spring. The opportunity is co-sponsored by the Christian Church – Capital Area (Disciples of Christ).

On three Thursday evenings you can attend a quick course in new church development and get many of your questions answered by attending three Zoom events from the comfort of your home. The events will be held each evening from 7 to 8:30 pm with an opportunity for Q and A afterward. They are free and open to all interested clergy and laity. 

• April 18 – “How and Why to Start a New Congregation” - Rev. Cean James, Senior Pastor of Salt & Light Church (PCUSA & UCC) and the Associate Conference Minister for Congregational Development, Pennsylvania Southeast Conference, UCC.

• May 16 – “How to Fund a New Congregation” - Rev. Dr. Aaron Wade, Minister for Congregational Leadership Development, Granting and Scholarships in the UCC National Offices and Founding Pastor of the Community Church of Washington, DC.

• June 6 – “Stories from the Front Lines: A Panel of Recent Church Planters” - Pastors of recent successful new UCC congregations or established congregations that recently affiliated with the UCC will share their stories and discuss what worked and what didn't.

To RSVP to attend one – or all three of the workshops, please click here:

NEW CHURCH START WORKSHOP REGISTRATION.

New Dollars/New Partners Training Program

For the first time ever, Partners for Sacred Places is able to offer its acclaimed New Dollars/New Partners training program to congregations with older buildings throughout the Northeast and MidAtlantic states. This program, over the course of several months, builds the capacity of churches and synagogues to maintain and raise capital funds for their buildings. Until now, it was necessary for judicatories to sponsor New Dollars for their member congregations, but now, any interested congregation can apply to participate!

The program will include two virtual training sessions and one full-day session here in Philadelphia, starting in late spring. We have attached a flyer with more information, and invite you to join a free orientation session online to learn more about what New Dollars offers.  The session will take place on April 10th at 6:30 pm ET.  The Zoom link is as follows:

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82651019951

We hope you will join us on April 10th, and consider joining the training this spring! Please click the button below to let us know if you are interested and we will send you a reminder about the Orientation, or simply add the Zoom link above to your calendar. If you have any questions, please reply to this email. We hope to see you in April!

YES, I am Interested!

 Bob Jaeger and Shelly Stackhouse

How to Church Videos 

Over the past several months, the Local Congregational Support Working Group and the Congregational Vitality Team have been working to produce a series of short videos addressing some of the frequently asked questions of our local churches. We’ve been calling them, “How to Church: I Wish I Knew…”. Our object has been to provide our churches with an engaging and insightful means of both educating and inspiring their leaders and larger congregation. Thus far, we have produced videos on being a good Consistory member, the wider church, and community engagement—with many more topics on the way! All of the videos are available on the PNEC YouTube channel at the links below. If you haven’t had a chance to check them out, please do! If you have a question that your church is wrestling with that you think would be a helpful subject for a video, please let us know, because these are meant to help you—our churches!

Being a Good Consistory Member — https://youtu.be/oBqdiVgrMAE?si=5M11Y2QlLYhrBIDN

The Wider Church — https://youtu.be/-AZBbJLBMOQ?si=jsEUEJGelwpOMsHO

Community Engagement — https://youtu.be/USNUXchNJns?si=4y3z8xTebtAnN8Op

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St. John's UCC, Coopersburg Closing

St. John’s UCC, Coopersburg voted on March 3 to turn over their church building to the Borough of Coopersburg. The church will become a Multi-Purpose Community Center. The vision is to include a Food Pantry, Senior Center, performance space for music concerts, art exhibits, theatrical productions celebrating local community creativity and talent. Although it is hard for the members of St John’s to end their 133 year old ministry, they know God’s hand is in the future. The final worship is on April 28, 2024.  

Understanding the Hopes of Our Donors to Create Change

 On April 24 at 7:30p, Rev. Andrew Warner, Generosity Outreach Officer for the UCC, will lead an online workshop on "A Good Pitch: Understanding the Hopes of Our Donors to Create Change".

Once a upon a time, donors gave out of a sense of obligation and loyalty. Today, most donors care about the impact they make in the world. How do we understand the motivations of our donors? What kind of change do they want to make in the world? Andrew Warner will talk about five basic ways donors look to create change. We will discuss ways to discuss your congregation's impact on your community. For more info and to register, click here

Ethics Lecture at Lehigh University

David Brooks is coming to Lehigh on April 9 to give a talk at 5:45 in the Wood Dining Room in Iacocca Hall, Mountaintop campus. Registration is required but it's free and open to the public. It's our big ethics lecture sponsored by the Ethics Center at Lehigh.

The link here should get people to the registration form.

https://ethicscenter.cas.lehigh.edu/content/2024-hagerman-lecture-character-ethics-contemporary-politics-america

Rev. Lloyd Steffen

Boundary Training

Not-Your-Average Boundaries Training is tailored to focus on strategies to foster clergy emotional resiliency and well-being. 



While we still cover the "requirements" we believe the best prevention involves encouraging leaders to take steps to manage their stress in order to maintain balance and perspective when temptation to violate boundaries arises.

This live online boundaries training is 5 total hours split over 2 consecutive days (2.5 hours each day). Following the first session, participants are asked to engage in a bit of reflection work in preparation for the second session. This online boundaries training will be conducted via secure Zoom video conferencing

Classes will be offered May 7/8 from 1PM-4PM & October 15/16 from 10AM-1PM 2023

Limit is 40 people per class

Zoom link and workbook will be emailed to all participants 1 week prior to the scheduled training.

$50.00 for PCUSA / $65.00 for non-PCUSA participants

CLICK HERE to Register

Clergy Convocation 2024

May 7, 2024 @ 3 pm-May 9, 2024 @ 1:30 pm

Double Tree by Hilton, Lancaster

Clergy Convocation 2024 –

To register, click here.

Pennsylvania Academy of Ministry (PAM) Upcoming Classes and Podcasts

Preaching and Worship through the Year. April 9–May 14, 2024. Tuesdays, 7–8:30pm EST via Zoom. Instructor the Rev. Dr. Ronnette Comfort-Butler.

To preach and preside effectively requires planning and preparation throughout the liturgical year. This class equips ministers with many skills, including use of the lectionary, planning sermon series, music and arts, special services and occasions, and more. 2.5 CEUs. $325.

Practices of Church Leadership. May 21–June 25, 2024. Tuesdays, 7–8:30pm EST via Zoom. Instructor the Rev. Sara Hertzog.

This nuts-and-bolts class covers the basics of leadership and administration, with practical application for everyone on the ministry leadership team. Topics include: covenant and authority; conflict; family and congregational systems; vision and mission; handling administrative tasks; spiritual care and boundaries. Clergy, lay leaders, and MIDs are encouraged to register. 2.5 CEUs. $325.

Innovation and New Models of Leadership. July 9–Aug 13, 2024. Tuesdays, 7–8:30pm EST via Zoom. Instructor: The Rev. Dale Davis.

This challenging class engages an array of exciting leadership models and is supported by a podcast series produced especially for the Pennsylvania Academy of Ministry. 2.5 CEUs. $325.

Each class is six weeks online. Information and registration: https://www.lancasterseminary.edu/programs/pennsylvania-academy-of-ministry/

Congregational Education Day

On Saturday, April 6 from 8:30a-3:00p, PSEC will hold the 2024 Lay Leadership Convocation in Boyertown. This year's theme will be Sharing Leadership. For agenda, workshop descriptions, and registration, click here

The Keystone Project conversation has highlighted a need for more lay leadership learning opportunities as congregations rely more heavily on these volunteers. Pennsylvania Southeast has a long history of offering this learning day and as we continue to explore the possibilities of a Keystone Conference, this is an excellent opportunity for fellowship together with our siblings in Christ. Lay Leaders and Clergy are teaming up to offer workshops on care for older adults, choir spirituality, small Sunday school success, stewardship and so much more!! There’s something for everyone and carpooling with friends from church will help with the early morning drive as things begin at 8:30 with coffee and registration.

Disaster Ministries

Ready PA Monthly - Click Here to Read

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