Upper New York: September 2014 Advocate

ADVOCATE Upper New York

A publication of the Upper New York Conference of The United Methodist Church

Looking ahead to the fall

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SEPTEMBER 2014

Table of contents

Volume 6, Issue 8

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FALL SEASON Although this summer’s campers have returned to school, the fall retreat season for the Conference’s Camp & Retreat Ministries is kicking into high gear. We have a listing of the events planned for September and October at the six sites.

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BISHOP’S RETREAT This year’s Bishop’s Retreat will be led by the Rev. Jacob Armstrong, founder and pastor of Providence Church in Mount Juliet, Tenn. We asked the pastor to give us insight into what makes for effective preaching and what clergy can expect at the upcoming retreat.

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LET’S GET ACQUAINTED The Rev. Jeff McDowell and the Rev. Nancy Adams, district superintendents of the Finger Lakes and Mountain View districts respectively, share thoughts on the first months of their new appointments.

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THE VITAL BENEFITS The Upper New York Benefits Office is a vital ministry to both active and retired clergy. We look at how this ministry area puts your ministry shares to good work.

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A NATURAL FIT Roger and Donna Cullen are the new co-coordinators for Upper New York’s new Volunteersin-Mission. Past VIM Coordinator Dr. Sylvia Reimer said, “I’m leaving it in very good hands.”

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GATHERING FOR THE GATHERINGS The Conference Council on Youth Ministries (CCYM) gathered from June 29 to July 3 to plan the two Fall Gatherings, to be held this November in Schenectady and Rochester. Maya Smith writes about the work accomplished to date, saying the gatherings will get youth “pumped up about worshiping God.”

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SPIRITUAL PILGRIMAGE As four members of the Upper New York Conference embark on a 500-mile journey across Northern Spain via the El Camino DeSantiago de Compostela, the Rev. Donald Robert Hoff shares about the lead-up to the hike, the values he and the quartet expect to take away from the experience, and what motivates them to trek such a route.

THEREFORE GO Stephanie Deckard Henry, a member of the Upper New York Conference and chair of the General Conference’s Logo and Theme Committee, shares with us the process in selecting the 2016 General Conference logo.

CORRECTION: In the June/July issue of the Advocate we incorrectly stated the address of the now closed Berkshire UMC. It should have been listed as 12495 State Route 38, Berkshire. We apologize for the error.

2 UNY ADVOCATE SEPTEMBER 2014

A dose of

inspiration

Cooperation builds successful VBS

Each summer for the past 10 years, the West Sparta and Nunda UMCs have worked jointly with the Tuscarora Presbyterian Church to present a five-day, all-day Vacation Bible School.

This year’s program, utilizing Cokesbury’s Workshop of Wonders theme, was facilitated and enjoyed by nearly 50 attendees daily.

The trio of churches chose “an ambitious mission project,” said West Sparta and Nunda UMC Administrative Assistant Veronica Petracchi, following the Habitat for Humanity idea of building a 6-by-8-foot playhouse.

“The first day was a total rainwashout. Stepping up the pace Tuesday to Friday the house was completed, including painting, roofing, windows and a flower box.”

She commended the “great adult workers” who supervised the construction, and said the Golden Hammer Award was bestowed on John Hall, Don Love and Leon Leach “for their patient guidance of our young carpenters.”

This story first appeared in the E-Advocate, Upper New York’s weekly email newsletter, as part of our Featured Church series. To get these stories – and all the latest Conference news – right in your inbox, subscribe to the E-Advocate (it’s free) by visiting the Conference website at http://www. unyumc.org/connect.

From the desk of Bishop Mark J.Webb Summer filled with light and darkness

C

hildren on the beach, splashing in the waves; boats afloat on the rivers and lakes; city playgrounds bustling with activity; bikers and walkers winding their way along tree-lined paths – these are some of the sights you may have seen during this summer season.

They are wonderful images.

This summer we were witness to other sights as well.

Images of devastating and unthinkable violence; racial tension, poverty, crime, grief, disease, and despair were among the images that arose from our own communities and from across the globe.

One does not have to look hard to see the reality of injustice and brokenness in the world in which we live. One does not have to look far to recognize the reality of our humanity and of the human condition. Whether we look at Ferguson, Mo. or West Africa, at Syracuse, N.Y. or Syria, we recognize the reality of pain, the feeling of hopelessness, and the presence of darkness.

As people who follow Jesus, we are called to be light in the midst of darkness. We stand as ones who know the hope of healing, reconciliation and wholeness. We are called

ADVOCATE STAFF Editor/Publisher: STEVE HUSTEDT

UNY Director of Communications

(315) 424-7878 x307 stevehustedt@unyumc.org

to engage this world and to stand against injustice. Our opinions matter. Our statements are important.

BUT beyond our words, it is our calling to be the hands and feet of Christ that propels us into the darkness we witness.

Our first call is not to deliver a political message or align ourselves with the “right” group. Our call is to boldly place Jesus into the images we witness – take Him into the world in which we live. Yes, Jesus impacts our message. Yes, Jesus influences our

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do those things without recognizing, claiming and proclaiming that only Jesus can bring light, hope, healing, and justice seems to me a confused and ultimately futile attempt to truly affect change in our world.

As the Church of Jesus Christ, we find ourselves in a time of unbelievable potential and opportunity. The images and realities of our world and of our lives demand a response. Perhaps it’s time for us to take our faith, our hope, our trust, our witness to a higher level. We need to keep

... Jesus must be understood as the hope for the brokenness and injustice we see.

