The Eastern PA Conference’s new Pathways to Congregational Fruitfulness & Health initiative has its crew and initial passengers all aboard, as it prepares to taxi down the runway for a September takeoff. Eighteen chosen facilitators have received an orientation to begin …
NEJ Conference to meet in November
Foster endorsed for election as bishop
The UMC’s 2022 Northeastern Jurisdictional Conference will meet Nov. 3-4 in Hunt Valley, Md. This year’s gathering of elected delegates from the NEJ’s 10 annual conferences was postponed from 2020, along with the UMC’s General Conference, due to the COVID …
Ministry grants available, with approaching deadlines
A number of Eastern PA Conference grants are available to support ministry, and application deadlines are fast-approaching for several of them. Dewees Grants applications due Sept. 1 Dewees Grants are available to support EPA’s mission to grow vital congregations. Grants …
District donates $20,000 to Ukrainian relief, resettlement, Aug. 1
The North District keeps showing its support for the beleaguered people of war-ravaged Ukraine. The district donated $5,000 in March to the Transfiguration Ukrainian Catholic Church in Shamokin, then more funds in April to the Ukrainian Catholic Church in Centralia …
Leaders are born, right?
Dear EPA Leaders, I continue to be grateful for your leadership in your congregation and in the larger church. Your gifts and leadership are leading us forward. As we look to engage more deeply in growing faith and developing vital, …
Wholeness Centers to spur BIPOC church-community ministry partnerships
The Eastern PA Conference is placing a new milestone on its justice-centered Dismantling Racism: Path Toward Wholeness initiative with the launch of its Wholeness Centers program this month. Wholeness Centers are intentional church-based partnerships with local residents and groups in …
Congregational Trauma, Resilience, and Healing
Groups as well as individuals can suffer the adverse effects of trauma. This advanced sexual ethics workshop equips participants to recognize congregational trauma and to implement practices to increase resilience and healing within a congregation.
From a nudge, Leap of Faith praise band takes flight
“Right before the beginning of Covid shutdowns a small group of young adults who love music were nudged to begin a praise band.” That’s how the Rev. Jean Howe, former pastor of Grace UMC in Reading, began her email message …
Project Restoration to host 4 CCYM Youth Days of Service
The EPA Conference Council on Youth Ministry (CCYM) will sponsor four Youth Days of Service in each of our four districts this fall, engaging youth in volunteer disaster recovery work with EPA’s Project Restoration…
Connectional Table learns about EPA goals, plans, progress
EPA’s Connectional Table, a gathering of staff and elected chairpersons of various conference committees, met July 12 via Zoom to hear and respond to reported plans and updates on major conference program initiatives. Thirty-two leaders, including four new chairpersons, joined …