Annual Conference 2015: Special Wrap Up Issue

ADVOCATE Upper New York

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AC ’15 WRAP UP 2015

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‘IT’S OUR TIME’ During Opening Worship, Bishop Mark J. Webb says it is the Church’s time to partner with Holy Spirit power.

TABLE of CONTENTS

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PACKING THEIR BAGS Delegates to the 2016 General and Northeastern Jurisdictional conferences have been elected.

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COFFEE, ANYONE? Thanks to the efforts of many, the Upper New York Conference has surpassed $400K in fundraising for the Africa 360 initiative.

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NEW APPROACH Several resolutions were approved through the traditional process, but UNY tried a new approach for the ones related to human sexuality: conversation circles.

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MINISTRY MILESTONE Saturday’s Service of Commissioning & Ordination was a milestone in the ministerial life of 17 UNY clergy leaders.

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EVENING OF MEMORIES Memorial Service speaker the Rev. Susan Shafer’s theme was “Life is eternal, love is immortal.”

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UNY 2.0 The Conference Leadership team introduced UNY 2.0, an initiative to increase leadership capacity.

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Members brought vials of water from around New York for a symbolic flowing together during the Act of Repentance & Healing of Relationships with Indigenous Persons service.

Photo by Matthew Williams

FROM the PUBLISHER Growing the ministry started at AC ’15

T

his is the second special issue of the Advocate dedicated to the Annual Conference session.

Prior to the session we published a special preview issue; this issue serves as a wrap-up. The hope is that this bookend approach will help keep members across Upper New York connected to the Annual Conference session and to each other.

Of course, only the highlights of Annual Conference can be covered in this format. Full coverage is available on the Conference website, and there will be many other tools and channels dedicated to helping connect all local church members to what happened at the 2015 session of Annual Conference.

The Annual Conference session is a very important time for us as United Methodists, but it is a beginning, not an end.

All of the decisions, excitement, motivation, and inspiration that result from the Annual Conference session mean very little if they are not brought back to local churches.

In the end, the work is all about making disciples, and disciples are made by local churches.

This issue of the Advocate will give you important information about the business of the Annual Conference session, such as the 2016 Conference budget, recommendations, and Annual Conference and General Conference resolutions. It will also paint a picture of the worship that transpired so that all can be inspired. Perhaps most importantly, it will explore the ministry that took place at and around Annual Conference so that it can be carried back to the local church.

What happens at the Annual Conference session is like a seed that must be planted in your church so that it can grow.

Stephen J. Hustedt, Editor/Publisher

On the cover Theresa Eggleston acts out the stories of Moses and Joshua during worship led by Young Adults on Thursday.

Photo by Christian Vischi Read more on Page 29.

Follow us online: www.unyumc.org www.facebook.com/uppernewyork www.twitter.com/uppernewyork

A DVOCATE Upper New York

AC ’15 WRAP UP



Vol. 7, Issue 4

Upper New York Area

BISHOP MARK J. WEBB Resident Bishop (315) 422-5027 bishopwebb@unyumc.org

Editor/Publisher

Weekly Digest

STEPHEN J. HUSTEDT

KAREN CAMPOLIETO

UNY Director of Communications (315) 424-7878 x307 stevehustedt@unyumc.org

Administrative Assistant to the Director (315) 424-7878 x304 karencampolieto@unyumc.org

Graphic Designer

Social Media/Web

CHRISTIAN VISCHI

ASHLEY RIDDELL

Communications Associate (315) 424-7878 x313 christianvischi@unyumc.org

Multimedia/Web Coordinator (315) 424-7878 x320 ashleyriddell@unyumc.org

Writer/Editor

Video Specialist

KATHLEEN RUBINO

MARY DALGLISH

Conference Writer/Editor (315) 424-7878 x319 kathleenrubino@unyumc.org

Conference Videographer (315) 424-7878 x304 marydalglish@unyumc.org

The Advocate is a publication of the

Upper New York Conference 324 University Ave., 3rd Floor Syracuse, NY 13210 (855) 424-7878  www.unyumc.org The Upper New York United Methodist Advocate is a publication of the Upper New York Conference of The United Methodist Church, whose mission is to be God’s love with all our neighbors in all places. Materials in the Advocate may not be reproduced unless the item is accompanied by a copyright notation. Periodicals postage paid at Utica, New York 13504; USPS 14025. Subscriptions: $15 per year paid in advance to 324 University Ave., 3rd floor, Syracuse, NY 13210; or call (855) 424-7878; or visit www.unyumc.org. Postmaster: send address changes to Upper New York United Methodist Advocate, 324 University Ave., 3rd floor, Syracuse, NY 13210. We reserve the right to edit or decline any items submitted for publication.

Bishop Mark J. Webb at Opening Worship:

‘It’s our time’

By Kathleen Rubino KathleenRubino@unyumc.org

A

s the “It’s Our Time” video began to fade, one voice called out, “It’s our time, Church … It’s our time to fully and completely, passionately, and boldly live the purpose for which we have been created and called … it’s our time to partner with Holy Spirit power to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. It’s our time!” said Upper New York Area Resident Bishop Mark J. Webb.

Bishop Webb addressed the crowd on Wednesday, May 27, during Opening Worship at the 2015 Upper New York Annual Conference session, reiterating the Church’s call: “to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.”

“That means we exist to help those who are already part of the body of Christ to fall deeper in love with God to become grace-filled followers of Jesus who put faith into action,” he said. “And we exist to do whatever it takes to make certain that at least one more person has a chance to know, trust, and be changed by the amazing, unchanging, unconditional love of God through Jesus Christ.”

Bishop Webb noted that God has equipped United Methodists to accomplish their purpose. Throughout the Scriptures, when God called people to mission and ministry – for example, Abraham, Moses, Esther, Naomi, Ruth, Mary, Peter, and Paul – God always promised a harvest.

“As I travel around our beloved Conference, I am overwhelmed by the signs of God’s people living out the mission,” Bishop Webb said. “We are offering our lives to God, we are sharing the love of Jesus in creative, practical, bold, and risky ways, and we are experiencing the promise of harvest.”

Some people feel the Church is 4 UNY ADVOCATE AC ’15 WRAP UP

irrelevant, that its future is uncertain, but Bishop Webb believes the Church is alive and well, with the best days for The United Methodist Church ahead.

“I believe the Spirit of God is renewing and reviving the Church,” he said. “God’s promise of harvest is real! Who we are and who we are called to be is greater than how we sometimes act, behave, and live.”

In discussing the promise of the harvest, Bishop Web said there are two important steps to take. The first is to strategically lean into the promise of the harvest.

UNY Conference leadership has been working to identify the primary work of the Conference. The Conference’s role is to equip, resource, and encourage each faith community and local congregation. Conference goals include increasing the vitality of congregations and faith communi-

ties; creating a culture of planting, resourcing, and supporting new things; aligning resources to support the purpose of the Conference and the mission of the local church, with a system of expectation and accountability for ministry and mission at all levels; and recapturing the Methodist/ Wesleyan ethos.

To accomplish these goals, Bishop Webb said the Conference must increase the leadership capacity of clergy and laity.

“God has called the right people to serve as clergy and lay leaders in Upper New York,” he said. “We may not believe that, but it’s true! God has given all the necessary gifts. We may not trust that, but it’s a promise!

We need to journey with one another, teach one another, encourage one another, and challenge one another to allow the Spirit of God to increase our capacity as leaders.”

Photo by Matthew Williams

Through multiple focus groups and listening sessions, UNY has developed and tested core competencies critical for clergy leaders for ministry in the 21st century. The Conference Board of Laity is developing the same strategy for laity.

Bishop Webb referenced Matthew 9:35-38 to illustrate the second step: to spiritually embrace the promise of the harvest.

“We need to embrace the truth that God is calling us from a state of survival to a state of revival,” he said. “We need to embrace the promise that God is calling us to move from a state of existence to a state of persistence in the living of our purpose and mission. We need to become less concerned with Church work and more concerned with Kingdom work.”

Bishop Webb called for the audience to live the reality of 1 Peter 2:9-10 and to spiritually embrace their identity in Luke 4:18-19.

To embrace the harvest, the UNY Conference must see with the eyes of Jesus, Bishop Webb said.

“If we are to spiritually embrace the promise of harvest, we need to see people as Jesus saw them,” he said. “We must look beyond ourselves, look beyond the walls of our churches, look beyond our understandings, our agendas, our wants.”

To see with Jesus’ eyes, United Methodists must see people of deep significance and value, people looking for connection and meaning, people seeking truth that leads to understanding and purpose, and people searching for hope.

In addition to seeing with Jesus’ eyes, he said United Methodist must feel with the heart of Jesus, who was burdened and broken over the spiritual condition of people.

“If we are going to spiritually embrace the promise of harvest, we need to be broken for those who are broken and lost,” Bishop Webb said. “Our hearts need to break for those who do not know the amazing grace of God.” Lastly, to spiritually embrace the harvest, Bishop Webb said people must pray.

He referenced E.M. Bounds, who says in his book Power through Prayer, “What the Church needs today is not more or better machinery, not new organizations or more novel methods. The Church needs men and women whom the Holy Spirit can use – persons of prayer, persons mighty in prayer. The Holy Spirit does not flow through methods, but through persons. The Spirit does not come on machinery, but on persons. The Spirit does not anoint plans, but persons – persons of prayer.”