]

alignment. BUT Jesus must be first, and Jesus must be understood as the hope for the brokenness and injustice we see. I need Jesus first. We need Jesus first. The world needs Jesus first!

Our reactions and actions in response to the images we see – the significant lives that surround us – are vital. Meeting people where they are and caring for their immediate and practical needs is who we are called to be; it is who we have been and are being as United Methodists. Yet to

speaking out. We must continue to journey with the oppressed. Our acts of compassion and works of mercy need to increase. But alongside all of that – indeed, above all of that – we need to loudly, passionately and boldly proclaim the name of Jesus! It is Jesus that heals the heart. It is Jesus that changes lives. It is Jesus who sets the prisoner free. It is Jesus who will transform these bleak images and bring forth peace!

Give to those who are suffering, yes, but give them Jesus first!

Writer/Editor: BETH DICOCCO

Social Media/Web: ASHLEY RIDDELL

(315) 424-7878 x319 bethdicocco@unyumc.org

(315) 424-7878 x320 ashleyvansickle@unyumc.org

Graphic Designer: CHRISTIAN VISCHI

E-Advocate: KAREN CAMPOLIETO

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

(315) 424-7878 x304 karencampolieto@unyumc.org

Conference Writer/Editor

Communications Associate

Multimedia/Web Coordinator

Administrative Assistant to the Director

THE UPPER NEW YORK UNITED METHODIST ADVOCATE IS A MONTHLY 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 SYRACUSE, NEW YORK 13210; 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.

unyumc.org 3

S

ummer vacation is over and the campers are back at school, but that doesn’t mean things are quiet at Upper New York’s six Camp & Retreat Centers.

On Sept. 5, 2014, dogs and their people came to Aldersgate Camp & Retreat Center for the first AdironDOG Retreat, a chance for dog lovers to spend some time playing at the lake and baking doggie treats for their pets. Meanwhile, at Skye Farm, adults took to the lake for Canoe Camp.

No dog? No canoe? No worries. The fall season brings a wide variety of retreats and events to suit pretty much every group and interest. The Upper New York Camp & Retreat Ministries has announced its fall lineup of retreats and events.

From the annual 5K walk and run at Sky Lake to raise money for camperships to quilting retreats at Asbury and Casowasco, fall is a beautiful time to take advantage of our camps’ peaceful bucolic settings. There are even opportunities to pitch in and help this vital ministry, such as the Friends of Findley Work Weekend.

Here is a list of some the retreats and events coming up. Unless otherwise noted, the events are open to all.

For more information about any of these or other upcoming activities, visit www.campsand retreats.org or call (315) 4247878 ext. 309. The websites for each of the Camp & Retreat Centers is listed here as well.

FALL EVENTS

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Sept. 19-21 – Beginning a Contemplative Journey Retreat for adults at the Asbury Camp & Retreat Center, Silver Lake Through prayer, meditation, journaling, and connections with creation, you will awaken your relationship with God, self, and others.

Sept. 26-28 – Craft & Quilt Retreat for adults at the Asbury Camp & Retreat Center Spend a whole weekend doing the craft that you love, whether it is quilting, paper crafting, painting, needlework and more. Sleep in, stay up late or take a moment for a scenic walk. Begin and end each day with centering moments from God. Oct. 3-5 – Fall Adirondack Get-Away for adults at the Aldersgate Camp & Retreat Center, Greig Whether experiencing the stillness of a cabin nestled in the woods, taking a quiet walk down to the lake, or sitting in one of the outdoor chapels, this is the perfect place to find rest and renewal. Some activities will include enjoying an Adirondack storyteller, a popular bluegrass band, guided nature hikes, and renewing fellowship and worship.

Oct. 5 – Second annual Sky Lake 5K Trail Walk & Run at the Sky Lake Camp & Retreat Center, Windsor Oct. 9-12 – Quilt By Faith for women at the Casowasco Camp & Retreat Center, Moravia The Quilt by Faith Retreat is a weekend dedicated to providing women a quiet space away from daily routines to work on favorite quilting projects, connect

Aldersgate Camp & Retreat Center

Asbury Camp & Retreat Center

Casowasco Camp & Retreat Center

7955 Brantingham Road Greig, NY 13345 (315) 348-8833

PO Box 218 Silver Lake, NY 14549

158 Casowasco Drive Moravia, NY 13118 (315) 364-8756

4 UNY ADVOCATE SEPTEMBER 2014

For GPS: 7000 Chapman Ave., Perry, NY 14549

(585) 237-5262

Gearing up for busy fall season with other quilters of faith, and invest in their relationship with God. Oct. 10-12 – Ladies of the Lake at the Sky Lake Camp & Retreat Center Enjoy the company of fellow Christian women as you take advantage of the various activities that will be offered. Dine on healthy and delicious meals ... During each activity session, there will be a mild and a wild option from which to choose.

Mild options will be more subdued, while the wild options will most likely increase your heartbeat! ... Go home rejuvenated!

Oct. 12 – Second Sundays at the Sky Lake Camp & Retreat Center We’re literally talking about a gathering of youth the second Sunday of every other month ... you’ll get to mingle with other youth from the area, play some ridiculously awesome games, experience dynamic presentations on a variety of topics, and be empowered by worship.

Oh, and let your youth advisors know that each month will include some time just for them too!

Oct. 17-19 – Friends of Findley Work Weekend at the Findley Camp & Retreat Center, Clymer Friends of Findley is a group of people who love Findley and are willing to give of their time and talents to help prepare it for the next season. There are always many projects to be completed ... from very little skill needed to quite skilled.

