- THIS WEEK IN PNEC April 27, 2023
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Bonnie's Letter
“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven…” (Ecclesiastes 3:1, NRSV)
Dear Friends,
The third chapter of Ecclesiastes starts with the words I have quoted above. There is truly a season for everything, a time for every part of our personal and faith lives. What time is it in your faith life?
For the first time in more than 30 years, and not again for another 33 years, the Abrahamic faiths celebrated Holy Days together – Passover for our Jewish siblings, Ramadan for our Islamic siblings, and Easter for us Christians. The Holy Days are meaningful for each faith and its people. Yet, every day is a Holy Day – a gift from God, a day in which to worship and remember, a day in which to act on the tenets of our faith.
Recently I attended the Campbell lecture, hosted by the Lehigh Conference of Churches, at which Sister Joan Chittister shared her reflections on “The Time is Now.” Joan Chittister is one of our most influential religious and social leaders. For over 50 years, she has passionately advocated for peace, human rights, women’s issues, and monastic and church renewal. Sister Joan spoke about the courage to act on our faith and the need to see Jesus as He was historically and socially. She wanted us to follow “Jesus the prophet, rather than settle for the domesticated marshmallow Jesus” that makes us comfortable. Jesus was a prophet – is recognized as such in all the Abrahamic faiths. Sometimes we are more comfortable with the niceness of Jesus – but often the “niceness” of Jesus was revolutionary – speaking to women, teaching women, forgiving people, healing people during the celebrations of Sabbath, moving forward to remind the leaders of the church when they were acting in faithlessness and heartlessness, instead of faith.
The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. shared, “Let us realize the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” My question for myself and for all of us is whether we are courageous enough to follow the prophet Jesus, to act for justice in the world, to use this season of Resurrection celebration to resurrect hope and gentleness, kindness, and generosity, but mostly to use this season to ACT on our faith and follow in the footsteps of our prophet savior Jesus. It is my hope that we are. It is my prayer we will act to move justice forward. Blessings, Bonnie
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Strengthen The Church Resources Ready
Dear Colleagues, I heard Central Pacific Conference Moderator Cynta Butts sing “On Holy Ground.” Her singing at the conference annual meeting moved me. My mind thought of all the holy ground we touch through the ministry of churches, conferences, and the national setting. Click Here for Bulletin Template.
Cynta’s singing inspired the creation of the Strengthen the Church materials, now available on UCC Resources. I’ve also placed a copy of all the documents on the CCM Basecamp – see “docs and files” of OCWM Support/Warner Project.
The offering provides resources for our conferences and national setting as we work for a multi-cultural/multi-racial, accessible to all Christian movement. In addition to Cynta from Central Pacific, a poem by Dave Long-Higgins and a story about a Wisconsin camp reflect the conference side of Strengthen the Church. From the national setting, Traci and John provided reflections. In developing these materials, I’m trying to reflect the shared conference & national nature of this offering.
Most congregations will take the Strengthen the Church Offering on Pentecost, which falls on Memorial Day this year. I’m hoping you can make an extra effort to promote the offering, perhaps even encouraging congregations to take it on the Sunday before because attendance will likely be lighter over the long weekend.
Please think about ways you can promote the offering in your conference. Consider:
- Create a bulletin specific to your conference that tells what STC funds allow you to do (a template is available on Basecamp and attached here).
- Use the “On Holy Ground” music video in your annual meeting worship service (in Basecamp and here).
- Ask pastors and leaders for quotes about the impact of an STC-supported project of the conference and post these to your social media (Facebook jpeg available in the materials).
- Open a gathering of leaders with John Dorhauer’s reflection (in Basecamp and here).
Together, we can ensure the Strengthen the Church Offering raises crucial funds for our conferences and the national setting to help congregations.
Take care, Andrew
Rev. Andrew Warner, CFRE, Generosity Outreach Officer
OPTIC – Office of Philanthropy, Technology, Identity, & Communication United Church of Christ
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PATHWAYS Theological Education, Inc. is a 501c3 program that grew from a program of the Southeast Conference UCC. It remains affiliated with the Southeast Conference. The program offers a full menu of courses for those seeking authorized ministry, for those wanting continuing education, and for those looking for a progressive theology, ethics, or practical church course. The courses are asynchronous, geographically unbound, affordable, and aligned with the UCC Marks of Faithful and Effective Authorized Ministers. Please be in touch with any questions. You may apply online at pathwaystheological.org.