Bishop Webb called for everyone to begin AC ’15 with a time of prayer, and concluded Opening Worship with these few words, “It’s our time, Church!”

Bishop Webb said. “It’s our time.”

Upper New York Bishop Mark J. Webb leads the Opening Worship during AC ’15 at the OnCenter, Syracuse.

Photo by Dan Wistrup

unyumc.org 5

Delegates elected for 2016 GC and NEJ conferences T

he slate of delegates for the 2016 General and Northeastern Jurisdictional conferences has been elected. The delegates elected, including their ballot of election, are:

GENERAL CONFERENCE LAY DELEGATES

Johnson

Forrester

O’Flynn

Vianese

Sweet

Smith

GENERAL CONFERENCE CLERGY DELEGATES

Allen

Mudge

Sweet

Preuninger

Fassett

Martin

General Conference lay delegates: Dr. Scott Johnson (laity ballot one), Greg Forrester (ballot three), Riley O’Flynn (ballot three), Carmen Vianese (ballot five), Marthalyn Sweet (ballot five), and Blenda Smith (ballot seven).

General Conference clergy delegates: The Rev. Bill Allen (clergy ballot four), Adirondack District Superintendent the Rev. Bill Mudge (ballot six), Northern Flow District Superintendent the Rev. Rebekah Sweet (ballot seven), the Rev. Colleen Hallagan Preuninger (ballot eight), the Rev. Thom White Wolf Fassett (ballot 12), and the Rev. John Martin (ballot 12).

The 2016 General Conference session will be held May 10-20, 2016 at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland, Ore., the largest convention center in the Pacific Northwest. The theme is “Therefore Go” based on Matthew 28:19-20.

General Conference is the top policy-making body of The United Methodist Church which meets once every four years. The conference can revise church law, as well as adopt resolutions on current moral, social, public policy and economic issues. It also approves plans and budgets for church-wide programs.

Upper New York Bishop Mark J. Webb prays over the GC and NEJ delegations following the completion of delegate voting. Photo by Matthew Williams 6 UNY ADVOCATE AC ’15 WRAP UP

NORTHEASTERN JURISDICTIONAL CONFERENCE LAY DELEGATES

Urriola

Warren

Riddell

Archibald

O’Connor

Readdean

Allen

Aswad

NEJ lay delegates: Ian Urriola (laity ballot one), J.J. Warren (ballot one), Ashley Riddell (ballot one), Julius Archibald (ballot one), Laurel O’Connor (ballot one), Shirley Readdean (ballot one), Suzanne Allen (ballot one), and Hudda Aswad (ballot four).

NORTHEASTERN JURISDICTIONAL CONFERENCE CLERGY DELEGATES

Bogue-Trost

Nye

Stengel

Rood

Barrow

Bouwens

Cady

LaDue

NEJ clergy delegates: The Rev. Michelle Bogue-Trost (clergy ballot two), the Rev. Holly Nye (ballot two), the Rev. Cathy Hall Stengel (ballot three), Cornerstone District Superintendent the Rev. Sherri Rood (ballot three), Crossroads District Superintendent the Rev. Darryl Barrow (ballot three), the Rev. Aaron Bouwens (ballot three), the Rev. Dr. Stephen Cady (ballot three), and the Rev. Rick LaDue (ballot three).

The Northeastern Jurisdictional (NEJ) Conference will take place July 11-15, 2016 at the Lancaster Marriott at Penn Square in Lancaster Pa. Organization and committee meetings will take place on July 11, followed by episcopal candidate interviews on July 12. The Jurisdictional Conference will be held July 13-15.

Within the U.S., The United Methodist Church is divided into five areas known as jurisdictions: Northeastern, Southeastern, North Central, South Central and Western. The primary purpose of the quadrennial jurisdictional conferences is to elect new bishops and select members of general boards and agencies.

Photo by Matthew Williams

Balloting was done primarily with electronic, handheld keypads (seen at left), except when a member wanted to cast a write-in ballot. Clergy and laity delegate candidates were issued a four-digit number to enable their peers to vote for them. Just prior to casting each ballot, a pre-recorded video of bishops from across the connection leading the session in prayer was displayed on the screens.

The keypads were also used to approve a motion, made by the Rev. Bill Gottschalk-Fielding and amended by the Rev. Wilson Jones, to only show on the screens those delegate candidates who received five votes or more on the previous ballot. unyumc.org 7

‘Net’ gain: UNY Conference eclipses $400K for Africa 360

By Christian Vischi, Graphic Designer ChristianVischi@unyumc.org

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frica 360 Field Coordinator Laurel O’Connor is unapologetically passionate about the work of Imagine No Malaria and Africa University.

“My job is to help our Conference dream Godsized dreams of a world where no child or mother dies of malaria, which is preventable, treatable, and beatable. God-sized dreams where new leaders have a chance to learn, grow, and change the world,” she said during Saturday’s plenary at the 2015 session of the Upper New York Annual Conference.

But she’s not alone. Passion for Africa 360 is abundant.

Walkers and bicyclists in support of Africa 360 video shown during AC ’15 at www.unyumc.org/ raised more than $3,000. Three cups of coffee were news/video/6125. auctioned off by Upper New York Area Resident Challenges issued Bishop Mark J. Webb for a total of $800. A bishop In August 2014, Bishop Webb extended a challenge signed over his honorarium to the Africa 360 initiative. to all congregations in the Conference to raise $1 milAnd the stories don’t stop there. The Africa 360 lion for Africa 360 and bring those funds to the 2015 offering, received during Wednesday’s Opening Worsession. ship, netted more than $38,500, and 2,500 votes were This year, Bishop Webb extended a second Africa cast at $1 each during sprightly balloting for Upper 360 challenge.

New York’s mosquito net fashion show. The Confer“Between tomorrow (Sunday, May 31) and next ence Council on Youth Ministry (CCYM) designs that year’s beginning of Annual Conference, (I challenge) had been made at UP!Word raised $1,000 of that every congregation to raise $1,000 for the Africa 360 total. campaign and bring that offering to Annual ConferBishop Webb, making good on a promise he made ence next year and present it at the opening worship,” prior to AC ’15, donned the winning mosquito net attire and paraded around the stage, raising an additional $3,660 by his “twirling and dancing,” O’Connor said. (See photo at far right of facing page.)

As of the Annual Conference session, Upper New York has catapulted over the $400,000 mark for Africa 360, the Conference’s holistic plan for health and education initiatives in Africa. The Conference has pledged to raise $1 million for Imagine No Malaria – an initiative to end malaria deaths in Africa by 2016 – and $1 million for Africa University scholarships.

The Africa 360 video that was shown during the 2015 session of Annual Conference can be found at www.unyumc.org/news/video/6125.

You can find the Africa 360 8 UNY ADVOCATE AC ’15 WRAP UP

What was the buzz at AC ’15?

Cup of Joenomics: • Average price for a cup of coffee in Athens, Greece $6.62 • (eBay) 1998 Wizard of Oz Coffee Mug Featuring Dorothy $34.99 • Quadriginoctuple Frap at Starbucks $47.30 • Sexagintuple Vanilla Bean Mocha Frap at Starbucks $54.75 • Cup of Black Ivory Coffee in coffee shop $70 • Cup of Kopi Luwak Coffee in coffee shop $90 • (eBay) French Limoges porcelain coffee cups 20th century $199 • (3) Three cups of coffee auctions by Bishop Mark J. Webb $800

he said. “Thanks be to God for what you have already done.”

Starting early can help churches of all sizes reach this goal. If a church undertakes the challenge starting June 1, it would need to raise $19.23 per week to hit the $1,000 goal before the 2016 Annual Conference session to be held June 2-4; a church beginning July 1 would need $20.83 per week.

O’Connor issued a challenge of her own: A district challenge.

“So who here has a cell phone and is not currently tweeting pictures of the bishop?” she asked, joking about the likelihood of Bishop Webb’s aforementioned twirling and dancing going viral via social media.

“This phone is a lifeline, a beckon of light and hope,” she said. “One text can save a life.”

Members were then encouraged to text “MALARIA” with a unique district code to 27722 to give $10 to the Imagine No Malaria initiative of Africa 360.

A District Day challenge was issued in the spring, won by the Mohawk District which raised $728. While each district rose to the call and raised more than the previous, the Mohawk District more than doubled the efforts of the Niagara Frontier District, whose event was the month before, which totaled $357.

But the Niagara Frontier District is work-

ing to take back the title as it is currently in the lead for the text-to-donate challenge, which remains open until Tuesday, June 9.

“The most money raised by an Annual Conference in one day is $2,000,” O’Connor said. “I want to pull a Mohawk District and I think we can double that.”

For Africa 360 resources for your church, visit www.unyumc.org/mission/africa-360 or contact O’Connor at laureloconnor@unyumc.org.

Photos by Dan Wistrup

unyumc.org 9

RESOLUTIONS and PETITIONS

By Christian Vischi, Graphic Designer ChristianVischi@unyumc.org

W

ith Saturday’s lunch delayed by 30 minutes and an adopted motion to suspend Conference rules in favor of a more expedient deliberation period, the members of the Upper New York Conference address all Conference resolutions and the majority of the General Conference resolutions and petitions that were submitted for the Conference’s endorsement. Those General Conference resolutions that were not addressed will be addressed by written ballot.