Oct. 18 – Fall Work Day at the Aldersgate Camp & Retreat Center

gh t hou o s a t l s fe e a rd s lway back w a I re . ver k.” it he bends o r we as e v o e f l st af st atev the ide wh reat Gue t v e o R pr –

“I Findley Camp & Retreat Center

Sky Lake Camp & Retreat Center

Skye Farm Camp & Retreat Center

2334 Sunnyside Road Clymer, NY 14724 (716) 769-7146

501 William Law Road Windsor, NY 13865 (607) 467-2750

1884 East Schroon River Road Warrensburg, NY 12885 (518) 494-7170

unyumc.org 5

BISHOP’S RETREAT

By Beth DiCocco, Writer/Editor

E

bethdicocco@unyumc.org

ffective preaching is the focus for the 2014 Bishop’s Retreat, and United Methodist pastor the Rev. Jacob Armstrong, founder and pastor of Providence Church in Mount Juliet, Tenn., will lead the retreat.

Rev. Armstrong was born and raised in Mount Juliet. Following seminary, he and his wife, Rachel, served for 10 years at First United Methodist Church in Murfreesboro, Tenn. The couple has three daughters: Mary, Lydia, and Phoebe.

The Armstrongs returned to Mount Juliet in 2008 to start Providence Church, which Rev. Armstrong has described as a place “where disconnected people could find hope, healing, and wholeness in Jesus.”

We talked to Rev. Armstrong about effective preaching and the retreat.

Here’s what he had to say: What do you think makes good preaching?

Authenticity is a big part of it. That’s not always talking about yourself, but people need to realize that this (the sermon subject) is real to you.

Passion is important. (Show that) the Holy Spirit is alive in you, and that there’s a sense of urgency and meaning.

If you have an evident love for the people, that will cover a multitude of bad preaching techniques. If you are inauthentic, have no passion and don’t show love for the people, it wouldn’t matter what your said or how said it.

What will you be focusing on during the retreat?

What I will focus the most attention on is – though I will talk some about the actual act of preaching – the most important step takes place well before you begin to write or type: on the work you do learning from and Armstrong listening to the community.

We have to be intentional about outreach in our community, if we want to reach new people; that’s directly tied to what we preach.

My focus is on how we listen to and learn from our context, then preach in a way that’s relevant to people who are not already in church ... . That’s not to disregard the wonderful, faithful people who come each week ... You have to hold both, because the folks that come for the first time, you want them to come for a second, third, fourth time ... .

We assume we know who we’re talking to, but part of preaching is being in and connected with the greater community, not just the faithful ... preaching only to those who are familiar with our language, customs, traditions.

There may be someone who has never heard of a narthex or how we view communion; we need to teach around that – intentionally – in our preaching;

6 UNY ADVOCATE SEPTEMBER 2014

not everyone is in the same place.

Describe what you mean by learning from the community.

I will do a session on the ways you can listen to your community. (That means) being in prayer that our hearts break for what breaks God’s heart. The needs of our community, the felt needs in our community.

How can our preaching address things on our people’s hearts? When we read Scripture for developing a sermon series, what are the ways this connects with felt needs of the community?

Jesus was pretty intuitive about what people were feeling and going through.

Often times as pastors to a new community, we have a vision in our head how it’s going to work, but the vision has to fit the mission field. You have to do intentional listening to God and intentional listening to the community.

One way is going to the coffee shop, the softball field; go to places in the community and take notes, listen to people.

Talk to other churches, see what they’re doing. Find ways to work in collaboration and/or to realize that you don’t need to do that (because another church is already doing it well). Talk to pastors who have been in the community longer.

Connecting with the leader of a local moms group (for moms with young children) taught me a lot about what they were thinking, and literally connected me to people.

If you took a walk through the neighborhood before worship, what are people doing on Sunday morning?

Are they asleep? at the coffee shop? getting their boat ready?

What are people into and thinking about it?

Providence Church’s context

Rev. Armstrong described his community as people who are “not super affluent, but comfortable” and who enjoy the recreational opportunities provided by two nearby lakes.

Some of the key felt needs come back to a search for meaning; what is life all about?

Another of the felt needs are “How can I have meaningful, real relationships with other folks?” and “How does my relationship with God affect my relationship with other people?”

Jesus thought that was pretty important.

About a third of Mount Juliet’s community members are 18 or younger, so most families are dealing with children or grandchildren, Rev. Armstrong said, which meant they were looking for a way to reach all ages.

As part of a sermon series called “Look Up” – as in look up from your smart phone or tablet – Providence used the computer game Minecraft to have children create worlds with Jesus in them.

How do you approach sermon planning?

I will talk about how you plan a year of preaching at your church.

Our sermon series at Providence goes outside the lectionary. In the last year or so, we have been doing a sermon series on what it means to be a disciple (beyond) just that first-time connection to Christ.

The lectionary is a great tool; over the course of a year, it tells the story of Jesus

and God’s people with symbols and times to focus on specific things ... in your context, consider what would be the lectionary for your group, shaping the preaching around some of the core things that are part of normal year such as Easter, Lent, Advent.

Think about connecting the whole church; the theme we are preaching on Sunday morning is all throughout the church: kids and youth groups, small groups of adults ... it’s the theme for the whole church.

What do you hope clergy take away from this experience?

I hope that they feel inspired to

“I hope that (participants) feel inspired to preach in a way that God made them ...”

preach in a way that God made them to the people God called them to for the purpose of connecting disconnected people to Jesus.

