Happy are those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or take the path that sinners tread, or sit in the seat of scoffers; but their delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law they meditate day and night.  They are like trees planted by streams of water, which yield their fruit in its season, and their leaves do not wither. In all that they do, they prosper. (Psalm 1:1-3)

This is a General Synod year in the United Church of Christ and there may never be a better time for your entire congregation to join the national setting for this event!! All parts of General Synod 33 will be online, just as so much of life has been lately. As I sit with this theme scripture, I think about these “they” and wonder how exactly I might “delight in the law of the Lord.” Each time I think about it, I find myself wondering through scriptures that inform my living, hoping that the fruit I see is real.

I want to use this message as invitation to each and every member of the UCC to join the whole church for part of this church-wide conversation. Perhaps your small group will read the resolutions and have discussion throughout your congregation about these possible statements from the national setting. How might the local church or individual member engage the implementation or rejection of these resolutions?

Another way to join the wider church will be the 3 main worship services. While registration is needed, these services will be streamed for free. Local churches could join for watch parties in church yards or social halls, or members can join in worship from their homes. The opening worship will be on Sunday, July 11^th at 5pm, the mid-week service on Wednesday, July 14^th at 8pm and the closing worship will be at 6pm on Sunday, July 18^th.

Workshops will also be available for purchase to the whole church in single on-demand offerings or bundles.

The most important thing that each member of the church can do is pray for this gathering. Each of the Penn Central associations have elected delegates that will attend online from home most of the week and will gather at the Hilton DoubleTree in Lancaster for the majority of the business sessions on Friday and Saturday. Holding our delegates, as well as those from the other 32 Conferences, in prayer connects us in ways that make real the hope “that they may all be one.”

You can follow General Synod news at www.generalsynod.org. Join the conversation and take this opportunity to check your roots, examine your fruits and know that in love, children of God will always prosper.

Penn Central Conference

June 12, 2021

Registration is now open!

Click here to read more.

See documents as they are uploaded on the PCC website.

Submit budget questions in advance here: pccannualmeeting@gmail.com

Special Meetings to discuss bylaws changes that will be voted on:

June 1st 10:00AM register here

June 1st 7:00PM register here

Printable eNews are available. Pastors and secretaries, please feel free to share with your congregation members that don't get this weekly email. Download and print this PDF with the weekly message to the conference, prayers for Penn Central and brief list of events.

May 23 - St. Paul's UCC, Selinsgrove - Rev. Dr. Carrie Call preaching

May 23 - Zion UCC, Arendtsville - Rev. Dr. Marisa Laviola preaching

May 30 - Peace UCC, Denver - Rev. Nora Foust preaching

June 6 - Zion UCC, York - Rev. Dr. Carrie Call preaching

June 6 - Salem UCC, Harrisburg - Rev. Dr. Marisa Laviola preaching

Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere. Ephesians 6:18 (NLT)

Penn Central Conference is once again accepting applications for the PCC Innovation Grants which is for PCC churches who are looking for funding for a bold & innovative approach to ministry. Application can be found here, please email completed forms to Paul.

Penn Central Conference has added a special section on our website for COVID-19 resources, including the times and links for Zoom meetings. Find them here: https://pccucc.org/covid-19-resources/

Be the Church is a recent composition by Rev. Scott Siciliano who serves as Minister of Worship and the Arts at Colonial Park UCC in Harrisburg, PA.  Scott arranged his piece for the Virtual Choir, and it is our Pentecost offering. The song addresses both the hurt that the church has caused to people who have been marginalized and also our commitment to truly be a healing, inclusive loving church.  It is appropriate for Pentecost as well as most other Sundays.  

https://youtu.be/RKU2lQGUiC0 

Our last piece of the 2020-2021 Virtual Choir Season will be prepared for worship at the Penn Central Conference Annual meeting.  If you are interested in joining us, contact Julie Holm at bvfofmusic@gmail.com or call (814)349-5515.  

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1kMUILNZZIEL3CJ_ZE1CGmnmRZ3flKQR5  

Has your church considered creating a Pollinator Garden this spring? This is a very practical and productive hands-on project that individuals and churches can do. Pollinator gardens actively and constructively contribute to the health of our own immediate environment, and provide food and shelter for the bees and other insects.  We do a lot of talking about “policies” and “legislation” with regard to climate change. But this is an action where for folks can get their fingernails dirty and make a tangible contribution!  The gardens of native shrubs and flowers provide food, water and nesting sights for our pollinators on which our food supply depends, and build appreciation for God's interconnected creation and community. Penn State Extension has a Pollinator Garden Certification Program that outlines how to begin planning and creating your pollinator garden in four steps and includes many helpful resources. Check HERE for getting started ideas.

For inspiration check out the Church of the Apostles UCC, Waynesboro Pollinator and Wildlife Habitat and Monarch Waystation - beautiful pictures and story.

May 19, 6:00PM

Rev. Matt Lenahan, from The Growing Project at the Wittel Farm in Elizabethtown will join us for the very first part of our meeting. So tune into Zoom to learn how our Outdoor Ministry Partners grow many acres acres of vegetables using regenerative farming to feed the hungry in Lancaster County.  

Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86525862034?pwd=N3lrWlExYWhkcnVvVWlPVGliTGNPQT09

The 2021 summer camp schedule is set! There are camps for all ages and interests at both Kirchenwald and Nawakwa. Check out what is offered online. There is an early-bird registration discount if you register before April 3. Also, if you attend the Open House, you can get an additional discount. Full brochure here. Special PCC discounts available on camp registrations! Read more here.

Summer Staff Recruitment -- GOING ON NOW!

Calling all high school kids, college-age young adults, and adults interested in working at camp this summer! Lutheran Camping Corporation is recruiting now for this summer's camp season. Learn more here.

Hartman Center Spirit Week August 8-14

Check out the all new Outdoor Ministries page on the PCC website here!

And a history of Hartman Center is hosted on the PCC website here.

Learn more here.

REGISTER FOR THE CONVOCATION BY JUNE 1 BY SENDING AN EMAIL TO JOHN CEDARLEAF AT JOHN.CEDARLEAF@GMAIL.COM.

 On Saturday, June 5 at 7:00 p.m. Christ Church United Church of Christ in Elizabethtown will host Br. Stefan Andre Waligur in concert. This is a benefit concert to support the new Community of Peace in Louisa, VA near Charlottesville. The concert offers original songs and chants for peace and justice, stories and poetry from the Celtic tradition, and opportunity for shared sacred silence. Br. Stefan is a monk in the Benedictine tradition who has offered retreats and concerts across the country and around the world. His music has been described by famed jazz musician Wynton Marsalis as “very beautiful and uplifting” and by Krista Tippett, host of On Being as “just beautiful” and again by author Brian McLaren as “a soulful gift.” Phyllis Tickle says Br. Stefan’s music is “absolutely breathtaking” and Parker Palmer writes that it is “a fascinating blend of traditions. I urge people to listen to this music.” 

Theology of Liturgy (Evening): May 27th, and June 3rd, 10th, and 17th

           Limit 10 (minimum 6) Registration

Lectionary Discussion Group continues - using a new Zoom link starting May 4th! Join other clergy on Tuesdays at 1:00PM to discuss the lectionary passages. NEW Zoom link here.

This month's reviews by Rev. Ken Trauger 

America’s Original Sin: Racism, White Privilege and the Bridge to a New America, by Jim Wallis

These webinars are designed to help you enhance your local church ministries. Most are free to attend. Check out the calendar here.

Wisdom for the Church: Antoinette Brown Awardees Speak May 20, 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM

TikTok Ministry: Faith, in the World May 25, 3:30PM - 4:30PM

Disabilities, Mental Health, and Racial Justice May 27, 3:30PM - 4:30PM

The State of Seminary Education June 1, 3:30PM - 4:30PM

Testing Justice: the Divide of COVID-19 Vaccine Access Globally June 2, 2:00PM - 3:00PM

Join us online for workshops, worship services, a wonderful concert, vendors and networking. We will be virtually hosted by the First Church of Christ, Congregational, UCC in the historic town of Glastonbury, Connecticut. From Thursday evening through the Saturday 4 pm closing worship service, we provide a plethora of activities that will enhance your music skills and give you resources and ideas for new ways of expressing God's Spirit in these pandemic times. We also provide glimpses of the historic scenery around the church in Glastonbury, which you would have enjoyed if you had come in person as originally planned. Join us instead online for a mental reset and spiritual refreshment with a taste of Connecticut. Learn more here.

The Pennsylvania Academy of Ministry at Lancaster Seminary announces:

Bivocational Ministry for Congregations and Pastors, taught by the Rev. Dr. Darryl W. Stephens, Wednesday nights, 7–8:30pm, May 26–June 30, via Zoom. Generous grant funding allows us to offer this 2.5 CEU class for $100 per participant (or $50 for auditors, no credit). Registration and instructions for payment: https://lancasterseminary-edu.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJElc-2srT4uHtTuTWFxXhiptHV4n88e8bVd

Is your congregation considering a part-time pastor? Are you considering a career in ministry alongside a secular job? This class is appropriate for lay leaders and clergy alike. We will explore what it means to be bivocational in ministry. We will study the example of Paul as tentmaker and discuss challenges facing the church today. Students taking this class for CEUs will develop a covenant of expectations between congregation and pastor for successful ministry in a changing world.

Also upcoming:

Ministry Job Search Toolkit: Bivocational and Beyond, instructor TBA, July–August 2021. Grant funding allows us to offer this 2.5 CEU class for $100 per participant (or $50 for auditors, no CEUs). https://www.lancasterseminary.edu/programs/pennsylvania-academy-of-ministry/

May 16 is Seminary Sunday at Lancaster Seminary, a day when our faculty, students and staff visit (this year it'll be virtual visits) congregations to either preach, teach or simply say a few words about LTS and the importance of educating the next generation of leaders to serve the church. The pastor decides the level of involvement and are invited to email their interest / availability to our Admissions Team at admissions@lancasterseminary.edu, which is organizing the outreach this year.

"GOD'S PRESENCE" is the common theme for Friday night worship services

during June at the historic Mt. Gretna Tabernacle. For speakers and more info, check out the full flyer here.

Parking GPS Address: 41 Boulevard St., Mt. Gretna, PA 17064

The Evangelical and Reformed Historical Society looks forward to partnering with you in celebrating the continuing legacy of our historic E and R churches throughout the Penn Central Conference on Sunday, June 13th. Additional details are forthcoming. In the meantime, you can always visit us at erhistoricalsociety.org and follow us on Facebook @erhistoricalsoc and Instagram @erhistoricalsociety. 

The National Council of Churches has been part of a Jewish, Christian, and Muslim coalition called Faiths4Vaccines for the past several months. Among our goals is helping houses of worship become vaccination sites by connecting them with partners such as local and state health departments and/or pharmacies. 

Please join us for the Faiths4Vaccines National Summit on May 26, 2021 from 1 to 4 pm EDT. 

The Lebanon Valley Home, a continuing care retirement community affiliated with United Church of Christ Homes, is seeking a compassionate and resident focused team member for the position of Chaplain. This position is Part Time (15 hours per week).

The chaplain will be available to offer comfort to the individual as well as the family. During difficult times, sensitivity and compassion are requisite for the spiritual support needed by all involved; the resident, family, and staff.

Providing comfort for the dying is a key part of the Chaplain's job as well as coordinating and conducting regularly scheduled religious services for residents.

Requirements – Must be an ordained minister of the United Church of Christ with a minimum of one year experience in a pastoral ministry as well as one unit Clinical Pastoral Education.

PT Church Office Administrator - Christ UCC, Elizabethtown, an ONA congregation, looking for PT Church Office Administrator—28 hrs/wk. The Office Administrator should have skills, education, and experience in church office administration which includes web site construction, word processing, office management, and inter-personal relationships. Send application letter, résumé, and two references to GalenRussell@etownucc.org or mail to: Christ Church UCC, 247 So. Market Street, Elizabethtown, PA 17022 by May 13, 2021

Trinity United Church of Christ in Waynesboro, Pa. is looking for a Director of Faith Formation and Programming. The position is part-time (20-25 hours per week) and is open beginning August 1st, 2021. The Director position will be responsible for developing programs for youth, adults and children from pre-school age through fifth grade. The Director will engage children with exciting and relevant opportunities for learning, serving, and growing towards a meaningful relationship with God. Director will be responsible for providing leadership and effective communication for youth and adult Sunday School classes and other Christian Formation offerings (such as Vacation Bible School, book studies, outdoor education, etc.). The Director will engage all ages with exciting and relevant opportunities for learning, serving, and growing towards a meaningful relationship with God. Full description here.

PT Director of Music - Christ Church UCC, an ONA congregation in Elizabethtown, PA seeks a candidate to lead worship through music and oversee the church’s music program. The candidate will possess strong skills in music, leadership, cooperation, organization, and recruitment. A music degree or equivalent experience, broad knowledge of church music, and a willingness to grow the music program are required. Salary up to $19,975 depending on background and experience.

A letter of application, resumé and two references can be sent to ccuccmusicsearch@gmail.com by May 27, 2021.

PT Musician Position - We're looking for someone to assist with the casual service at St. Thomas UCC in Linglestown. This person would help to plan worship, coordinate musicians, and lead the music for Sunday services by playing (keyboard or guitar) and singing. This is a paid, part-time position; for more information, contact Dan Schmidt (pastor@stthomasucc.net)

Support PCC with a donation to OCWM or shop using Amazon Smile.

Penn Central Conference Ministry Opportunities Page

If you have future eNews stories, please send them to C. Paul Keller. 

Contact information: C. Paul Keller | email: pkeller@pccucc.org | phone: 717-652-1560