Bonnie's Letter

Psalm 52:8-9 “But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God. I trust in the steadfast love of God forever and ever. I will thank you forever, because of what you have done. In the presence of the faithful I will proclaim your name, for it is good.”

Dear Friends,

One of the most spectacular and challenging places I visited when in Israel was the Garden of Gethsemane. It was spectacular because there were olive trees in the garden that were more than 2,500 years old. It was challenging as I read the scripture about Jesus praying in that garden before his arrest and crucifixion. Olive trees are a staple of Israel, and you will find them growing in many places, and tended by many people. One of the interesting things about olive trees is that as they age, they don’t grow wider with rings in a single trunk, but they sprout new trunks and shoots from their roots. Sometimes the various trunks wind around each other. 

It's interesting to see them. It’s also amazing to think about how long they grow and live. When the psalmist writes, “I am like a green olive tree in the house of God” I think about how we all are called to live in the house of God, to count on God’s steadfast love. Our response to God’s faithfulness and love is our own faithfulness. We don’t earn God’s love. It is freely offered to us.

What might change in the world if we broadened our own perspectives, if we allowed more than one of God’s gifts to take root in us and grow? How might the world change if we shared the love of God, the peace of God, and the growth of our spirits in God? I wonder. Maybe we all need to be like the olive trees, steadfast. growing uniquely, and green in the freshness of God’s presence. Blessings, Bonnie

Celebrations from the PNEC Board Report - July 2023

We celebrate the dedication and achievements of PNEC’s Ministry Teams, Committees, and Committee on Ministry…

Spiritual Development Ministry Team…We want the Conference to celebrate:

Even though it was a small group that attended the Annual Youth Retreat, it was agreed by all in attendance to be worth the time and there is a desire for more ways to connect.

Committee on Ministry…We want the Conference to celebrate:

The time these committees invest into the work that needs to be done to accomplish our goal(s). Sometimes, we may feel it is more than what we initially thought, but we follow through to have the best result(s) possible.

Congregational Vitality Minister Team – We want the Conference to celebrate:

The return of Vitality Days. These were an energizing event when they took place before COVID. This will be the first one. Please pray it will be fruitful for those who participate.

The innovative new educational resource that we are undertaking with Local Congregational Support Working Group (LCSWG). To have videos available for churches and their congregants to access whenever they need them will be a blessing.

GEM Fund Ministry Team – We want the Conference to Celebrate:

A new ministry start called 50Plus at St Thomas UCC, Bethlehem which will provide ministry and support for the community.

Disaster Relief Ministry Team – We want the Conference to celebrate:

The award of a $20,000 grant from the National Office to replace the only access for an elderly gentleman in Bradford County.

The response of Karl Jones and Gary Barraco to the Ferry Street fire in Easton.

GTW Scholarship Fund Ministry Team – We want the Conference to celebrate:

At their March 22 meeting, the Team considered 17 applications and awarded $35,600 in scholarships.

Local Congregational Support Working Group – We want the Conference to celebrate:

The fact that so many people are willing to serve, if they are recruited with enthusiasm and conviction. We need to believe that what we are doing truly makes a difference in the life of the church.

Staff and Personnel Committee – We want the Conference to celebrate:

The successful sabbatical coverage provided by the Rev. Dr. Becky Beckwith and the seamless return of Rev. Dr. Bonnie Bates.

July 2023

August 5, 2023—Trip to Cumberland County

The Racial Justice Team of the PNEC is planning a trip on August 5, 2023, to the Cumberland County Historical Society and the Carlisle Barracks, the former site of the Carlisle Indian Boarding School, to tour the historic grounds and cemetery.

Admission is free, but individuals must provide their own transportation. We will begin at the Cumberland County Historical Society at 10AM, followed by a tour of the Barracks. Visitors to the Barracks need to be vetted before entering. Please complete the access form, found here: https://www.armywarcollege.edu/visitorcenter/

Email the completed form to john.e.caron6.civ@army.mil . Please RSVP to the Conference no later than Monday, July 24, to let us know if you are interested.

Trainings Offered by Pennsylvania Southeast Conference

Basic Boundary Training on Sept. 14 in Schuylkill Haven. Click here for more info. To register click on link: -  https://basicbound0914.eventbrite.com

Advanced Boundary Training (Managing Pastoral Transitions) on Sept. 27 on Zoom (or view the recording of the event on your own time and complete a one-page synopsis). Click here for more information. To register click on link: https://advbdry0927.eventbrite.com

Advanced Boundary Training (From Gutenberg to ChatGPT: Tools, ethics, technology and best practices in the life of Church) on Oct. 18 on Zoom. Click here for more information.

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

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.

Welcome the newest ONA church in the Penn Northeast Conference!

Please join us in welcoming Heidelberg Union Church in Slatington, PA as a newly-certified Open and Affirming congregation!

As ONA church #1,831, Heidelberg Union Church 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 Heidelberg Union Church, 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

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

Pennsylvania Council of Churches

Press Release - July 17, 2023

Click Here to Read...

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

https://diversity110823.eventbrite.com

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..

Here is the link to sign-up to help at the Pride event on 8.20.23 --.

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/409044DAAAA29A3F94-pnec2

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. 

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