Bonnie's Letter

Ecclesiastes 3:1 “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven”

Dear Friends,

Yesterday was the summer solstice and therefore the first day of summer. What are your plans for this season? I know for me there are longer walks with the dog, a little gardening, some vacation time, and perhaps some basking in the sunshine by the complex pool. What are you planning?

The one thing I am not planning to do is take off the summer from church. So many people view summer as the time to skip church – and while I understand not attending our home churches when we are away, skipping church for the whole summer would leave my spirit empty.

You see worship is the time that I get a refill on the Holy Spirit in community with like-minded believers. Now we don’t all agree on everything, but we do worship the One God through Jesus seeking the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. I need the renewal and the re-equipping time that comes from worship.

Even us pastors get weary, and while summertime used to slow down, in recent years the summers have been equally as busy for me, as many other seasons of the year. Lots of meetings, consultations, training, and added this summer, General Synod 34. The season is not the “hazy, lazy days of summer” as the song indicates.

When I am out of town, I sometimes visit churches of other denominations, which are located closer to where I am. When I visit my son’s family in North Carolina, the nearest UCC church is almost an hour away, so I opt for a church of another denomination. My Spirit is fed, nonetheless, and I always learn some things from my siblings in Christ.

I would ask you to pay attention to your heart and your Spirit by continuing to attend worship on a regular basis this summer. I don’t want you to feel guilty if you can’t attend but I do want us to continue to enjoy the community that is worshipping on Sunday, at home or away. And just a fiscal reminder – the bills the church is required to pay don’t stop in the summer so if you don’t give automatically on-line, please send your tithes and donations regularly.

May your summer be filled with family, friends, fun, and filled souls and spirits. Blessings, Bonnie

Welcome the newest ONA church in the Penn Northeast Conference!

Dear ONA family:

Please join us in welcoming Good Shepherd UCC in Slatington, PA as a newly-certified Open and Affirming congregation!

As ONA church #1,824, Good Shepherd is now part of the largest and fastest-growing LGBTQ-affirming church movement in the world! We’re proud of the congregation and grateful to the church’s leadership for the hard work that led to this milestone in their history.

Please join the entire Open and Affirming movement in celebrating Good Shepherd, and join us in prayer that their ONA covenant will be a blessing to their LGBTQ+ neighbors.

Blessings,

The Rev. Dr. Katrina Roseboro-Marsh, Executive Director

Pronouns: she/her

UCC Webinar— Seeing through the Smoke: Wildfires, Climate, and a Path Forward

How can we find a path forward in addressing the wildfires that have created a landscape of crisis in our climate changed world?

This webinar will feature leading thinkers and practitioners in answering this question. Panelist John Vaillant has recently released an acclaimed book entitled "Fire Weather: A True Story from a Hotter World,” while panelist Kimiko Barrett from Headwaters Economics is a wildfire research and policy analyst who has been interviewed by national news outlets for her insights. Even if you cannot make the webinar at its scheduled time on July 12^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/3416782913406/WN_IY3kFj4kTMK6eJmaxGBqOg]

Book Launch

Monday, August 7, 2023

Wesley UMC, 2540 Center St.,

Bethlehem, PA

Doors Open at 6:30 PM

Event from 7:00 - 8:30 PM

Click here for full schedule and flyer.

Advanced Boundary Training: From Gutenberg to ChatGPT: Tools, ethics, technology and best practices in the life of Church

Wednesday, October 18 on Zoom - Facilitated by Rev. Ryan Henderson

It has been over 500 years since the Reformation empowered and equipped the church to adapt through a major shift, today is not much different. In this time together we will explore

1. Best practices and talk about what is working in our churches
2. Brainstorm/dream about where we might go and
3. Talk about new growing edges (and ethical struggles) in technology including the use of Artificial

intelligence and ChatGPT.