Everybody there probably has as much training in preaching as I do; I can offer a way of thinking about how to connect disconnected people to Christ, to help folks who have never been to church, not been in a long time or have been hurt by the church know that there’s still a place for them.

What do you learn by leading retreats such as this one?

I usually learn a lot about preaching from other people. It’s a really encouraging thing for me. It’s my privilege and pleasure to create materials people use in other places, so when I get to speak to a group, it’s invigorating to see the audience for the materials. It gets my brain spinning about trying to help others do what I do.

Third Annual

Bishop’s Retreat Oct. 22-24, 2014 High Peaks Resort Lake Placid

Visit www.unyumc.org/ bishopsretreat2014 for a schedule, to register and for more retreat details unyumc.org 7

MAKING CONNECTIONS

Getting to know you We asked the Upper New York Conference’s newest District Superintendents – the Rev. Jeff McDowell of the Finger Lakes District and the Rev. Nancy Adams of the Mountain View District – a few questions to help folks get to know them.

Rev. Nancy Adams

H

ow have things been going so far? Things have gone well so far, although there have been some challenges along the way, and the learning curve is still quite large. Pastors and lay persons I have met have been very gracious in that regard. Thanks be to God! What have you found to be the biggest transition from leading a local church to leading a district?

Driving to the office and sitting behind a desk all day is certainly new. Not preparing a sermon each week has freed me up to do other things, but I do miss preaching. I am grateful for the invitations I have gotten to preach.

Not having the fellowship of a congregation to relate to week-in and week-out is something I really miss a lot. I have enjoyed meeting people throughout the district, though, and look forward to meeting more. s Rev. Adam What do you think makes a good District Superintendent?

Good listening skills are a must – hearing what is being said – and what is not being said … I endeavor to be pastoral and also to be a strong spiritual leader, always pointing us to Christ. I desire to always be gracious, approachable and a non-anxious presence in each and every situation. When I have failed to do this, I have asked for forgiveness to those I have hurt.

What do you believe are the greatest spiritual gifts that you bring to your role as a DS? My three highest spiritual gifts are shepherding, faith, and evangelism, all of which I trust will be very useful in this role.

What are some of your goals for your superintendency? Obviously, making disciples of Jesus Christ inside and outside the Church is paramount. That being said, one goal is for every pastor and congregation in the Mountain View District to be able to articulate that our mission is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world, and to live the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to be God’s love with our neighbors in all places. Another goal is to do it!

I have been and will continue to challenge each congregation to go outside the walls of the church building with the love of Christ more than once or twice a year. We are already making plans to bring some small-group training

8 UNY ADVOCATE SEPTEMBER 2014

Rev. Jeff McDowell

H

ow have things been going so far? It has been a great experience meeting with the Cabinet since February (during the appointment season) and seeing the sacred trust with which they approach their work. Much prayer and discernment is put into the work on the Cabinet, as Bishop Mark J. Webb sets a very spiritual tone. Since July 1, 2014, I have been mostly getting to know people and figuring out this new role. I will let you know when I have it all figured out.

What have you found to be the biggest transition from leading a local church to leading a district? The biggest transition has been the absence of calls for pastoral care of members, and the loss of connection with people as their pastor.

Not preaching and leading worship each Sunday is a big change after 25 years of doing so! Perhaps the largest future change will be leading the way in mission and ministry over a much larger area than just one parish.

Rev. McD What do you think owell makes a good District Superintendent? The call of Jesus to go out into the world and make disciples is clear (Matthew 28:20), and a good Superintendent creates space and time to foster that and (where needed) ignite that in a district. The six superintendents I have had over 25 years set a tone of loving Christ, loving their pastors and churches, and calling out the best in all of them. I also believe the only way to be effective as DS is through teams of laity, elders, and local pastors. Where are the teams? I vow to find them and, if needed, form them.

What do you believe are the greatest spiritual gifts that you bring to your role as a DS? I listen and discern with the help of the Holy Spirit in the body of Christ. I believe leading with compassion is a strength, as well as a special brand of wisdom that has come through making tons of mistakes. I do not do ministry alone. I depend on and utilize the gifts all around the Church. I register high on the prophetic and pastoral gifts with leadership up there as well.

Time will tell. (See Romans 12) What are some of your goals for your superintendency? I will be looking for ministers of Christ (clergy and lay) who I can come alongside, who

events to the district to enable this disciple-making and nurturing tool to become more prevalent in and outside our churches.

What do you think makes a vital church? As I’ve said many times, without prayer, nothing! A vital church is a praying church. I have found Bishop Robert Schnase’s book, Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations an extremely helpful resource. In it, he mentions radical hospitality, passionate worship, intentional faith development, risk-taking mission and service, and extravagant generosity as signs of vital congregations. Dovetailing well with those are the eight factors in “Natural Church Development,” which are empowering leadership, gift-based ministry, passionate spirituality, effective structures, inspiring worship service, holistic small groups, and need-oriented evangelism. While those are all signs of vital congregations, I would add joy, grace, and compassion along with Acts 2:42: “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.”

Focusing on Christ goes without saying, but I’ll say it anyway. Making disciples of Jesus Christ of children, youth, and adults is at the core of all congregational life of a vital church.

What is the DS’s role in creating vital congregations? I can continually point us to Christ and encourage and challenge pastors and congregations to focus on being vital – not on survival. I’ve said many times that survival is not a vision! I will remind us all that we are not to make decisions out of a position of fear. I am in prayer for all in the Mountain View District, and wish to be of support in any additional ways I can.

Talk about how you first experienced a call to ministry: It was while I was a special education teacher at Candor High School full time and getting my M.S. Ed. part time at SUNY Binghamton (now Binghamton University), that I heard God calling me to ordained ministry.

