news stories Tagged “Connectional Ministries”
How University UMC is tackling the food insecurity crisis in Syracuse
March 30, 2022 / By Shannon Hodson / .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Syracuse has the highest poverty rate in the country among cities with at least 100,000 residents, and almost half of all children in Syracuse are living in poverty. This makes food security essential in the city of Syracuse. Further complicating the need, the COVID-19 pandemic hit those already in poverty, the hardest. In this environment, University UMC saw the need and enhanced their existing ministry to make an even greater difference. …more
From attending a Bible study to becoming a pastor
March 29, 2022 / By Pastor Maryellen Moore, Middleburgh UMC and Warnersville UMC
Teresa was 10 years old when her mom took her to see Billy Graham. It was an experience she’ll never forget: “I felt the Spirit” for the first time. A few years later her step-father took her to a non-denominational church, where she responded to an alter call, confessed that she believed in Jesus Christ, and, again, she felt the Spirit, this time as though she was …more
How the 2014 District Days helped us to define the UNY Conference focus
March 22, 2022 / By The Rev. Bill Gottschalk-Fielding, Assistant to the Bishop and UNY Director of Connectional Ministries
When it comes to seeing ourselves, its often helpful to hear from an outsider. An outsider can have fresh eyes and share observations which are “eye opening,” even startling. For example, in a recent document prepared by the law firm working with the Conference on legal matters, the Upper New York Conference was described as a “flat organization,” with power and authority disbursed among clergy and …more
Holy Land trip 2023
March 22, 2022 / By Syracuse United Methodist Ministries
The clergy team of Syracuse United Methodist Ministries (Revs. Andy Anderson, B.J. Norrix, Jee Hae Song and Alicia Wood) invite you to join them on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, February 14 - February 24, 2023. This trip will expand your knowledge of the Bible and the sacred land. A journey following in the footsteps of Jesus will change the way you read the Bible. We will explore, learn, and fellowship …more
From the Desk of Bishop Webb: NEJ Bishops issue message of vision and recommitment
March 18, 2022 / By UNY Communications / .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Editor's note: The following note was sent on behalf of Bishop Webb to the Upper New York Conference on March 18, 2022. Bishop Mark J. Webb and the rest of the Northeastern Jurisdiction College of Bishops has issued a ten-minute video sharing their vision of recommitment and hope even in these times of fear, illness, division, grief, greed, and unbridled abuses of power. Click here to see this moving …more
Forming the Upper New York Conference
March 9, 2022 / By The Rev. Bill Gottschalk-Fielding, Assistant to the Bishop and UNY Director of Connectional Ministries
On June 19, 2010, North Central New York, Troy, Western New York, and Wyoming Conferences joined to become the Upper New York Conference. The meeting that day, known as the uniting conference, took several hours, but the work leading up to it had taken several years. Much of that work was led by the New Area/Conference Team or New ACT. For nearly two years, this 26-member team, drawn from the four …more
Welcome Kim Boise as Finger Lakes District AA
March 9, 2022 / By Shannon Hodson / .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
The Upper New York Conference is pleased to welcome Kim Boise as the new Administrative Assistant for the Finger Lakes District. Kim has an associate degree in accounting. Most recently, Kim worked in the Registrar’s office at Hobart and William Smith Colleges (HWS) as an Administrative Assistant for nine years. She processed transcripts, recorded transfer credits, AP credits, inputted scholarships and Dean’s list and any other …more
Transitional Intentional Interim Specialist three-phase training starts May 3
March 8, 2022 / By UNY Communications
Have you ever felt that your ministry is one “locking horns” event after another? Transitional Intentional Interim Specialist Training (TIIMS) is designed to help pastors and congregations deal with the stresses of our culture in this time of uncertainty. We don’t know what ministry will look like post-COVID, nor do we know what our denomination will look like. While this training is specifically designed for …more
From the Desk of Bishop Webb: General Conference postponed until 2024
March 4, 2022 / By UNY Communications / .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
The following note was sent by Bishop Mark J. Webb to the Upper New York Conference on March 4, 2022. When my anxious thoughts multiply within me, Your comfort delights my soul. (Psalm 94.19) Dear Sisters and Brothers of The Upper New York Conference, The Commission on the General Conference has announced that the 2020 General Conference of the United Methodist Church rescheduled for Aug. 29 - Sept. 6, 2022, will not be held. Instead, …more
From the Desk of Bishop Webb: Praying for Ukraine this Lenten season
March 2, 2022 / By UNY Communications / .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
The following was sent to the Upper New York Conference on March 2, 2022 from Bishop Mark J. Webb. Today, Ash Wednesday, marks the beginning of the Lenten season. Many of us in congregations throughout Upper New York will hear the words of “An Invitation to the Observance of Lenten Discipline.” Some of those words in that invitation are as follows: “I invite you, therefore, in the …more