Because of a rule in the Organizational Motion that was approved on Wednesday, the eight resolutions and petitions related to human sexuality were voted on by paper ballot on Thursday, following approximately two hours of conversation circles (see page 13).

The remaining Annual Conference session and General Conference session resolutions and petitions were brought before the body on Saturday. Prior to Petitions & Resolutions Committee Chair Hudda Aswad reading the first resolution aloud, Conference Director of Connectional Ministries the Rev. Bill Gottschalk-Fielding made a motion that all Annual Conference session resolutions and petitions not taken up by the body before the close of the session be referred to the appropriate Conference board, committee, or team and that the maker of the resolution or petition be given voice but not vote at that organizational body’s meetings.

His motion further called for the Conference Secretary to submit to General Conference session all GC resolutions and petitions also not taken up by the body – as a courtesy to the original author – with no declaration of Upper New York’s support or opposition.

“Folks have invested time and heart in these … but we are probably not going to get to all of them,” Rev. Gottschalk-Fielding said. “We need to have the topics in these resolution discussed.”

The Rev. Merle Showers, retired, expressed strong opposition to that motion, suggesting that time management should be to blame.

“I think we waste so much time here on the floor on items that do not need to be before this Conference,” he said. “I am so sorry that you are doing this.”

The Rev. Steven Clunn, serving on extension ministry, offered an amendment that was supported. It called for all unresolved resolutions and petitions for AC and GC sessions be placed on a ballot, for a “yes” or “no” vote.

That ballot would be sent through the U.S. postal mail to each eligible voting member of the Conference by June 30, and must be received – not postmarked – by the Conference by July 17; the results would be posted on the Conference website by Aug. 7 and entered into the official record.

The motion as amended was then approved.

In an effort to expedite the morning’s proceedings, 10 UNY ADVOCATE AC ’15 WRAP UP

lay member Matthew Williams moved to suspend the Conference rules, “In order to create a more perfect union and to honor the writers of all the resolutions and petitions before us,” he said.

His motion called for debate for each petition and resolution be limited to one speech for and one speech against, and that each of these speeches be granted a maximum of two minutes. The submitter of the resolution or petition would be granted two minutes to speak prior to debate and one minute post-debate.

His motion also called for “an intentional moment of silent prayerful reflection” prior to voting for the resolution or petition.

Listed below are the resolutions and petitions, what they called for, and the results of the body’s action: UNYAC2015.2: Change to the Rules of Order, withdrawn UNYAC2015.4: Locations for Annual Conference Sessions, not approved This petition called for the Annual Conference sessions, beginning with the Annual Conference session in 2017, “to be held in odd years in Syracuse and in even years within the Albany, Buffalo, or Rochester regions (i.e.: Syracuse/Albany/Syracuse/Buffalo or Rochester – or other regions if it is proven possible).”

UNYAC2015.5: New Faith Community Lay Representation at Annual Conference, withdrawn UNYAC2015.6: Income Inequality, referred to the Conference Social Holiness Committee The resolution called for the Conference Committee on Social Holiness “to prepare and send letters on behalf of Upper New York Conference to state and federal legislators who represent districts within the Conference boundaries, conveying our support for such legislation, with appropriate rationales” and the Conference Board of Trustees, local church boards of trustees, and church members who hold corporate stock “be encouraged to vote their proxies against executive pay plans that far exceed human needs and to write to boards of directors of any mutual funds they own urging similar action.”

UNYAC2015.7: Creation of Bridging Team, approved as amended The petition called for the Conference Leadership Team to create a bridge team in fall 2015 that would create civil discussion around divisive issues – (amended to add) by the entire Annual Conference – such as authority of the Bible, human sexuality, marriage, ordination, and Israel/Palestine.

UNYAC2015.8: Creation of a Voting Process and Process of Reporting Outcome of Votes, referred to the Conference Sessions Committee

The petition called for the Conference to “obtain counts of votes for and against divisive issues and announce the percentage of votes for and against and a narrative reflecting the voice for and voice against, thus providing a true representation of what the Conference is saying” to be implemented at the 2015 Annual Conference session.

UNYAC2015.9: Resolution to Support the Turtle Island Trust and the People of Ganienkeh, approved The resolution called for the Conference to support the people of Ganienkeh Territory and the Turtle Island Trust in their ongoing efforts to establish peace with justice by asking New York State Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and state Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman to honor the 1977 Turtle Island Trust Agreement, which established the Turtle Island Trust as a tax-exempt charitable land trust, resolving the differences between the people of New York and Ganienkeh Territory. A copy of the resolution would be sent to Governor Cuomo and Attorney General Scheiderman.

UNYAC2015.10: Fruits Of Repentance: An End to the Celebration of Columbus Day, approved Among other items, the resolution called for Conference members to no longer recognize Columbus Day, by which the Conference offices and local churches “will either not observe this holiday or will initiate organizational conversations designed to rename and re-purpose this holiday in accordance with our United Methodist Social Principles (The Book of Discipline ¶162 and ¶162a).”

UNYAC2015.11: Study the Location of the Conference Headquarters in a Local Church Building, not approved A motion to refer the petition to the Conference Board of Trustees failed; the petition as amended also

failed to garner approval by the body. The petition called for the Conference Board of Trustees to meet with the trustees of the University United Methodist Church in Syracuse to explore all options for housing the Conference headquarters there, including in that discussion Conference ownership and management of the University UMC building with studies of the costs of infrastructure upgrades and remodeling, signage, parking, and reception area.

UNYAC2015.12: Health Insurance for All Clergy and Local Pastors, approved as amended Conference Secretary the Rev. Jeff Hodge later noted that this petition was the first quad-amended petition approved during a session of the Upper New York Annual Conference. The amended petition called for the Conference Board of Pensions and Health Benefits to explore the option of providing health insurance for all part-time clergy and local pastors as well as students appointed to attend school for their studies and students appointed to charges, part- or full-time, while completing their studies.

Further, the Conference would survey each charge to determine by category where each clergy and local pastor obtains health insurance and the affordability of that health insurance. Those categories include: Healthflex, covered under spouse’s plan, covered by both Healthflex and spouse’s plan, state insurance/not Medicare, Medicare, and other.

UNYAC2015.13: Property Insurance, withdrawn UNYAC2015.14: Protecting Seneca Lake, approved The resolution called for the Conference to support “the movement to protect Seneca Lake by continuing to advocate within the political system to prevent gas storage in the salt caverns nearby,” and for The United Methodist Church to “encourage individuals who are

Members vote on one of the Annual Conference resolutions. unyumc.org 11 Photo by Matthew Williams

RESOLUTIONS and PETITIONS called to do so, to join with others to engage in peaceful, nonviolent acts of protest, up to and including civil disobedience, until additional storage of LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) and methane in Seneca Lake salt caverns is halted.”

Further, the Conference Secretary would be instructed to send a copy of the resolution to Crestwood Midstream, Houston, Texas, The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, and the appropriate legislative and judicial bodies of Schuyler County.

UNYAC2015.15: Revise Rules of Fair Presentation of Proposed Actions, withdrawn UNYAC2015.16: To Create an Open and Fair Communications System, withdrawn UNYAC2015.17: Formation of Upper New York Conference United Methodist Historical Society, approved The petition called for the Conference’s endorsement of the formation of an Upper New York Conference United Methodist Historical Society, organized and administered by the Upper New York Commission on Archives and History for a maximum of two years until officers are elected.

GC2016.1: Potential Consensus Among Faith Communities Regarding Income Inequality, affirmed GC2016.2: Fruits of Repentance: An End to the Celebration of Columbus Day, affirmed GC2016.7: Prayer And Support For Members Of The Armed Forces And Veterans, affirmed GC2016.9: Cross Referencing The Book of Discipline with The Book of Resolutions, affirmed GC2016.12: Licensed Pastors Right to be Elected as Clergy Delegates of General Conference, Jurisdictional Conference and Central Conference and Vote on the Constitution, affirmed On Friday, May 29, one resolution was brought before the body.

UNYAC2015.3: Support a Fair Minimum Wage for New York State, not approved Upper New York Area Resident Bishop Mark J. Webb initially ruled the resolution was not approved, but one member asked for a count of hand votes because the vote was close; the count revealed the resolution was not approved. The resolution called for the Conference to join with the Labor Religion

coalition, Hunger Action Network of New York State, and other organizations in calling for a minimum of $15 per hour indexed to inflation and elimination of sub-minimum wage for tipped workers. The resolutions that will be included on the ballot to be mailed to all eligible voters are: • GC2016.13: Divest from Caterpillar, Motorola Solutions, and Hewlett Packard after years of corporate engagement • GC2016.14: Establishing a Screen to Remove and Avoid Investments in Illegal Settlements on Occupied Land • GC2016.15: Opposition to Torture • GC2016.16: Removing Prejudice Against Ministerial Candidates with Disabilities • GC2016.17: Non-Discrimination In UMC Employee Disability Benefits • GC2016.18: Not Optional, But Required Additional Member of Joint Committee on Clergy Medical Leave • GC2016.19: Non-Discrimination in Disability Compensation • GC2016.20: Ensure Accessibility of Conference Meetings • GC2016.21: Do Not Invest in Petroleum, Coal, or Natural Gas • GC2016.22: Create Petroleum and Natural Gas Investment Screens • GC2016.23: Avoid Investment in the Production of Petroleum, Coal, and Natural Gas

What about petitions not affirmed by UNY? According to ¶507 in The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church, “any organization, clergy member, or lay member of The United Methodist Church may petition the General Conference ... ” Petitioners have until Oct. 13 to submit to the Petitions Secretary their petitions on digital media. This includes petitions affirmed and not affirmed by the Upper New York Conference, and petitions that were not addressed by the body or submitted to the body for consideration.