Several people had come to me encouraging me to pursue ordained ministry as a vocation. I was able to ignore these comments when they first began to surface. Lay speaking and other affirming experiences later brought the comments to mind, but I still did not take them seriously.

The “gnawing” in my heart wouldn’t go away. I felt like if I didn’t share, I was going to burst … . As I said, I went to Lay Speakers’ training and had some opportunities to engage in music ministry, but the gnawing persisted. The comments soon started coming in greater number, with greater frequency, and with greater intensity. I then began to nervously contemplate my blindness to what others saw in me. I could ignore this possibility no longer, and began candidacy studies. Like Jonah, I found that it is futile to try to run from God’s call… The minute I decided to go to seminary, the gnawing was replaced with peace …

What do you like to do for fun? I enjoy playing guitar and piano. I have taken classical guitar lessons for years, and would like to begin again. I also enjoy going out to eat with friends, which doesn’t happen as often as I’d like.

What is your favorite place to eat while on the road or a new favorite place (given that you will be/ have been recently traveling a lot more)? I don’t really have one yet. I’m open to suggestions!

have an outward focus and who refuse to lead a dying church. New thoughts and new ways of doing things, inspired by God, can and will revive the church in the Finger Lakes and across the connection. I also plan to divide the district into smaller groupings, under the leadership of connecting elders, to see where we can be in mission together with God’s love. No church needs to close here; the fields are ripe for harvesting (Matthew 9:37,38). We just need to pray for more workers to respond to God’s “want ads.”

What do you think makes a vital church? A vital church worships Jesus Christ first and spends time in prayer to see what God sees and hear what God is saying for vison and direction. Then, when clear about direction, a vital church lays down past policies and pet projects so it can be in ministry in real time, under leadership of those whom God calls.

A vital church is known in its community for what it is doing, not for what it claims to believe! A vital church counts how many are doing mission, not how many people come sit in a wooden pew on Sunday mornings. A vital church tears “no trespassing” signs from their property and puts up “welcome home” signs, and means it.

What is the DS’s role in creating vital congregations? In 2012, the General Conference made the main task of a DS to be “missional strategist of a district.” This means to me we are to assess the district to find out what are strengths and what are open mission doors, then raise up their urgency.

Once current and potential missions are identified, a God-given strategy must be developed, launched, and resourced so people can plug into them easily and without lots of red tape. Could it be that when mission for Christ is primary, we will need more buildings to house our ministries and not fewer? Count the people around you.

Talk about how you first experienced a call to ministry: While at college in Berea, Ky., for Industrial Arts Education, I felt/heard/experienced a call of God to change my major to Religion, and prepare for full-time ministry. I grew profoundly with Christian fellowship during those years. I had no idea what direction that would take, but as I obeyed God, each step became clear as I walked the path of discipleship.

I was called to seminary, then called to pastor in the Conference I had grown up in. Casowasco church camp is where I first believed in God. What do you like to do for fun? As a family, we love to kayak, bicycle, hike, swim, and take walks. We have always enjoyed the beauty of nature, especially in Central New York. Anything active and outdoors, in any season, gives us life and fun.

What is your favorite place to eat while on the road or a new favorite place (given that you will be/have been recently traveling a lot more)? Actually, I am trying to avoid putting on the “freshman 15 (pounds).” I prefer to bring healthy meals when traveling. But ice cream probably doesn’t count, right? unyumc.org 9

UNY Benefits Office

Your ministry shares at work

By Beth DiCocco, Writer/Editor bethdicocco@unyumc.org

F

rom helping newly retired pastors move to their new homes to assisting churches that are trying to negotiate state and federal employment laws, the work of the Upper New York Benefits Office is wide ranging and complex.

The office’s work is critically important to both active and retired clergy – and this vital ministry is one of the many supported by ministry share dollars.

“The ministry shares help support the staff needed to appropriately administer eligibility, enrollment and management of the various benefits offered through the Conference,” said Benefits Officer Vicki Putney.

For retirees, ministry shares help fund the annual retirement dinner celebrating those pastors completing their active service; and provide assistance even after that by helping offset the cost of moving once pastors finish their last appointment.

Since United Methodist clergy are itinerant, some may not own their own homes before retirement; and those who do have their own homes may find that their last appointment location is a long way away.

“We have a scale of reimbursement to provide some assistance for that last move that’s paid for by ministry shares,” Putney said.

Retirees, and active clergy, of course, also receive benefits, which are handled by Putney’s office.

The world of benefits and administration of those benefits has become a lot more com-

plex in recent years, Putney said. The increasing complexity of the healthcare system and healthcare reform are factors, as are the very stringent and specific state and federal employment laws.

The role of the Benefits Office, Putney said, is to help clergy (and other employees of the Conference) and churches (in their role as employers) navigate these complex waters.

“We are beginning to provide more information to local churches about what it means to be an employer in New York state,” Putney said.

That means being an initial contact to help with Workers’ Compensation, W-2 forms, unemployment – even just understanding what employment posters and notices have to be available to employees in the workplace, she said.

“It’s really a direct outreach to the churches,” Putney said. “Debi Marshall (Conference Human Resources Generalist) is a good resource for them.”

Not only are Marshall and the Benefits staff up to date on the current laws and practices, oftentimes through training that is funded by ministry shares, but they are also a friendly and trusted voice for folks dealing with the bureaucracy of healthcare providers, government entities, and insurers.

“We answer their questions,” said Putney, adding that while people can find plenty of information out there on the Internet or through other sources, “they don’t always trust the information.”