Supervised Ministry Program
PATHWAYS offers a six-course series in Supervised Ministry. The participant finds a ministry site and supervisor. The supervisor oversees the participant’s internship as the participant takes the facilitated asynchronous online courses. There is a four-week introduction to supervised ministry followed by six 9-week courses. The titles and schedule of courses are listed below:
Supervised Ministry 2023-2024 Schedule
Intro to Supervised Ministry (June 3- June30, 2023)
Supervised Ministry I Entering a Place of Ministry (July 10 - Sept 17, 2023)
Supervised Ministry II The Transformative Context of Pastoral Care (Oct 2 – Dec 17, 2023)
Supervised Ministry III The Practice of Worship Leadership (Jan 8 - Mar 10, 2024)
Supervised Ministry IV Faith Formation in the Parish (April 8- June 9, 2024)
Supervised Ministry V Leadership in the Midst of Change (July 8 - Sept 15, 2024)
Supervised Ministry VI Leaving a Place of Ministry (Oct 1 - Dec 17, 2024)
Six-Week Course Schedule through the Early Fall 2023
Summer I: Courses Begin May 17, 2023
Summer II: Courses Begin July 5, 2023
Fall I: Courses Begin August 21, 2023
ACPE-certified Community-Centered Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE)
PATHWAYS will offer a 24-week ACPE-certified CPE course in the Fall 2023. Applications are due by mid-August for a November 2023 course. The course originates with the Sankofa CPE Center but you apply through PATHWAYS. From the website: “Learners can choose diverse learning settings including social justice/activism venues to meet their clinical hours. Digital ministry can also be a focus including tele-chaplaincy and online worship. This 24 week program.
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Walk to Combat Family Homelessness
Join us on June 3rd
Family Promise of Lehigh Valley has been selected to be a participating organization in the Annual Highmark Walk for a Healthy Community. This year the walk will be held at DeSales University on Saturday June 3, 2023.
The Highmark Walk for a Healthy Community is an annual fundraising walk that benefits local health and human service agencies. Our participation will help Family Promise build awareness and support for the many children and their families who are experiencing homelessness in our area.
Highmark Inc. coordinates and underwrites the cost of the walk so that 100 percent of the money raised by our walkers goes to Family Promise.
The primary goal of the Walk is to help participating organizations raise money for their individual missions. The secondary goal of the Walk is to energize community members to have a greater hand in their health by becoming or staying physically active.
- Registration is free! However walkers can fundraise for Family Promise if they wish
- To qualify for the 2023 Highmark Walk T-shirt, you must meet the following requirements:
- Be a registered walker AND have a minimum of $30 credited to your walker account by the walk date. All T-shirts will be given out on-site.
Please consider joining us by doing the following:
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Watch for and share walk information on our Family Promise Facebook Site
- Put together a team to walk on behalf of Family Promise
- Walk as an individual
- 5K Walk begins at 9:00 A.M. - 1 Mile Walk begins at 9:15 A.M.
- Purchase a Family Promise Tee-Shirt for $10.00
For more information or to sign up to walk click below or contact Family Promise at 610-351-1368 or visit our website at www.fplehighvalley.org
Click Here to Register
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A Film Showing and Discussion on Nonviolent Activism
Wednesday, May 17th
4pm Pacific, 6pm Central, 7pm Eastern.
Register HERE for this free online event.
Love & Solidarity is an exploration of non-violence and organizing through the teachings of Rev. James Lawson. This free online event includes a discussion about the film with the filmmaker and a panel discussion on the role of nonviolence in contemporary Christian activism.
Questions? info@justiceleadership.org
Hosted by the Justice Leadership Program and Southern New England Conference of the UCC
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Lehigh Conference of Churches 2022-2023 Annual Meeting
Moving Forward Together
May 18, 2023
Please join us for our annual meeting, #MovingForwardTogether. Doors open at 11:30 a.m. with the business portion of the meeting at noon. Executive Director Abby Goldfarb will be recapping the impact we made in our community this past year and what plans the Conference has for the future!
We will also be recognizing outgoing board members and staff service anniversaries. The Ecumenical Service Award will be presented at the conclusion of the meeting.
Refreshments will be provided. $15 for member churches, and $20 for non-members.
Location: The Barrister's Club - 1114 Walnut St, Allentown, PA 18102
Date: Thursday, May 18th
Time: Doors Open at 11:30 AM
(Advanced Registration is Requested)
Click Here to purchase your ticket today, registration closes May 15th.
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Sponsorships available for the 25th Anniversary CPE Event at Phoebe
Dear Friends of Phoebe,
The Clinical Pastoral Education program at Phoebe Ministries is designed to offer clergy, seminary students, and qualified community members of all faiths the opportunity to practice ministry to senior adults in a variety of settings under supervision. This program has been accredited by the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education since 1998. To date we have trained over 200 students who now serve in various pastoral roles and ministries.
On June 15, Phoebe will celebrate the 25th Anniversary of our CPE program with current students, alumni, staff, generous donors and members of the community. Click Here for Flyer. The Reverend Naomi Washington-Leapheart, currently Director of Faith-Based and Interfaith Affairs for the city of Philadelphia will be speaking at the event. She is a graduate of Lancaster Seminary and an ordained UCC minister. The event will take place at the Lehigh Country Club, at 2319 S Cedar Crest Blvd, Allentown, PA 18103.