Examples of petitions submitted by other conferences in the U.S. include: 12 UNY ADVOCATE AC ’15 WRAP UP

• Arkansas Conference: A petition concerning juvenile justice that urges federal, state and local governments to adopt sentencing laws and procedures that eliminate life without parole sentences for juvenile offenders • California-Nevada Conference: A petition to amend The Book of Resolutions’ Investment Strategies – Socially Responsible Investing Strategies, to include in the portfolio screening section “production of greenhouse gas emitting fossil fuels” For more information about how to submit a petition for General Conference 2016, visit www.tinyurl.com/ SubmitPetitionsGC16.

Resolutions, petitions, and conversation circles: Human sexuality at AC ’15

By Kathleen Rubino KathleenRubino@unyumc.org

F

ollowing Thursday’s conversation circles (May 28) – where participants gathered in groups of 10-12 people to discuss eight resolutions and petitions related to human sexuality – at the 2015 session of Annual Conference, voting members immediately voted on those eight resolutions and petitions.

Because of a rule in the Organizational Motion approved on Wednesday, the eight resolutions and petitions that refer to human sexuality were discussed in conversation circles and then voted on “without further discussion, debate, or provision for amendment, tabling, or referral.” It also stated that a single ballot listing all resolutions and petitions referring to human sexuality would be provided for members to indicate whether to “adopt” or “not to adopt” each individual resolutions or petition.

The supported resolutions and petitions will go on to General Conference session with the support of the Upper New York Conference. The unsupported resolution can still be sent to General Conference session by the writer of the resolution but will not be endorsed by the Upper New York Conference.

Prior to the start of conversation circles, submitters of each resolution or petition were given three minutes per resolution or petition to address the audience with any additional information regarding their submissions.

Resolution UNYAC2015.1 Resolution Concerning the General Conference and Homosexuality, presented by the Rev. Dr. Allan Hill, was supported.

“Allow us as a Conference to affirm the full humanity of gay people and say … ‘gay people are people,’” he said.

The resolution calls for the 2015 Upper New York Annual Conference session 2015 to implore its delegates

to the 2016 General Conference to change the language used in The Social Principles and to affirm the place of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgendered (LGBT) members within the Church, including access both to marriage and ordination.

Resolution GC2016.3 Same Sex Marriage, submitted by the Rev. Dr. Wilfredo Baez, was supported. Rev. Baez was unable to give his presentation, but the Rev. Bill Gottschalk-Fielding requested that everyone take the time to read his resolution.

The resolution calls for United Methodist elders, licensed local pastors, and United Methodist churches to choose to conduct – or allow to be conducted on their premises – same sex marriages. It also calls for United Methodist ordained, consecrated, and licensed clergy to be allowed to marry to same or opposite sex partners, have all the rights of such marriage, and conduct their lives without discrimination. It calls for each conference to provide an annual forum to educate congregations, clergy, and lay servants about gay marriage issues and for each conference to have a diversity officer and team to promote diversity within each conference.

Resolution GC2016.4 A Faithful Compromise: Providing Jurisdictional and Central Conference Authority to Resolve the Dilemma Regarding the Ordination of Self-Avowed Practicing Homosexuals, submitted by the Reconciling Team at Rochester’s Asbury First United Methodist Church and presented by the Rev. Dr. Stephen Cady, was supported.

“We have tried for 40 years to get rid of that language, and for 40 years, we have failed,” he said. “Let us not lose the good for the sake of the perfect. We have to try something.”

The resolution calls for amendments to The Book of Discipline ¶304.3 and ¶2702.1 that delete the “incompatibility clause” and allows

jurisdictions and central conferences to determine if self-avowed practicing homosexuals may be certified as candidates, ordained as ministers, or appointed to serve in The United Methodist Church.”

Rev. Cady also presented on Resolution GC2016.5 A Faithful Compromise: Providing Jurisdictional and Central Authority to Resolve the Dilemma Regarding Same-Sex Marriage, which was also submitted by the Reconciling Team at Asbury First UMC. It was supported.

Rev. Cady recalled the moment he was asked to officiate a gay wedding for the first time.

“It was a moment I had dreaded since beginning my ministry,” he said.

“Friends, we have reached a tipping point as a denomination. “But let’s be clear about it; something has to change.”

The resolution calls for amendments to The Book of Discipline ¶341.6 and ¶2702.1 to allow jurisdictions and central conferences to conduct homosexual unions if they have determined to do so and that no minister can be required to celebrate or perform such a ceremony.

Resolution GC2016.6 Human Sexuality, presented by Mary Jane Russell, lay member at the Orchard Park UMC, was supported.

“The concept of marriage has changed in the intervening centuries,” she said. “Marriage is now a covenant entered upon by two consenting adults to establish a new family unit … the incompatibility clause is outdated; it is incompatible with Christian teachings.”

The resolution calls for amendments to The Book of Discipline ¶161F, ¶2702, ¶304.3, and ¶310.2d, with a focus on removing the “incompatibility clause.”

Petition GC2016.8 Disaffiliation for Reason of Conscience, presented by the Rev. Merrill Bender, pastor at County Line UMC in Lyndonville, was not supported. unyumc.org 13

Human sexuality at AC ’15 – “Unfortunately we are divided; we are not united,” he said. “Your mission, your beliefs, your theology may be different, and that’s okay. We should show love about that to all brothers and sisters.”

This calls for the Annual Conference session to petition GC that the paragraphs be added to The Book of Discipline. One new paragraph would allow for churches to disaffiliate from The United Methodist Church due to conflict over the current Church position on homosexuality and the blessing of homosexual unions.

Another new paragraph would allow clergy to withdraw for reasons of conscience.

Resolution GC2016.10 Reconciliation, presented by lay member Julius Archibald who spoke on the behalf of the Leadership Council at the Plattsburgh UMC that submitted the resolution, was supported.

The resolution calls for amendment to the ¶2702.1 and for the phrase “incompatible with Christian teachings” and all verbiage immediately related thereto be deleted from ¶161F and ¶304.3 of The Book of Discipline.

“We are the same in God’s sight; we should not judge each other,” Archibald said. “We need to have a Church that is united and not a Church with second class members

During Thursday’s day-long collection at the 2015 Annual Conference session, Conference members contributed 120 flood buckets and more than 50 other UMCOR relief supply kits to be used for disaster relief around the world. Photo by Dan Wistrup 14 UNY ADVOCATE AC ’15 WRAP UP

in it.”

Resolution GC2016.11 Removing Hurtful Language, presented by the Rev. Stephen Heiss, retired, was supported.

“No one is asking you to be gay; all the gay community is asking you to do is not to judge them,” he said. “If you want to make a difference in the world, why pick on gay people?”

The resolution calls for the deletion of, “The United Methodist Church does not condone the practice of homosexuality and considers this practice incompatible with Christian teaching” from The Book of Discipline ¶161F.

Bishop Devadhar: Notes, reflections on The Lord’s Prayer

By Christian Vischi ChristianVischi@unyumc.org

A

familiar face came home to lead Bible Study on a familiar piece of scripture.

Bishop Sudarshana Devadhar of the New England Conference gave the first part of his Bible Study on The Lord’s Prayer found in both the Gospels of Matthew and Luke.

In his introduction of Bishop Devadhar, Upper New York’s Resident Bishop Mark J. Webb recounted Bishop Devadhar’s lineage to the episcopal post in Boston, from Ontario district superintendent in the former North Central New York Conference, to episcopal leader in New Jersey to his current assignment.

“Because Upper New York is a new creation of four predecessor conferences, … Bishop Devadhar, we are delighted to say that you are one of us,” Bishop Webb said.

“I have this whole bio on Bishop Devadhar, and it is extensive. His accomplishments academically, his accomplishments ecumenically, his accomplishments in the life of the Church are numerous. He is a leader who influences others and equips others to live out their gifts that God has given to them.”

Teaching The Lord’s Prayer Bishop Devadhar began by reading aloud Luke’s version of The Lord’s Prayer and sharing at the outset that he wasn’t planning to do a traditional Bible study, instead a study with his notes and reflections on scripture.

“I have decided to do this because what I am today is not due to my own merits, but purely because of God’s grace and my utter dependence on prayer,” he said.

Why is prayer so important in his life? It comes from a moment of healing that he said can only be attributed to Christ.

“Early in my life I became a strong believer in prayer because as I was growing up I was suffering from bad headaches. Often these headaches

were so bad that I could not even look at the sunlight. However, one day an evangelist came by the house and I remember my mother asking him to lay his hands upon me and to pray for my headache. Thanks to Jesus Christ my headaches were gone after the prayer,” he said.

Christ’s first disciples saw Jesus healing the sick, comforting the marginalized, and challenging the religious leaders of the day, and more than likely they wanted to know what the secret to Jesus’ energy when they approached Jesus with the request, “Lord teach us to pray.”

“They did not ask him to show them how to preach, how to do miracles, or how to do ministry, instead, they asked him to teach them how to pray. Having been with Jesus, having seen Him perform miracles, and having watched Him take time to pray, they might have realized it was the power of Jesus’ prayer that enabled Him to do what He did. So they asked Jesus to show them how to pray,” Bishop Devadhar said.

A relationship through The Lord’s Prayer What’s important, he said, is that the prayer that Jesus gave to his disciples wasn’t a prayer only for Christians, but a prayer for people of all faith walks.

“The Lord’s Prayer was taught to us by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ that we can say without saying the name of Jesus. The Lord’s Prayer can be said by a Christian, a Jew, a Muslim, or a Hindu, because it is a prayer said without using the Jesus’ name, but to our Creator God, who so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him will not perish but may have eternal life,” he said, referring to one of The Bible’s most recognized scriptures from the third chapter of the Gospel of John.

Many of us know the prayer, Bishop Devadhar said, but do we know God? In the prayer, Jesus challenges Christians to demonstrate who is God: Is He only a possession

of Christians, or does God belong to the whole world?

“Many a time the energy of church-going people is spent in arguing the gender of God. The Bible, after all, refers to God as ‘Father’ in this incident. Kindly do not misunderstand me. I am not challenging that.

What I am saying is, in this prayer Jesus is trying to refer to God as a personal God with whom we have a personal relationship,” Bishop Devadhar said.

“Someone said to me after a worship service one day, ‘Suda, do you know how difficult it is for some to call God a Father when that person has had the pain of dealing with a father who was abusive or controlling?’ Friends, when Jesus used this word, he was addressing God in the Aramaic language. It is not about the language or how do we address God; it is about the relationship. It is the relationship of a loving child to a loving parent. … It is not about the gender, it is all about the relationship.”

“I’m reminded of the refrain of a contemporary praise song that is sung in some churches, ‘This is the air I breathe, your holy Presence, living in me.’ Heaven is not merely some realm where God dwells,” he said.

“In this single praise ... we remember both God’s transcendence and God’s immanence – God’s reign over all creation and God’s nearness – His presence filling every void. God goes before us, he reigns over us, God is behind us – this is, writes (the Rev. Adam) Hamilton, what we acknowledge when we pray, ‘Our Father, who art in Heaven.”

“When the extension of God’s kingdom is a top priority, our priority as a Church, everything will fall into place naturally,” he said.

“Friends, sadly, many people confuse the kingdom of God to the ‘Church.’

Church is not the kingdom of God, it is part of the kingdom of God. The goal of the Church is not to maintain a building or an institution, but to join others in extending the kingdom of God.” unyumc.org 15

COMMISSIONERS and ORDINANDS

Emily Barner Huyge

Ordained Residence: Oneonta Family: Husband, Dana; daughter, Sarah Current appointment: Otego United Methodist Church and First UMC in Oneonta

MDiv: 2012, Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School, Rochester

E

ver since I was a young child, I’ve had a passion for bringing hope to those who need it most. Through my years of discernment, that passion has led me to consider careers in medicine, psychology, special education, and music therapy. My call to bear hope has ultimately led me to ordained ministry – a vocation in which I am called to work with those who are physically and/or psychologically unwell, those with special needs, those who find music therapeutic, and so many more beloved people. “We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to (God’s) purpose.” (Romans 8:28, NRSV). I am called, I am blessed, and it is good.

Ordained Residence: Syracuse Family: Wife, Sherri; children: Michael Manfredo, Alyssa Manfredo-Scully, and Alexandra Mackey Current appointment: James Street and Erwin First UM churches, Syracuse

Douglas P. Mackey Jr.

MDiv: 2013, Drew Theological School, Madison, N.J.

O

rdination represents an important milestone in my life and my ministry. It is a point of accomplishment that recognizes the work that I have completed and a validation of my call to ministry in the eyes of others, but in reality it is more of a beginning than an end point. With my ordination I am committing myself to a life of service to God and to the communities I will be serving. In making that commitment, I feel I am following the way that Christ set before us through his ministry. I look forward to the challenges ahead and the opportunities to share and grow with the communities I will serve as we journey through life.

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Photos pages 16-23 by Christian Vischi, Matthew Williams, and Dan Wistrup.

Ordained Elders

Edith Aletta Poland Ordained Residence: Keeseville Current appointment: Harkness and Keeseville United Methodist churches MDiv: 2012, Boston University School of Theology, Boston

Ordained

Carlos Manuel Rosa-Laguer Ordained Residence: Rochester Family: Wife, Martha R. Davila-Rosa Current appointment: Emmanuel UMC, Rochester COS, Advanced COS, and Master of Arts in Spiritual Formation & Evangelism: GarrettEvangelical Theological Seminary

Geraldine Edith Rapino

Residence: Rochester Current appointment: Seneca and Wesley UM churches in Rochester MDiv: 2012, United Theological Seminary, Dayton, Ohio

I

was raised in the Methodist Episcopal Church. Almost as a child, I was called to ministry. At that time, women were not welcome to seek ordination as elders in our denomination, but for God, there is no time but the right time. God used the intervening years to prepare me for ministry. For several years I have been serving churches in Upper New York and preparing to be received into full membership in the Conference. God has opened the doors and allowed me to serve and love six congregations. I keep each of them in my heart. At present, I am serving two urban churches in Rochester and Irondequoit. It is an exciting time for urban ministry in this culturally and linguistically diverse city.

There are many challenges and opportunities for ministry here, and I am thankful to be a part of it. unyumc.org 17

Ordained Elders

Heather Lynn Stierheim

Ordained Residence: Massena Family: Husband, Gregg Stierheim; children, Ethan, Noah, and Grace Current appointment: Massena First and Grace UM churches, Massena MDiv: 2012, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary in Pittsburgh

I

am a child of God. As a child of God I am called to first be in relationship with God and then to show God to others in the world. My first call as God’s child has led me to where I am today – seeking ordination in the United Methodist tradition. I feel a further call to preach and teach the Gospel of Christ in the local church. I am passionate about issues of poverty: both spiritual and material. I hope that my future years in ministry allow me to journey with others, teaching them and me how God would respond to this area of mission. I am excited about this step in my journey in faith!

I’m so grateful to those who have helped me clarify my call to pastoral leadership, for all my mentors and family who have helped me see what God has in store for me. God is so good and uses so many others to help us see that!

Ordained Residence: Massena Family: Wife, Heather; children: Ethan, Noah, and Grace Current appointment: Norfolk and Brasher Falls UM churches, coordinating pastor at the Buckton UMC

Gregg Stierheim

E

MDiv: 2012, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary in Pittsburgh

arly in my life I knew that God had placed a call on my life to vocational ministry. At one point, I believed that God was calling me to be a missionary – to help people identify clean water resources and develop natural resources in sustainable ways. At another point, I felt God calling me to youth ministry. Looking back on my faith journey, I now understand that these, as well as many other, experiences have prepared me for this moment in ministry. I believe that The United Methodist Church is at a crucial point right now. It is beginning a transformation into something different than it was in the past. I am excited to be a part of that new future. I am extremely grateful to my wife, Heather, and our kids, Ethan, Noah, and Grace for walking this journey to ordination with me. Thank you to my family, friends, and clergy that have shown me how to seek out living in a Christ-like way all my life. Thank you to my mentor, the Rev. David Piatt, for being flexible and thoughtful through the process. A very special thank you to the congregations that I currently serve of Brasher Falls UMC and Norfolk UMC for their grace, patience, kindness, and sense of humor through it all. It has been a blessing to work through all of this together!

18 UNY ADVOCATE AC ’15 WRAP UP

Ministry of Deacon Deacon Residence: East Aurora Family: Husband, Eric; children: Ross and Elizabeth Current appointment: Baker Memorial UMC, East Aurora

Rebecca Lynn Naber

MDiv: 2015, Rochester Crozer Divinity School, Rochester

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y specialized ministry is pastoral care, most particularly with older adults. As a trained Stephen Minister and palliative care chaplain, I have integrated my 26 years of secular experience in technical sales/training towards the equipping of our laity in their ministry to seniors, including visitation ministry, Bible studies, and community outreach programs. ... I have trained and oversee Baker Memorial UMC’s Visitation Team – which is in its fourth year, the Healing/ Wholeness Team, and its Grief Ministry Program. Last November, I developed and taught Sharing Your Hope: Christian Visitation Ministry as a successful pilot course within the Niagara Frontier District. This course, which I plan to publish in the near future, trains and facilitates visitation teams for the local church. I am excited to chair the Upper New York Conference’s Older Adult Ministries Team. Commissioning is the Church’s affirmation of my call and character for ordained servant leadership in pastoral care and older adult ministries. As such, it is the affirmation of my ministry to represent the care and compassion of our Lord, Jesus Christ to the community as well as to reflect back the ministry of witness, care, and service to which all Christians are called. As a deacon, I hope to embody, articulate and lead the Church in its care of the sick and marginalized, and make visible the spiritual and communal needs of God’s beloved seniors.