Being a trusted guide is “the most satisfying part of the job,” Putney said.

“They’ve met me and talked to me; they see

TEAM WORK Meet the Benefits Office staff for the Upper New York Conference

10 UNY ADVOCATE SEPTEMBER 2014

Putney

Marshall

Houmiel

Valeski

me every year at Annual Conference,” she said. “It’s always satisfying to me when folks in the local church say ‘we’re so glad you’re there’ and ‘I trust you to give me the right information or point me in the right direction.’”

An example of that service is coming up this month when the Benefits Office is hosting a series of workshops for retirees on OneExchange.

OneExchange is a service that helps those who qualify for Medicare to find the right plan to meet their needs.

“Many folks are already using Medicare, but this is another layer of attention that they have to give to their healthcare choices,” Putney said. “It’s new for us, and more complicated than it used to be; there’s more choice.”

The Conference has about 625 retirees (including spouses and surviving spouses). There are about 600 people moving onto the OneExchange program.

“We are going to be able to provide them with a one-on-one counselor for both Medicare and the supplemental plans to Medicare,” Putney said.

The office will also provide other materials such as a DVD recording of the workshop for those who cannot attend in person and mailers and other materials to help explain the program and the enrollment process.

Again, Putney said, the most important factor is trust.

“The retirees have learned to trust me and my level of sincerity for their well-being,” she said about the process of embarking on a new program like OneExchange. “I can’t always predict if a benefit will be 100 percent satisfactory, but they trust that I have vetted it to the point where I feel comfortable about offering it.”

––– For further reading:

CONTACTING BENEFITS Name/Title

Phone

(315) 424-7878

Email

Vicki Putney

ext. 317

Vicki@unyumc.org

Debi Marshall

ext. 302

DebiMarshall@unyumc.org

Linda Houmiel

ext. 306

Linda@unyumc.org

Julie Valeski

ext. 300

JulieValeski@unyumc.org

Director of HR/Benefits Human Resources Generalist Clergy Care Assistant

Receptionist/Support Services Clerk

Benefits web page www.unyumc.org/benefits OneExchange workshops www.unyumc.org/OneExchange Activate newsletter www.unyumc.org/activate unyumc.org 11

NEW PERSONNEL

Coordinating couple

UNY Volunteers-in-Mission new coordinators are a ‘natural fit to take over’

By Beth DiCocco, Writer/Editor

U

pper New York’s Volunteers-inMission (VIM) has two new cocoordinators: Roger and Donna Cullen. The couple, who are members of Clifton Springs UMC, take over for Dr. Sylvia Reimer, who had served as VIM coordinator since 2012.

“I’m grateful the Cullens are willing and able to step into this coordinating role,” said the Rev. Bill Gottschalk-Fielding, Director of Connectional Ministries. “They bring years of VIM team experience and are known and respected by VIM folks across the Conference. They’re very committed to making a VIM experience possible for every congregation.”

Donna Cullen said that she was drawn to VIM because she was “looking for something meaningful and church-related.”

“I wanted to help people directly rather than indirectly,” she said.

For Roger Cullen, who worked as a finance manager at Cornell University before retiring, it was a desire to “really act as a faithful disciple.”

“I enjoyed working in education because it’s important for society, but could not see doing it for the whole rest of my life,” he said, adding that he had become involved with Red Bird Mission in Kentucky, which “taught me a lot about the domestic side of things.”

“Every one of us has a mission,” Roger Cullen said. “Disaster recovery is a way to serve people who are in critical need.”

And United Methodist disaster recovery efforts are there long after the media attention is gone, the couple said. “(UM VIM efforts) stay a very long time and see that as many unmet needs are taken care of as humanly possible,” Roger Cullen said.

The Cullens said it was Reimer

12 UNY ADVOCATE SEPTEMBER 2014

bethdicocco@unyumc.org who helped get them involved in VIM, suggesting that they take some training classes; they began about six years ago. “(It) has just grown from there,” he said. “It seemed like a natural progression, and once Sylvia knew she was leaving, she was anxious to find someone who had been doing this for awhile.”

The couple had done trainings with Reimer and knew her priorities and were familiar with the Conference VIM’s organizational and administrative aspects, making it a “natural fit to take over,” they said.

Reimer admitted to feeling a little “adrift” after stepping down as Conference VIM coordinator, but said she plans to remain involved in VIM; she serves as representative from the Northern Flow District and is already planning a 2015 mission trip to Zimbabwe.

Reimer had served as VIM coordinator in the former North Central New York Conference, and when the merger dissolved the VIM teams, she agreed to help rebuild the structure.

“VIM kept going,” Reimer said.

“You don’t quit just because there’s not a structure in place.”

“We’ve been blessed to have Sylvia guide the work of our Conference VIM during these first years,” said Rev. Gottschalk-Fielding. “It’s been a labor of love for her because handson mission work is at the heart of her faith and life.”

Reimer said that she had agreed to take the role for two years, and has fulfilled that commitment. Now the retired obstetrician is looking forward to not being tied to her cell phone.

“I feel like we have plenty of capable young people,” she said. “If we old guys don’t step aside, they don’t get a chance to exercise their leader-

Donna and Roger Cullen

ship.”

Asked if she had any advice for the Cullens, Reimer said no; “I’m leaving it in very good hands.”

For their part, the Cullens said they want to build on Reimer’s strong foundation and focus on raising awareness about VIM and how to get involved.

“We hope to make it clearer to people where and how to plug in with whatever skills or desire to help they have,” Donna Cullen said. “We want to make it more upfront and transparent (how to get involved).”

One group they want to get that message to is people who are about to retire or have done so recently.

“There’s a large cohort of people who are retirement age, but still healthy,” she said. “They have a lot of skill to add to the VIM experience.

We want to help capture those skills and that huge cohort that’s coming off their professional lives, but are still very robust and want to continue their discipleship.”

“We’d be missing something if we didn’t try to engage those folks,” she said.

And engaging them – and other potential volunteers – means telling the story of the work being done across the connection, Roger Cullen said.

“There are so many people involved in mission already in the

Conference who may be working without letting anyone knowing what’s going on,” he said. “For us, for anyone, that’s an important story to tell, because once you feel that your mission efforts are appreciated and people are aware of what’s happening, they want to become involved and you see the possibility of what can come (as a result of the connection).

“We are more involved in mission than we realize,” he said, and “that’s a story that needs to be told.”

The couple also wants to provide “more timely news of what’s happening,” they said, and one way they plan to do that is by utilizing social media more.

Within the Conference, they said, flood recovery work continues in the Oneida, Herkimer and Fort Plain areas as well as in the Penn Yan area, and they expect many teams will be needed to address those issues.

“We want to get across to people that you don’t have to be a skilled carpenter to help someone to recovery from flooding, you have to be a good listener,” Roger Cullen said. “The work we do cleaning up or putting a house back together is the excuse to show up and be a caring presence; that makes a huge difference. Then, too, the house will be okay.”

But it’s the listening, he said, that’s “most critical to the healing process; almost anybody can do that.”

Along with its new co-coordinators, the Conference VIM also has a new email address: UNYvim@unyumc. org that can be used to reach Roger and Donna Cullen.

Learn more about VIM at www.unyumc.org/vim.

UMVIM health insurance in West Africa on hold As of Aug. 25, UMVIM no longer provides insurance to any volunteer or team going into any and all countries with active Ebola cases. According to the World Health Organization, in the previous five months there had been 1,350 deaths due to the Ebola virus, which continues to spread in Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Nigeria, with 221 new cases reported just between Aug. 17-19, and as of August, there were cases as far south as Congo.

It is difficult to determine what will happen with the Ebola outbreak and where it might spread. If there are any active cases in the country prior to your departure time, it is recommended that you reschedule for a later date. When the time is right to plan mission travel into these countries again, please register your team with the U.S. State Department’s STEP program (https://step. state.gov/step) and contact the embassy directly in your destination country to let them know of your plans to bring a group of volunteers there. For more recommendations on how to plan your trip to West Africa, visit www.unyumc.org/pages/detail/2153.

Also, continue to check the CDC Website (http:// www.cdc.gov) about the Ebola outbreak and your destination country.

Additional reading on how the The United Methodist Church is actively attempting to address the outbreak can be found at http://tinyurl.com/UMCEbola.

If you have further questions, contact Northeastern Jurisdiction Coordinator Nick Nicholas at deacon nick23@gmail.com.

Methodism 101:

What is a UMVIM? V

olunteers-in-Mission began with Jesus calling the disciples and sending them into the world to teach, preach, heal, and serve. People of faith have answered Jesus’ call ever since, and for decades now, members of local churches have gone individually and in teams to serve as short term volunteers in the USA and around the world. The movement called UMVIM arose spontaneously out of the local church, and in time, conferences and jurisdictions organized to recruit, support, and coordinate projects for those wanting to make a loving difference in the world. In 1980 the General Conference officially recognized UMVIM and directed the General Board of Global Ministries (GBGM) to “affirm Volunteers in Mission as an authentic form of personal missionary involvement and devise appropriate structure to interpret and implement opportunities for mission volunteers in the global community.”

Today, tens of thousands of United Methodists serve each year as Volunteers in Mission. Most serve from one to two weeks, although this can vary from a few hours to a year. Most serve at their own expense, often with support from their local churches. Teams usually contribute to the cost of materials for the projects they undertake. UMVIM works closely with UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief) by providing teams to assist in recovery from natural disasters.

Whatever the task of an UMVIM team, their purpose is to share the love of God, lifting up Jesus Christ in all they do.

As a UMVIM team, the group serves, with an invitation, locally, nationally, or internationally; works in a ministry endorsed by the host Methodist church, partner church or agency, or nongovernment organization; and serves in cooperation with the local host group.

Teams may be as diverse as specially trained Early Response Teams working in the aftermath of a flood, a medical team providing health care in Guatemala, a confirmation class working across town with Habitat for Humanity or helping set up a Christmas shop at the local mission, or a group helping conduct a Vacation Bible School where help has been requested.

A UMVIM experience is always spiritually transforming for those participating, and often proves transformational for the congregations from which they come. unyumc.org 13

Teams diligently prepare for Fall Gatherings

By Maya Smith

T

he Conference Council on Youth Ministries (CCYM) Fall Gatherings are approaching fast! Each team – Gathering Organization (GO), PowerPoint and Publicity, Worship, and Youth Service Fund (YSF) – has been working diligently on each of their areas to prepare for the upcoming gatherings.

At every event there are workshops.

Some are related to the theme, Searching … God, and some are just for fun.

Smith GO has been working on an exciting workshop related to our theme. Youth will be participating in a search through the Bible. This game will resemble the classic game of Capture the Flag.

Another exciting workshop is related to the CCYM’s new dance team. The dance team is led by Riley O’ Flynn, who is from the Genesee Valley District. This workshop will be all about dance for our dancers who are in attendance.

