News & Publications

Hudson Falls' CROP Walk steps it up

The CROP Walk sponsored by Hudson Falls United Methodist Church really stepped it up this year, raising more than $57,000. The annual event, which was averaging $40,000, hit a new milestone on May 6, 2012. With a CROP 25 percent of the funds stay local, and will be divided among three area food pantries and a soup kitchen. "The community is finally getting connected," said April Washburn, co-chair of the CROP Walk at Hudson Falls UMC, saying persistence is important to creating a...

Clergy pension, 'lay servants' among modifications at GC Session

The 2012 General Conference is adjourned, but that doesn't mean the news developments are over. We will continue to keep readers informed about more General Conference news as it develops. Among the actions taken at General Conference were some that directly affect annual conferences and local churches: Name change for Lay Speaking Ministries During the evening plenary session on May 2, the delegates approved a change in language from “Lay Speaking Ministries” to “Lay...

Youth choir, orchestra from Maryland seeks accommodations in Conference

As the youth choir and orchestra from the Damascus United Methodist Church, Damascus, Md., plans their annual tour, this year to Montreal, they are seeking accommodations in the Upper New York Annual Conference to bookend their trip. The Charles Wesley Singers and the Academy of Saint Cecilia Youth Orchestra will be traveling through the Conference during their tour from June 15-24. . As part of this tour, the groups will perform at 7 p.m. on Friday, June 22, at Centenary United...

Conference directory session sittings now being scheduled

A new Conference Edition Directory is being created by Lifetouch Church Directories and Portraits, and session sittings at this year's Session of the Upper New York Annual Conference are being scheduled online. During the Upper New York Annual Conference Session, May 31-June 2 at the OnCenter, Syracuse, clergy and laity will be photographed for the new directory. Although walk-ins will be accepted, the photography company recommends scheduling a session sitting online to reduce your wait time...

Applications now available for UM Foundation Merit Scholarships

Students of Syracuse University are eligible to apply for a $1,000 scholarship from the United Methodist Higher Education Foundation. The Foundation Merit Scholarships are allocated annually to a freshman, sophomore, junior and senior at four-year colleges and college preparatory schools that are a United Methodist-related college or university. Syracuse University is the only eligible school in New York. There are 13 total eligible schools in the Northeastern Jurisdiction. Interested...

Extension Ministry Luncheon reservations due May 11

Those who have not already done so with their Annual Conference registration are reminded that reservations for the May 31 Extension Ministry Luncheon are due Friday, May 11. The luncheon will be from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.  at the OnCenter,  rooms 5 and 6. The cost is $23 for your choice of chicken scallopini or vegetarian wellington.  Checks should be made payable to Upper New York Conference and sent to 324 University Ave., 3rd Floor, Syracuse, NY 13210. To make a reservation,...

Correction in the May 2012 Advocate

Some information in a May 2012 Advocate story on the Plentiful Harvest initiative needs correction. The goal of Plentiful Harvest is to plant 100 new faith communities and revitalize 300 existing congregations over the next four years. There are two staff positions envisioned in Plentiful Harvest, one focused on revitalization of existing congregations and the other on developing new faith communities. Congregational revitalization will be the focus of the Rev. Aaron Bouwen, who currently...

Raucous debates, but few changes from 2012 General Conference

“Plan UMC is unconstitutional.” With those four words, the 2012 General Conference of The United Methodist Church ­– for all intents and purposes – came to an end. With those four words, a major rewrite of The Book of discipline was erased. The General Conference came to a close on Friday night, May 4, in Tampa, Fla., with only minimal changes to The Book of discipline. You could put a label reading 2012 on the 2008 Book of Discipline and most of the information...

UMM Night at the Ballpark set for June 21

Lace up your sneakers. Oil your old mitt. And get ready for some baseball. (Although you can enjoy the game entirely from your seatback.) The 33rd annual United Methodist Night at the Ballpark will be on June 21 when the Syracuse Chiefs take on the Pawtucket Red Sox at Alliance Bank Stadium, Syracuse. The Chiefs are the Triple-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals and the Pawtucket Red Sox are the affiliate of the Boston Red Sox. The Night at the Ballpark is hosted by the Crossroads...

2011 UNYAC Journal now available

The Upper New York Annual Conference 2011 Journal is available by request. The Journal is approximately 720 pages. The journals are free online. However, if you want to purchase a copy, the cost is $18. They are available by contacting Karen Campolieto in the Communications Department at (315) 424-7878 ext. 304 or by e-mail at karencampolieto@unyumc.org. Those who order the Journal by Thursday, May 17, may pick-up their copies at the Pre-Conference Briefing. Download the 2011 Journal: ...