Deacon

Carrie Sturtevant Wolfe

Residence: Olean Family: Husband, Aaron Wolfe; son, Maxwell Wolfe Current appointment: Christ UMC, Olean MDiv: Anticipated 2015, United Theological Seminary, Dayton, Ohio

O

ur United Methodist Book of Discipline, claims that “ordained ministry is defined by its faithful commitment to servant leadership following the example of Jesus Christ, by its passion for the hallowing of life and by its concern to link all local ministries with the widest boundaries of the Christian community.” For me this is it. This is the meaning of commissioning and ordination. I am called to a passion for the hallowing of life! Inspired by the Holy Spirit, I am called, through the ministries of word, service, compassion, and justice to be an example of the art of making life holy or sacred by actively receiving and responding to the love of God. unyumc.org 19

Ordained Elders

Corey Anna Tarreto Turnpenny

Ordained Residence: Whitney Point Family: Husband, Ben Current appointment: Whitney Point UMC MDiv: 2013, Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School, Rochester

I

received my call to ministry while worshipping at the Plains United Methodist Church when I was 11 years old. Since then, God has led me through the ordination process and I know God will continue to lead me in ministry. Ordination is the fulfilment of my life’s purpose; it is what I was made to do! I know it is also the beginning of an incredible adventure! I’m thankful for and blessed by the love and support of my husband, Ben, my mom, the Rev. Dolly Tarreto, and my many friends and mentors who have encourage and inspired me. I thank God for my current opportunity to serve Whitney Point and for all the love and support I continue to receive from our family of faith.

Commissioned

Andy McClaren Anderson

Residence: Rochester Family: Spouse, Nola M. Anderson; son, Asriel M. Anderson Current appointment: Adams Basin and Spencerport UM churches MDiv: 2013, United Theological Seminary, Dayton, Ohio

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rowing up in The United Methodist Church has opened up many opportunities for me to live out my faith and to be in ministry with fellow sisters and brothers near and far. Throughout I have experienced and continue to experience the profound love of the Triune of God. I believe the nurturing and guidance from my faith community and family has undergirded me, leading me in a particular direction to hear God’s call to full-time ministry. It seemed to be a surreal moment. Therefore I resisted such a call for a very long time until it reached a stage where I could no longer “wrestle” with God. However, with much prayer, struggle, constant wrestling, and discernment, I received strong affirmation from my family, friends, local church, mentors, district superintendent, the district committee on ministry, and the board of ordained ministry in helping to bring clarity to my call. I am humbled to be receiving the act of commissioning, an opportunity where the church, guided by the Holy Spirit, is publicly acknowledging God’s call on my life along with the gifts and graces that equip me for ministry. Even to this point I know that God is not done with me yet and eagerly look forward to all that God has in store for my life and ministry.

20 UNY ADVOCATE AC ’15 WRAP UP

Commissioned Elders

Commissioned

Abigail Cady Browka

Residence: Oneida Family: Husband, Edward Browka Current appointment: Oneida and Clockville UM churches MDiv: 2012, Christian Theological Seminary, Indianapolis

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y call to ministry is to support people to deeply encounter God and strengthen their faith. I seek to apply our faith to everyday life and be translator between the sacred and secular world today. My strongest gift and joy is in the ministry of worship. Through ministry I desire to share my gifts of order and creativity. I desire to speak truth and compassion into an often cryptic and chaotic world. I was raised in the Church but my personal salvation happened when I was in my early 20s. It was this experience and revelation from God that knitted me more fully to Christ and made me change my life. Now as a Pastor I seek to be spiritually centered and serve with integrity.

Gary Mark Kubitz

Commissioned Residence: Afton Family: Wife, Sarah; children: Amanda, Hannah, and Adam Current appointment: Afton, Bainbridge and Sidney UMCs MDiv: 2015, Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School, Rochester

I

am very excited to answer God’s call to commissioned ministry in The United Methodist Church. Over the past four years, I have been living out my call as a local licensed pastor in the Afton and Bainbridge communities of The United Methodist Church. As I reflect on my journey and God’s call on my life, I can’t help but see that God is moving the Church toward something new and exciting. I look forward to being a part of the leadership of the Church during this time of transition into something new, and pray that with the help of God, I would use all the gifts that have been given me to share God’s love with the people God calls me to serve.

unyumc.org 21

Commissioned Elders

Alison Elaine Schmied

Commissioned Residence: Liverpool Family: Parents, Paul and Barbara Schmied; sisters: Virginia Schmied Blackman and Catherine SchmiedTowsley Current appointment: Liverpool UMC MDiv: 2006, Vanderbilt University Divinity School, Nashville, Tenn.

M

y call came as a child when I began to see the heart of God through the eyes of a little girl. I realized God’s love, compassion, and empathy for the broken and marginalized. Because of this, I felt the call to minister the good news of God’s saving grace to all who are spiritually deplete and struggling for meaning in their lives. God opened the doors for me to serve as a local pastor, while at the same time making it possible for me to attend United Theological Seminary, where I will complete my Master of Divinity this May. The recommendation granted to me by the board for commissioning and provisional membership is both a privilege and blessing. I have no doubt that God will use this new opportunity to continue to shape and mold me as a faithful servant of Christ.

Commissioned Residence: Round Lake

Penny Lee Lacy

Family: Husband, Roy Lacy; children: Brian, Eric, and Scout Current appointment: Malta Ridge and Round Lake UM churches MDiv: 2015, United Theological Seminary, Dayton, Ohio

C

ommissioning is the next step in living my baptismal vows. When I was an infant, my parents presented me for baptism into The United Methodist Church. My baptism was an outward and visible sign of God’s prevenient grace in my life, as the congregation vowed: “With God’s help, we will so order our lives after the example of Christ, that this child, surrounded by steadfast love, may be established in the faith, and confirmed and strengthened in the way that leads to life eternal.” As a child, I experienced God’s love through a loving church community that promised to love and nurture me to the very best of their ability, long before I showed any potential to accomplish anything or even to love them in return. That’s how God’s grace works – it is poured out for us and into us because of God’s goodness, not because of anything we have or haven’t said or done. ... With God’s help, I seek to order my life after Jesus’ example, so that others may experience his love through me. My hope is to walk with others in such a way that they too may become more firmly planted in faith, putting their whole trust in God’s grace, and choosing to serve Jesus as Lord, allowing his love and grace to flow through them to a world in great need of transformation.

22 UNY ADVOCATE AC ’15 WRAP UP

Commissioned Elders Commissioned

Chad Michael Sayers

Residence: Corning Family: Wife, Jessica; children: Isaiah and Micah Current appointment: Caton UMC MDiv: 2015, United Theological Seminary, Dayton, Ohio

I

n response to the call that has been placed on my life, I have continued my study and exercised my gifts. I continue to bring myself into deeper relationship with Jesus Christ and seek to strengthen the body of Christ through the ministries of word, service, sacrament, order, compassion, and justice. The time of provisional membership is a time for me to continue exercising these gifts and prepare for ordination within The United Methodist Church. For the past five years, I have served as the pastor of a local church and on Conference staff. This has given me the opportunity to continue to invest myself and to test the calling that God has placed on my life. I have learned that God has supplied gifts for ministry that have gone beyond what I once thought I could do. ... I have, since the beginning, felt a strong call towards ordination, and for me, this commissioning as a candidate for ordination is a solidification of my commitment and investment in the Church as well as a response from the Church and its commitment to me.

Commissioned Residence: Rochester

Nancy O’Connor Raca

Family: Husband, Paul; children: Carolyn and Frankie Current appointment: Leading Sophia Community in Rochester, a New Faith Community MDiv: 2015, Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School, Rochester

F

or most of her life, Nancy Raca never expected to become a pastor. Firmly entrenched in a career as a marketing consultant, wife of a busy corporate executive, and mother of two girls, she was happy when she could at least make it to church on a Sunday morning. So when God placed a call to pastoral ministry on Nancy’s heart in November 2011, she was as surprised as anyone. Three months later, Nancy had quit her marketing job and enrolled in seminary, and she has never looked back. Today, Nancy is passionate about making disciples of Jesus Christ in the Wesleyan tradition and feels particularly called to help The United Methodist Church develop creative new ministries to reach the unchurched. Nancy is the founder of Sophia Community (www.sophiacommunity.com), a new faith community where seekers – particularly suburban women – can explore who God is, discover how Christ is working in their lives, and share God’s love and grace with the world. unyumc.org 23

Memorial Service theme:

‘Life is eternal, love is immortal’

By Kathleen Rubino, Writer/Editor

T

he Rev. Dr. Theodore J. Weeden Sr., retired, made a trip to the Holy land. He took a picture of a sunrise on the Sea of Galilee and another of the “Wailing Wall” in Jerusalem.

He exposed the same film twice, resulting in a “miraculous” creation of a Galilean sunrise emerging from the

Rev. Susan Shafer “Wailing Wall.”

“The sunrise is God’s promise that out of today’s suffering, tragedy, and seemingly hopeless moments shall come the resurrection assurance of new hope, the abundant new life, and a better tomorrow,” said the Rev. Susan Shafer, pastor at the Asbury First United Methodist Church.

Rev. Susan Shafer spoke at the Memorial Service on Thursday at the 2015 session of Annual Conference.

She spoke to a theme of “Life is eternal, love is immortal.”

“We have come in thankfulness for the lives of those who now have gone before us and been given back to God,” she said. “Their lives of commitment to Christ and proclama24 UNY ADVOCATE AC ’15 WRAP UP

kathleenrubino@unyumc.org

tion of God’s love and grace have furthered God’s kingdom in the hearts and lives of myriad others.”

The Memorial Service honored the 22 clergy and 26 clergy spouses that have passed on within the last year. The deceased clergy include: Margaret “Mari” Rockwell, David Franke, Ruth Gray, Daniel Berry, Eric Blidberg, Frederick Jackson, Eric Roy King, Arthur Andrews, Arthur Melius, Charles Hess III, Joseph Fiske, Richard Elliott, Alice Hobbs, Marian Thomas, Malcolm Howard, L. Alden Smith, Claude Corbett, Jane Borden, Robert V. Smith, Billie Jean Melton, Donald H. Turk, and Victor Zaccaro.

The deceased clergy spouses include: Barbara Brockway, Evelyn Young, Dean Nelson, Kathleen Mihaly, Marjorie Greenfield, Ellen Stanton, Reta Karan, Harry Maines, Ruth Wait, Patricia Arnold, Wilma Burt, Ashton Bruce Cornell, Barbara Vollmer, Ireta Beeghly, Roma Marie Gould, Nancy Vanloon, Beverly Boston, Ramona Andrews, Deborah Campbell, Jane Babcock, Joan Kirk, Louise Rees, Frances Ackley, John Poorman, Florence Benton, and George D. Vineyard.

Drawing on Romans 8, Rev. Shafer said Paul expresses his personal conviction that nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.

“St. Paul’s proclamation reminds us that we do not have to live pre-

tending that death is not something that comes to all of us,” she said. “He asks us to trust that death does not have the last word.”

One college student dying of a malignant brain tumor spoke to Paul’s affirmation, ending her poetic words on “Death is tender and life … is a triumph.”

Rev. Shafer said it’s a “sacred privilege” to affirm the faith with one who is moving from this life to the next, and to pray and companion another in the critical days has an unforgettable impact. She emphasized that the deceased could not have lived their life of faith without the love and support of loved ones, who helped them along the journey.

Loved ones feeling sorrow and grief can learn again about goodness and mercy through faith, she said.

She mentioned that God gave His Son as a love offering, showing that God will do anything to ensure our spiritual flourishing.

“As the beloved of God, our lives stretch on far beyond the boundaries of our birth and death,” Rev. Shafer said. “Our belovedness is eternal …

God’s love is divine and everlasting!”

Rev. Shafer said there is much people do not know about life and death. She compared living and dying as “trusting the catcher,” believing in the continual creating power of God. “It is believing and living and trusting that nothing can separate us from the love of God,” she said. “The One who has given us the good gifts in the past can be counted on to give continued meaning to our lives. Our task and challenge is to remain trusting enough, flexible enough, faithful enough to let this happen.”

For as the “ancient prayer of committal” states, “… Death is only a horizon … and a horizon is nothing save the limit of our sight.”

Photos by Matthew Williams

unyumc.org 25

The journey toward Upper New York’s Act of Repentance & Healing of Relationships with Indigenous Persons began with a service during the 2012 General Conference session. Upper New York followed with a series of District Learning Sessions, hosted by the Conference Committee on Native American Ministries (CONAM), that served as an opportunity for listening, learning, and building relationships with Native Americans. During AC ’14, the Conference celebrated Upper New York Native Americans who are successful in spite of their legacy of historic trauma. Upper New York CONAM is represented by Choctaw, Cherokee, Seneca, Mohawk, Onondaga, Tuscarora, Algonquin, Shawanee, Cree, and Dine Peenpac. The service on Wednesday at AC ’15 was another step on that journey toward shalom.

Healing and repenting at AC ’15

By Kathleen Rubino KathleenRubino@unyumc.org

T

he Rev. Dr. Thom White Wolf Fassett, retired, member of the Seneca Nation, led the Act of Repentance & Healing of Relationships with Indigenous Persons (AOR) Wednesday, May 27, at the 2015 Upper New York Annual Conference session. He focused on a theme of unity throughout the evening.

“Ultimately we are here to bind ourselves together in unity as we continue our journey on the trail to repentance with Native American people,” he said. “Many people across the country have no idea why we are doing it, have no idea of the harm the Church created as it spread its message across the United States.”

The purpose of the service was to bring clarity to the continuing role of Native Americans in the United States’ society, the realities of their conditions, their relationship to the Church, and the historical dilemma produced by the Church’s treatment of Native Americans from the beginning of colonial times as well as for those in attendance to repent for wrongs committed against Native people that involved the Church.

“It has taken us over 40 years in The United Methodist Church to come to a place where we are capable of embracing a service of repentance,” he said.

Rev. White Wolf Fassett addressed the question of why United

Methodists are repenting. He gave several historical examples of Church involvement in Native American trauma, including the Indian Removal Act led by U.S. President Andrew Jackson in the early 1830s that led to the Trail of Tears.

“Historical trauma today is very real,” Rev. White Wolf Fassett said. “We were a part of this generation of historical trauma that plagues Indian country today.”

Rev. White Wolf Fassett said Native people were very leery to share their knowledge of the Church’s relationship to the Native American culture across the United States.

Marilyn Anderson, a member of Seneca Nation and Four Corners United Methodist Church in Versailles, said her comments were not meant to judge or blame but to provide insight. She said some Native Americans feel anger towards Christianity for its role in Native historical trauma – for example, the taking of ancestral lands, punishments doled out in Christian boarding schools,

“THERE ARE certain things that are inescapable as we reflect

on why we’re here, what it means to be relatives, to understand the message of the first chapter of John: We are all one.” – Rev. Dr. Thom White Wolf Fassett

26 UNY ADVOCATE AC ’15 WRAP UP

and the forcible separation of children from their families, their beliefs, and their culture.

“Act of Repentance is part of the healing process,” she said.

Part of the AOR involved participants pouring water from their geographic area into the pool of repentance, acknowledging a desire to repent and continue to live in a spirit of new life and new beginnings.

“It is time for us to set aside the racism and the bigotry and the difference and the harm to embrace unity, to learn how we are one with one another,” Rev. White Wolf Fassett said. “Water is sacred … it is water of our unity and the symbol of this moment as we confront not so much each other but ourselves.”

unyumc.org 27 Photos by Matthew Williams

Youth ministry on a path of revival in UNY T he Conference Council on Youth Ministry co-chairs J.J. Warren and Kara Tenpas delivered the CCYM report on Saturday, May 30, at the 2015 Upper New York Annual Conference session. The co-chairs, along with Emily Allen, Riley O’Flynn, and Maya Smith, addressed the audience.

Kara Tenpas: The 2014-2015 year for the Upper New York Conference Council on Youth Ministries has been a busy and fruitful one. Our new team first gathered at UP!Word ’14 last April, and we have been revitalizing Tenpas youth ministry in our Conference every day since.

J.J. Warren: To efficiently plan our large scale events, the CCYM has four committees.

We would now like to take this opportunity to recognize the leaders of these committees.

It is my pleasure to introduce to you Warren the secretary of the CCYM, Emily Allen, to recognize our dedicated committee leaders.

Emily Allen: To occupy and focus hundreds of youth for an entire weekend is a challenging task for anyone – especially for youth ourselves.

Many months of training, planning, and praying are required to host three Allen large gatherings every year. Leading the Worship Team this year was Zach Aiosa, leading the Gathering Organization Team – which creates the schedule for each event – was Elyse Muder, leading the PowerPoint Publicity Team – which is tasked not only with the technical aspects of our events, but also with 28 UNY ADVOCATE AC ’15 WRAP UP

keeping youth connected after the events over social media – was Katie Shumway, and leading the Youth Service Fund (YSF) for Upper New York – which continues to be the leading donating YSF in the Northeastern Jurisdictional – was Jon Standhart. And now we would like to present the committee leaders for this next year of youth ministry. Please welcome Emily Lasher as the new leader for the Worship Team, Elyse Muder as the continued leader of the Gathering Organization Team, Katie Shumway as the continued leader of the PowerPoint Publicity Team and the new Secretary to the CCYM, and John Church as our new YSF educator.

Kara: These teams have been hard at work in bringing the vision of the CCYM to life. Of course, the efforts of the entire CCYM are what make this CCYM the active and reviving energy that it is. The entire council has worked diligently in their respective teams to plan our annual fall gatherings and our largest event, UP!Word ’15. The fall gatherings have grown in attendance. UP!Word ’15 has grown tremendously and is back on its way to impacting 1,000 youth and adult leaders in the hopefully near future. We truly believe that UP!Word’15 has been the first step on the long path of revival for youth ministry in the Upper New York Conference.

J.J.: This year, Kara and I have challenged the CCYM to shift our focus from planning large youth gatherings to empowering youth in their local churches to become leaders. Many efforts were made to support this focus, including new workshops on developing leadership skills for youth as well as an increased awareness of the CCYM throughout the Conference. We challenged each CCYM member to present to at least one church about the mission of the CCYM and to personally invite these churches to our spiritu-

ally enhancing events. As a result of these efforts, we have seen tremendous growth in our attendance as well. At UP!Word’15 our attendance increased from 362 youth and youth advisors last year to 432 youth and youth advisors this year! Among these 432 attendees, six youth groups attended for the first time ever, adding 54 new youth to this life changing event and to the Conference youth ministry program. Eight youth groups increased their attendance from past years and reached our incentives to qualify for a discount on their registration to one of our events next year. Twenty youth filled out the evaluation form online, and five wrote that they “had accepted Christ for the first time in their life.” New social media outlets have been utilized to keep youth connected to a body of believers after they have returned from our high-energy youth gatherings. This connection is in hopes of maintaining their spiritual excitement so that they may feel empowered to be leaders in their local churches.

Kara: We are also focusing more than ever on the importance of collaboration between Conference organizations. The UNY CCYM is one of the largest and most effective in the country and the world. We believe that youth are not only the Church of tomorrow, but the Church of today.

Our Conference is seeing our impact in the lives of youth, and we look forward to the continued support from the Conference as a Conference ministry team. We are grateful to Bishop Webb for his continued support and presence at our events – even preaching at 11 p.m. – and to the Camping & Retreat Ministry staff as we worked together to distribute 500 flyers this past summer, advertising the CCYM events and opportunities for youth to continue in ministry together. Our ministry extends beyond the borders of the Upper New York Conference. This past January, five

youth from our Conference had the opportunity to experience our global Methodist family as we traveled and lived in India for three weeks on the Northeastern Jurisdiction Mission of Peace. I would now like to welcome Riley O’Flynn to read the names of the participants from the Upper New York Conference.

Riley O’Flynn: Thank you very much for this opportunity to share the love of India with you all – this trip would have been very difficult without the financial support that you all provided during the special offering for the MisO’Flynn sion of Peace last year at Annual Conference session.

The following youth travelled over

8,000 miles – each way – on a journey to see God’s love in India: Elliot Lawrence, Makenzie Knowlden, Kara Tenpas, J.J. Warren, and myself, Riley O’Flynn.

J.J.: An Indian scholar by the name of Henry Sunray once said, “The youth will lead a revival. This will be led by the youth of The United Methodist Church.” We love The United Methodist Church for its emphasis on the importance of youth ministry and for its global connections. We youth appreciate a Church that is accepting of our diverse backgrounds and beliefs. This is why United Methodist youth will revive religion and will grow the Church in the name of Jesus Christ.

Kara: To continue the ministry of The United Methodist Church and of the CCYM, two youth have heard

a calling to lead the youth of our Conference and have been elected to discern this calling. It is my honor to present to you now, the co-chairs of the Upper New York Conference Council on Youth Ministries for the coming year, Maya Smith and Emily Allen!

Maya: We would like to thank the CCYM and the Conference for their continued support of youth in ministry. We also would like to personally invite you all to join us at our next events in the fall, so that all youth may have the opportunity to be in a close relationship with God and to become leaders in Jesus’ name.

Emily: We believe that together we will make disciples of all who accept Jesus Christ as their savior, and we will transform the world! Thank you.

Young Adults ‘Pass The Baton’ at Thursday morning worship

By Kathleen Rubino KathleenRubino@unyumc.org

Y

oung Adult Ministry led morning worship on Thursday, May 28, at the 2015 Annual Conference session.

As Laurel O’Connor, field coordinator for Africa 360, said, “It’s all about how we tell the story … a Biblical story told not as much by words but by actions.”

So that’s exactly what one young adult did: took action.

Theresa Eggleston acted out the stories of Moses and Joshua from the Book of Exodus, where Joshua fought Alamek, Aaron and Bur helped Moses hold up his staff at the top of the hill, and Moses received the tablets from God. Pastor Ben O’Connor, appointed at the Lycoming United Methodist Church, spoke to these stories, emphasizing that, “We are in the middle of the story, somewhere between the beginning and Amen.”

Pastor O’Connor said it’s the story that starts with God creating something to be in relationship with God’s people.

“Our relationships are stills strained; our relationship with God, with humanity,” he said. “But that is where relationships are the most important because we are made to be in relationship with each other.”

Pastor O’Connor pointed out that pass a symbolic baton to each other Moses needed Joshua to watch his (and others at AC session); mentees back, and Joshua needed Moses to sign their mentor’s name in black on teach him how to read a crowd, simia white-painted wooden cross and lar to how we need each other. One mentors signing mentees names on example of improving through worka white-painted wooden flame, with ing together is a relay race, where the hope that both will be covered by what we can accomplish together the end of AC session, thus depicting trumps what we can do alone. the denomination’s logo. It is a way “Together we are better, we are to recognize mentors and thank them stronger, and we are faster,” he said. for their support.

“We are in the middle of a very comWorship also included lively plicated relay race that we call ChrisChristian rock music and a Nigerian tianity, that we call the Church. It is song sang in both English and Yoruba full of baton passing – from the older languages led by Ian Urriola, and the generation to the younger generapresentation of the mosquito net tion, from the younger generation to superheroes fundraiser for Africa 360. the older generation, from peer to peer, from clergy to laity, and from laity to clergy. This is the intricate web that we call ministry, and it is done in relationship with each other.”

And that’s where a visual representation of #PassTheBatonUNY comes in. Mentors and mentees have the Ian Urriola, Pastor Ben O’Connor, and Laurel O’Connor take a spirited photo on stage at AC ’15. More photos at opportunity to www.tinyurl.com/YAatAC15. Photo by Dan Wistrup unyumc.org 29

Leadership Report mobilizes

UNY 2.0 W

30 UNY ADVOCATE AC ’15 WRAP UP

hat do phones and the Upper New York Conference have in common?

“Phones have evolved to a point where early users would barely recognize them.

At their core they are still much the same, but their capacity has increased exponentially,” a voiceover said in a video played during the Conference Leadership Report.

“In the Upper New York Conference, our story is the same. Upper New York United Methodists from many years ago could never have dreamed of how far we’ve come, and we can hardly conceive of what United Methodism will look like many years from now.”

The Conference Leadership Team introduced Upper New York 2.0, an initiative that’s “all about increasing leadership capacity,” on Friday. The presentation wove a theme of the relationship between phones/technology and the Conference to illustrate UNY 2.0.

“We believe God calls us into lifechanging ministry and provides what we need to accomplish this work,” said the Rev. Bill Gottschalk-Fielding, Conference Director of Connectional Ministries. “Like apps on a phone, we each have unique gifts designed to contribute something to the disciple-making work of the Church.”

Rev. Gottschalk-Fielding said everyone has the basic components of leadership capacity, and that capacity can be upgraded. The primary task of the Conference is helping God increase the leadership capacity of clergy and lay leaders in order to grow a ministry.

“You are part of this new thing,” he said. “You are Upper New York 2.0.”

Bethany Printup-Davis, a lay member of the Conference Leadership Team, said the team is focusing its efforts on activities most likely to produce the greatest benefit to local churches as they seek to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.

“That’s what is driving Upper New York 2.0,” she said. “That’s why we believe helping increase the capacity of leaders to lead is the primary task of our Conference.”

The Rev. Aaron Bouwens, Conference Director of Vital Congregations, introduced the 16 core competencies of UNY 2.0 that help guide developing leaders.

The Rev. Dr. Aaron Bouwens (left), Conference Director of Vital Congregations, the Rev. Dave Masland (right), Conference Director of New Faith Communities, and Bethany Printup-Davis (below right), a lay member of the Conference Leadership Team, embrace technology during the Conference Leadership Report. Photos by Dan Wistrup

The competencies are divided into two groups: technical and adaptive.

Technical competencies focus on improving a leader’s problem-solving skill set, while adaptive competencies focus on transforming a leader’s understanding and influence on ministry environments and organizational culture, using learning approaches

infused with new ideas coupled and deepened with peer interaction.

Cornerstone District Superintendent the Rev. Sherri Rood shared five strategic “apps” that help increase capacity, including vision-casting; strategic thinking and planning; preaching, teaching, and supervision; spiritual formation; and leadership development.

The Rev. Dave Masland, Conference Director of New Faith Communities, comBy Blenda Smith pared mentorship Who participates in Annual Conference session to familiarity with and its services? Who speaks? Who is included in the apps. picture and who is not?

“When we beThe Conference Commission on Religion and come comfortable Race (CCORR) and the Commission on the Status and Role of Women (COSROW) have many responsibilities to support inclusion of racial, ethnic, and gender diversity in all Conference activities. One aspect of this work is to monitor who is involved in Conference-planned services and who comes to the microphone at Annual Conference session to voice an opinion or question. People from CCORR and COSROW carefully monitor, record, and present this data to the Conference each day during AC session.

We observed strong diversity in Conference-planned services. However, there was a scarcity of people of color speaking from the floor at Annual Conference session. We identify this as an area of growth for the Upper New York Conference.

Consider this important work in any arena where Church work is done. It’s important that all people have a seat at the table.

Monitoring for Healthy Conversations

with the apps we have, we can then offer help to those who are uninitiated,” he said. “Likewise, Upper New York 2.0 places high value on the act of mentorship. There’s nothing like having a seasoned user at your side as you learn new things.”

The report also discussed: a “Mentoring for Effectiveness” process; Upper New York Resident Bishop Mark J. Webb and the appointive cabinet’s continuation to find the right-size pastoral leadership to meet congregation needs; and identifying, developing, and supporting current and future new faith community planters.

“Greater leadership capacity is within our grasp,” said Rev. Gottschalk-Fielding. “We only have to activate it.”

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