If your church, business or organization would like to be a sponsor for the event, I’m attaching a form which explains the various levels that you can sponsor at. Our UCC Churches, Associations and Conferences and Phoebe have been partners in preparing people for ministry for many years. Your support of this significant milestone in our history will help the CPE endowment fund as well as make this event possible. Our CPE endowment at Phoebe now ensures that any student wanting to do CPE with us, can do so regardless of their ability to pay.
Here is the link to the sponsorship page on our website: https://phoebe.org/cpe-25-years-sponsorship-form/ If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to be in contact with me. Peace, Scott
Scott Brooks-Cope, D. Min.
Regional Director, Pastoral Care and Education
Phoebe Ministries, 1925 Turner Street | Allentown, PA 18104
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Upcoming Pennsylvania Academy of Ministry (PAM) Classes
Click Here for List
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Boundary Training Offered
For 2023, the Pennsylvania Southeast Conference UCC is responsible for Boundary Training according to the joint agreement. We have set three dates for basic training:
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Tuesday, May 2 in Norristown
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Thursday, Sept. 14 in Schuylkill Haven
Attached is a flyer. These trainings are appropriate for new clergy or those who are due for boundary training and would like to complete it with one basic class as a refresher. Register here: https://basicbound0114.eventbrite.com/.
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UCC News Digest
Click Here to Read
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Vital Conversations
The Vital Conversations happen regularly on the third Wednesday of the month from 10-11 AM.
Congregational Vitality Team is relaunching its monthly Vital Conversations! These are Zoom forums designed for clergy and lay leaders to brainstorm together about church vitality topics, tricks, and troubles. You can join us at Meeting ID: 817 9668 4439 Passcode: 292474
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UCC Webinar on Police Violence and Environmental Justice
In Atlanta, faith leaders have been involved in a struggle to confront violence in multiple forms as they seek to prevent the destruction of the Weelaunee Forest for the building of a police training facility in a predominantly Black community. Through their actions for a just world, these faith leaders have additionally sought to honor Manuel “Tortuguita” Terán who was killed by the Georgia State Police while protecting the forest. This webinar will feature faith leaders from Atlanta as they share with us about this cause of justice. Even if you cannot make the webinar at its scheduled time, still sign-up, and we will send you a link to a recording of it. Register now!
[Hyperlink: https://UCC.zoom.us/webinar/register/5916814999887/WN_929exdZBR4qLupdGdeMt-g ]
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YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!
Do you feel hopeless and helpless when you hear the daily disasters about our planet? Take heart, because you can do something about it. By planting native plants in your gardens, in pots on your balconies, with your children in their schoolyards, you can support the wildlife you love and make a difference in preserving our planet.
Thanks to the tireless work of many conservation advocations, there are many resources available. The National Wildlife Foundation has a program called Garden for Wildlife. They also have a Native Plant Finder by zip code to find the best native plants for your area. Please see Garden for Wildlife.
Dr. Doug Tallamy, an entomologist, ecologist and conservationist and professor at the University of Delaware has written several wonderful books about how we can take action to help the cause of conservation including Bringing Nature Home and The Nature of Oaks. He has a wonderful website, Homegrown National Park, where you can find lots of information on planting native plants in your garden. The best news is that Dr. Doug Tallamy is coming to the Lehigh Valley on May 9! He will be speaking at First Presbyterian Church from 7-9. The event is free, but registration is required. Please register on the Wildland Conservancy’s website.
We also have a terrific native plant nursery in the Lehigh Valley, Edge of the Woods Native Plant Nursery, 2415 PA-100, Orefield, PA 18069 (https://edgeofthewoodsnursery.com ). In addition, our local Penn State Extension Master Gardeners of Lehigh and Northampton Counties is holding a Native Plant sale at their Pollination Celebration on June 17, 2023 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. at Burnside Plantation, 1461 Schoenersville Road, Bethlehem, PA.
Take the first step to protecting God’s gift of creation by planting some native plants today
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Pennsylvania Council of Churches
Community Summit on Policing
May 10, 2023 - 5:30PM
Harrisburg High School, 2451 Market St., Harrisburg, PA
Keynote Speaker - Paul Butler, Criminal Justice Professor at Georgetown School of Law and frequent legal contributor to MSNBC; Author of Chokehold
In addition to Professor Butler, they are also inviting Governor Josh Shapiro to join for opening remarks.
Click Here for detailed fliers
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Disaster Ministries
March ReadyPA Monthly available online now
This month's PA Emergency Management Agency's ReadyPA Monthly includes info on flooding and flood plans. Click here for the newsletter. Please share this information with your congregations to help keep everyone safe and prepared.
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