The worship team has also been hard at work planning spectacular worships for the Fall Gatherings.

There will be bands at both of the Fall Gatherings. Along with exciting bands to get us pumped up about worshiping God, there will be guest speakers at both of the Fall Gatherings. There will also be some skits to go along with sermons.

The YSF team has designed the event T-shirt for the year. These are always a big hit with our youth, and this one is just as wonderful as the years past! Along with the T-shirt, the YSF team has worked on new ideas of what to stock and sell at the YSF table. The YSF table sells products in order to raise money to send

14 UNY ADVOCATE SEPTEMBER 2014

other youth on mission trips around the country and the world.

The PowerPoint and Publicity team has done some awesome work. The team has made an all new Facebook page for the youth of the Upper New York Annual Conference. The page is called Youth of the Upper New York Conference. Go like this page to be in the know about the upcoming CCYM events and gatherings!

Youth can post questions and share their excitement about God and the CCYM events!

Reflection on the theme:

Searching … God By anonymous

I have strong feelings about the theme for this year. Many of these feelings are good feelings. The way the theme is presented opens up so much room for personal interpretation.

It can mean almost anything you want it to; but personally, I interpret

Along with our Facebook page, a new twitter account was made. Type @UnyYouth in your search bar on twitter to follow us and connect with youth across our Conference. Tweet your excitement and be sure to tag us in your tweet!

Overall, the CCYM has been hard at work preparing the Fall Gatherings and making sure they are wonderful and emphasize our theme, Searching … God! Make sure you get on your devices and like our Facebook page and follow us on twitter! the theme as God is searching. He is searching for people, followers, even disciples of him. I’ve learned a lot as a Christian growing up in the Church, and participating in CCYM. One main point I’ve learned is that if God is calling, you answer.

You may not answer now, but if God wills it, you eventually answer.

There is nothing like the love God has for you, it’s unconditional. How could you turn that down? If God is searching, let him find you.

Members of the Conference Council on Youth Ministries (CCYM) met for four days this summer for their annual training camp at the Aldersgate Camp & Retreat Center in Greig to plan for their 2014-2015 events. The members of the council represent youth from all 12 districts of the Upper New York Conference. Photo by Ashley Riddell

Workshop brings out big ideas

By Katie Shumway

From June 29 to July 3, 2014, the Conference Council on Youth Ministries (CCYM) as a whole worked hard and had fun revising and brainstorming for new workshop ideas, and changes all across the committees.

With the PowerPoint and Publicity team’s new video equipment, we will be able to capture God moments and memories in a whole new way. The Worship Team has been brainstorming big ideas for this year’s gatherings.

They have even mentioned a secret guest speaker. As for the Gathering Organization team, our first written schedules for the gatherings have been made and progress toward change and flexibility is being made in all teams.

The leadership team composed of our two chairs, J.J. Warren and Kara Tenpas, along with our wonderful secretary Emily Allen and the chairs from each of the committee teams: Elyse Muder, GO; Zach Aiosa, Worship; Katie Shumway, PPP, and

Jonathan Standhart filling in for Logan Howland on YSF, created and decided on the theme for this year.

In hopes of bringing up questions among the youth about where to find God in our daily lives and how God is finding us, we discovered this year’s theme: “Searching ... God” with the verse from Luke 11:10 “Everyone who searches finds.”

Many workshop and worship

ideas arose from talk of this year’s theme, and we gave CCYM members the chance to write about what the theme meant to them (see reflection below).

We are excited to greet new and returning youth at our upcoming events and hope that they will enjoy time spent at our events searching for God as well as being searched for by God.

SAVE THE DATES

Fall Gatherings 2014: Searching … God is CCYM’s theme for this year.

Are you searching for God? Where do you look? How do you listen? Is God searching for you?

This year’s Fall Gatherings will be held Nov. 14-15 at the First UMC, 603 State St., Schenectady, and Nov. 21-22 at Asbury First UMC, 1050 East Ave., Rochester. Youth groups will arrive Friday evening; gathering and worship get underway at 7 p.m. Things wrap up on Saturday by 4:30 p.m.

UP!WORD ’15 will be held April 24-26, 2015 at the Liverpool Holiday Inn. Plan to arrive after dinner on Friday; the event will end by noon on Sunday.

Online registration will be available this year for all CCYM events through the Conference website. To register for the Fall Gatherings, visit the CCYM page at www.unyumc.org/CCYM. unyumc.org 15

REFLECTIONS

Spiritual exercises old and new The Rev. Donald Robert Hoff, retired, shares this reflection as “four pilgrims from the Upper New York Conference” prepare to walk the El Camino de Santiago de Compostela in Spain.

By Rev. Donald Robert Hoff

H

ow many United Methodists from the Upper New York Conference have made a spiritual pilgrimage and walked El Camino de Santiago de Compostela in Spain?

Chances are that most persons have not heard of the Camino, but at least two persons from Upper New York have: the Rev. Roy Hansen (retired), and his wife, Val Brown, became peregrinos or pilgrims and began the 500-mile Camino in France and across Northern Spain in September 2012. For four weeks, at 1015 miles a day, they backpacked, completing 350 miles until they stopped due to shin splints (read their story below).

The sacred tradition of Christian pilgrimage on the Camino is older than 1,200 years, and presently there is a new worldwide interest in either walking straight through or taking

From left: Rev. Don Hoff, Donna Hoff, Jeanne Judson and Rev. Gary Judson.

Photo courtesy of Rev. Hoff.

smaller segments over a number of years.

In mid-September 2014, I and my wife, Donna, and the Rev. W. Garrett “Gary” