Category 5 Hurricane Maria is regarded as the worst natural disaster on record to hit Puerto Rico. It made landfall there on September 20, 2017. It was directly responsible for more than 60 deaths – many more when factoring in the crippling of health care, power, water supply and other systems for months after the storm had passed. Maria followed […]
Welcome to the Pennsylvania Southeast Conference’s Resources library. Resources are listed below with those most recently added to the site at the top. If you’re looking for a specific type of resource, select a category in the box on the right side to browse those resources (Church Resources, Authorized Minister Resources, Members in Discernment Resources, Retiree Resources, Search and Call Resources, or Stewardship/Financial Resources). Or, if you are looking for a specific resource, use the “Search PSEC Resources” bar at the top right.
PSEC Boundary Training Policy
The Pennsylvania Southeast Conference’s Church and Ministry Council passed a new plan for Boundary Training beginning in 2018. In order to address concerns that the traditional Boundary Awareness Training course is repetitive or not relevant to a minister’s current setting or life stage, alternatives to the traditional class will be offered. Authorized Ministers may choose […]
Church Giving and The New Tax Law
From the Spring 2018 Issue of The Steward from the Insurance Board Giving to houses of worship was a truly a “win-win scenario” in 2017. Our congregants gave from their hearts in support of our mission, and, in doing so, received the opportunity to deduct those contributions on their tax returns. According to Giving USA, charitable giving to […]
Opioid Epidemic Practical Toolkit
The Center for Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnership, under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, has released “The Opioid Epidemic Practice Toolkit: Helping Faith-based and Community Leaders Bring Hope and Healing to Our Communities.” This document provides a simple, but proven, list of actions that churches can take to make a difference in their […]
Necessary Endings: A Manual on Church Closure
The conference’s Church Closure Team created this document to help congregation’s discerning their future. The team is made up of conference staff, clergy who have worked with closing and selling churches before, a lawyer, and a real estate agent. The 78-page document below should help answer some initial questions of a church discerning its future. […]
Guide to Pastoral Search and Call: Notes for the Local Church
This guide overviews the practical work of transition, the faithful work of discernment, and the ethical expectations for a fair and honest search process. Liturgical and logistical tools are suggested as well. This particular guide is for you, the leaders of a congregation that is in a season of ministerial transition. Search and Call Guidebook […]
Read More “Guide to Pastoral Search and Call: Notes for the Local Church”
Three Great Loves
The United Church of Christ has a vision of a just world for all. In this world all are welcomed, everyone is loved and justice is inherent. The 3 Great Loves is the denomination’s opportunity to express how our Love of Neighbor, Love of Children, and Love of Creation work together to address the inequities […]
Healthy Boundaries in Retirement
This document details boundary guidelines for retirees in their actions in the church, in the community, and on social media. There is also information on clergy requirements after retirement, pastor emeritus/emerita roles, and the proposed “Omega Standing”. Healthy Boundaries in Retirement
Leadership Project
First United Church of Christ in Royersford, using a New Ministries Grant from the Pennsylvania Southeast Conference, developed a training program to strengthen volunteer leaders in churches. The objective was to create a way for the volunteer leaders from churches and non-profit organizations in the local communities to practice the basic disciplines of team building […]
All Saints Sunday
All Saints Sunday is the first Sunday in November. We celebrate long ago saints and those known to us as saints; people who inspired us by grit and determination to “keep on trying.” Many of those people are the pastors who lives shaped and influenced our own. Some of the PSEC pastors who retired years […]
