I apologize if "This Week in PNEC" is a little out of sorts. Working from home to update and some things weren't working for me. I could not update Church News or Announcements. Sorry for that inconvenience. I will work on the issues throughout the next couple of days. Thanks, Patty
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Dear friends and colleagues:
I share with you today a reading from Philippians:
“I thank my God every time I remember you, constantly praying with joy in every one of my prayers for all of you, because of your sharing in the gospel from the first day until now. I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ. It is right for me to think this way about all of you, because you hold me in your heart, for all of you share in God’s grace with me, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. For God is my witness, how I long for all of you with the compassion of Christ Jesus. And this is my prayer, that your love may overflow more and more with knowledge and full insight to help you to determine what is best, so that in the day of Christ you may be pure and blameless, having produced the harvest of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God.”
This is truly how I feel about all of you as you lead your congregations, either as clergy or lay folks, in these days of the global pandemic. We are walking on a path, taking a journey that is unfamiliar to us. Yet, you are all leading with grace. I hope you are feeling the presence of God as you are helping others feel the presence of God.
I am sorry to tell you that based on the “stay at home” orders for Lehigh and Northampton counties, and the daily changing environment,
the Conference Office will be closed until Monday, April 13.
I am also encouraging our churches not to meet until after this date.
As updates come from the CDC, the PA Health Department and the Governor’s Office, we will adjust these dates. The CDC is recommending that no groups of 10 or more gather until after May 10, and now with “stay at home” orders in many of our counties I hope you will all comply with those instructions. We will watch the pandemic’s progression and make decisions accordingly.
This means that many of you will have an on-line Palm Sunday, Holy Week and Easter worship services. I echo the words of our General Minister and President John Dorhauer who said after visiting on-line worship services across the nation over the last two weeks, “we have the capacity to endure and thrive in times such as these.” We can do this; we are the church. While the atmosphere is challenging, we lean on the grace and love of God as we are the church in these days. We are discovering that the church is not the building. Rather the church is the people, connecting in ways unfamiliar but essential to our health and the health of our communities. My friends, I give thanks for you and your ability to “Be the Church.”
Blessings, Bonnie
You may reach the Conference Staff by emailing:
We are all working remotely and are here to help in any way we are able.
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COVID-19 Updates - From Bonnie Bates
Friends,
Over the last weeks, and in the days to come, we will have a lot more information to share with you. We are looking at ways to share the information without inundating your e-mail boxes. Watch for a new Tab on the PNEC website (pnec.org) that lists the updates we are receiving from the Disaster Response Team, the national setting, the CDC and other sources. We will continue to update you as we are able.
Additionally, there is new information being released from the office of the UCC General Counsel about the Families First Act. This act goes into effect on April 1 and does apply to all 501c3 agencies, of which churches are a part. There is information about a webinar and Department of Labor information will also be distributed.
It is our hope to keep you as informed as possible. Please check with reliable sources before making decisions. We, as a nation and as a church, have not faced these kinds of challenges in a very long time, if ever. Together we will weather the storm.
Blessings, Bonnie
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Regarding PA Sales Tax Exemption Certificates
For those churches who submitted their PA Tax Exemption information to us and we filed for you, here’s an update from the State received Thursday, March 26, 2020:
Subject: Sales Tax Exemption Extension Letter
Due to recent events with COVID-19, we are unable to issue your Sales Tax exemption.
Attached
is an extension for your current exemption that can be used by you and your subsidiary churches.
Suzanne Tarlini | Director
Registration and Taxpayer Management
PA Department of Revenue
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IMPORTANT DATES RESCHEDULED…
Rev. Dr. Bonnie Bates will be installed as our fourth Conference Minister on
Sunday,
June 28, 3:00 p.m. at UCC Greenawalds
.
(The original date of Saturday, April 4 has been cancelled.)
The April 24-24, 2020 Spring Meeting
of the Penn Northeast
has been postponed
until
April 16-17, 2021 at The Chateau at Camelback
If you registered through Tithe.ly or sent a check to the Conference Office
a refund will be issued.
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Prayer Pause...Week #2
The Penn Central, Penn Northeast and Pennsylvania Southeast Conferences
of the United Church of Christ invite you to a
Daily Prayer Pause
Monday, March 30 - Friday April 3rd
12:00 – 12:30 PM Monday - Friday
The plan for each gathering includes:
Check-in: Offer 1-2 words to describe how we are feeling; Share our prayer requests; Contemplate a scripture for the day; Join in quiet time for reflection and prayer; Closing prayer
Each afternoon will be hosted by a different conference staff person.
Please plan on joining us, using the following Zoom link for attendance.
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PNEC Spiritual Renewal Partners Spring Retreat 2020
Theme
: " Be Still and Know that I am God."
Place and Time: The comfort of your own home and the time of your own choosing.
"Perhaps in this current time of imposed stillness, it is most important to take moments to quiet our souls."
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Please be aware that you can find continuous updates on the Coronavirus on the Penn Northeast Conference website. Just click on the COVID-19 tab. Thank you.
Continuing Updates on the Coronavirus
The Partnership Center - Center for Faith & Opportunity Initiatives
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
Dear Friends:
In it you’ll see that we point to primary buckets for guidance and information:
- Coronavirus Guidelines for America for slowing the spread of the virus includes the request to avoid social gatherings of 10 people or more.
- For updates on COVID-19, refer to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC’s) dedicated website (which are also available in Spanish).
- For information and recommendations on LOCAL community actions designed to limit exposure to COVID-19, check with your state and local public health authorities.
- For specific guidance and instruction relative to your community’s tradition and practices, please refer to your national and regional denominations.
Warmly, Shannon Royce, JD Director
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From the PA Council of Churches
- Commonwealth of Pennsylvania sources
- Federal sources
- Reliable partner sources
- Faith sources
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New Guidance from the CDC on large gatherings
...
For the new guidance from the CDC go to