events

2024 Annual Conference

The 2024 Annual Conference for United Methodists of Upper New York is May 30-June 1 at the SRC Arena, located on the campus of Onondaga Community College in Syracuse.

About the logo

The theme for this year's logo uses familiar imagery that helps convey God’s invitation for United Methodists of Upper New York to move forward with a renewed sense of identity and vision in Christ-centered missional unity, led by the Holy Spirit. The colors highlight our warmed-heart experience as United Methodists; the dove represents the Holy Spirit's guiding presence, and the italic font signifies movement – we are on the move with God.

Agenda

The following is a draft agenda for the 2024 Upper New York Annual Conference Session.  

Thursday, May 30, 2024 

8:30 AM – Check-in & Registration Opens 

10:00 AM – Opening Worship – Offering for Engage Fund 

11:30 AM – Lunch 

11:30 AM – Extension Ministry luncheon (INVITATION ONLY) 

1:00 PM – Clergy Session – Offering for Clergy Care Fund 

                   Laity Session – Offering for Helping Hands 

2:30 PM – Break 

3:00 PM – 5:00 PM Plenary 

5:00 PM – Dinner 

5:00 PM – Retiree/Ordinand Dinner (INVITATION ONLY) 

7:00 – 9 PM – Plenary 

9:00 PM – Ordination Rehearsal   

Friday, May 31, 2024 

7:00 AM – Registration Opens 

7:00 AM – Continental Breakfast 

8:30 AM – Gathering Music 

9:00 AM – Episcopal Address 

9:30 AM – Plenary 

10:30 AM – Memorial Service – Dr. Scott Johnson, preaching 

12:00 – 1:30 PM – Lunch 

12:00 – 1:30 PM – Memorial Service Family Luncheon (INVITATION ONLY) 

1:30 PM – Learning Session: Dr. Ashley Boggan, General Secretary on Archives & History 

2:30 PM – Plenary 

5:00 PM – Dinner 

7:00 PM – Ordination & Commissioning Service, Bishop Tracy Malone preaching 

Saturday, June 1, 2024 

7:00 AM – Continental Breakfast 

8:30 AM – Gathering Music 

9:00 AM – Plenary 

10:00 AM – Service of Passage and Reading Appointments 

11:00 AM – Plenary 

12:30 PM – Closing Worship 

1:00 PM – Adjourn 

Workbook

In preparation for Annual Conference, please view, download, print, and/or purchase your copy of the 2024 Upper New York Pre-Conference Workbook. You can find a copy of the agenda, shuttle bus schedule, petitions, resolutions, and more.

New this year, the 2024 Upper New York Pre-Conference Workbook is now available on Amazon and is eligible for free two-day shipping for Prime members. (Tax and/or shipping applies to all orders.) Copies can also be purchased from Lulu (plus tax and shipping) like in previous years. 

There is no cost to download and/or print a digital copy from Issuu.com.  

Click here to get your copy. 

Worship Booklets

Opening Worship: Thursday, May 30
Click here to download the Opening Worship booklet.

Memorial Service: Friday, May 31
Click here to download the Memorial Service booklet.

Celebration of Ministry and Commissioning Service: Friday, May 31
Click here to download the Celebration of Ministry and Commissioning Service booklet.

Daily Notes

Click here to read daily notes from Thursday, May 30.
Click here to read daily notes from Friday, May 31.
Click here to read daily notes from Saturday, June 1.

Articles and Videos

Thursday:

• Click here to watch the 2024 Annual Conference opening video.
• Click here to watch Opening Worship. Click here to read Bishop Héctor's opening message transcript.
• Click here to watch the Bilingual Hybrid Bible Study video at Community Church Jehovah Jireh.
• Click here to watch Victor Giso's presentation. Click here to download the transcript.
• Click here to watch Oswego: First UMC Korean Student New Faith Community Ministry video at Oswego: First UMC.

Friday:

• Click here to watch the Episcopal Address. Click here to download the Bishop Héctor's transcript.
• Click here to download youth speaker, Destiny Hoerbelt's transcript. Click here to watch the video recording.
• Episcopal Address article: Being willing partners with God
• Youth article: Youth voices matter: Bridging generational divides in church leadership
• Click here to watch the Memorial Service.
• Click here to watch the learning session by Dr. Ashley Boggan.
• Learning Session article: Dr. Ashley Boggan offers lessons in history at Annual Conference 2024
• Click here to watch the Celebration of Ministry and Commissioning Service.
• Celebration of Ministry and Commissioning Service article: Clergy and Deaconesses commissioned at Annual Conference 2024 

Saturday:

• Click here to watch Manny Valdez (Short Version) video. Click here to watch Manny Valdez (Long Version) video at First United Methodist Church of Ontario.
• Click here to watch Celebrating New Faith Communities.
• Click here to watch Finally Friday at Cobleskill United Methodist Church.