REGISTER

Diversity Training

 Wednesday, November 8 on Zoom

Facilitated by Rev. Cean James and Rev. Kevin McLemore (PSEC)

Diversity - what is it, how does it increase the vitality of our communities and congregations and our commitment to Christ? All authorized ministers are required to regularly complete training on Cultural Diversity/Sensitivity and Institutional Racism.

If you cannot make the scheduled time: we are offering an option to "view the recording of the event on your own time and complete a one-page synopsis of what you viewed".

REGISTER

Ecclesiastical Council Announced

(An Ecclesiastical Council is the final step in the ordination approval process for a Member in Discernment pending a valid call and granting them permission to circulate their profile within the UCC.)

The Committee on Ministry of the Penn Northeast Conference Invites you to participate in the Ecclesiastical Council for Janet Newett at 9:30am Saturday, July 15, at Greenawalds United Church of Christ, 2325 Albright Avenue, Allentown, PA 18014. You may also participate via Zoom. 

To register to attend, please email Patty Rehrig at the Penn Northeast Conference Office (pattyr@pnec.org) to let her know if you will be attending in person or via zoom. You will receive a copy of Janet's Ordination Paper upon registering. Janet is pastor at Greenawalds and has been an associate chaplain at St. Luke’s since 2019.

Lehigh Conference of Churches - 2nd Annual Supplies Drive

📚🎒 Join us for the 2nd Annual Back-to-School Supplies Drive! 🎉

 We're thrilled to announce that our community is coming together once again to support students in need through our Back-to-School Supplies Drive

The collection of items will be held from June through July!

This donation drive is all about making a positive impact on the lives of local students and ensuring they have the tools they need to succeed in their education. Education is a fundamental right, and we believe that every child should have equal access to quality learning opportunities.

Please consider picking up supplies when shopping, hosting a donation drive at your organization, or visiting our Walmart Spark Good registry to purchase supplies and send them directly to the Conference.

Print Flyer Supplies Registry

Faith-Based Coalition for Affordable Housing

June Meeting

(Lehigh Conference of Churches)

Next Meeting: Thursday, June 27 at 4:40PM

St. Timothy Church, 140 South Ott St., Allentonwn

Across religious traditions, there’s a shared interfaith commitment to loving God and caring for our neighbors. As we remember that our neighbors, especially those in need, bear the image of God, we ask ourselves: how can we contribute to the regional tapestry being woven together to offer housing and support to those facing poverty and homelessness? 

Some of our congregations may have underutilized buildings that could undergo adaptive reuse projects for housing. Others may have undeveloped land on which affordable housing could be built. Still others may have members ready to join local and state advocacy or volunteer alongside nonprofit partners providing support services. There is a role for all of us to play!

Lehigh Valley Pride

Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center PROUDLY announces that the 30th anniversary of Lehigh Valley Pride will be a FREE event held on Sunday, August 20, at the SteelStacks in Bethlehem from 2 to 8:30 p.m.

We’ve heard your feedback and moved Pride to a more visible and accessible venue. We’re planning for this to be the Lehigh Valley’s most fabulous Pride festival to date! 

• Rev. Gary Barraco reserved space for a unified PNEC booth again. Folks can email him if they want to be part of the planning team. garybarraco@verizon.net
• Want to learn more about becoming a vendor at Pride? Click here..
• Want to learn more about becoming a sponsor at Pride? Click here..

CLICK HERE for other dates/events

One Shepherd, Two Flocks: Advice and Guidance on Sharing a Pastor

 Saturday, August 12 on Zoom

Rev. Kevin McLemore (PSEC) and others will conduct a free workshop on why sharing a pastor with another congregation is a good option for many congregations in this time of pastoral scarcity. Pastor McLemore and others will share practical strategies on how to talk to your congregation about this possibility, how to find a pastor and congregation willing to do so, and how other churches are already doing it successfully. Pastors who currently pastor two congregations will join us to share both the blessings and challenges of this arrangement, and how to avoid some of the mistakes they’ve witnessed in their own settings.

REGISTER

New Federal Security Resource for Churches

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and the FBI have released a new resource titled Protecting Places of Worship: Six Steps to Enhance Security Against Targeted Violence Fact Sheet. This resource outlines actions faith-based organizations can take to increase security, focusing on overarching steps that can help protect places of worship against potential threats in a cost-effective manner that maintains an open and welcoming environment. The product also provides training, exercise and grant resources, and interagency contact points to assist places of worship with protecting their places of worship, obtaining funds for security improvements and recognizing/ reporting potential threats in their areas. These products include a security self-assessment and the Protecting Houses of Worship Video resource that is currently translated into Spanish, Chinese, and American Sign Language. To find out more about the Department of Justice Protecting Places of Worship Program, visit justice.gov/file/1376571/download, and for Hate Crimes Prevention and Enforcement resources, visit US Dept. of Justice-Hate Crimes. 

Click Here for Informational Flyer

New Pride Sunday liturgy available! 

Pride Sunday is the last Sunday of June - June 25th this year. Worship resources from previous years can be found on this page as well. 

Please tag the Coalition or email us your photos, we'd love to see - and share - some worship spaces decked out in rainbow!

The Colors of Hope Podcast from our siblings at Disciples Alliance Q was released in 2021 but is a great resource - as is the Colors of Hope book - for Pride Month!

Generosity Updates

• Upcoming Stewardship Webinars - Selected 4th Wednesdays

7:30pm - 8:30pm

Eastern Time Unless Noted -- Webinars Are Not Recorded

July 26 - Discover Your Why: How a Clear Purpose Strengthens

Evangelism, Giving, and Impact

Andrew Warner and Kent Siladi will talk about the importance of understanding the "why" of your congregation. You will learn methods to articulate this reason for being of your Church. Together, we will consider how to use the why to motivate and engage people. Registration for Discover Your Why

August 23 – Narrative Budgets: Telling your Story by the Numbers

A narrative budget translates the line items of a traditional budget into a story of how your congregation makes a difference in the world. It can be a helpful tool for a stewardship campaign or annual meeting. By telling the story of our congregations' impact, we can inspire generosity in our donors. Registration for Narrative Budgets

Disaster Ministries

Summer is an excellent reminder that there is more to life than work. Too often, especially to those of us in this business of helping others, we forget that there is a life outside of answering emails, thumbs upping Microsoft Teams chats, and taking phone calls after hours. We might sit in our desk chairs, aimlessly staring out the window at the blooming trees and freshly cut lawns, but our daydream is disrupted by a beep, bing, or ring. Like a reflex, we jump to our phones or computers to see what all the fuss is about.

But summer brings with it its own unique set of ways to distract ourselves. Cookouts with friends and family allow us catch up or just pass the time. Swimming at the lake or pool gives us an opportunity to cool off and relax. Firework shows around the 4^th of July gives us a chance to gaze wondrously at the colors and shapes throughout the night sky with our families.

More than an event, these activities are a moment. A moment in our hectic lives to focus on something, anything else other than work. It’s a time to leave the phone in the car, the computer powered down, and, dare we say it, keep our Friday afternoon calendars just a bit more open.

Yes, of course, we’re going to ask that you share this toolkit with your stakeholders. We want to share these safety tips on grilling, fireworks, and swimming safety. It’s our job to throw a bit of cold water on some of the things that make summer fun. But, when you’re dealing with things like fire and water, you can never be too safe.

At the same time, we’d urge you to do the following this summer:

• Take a couple long weekends
• Leave the top off the car or jeep
• Take the dog on a long hike
• Swim in a creek
• Smoke a brisket
• Camp with friends
• Go to a place with bad phone reception
• “Forget” to bring your computer with you on vacation
• Do a cannonball off the high dive
• Sit outside and stare at nothing in particular
• Sit in the air conditioning and pretend its October

As always, we ask that you share this toolkit with as many stakeholders as you can. The more people you share this with, the more we can get this important information out there. And at the very least, we hope to see more people eating ice cream cones with their phone on mute this summer.  

CLICK HERE FOR FLYER