As new Keystone Conference officially begins, ‘energy and enthusiasm are high’

The new year marks a significant new beginning in the United Church of Christ: Keystone Conference made its debut as an official UCC Conference as of Jan. 1.

Keystone has been several years of dedicated efforts in the making and draws together the ministries, congregations, and leadership of the four now-historic Penn West, Penn Central, Pennsylvania Southeast, and Penn Northeast Conferences. The move was approved by last year’s General Synod.

The Rev. Carrie Call is Keystone’s Transitional Executive Conference Minister, which, as noted in the title, is a transitional two-year role. Call was formerly the Penn Central Conference Minister.

“It all feels a bit surreal,” Call said. “It’s been so long in the planning that the final birth comes as a great relief and with a sense of purpose and focus for what’s ahead!”

Drawing the pieces together

Keystone has launched a fresh website and logo and begins the year with a full staff in place.

The logo was designed through an open call for members from the UCC Pennsylvania Conferences to submit logo designs last year. The chosen logo was created by George Mamas from Olivet-Schwenkfelder UCC in Norristown. It features a keystone shape divided into four colors representing the four Conferences that came together to form Keystone. The UCC “cross, crown, and orb” is central on the design.

The Keystone staff members are all staff from the former Conferences. Call notes that they make a great team and “our energy and enthusiasm are high.”

Some of the staffing transitions happened surprisingly easily, she said. When considering leadership, the Rev. Bonnie Bates, former Conference Minister of Penn Northeast, communicated a desire to retire, and both Conference Ministers the Rev. David Ackerman of Penn West and the Rev. Bill Worley of Pennsylvania Southeast wished to move from conference ministry, she said.

Call moved into the transitional Keystone leadership position as one way to offer continuity in the merger process.

“Leading Keystone is an enormous honor,” she said. “I’m eager to bring to closure many of the blending projects we have started. I recognize the significance of such a challenging role, and I know that carrying it out will be possible alongside the excellent team I have.”

One large project in this blending will be joining financial assets, which requires time and careful consideration regarding designations of funds, she shared. Conference-wide ministry teams, such as Global Partnerships and Creation Justice, are still in the formation process as each seeks individuals from all four historic Conferences to engage in a new, more intentionally broad ministry. The Search and Call teams are still in the formation and training phase. Keystone communications are up and running, yet continued work remains around merging databases, internet servers, and mailing lists.

Call also emphasized the importance of the more than 500 churches who will take time to adjust within the new arrangement.

Making mission central

One way Conference leaders are aiming to build a shared culture is by starting out with a collective mission focus called People of the Table.

“Food insecurity is a very real issue in Pennsylvania, in both rural and urban areas,” Call said. “Most of our churches are already engaged in food ministry of some kind, whether it be food banks, community meals, church food gardens, or similar. We aim to do a Conference-wide inventory so we can lift up the ministries already occurring, while looking to strengthen them at the same time.”

The People of the Table initiative will act in consultation with Russell Redding, the Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture who, Call said, is a member of a Keystone church.

Three new regions

Keystone Conference has three defined regions, which developed from consideration given to both what the Conference required for leadership as well as what was financially feasible. The result was to create three Regional Conference Ministers. This also incorporated the desire to move away from the focus on the boundaries of the historic Conferences, as the three regions incorporate parts of historic Conferences, as well as new areas from dividing the historic Penn Central Conference and some adjustments to boundaries of the historic Pennsylvania Southeast Conference.

Ackerman is serving in a transitional capacity as the Regional Conference Minister for Region Three, which includes much of the western part of the state.

‘Joy at the Table Together‘

The Keystone Conference’s first annual meeting will be held in June at Millersburg University with the theme, “Joy at the Table Together.” Speakers will include UCC General Minister and President/CEO Rev. Karen Georgia Thompson, authors Marcia McFee and Rev. Mary Luti, and Central Atlantic Conference Minister Rev. Freeman Palmer.

While the four historic Pennsylvania Conferences held a joint meeting last year, this will be the first time to celebrate the newly joined ministries after its start and will include a service of consecration for Keystone Conference.

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