Rest Screens for Annual Conference

• Click here to download a video of the 2024 Annual Conference rest screens.
• Click here to download a PDF of the rest screens.
• Click the links below to view the different Annual Conference logo rest screens.
  • Waterfall
  • Sunset
  • Ocean

Webinar recordings

Prepare for the 2024 Upper New York Annual Conference session by watching recordings of two webinars. One is of the Pre-Conference briefing and the other addressed the Child Victims Act recommendation.

Click here to watch Pre-Conference briefing webinar recording.

Click here to watch the CVA webinar recording.

Speakers

Bishop Tracy S. Malone, resident bishop of the East Ohio Conference and the new Council of Bishops president, will deliver the message during the Service of Ordination and Commissioning on Friday evening, May 31. Earlier that same day, Dr. Ashley Boggan, General Secretary of the General Commission of Archives and History, will lead the learning session. Dr. Scott Johnson, pastor at Buffalo: First UMC and Pendleton Center UMC, will deliver the message during the memorial service on Friday afternoon as United Methodists of Upper New York remember clergy and clergy spouses who died in the last year.  

Registration Fees

On Jan. 23, the Upper New York Sessions Committee met to vote and approve on registration fees for AC members and all other attendees. Sessions voted unanimously to not increase registration fees from 2023. All payments need to be received by May 10 in order for the registration to be complete/active. In addition, refunds will not be offered after this date. Registration is open April 3-24. The next opportunity to register will be at the start of Annual Conference on May 30 at the SRC Arena in Syracuse. All late registrants will be charged an additional $50 fee.

Petitions and Resolutions

Click here to submit a petition and resolution. The Committee on Petitions and Resolutions is charged with overseeing the submission, review, and presentation of petitions and resolutions to the Annual Conference. The deadline to submit a resolution and petition to be published in the 2024 Pre-Conference Workbook was March 15. 

Menu

Click here to view the menu for Annual Conference. Meals are available for those registered. This should be used as a guide as menu items are subject to change due to availability.  

Meal Time Meetups

Learn more about the work and ministries of Upper New York during Thursday's dinner and Friday's lunch. New this year are Meal Time Meetups. Several groups have signed up to share information, disseminate handouts, and answer questions for 45-minute sessions during mealtimes. Click here to view the list of what groups/ministries will be available to meet with you, their table number, and during what designated meal time.     

Caring for Creation while at AC: Reusing and Composting

Members of the Upper New York Creation Care Team ask that you do you part to care for God's creation while at Annual Conference. There are two ways you can do this.

One way is by bringing your reusable water bottles, coffee containers, and reusable utensils, straws, and napkins. There will be water stations throughout the SRC Arena and free coffee will be served by Brotherhood Mutual Insurance.

Another way is by recycling your food scraps after meals. There will be composting stations and volunteers on hand to help you sort your leftover food and scraps. Click here to see what food and paper scraps can be recycled at the composting stations. 

Car Trunk Book Exchange

Experience something special at the Upper New York Annual Conference with the Car Trunk Book Exchange! This unique event is a fantastic way to celebrate the richness of our collective resources. Whether you aim to exchange your beloved books or seek new literary gems, this gathering is for you. Scheduled to take place in the outer lot during lunchtime, it's the perfect occasion to rejuvenate your shelves or find your next favorite read. For more information, contact the Rev. Dr. Michelle Bogue-Trost at pastormichellebt@gmail.com.

**See map below for exact location during Annual Conference.

Archives giveaway at Annual Conference 

The Conference Commission on Archives and History has boxes of items that aren’t archived, so members of the Commission are going to give them away for free during Annual Conference. If you’re looking for offering plates, altar vases, candlesticks, wood and metal crosses or would like to have a bust of John Wesley, lamp oil dispenser, and more, head outside to the outer parking lot during lunchtime. The archive giveaway will be next to the car trunk book exchange. For more information, contact Sue Slenker at jslenker@twcny.rr.com or Archives Assistant, Reilly Callahan, at archives@unyumc.org.

**The Car Trunk Book Exchange along with the Archives giveaway will be in the middle parking lot in the corner nearest the traffic circle at lunchtime on Thursday and Friday. The red square on the map indicates the exact location.