Rev. Barbara Fisk dies

The Upper New York Annual Conference regrets to announce the death of the Rev. Barbara Fisk, 68, a part-time local pastor of the Lairdsville United Methodist Church (Mohawk District). Rev. Fisk passed away on Friday evening, May 4, in St. Elizabeth's Medical Center surrounded by her family and friends. She has served at the Lairdsville church for more than a decade. She is survived by her husband, Louis B. Fisk of Munnsville; one natural son, Aaron and Dawn Olmsted of Wasilla, Alaska; and...

Dramatic 2012 General Conference comes to a close

It was a battle of brains in the committees; a war of words in the plenary sessions, but in the end, United Methodists could not agree on the best way to restructure the denomination. The 2012 General Conference of The United Methodist Church came to a close on Friday night, May 5, in Tampa, Fla., without a much sought-after restructuring plan. After rejecting the Call to Action proposal and alternative plans, the delegates on Wednesday approved Plan UMC, a compromise of Call to Action and...

Scores praise UMC decision to retain policy on homosexuality

Rev. Larry Baird (left). UNYAC photo by Ashley VanSickle. TAMPA, Fla. – Several members of the Upper New York Annual Conference (UNYAC) believe that it was for the good of the denomination that The United Methodist Church has decided to keep its policy on homosexuality. Delegates at the 2012 General Conference of The United Methodist Church voted on Thursday morning, May 3, to keep the...

Plan UMC thrown out by Judicial Council

TAMPA, Fla. - The nine-member Judicial Council on Friday afternoon threw out Plan UMC, a compromise restructure plan for The United Methodist Church, adopted earlier this week by the 2012 General Conference. The Council’s decision that the plan is unconstitutional was unanimous. “Under the Constitution, the creation and establishment of general Church board and agencies, the fixing of their structure, the determination of their functions, duties and responsibilities, and the...

GC2012: Bishops urge "communities of love"

Bishops Deborah Lieder Kiesey (left) and Marcus Matthews give the benediction during evening worship at the 2012 United Methodist General Conference in Tampa, Fla. A UMNS photo by Mike DuBose. Hours after delegates at the 2012 General Conference voted to keep the denomination’s stance on homosexuality, two bishops challenged United Methodists to love those who may be outside their boat. Leading the...

GC2012: Conference lowers apportionments

The 2012 General Conference Session of The United Methodist Church approved a budget of $603.1 million for seven General Church funds during the 2013-2016 period; that total is 6.03 percent less than the amount apportioned for the 2009-2012 quadrennium – the first time the assembly has accepted a lower budget than the amount set for the preceding four-year period. That sounds like a significent amount, but local churches should not count on huge savings, since only 2 cents from every...

Petitions from UNY individuals were not adopted at General Conference

Among the more than 1,100 petitions that were submitted to the 2012 General Conference of The United Methodist Church, were four from the Upper New York Annual Conference (UNYAC). The items covered a range of issues – from allowing churches to conduct same-sex marriage ceremonies and retaining the language in ¶2702 of the Book of Discipline regarding charges brought against clergy to the workings of the Staff Parish Relations Committees and a request that schools of theology include...

Judicial Council to rule on decision to end guaranteed clergy appointments

TAMPA, Fla. – The issue of guaranteed appointments may not be over. Although a vote at the 2012 General Conference of The United Methodist Church on Tuesday morning, May 1, effectively ended the security of guaranteed appointment, the Judicial Council has been asked to declare if the vote was constitutional. Delegates on Friday morning, May 4, approved a motion to refer the case to the denomination's highest judicial body to make a declaratory decision on the constitutionality of the...

The Eldest Elder: A visit with Rev. John W. Annas

While visiting General Conference, Upper New York Annual Conference Benefits Officer/Director of HR Vicki Putney took advantage of her time in Tampa, Fla., to visit with the oldest member of the Upper New York Annual Conference, the Rev. John W. Annas. He and his wife, Lenore – they were married when he was 103 – live in a complex in Leesburg, Fla. Rev. Annas was quick to note that she took a real leap of faith to marry him at such an advanced age. When asked if he is able to...

GC2012 modifies pension plan

United Methodist clergy in the United States will continue to participate in a retirement program that includes a monthly pension payment. By a vote of 819 to 78 on May 3, the 2012 General Conference approved a modified Clergy Retirement Security Program. The plan combines a defined benefit component with a defined contribution component, like the clergy’s current retirement program, but with a reduced benefit for clergy and, consequently, a lower contribution for U.S. annual (regional)...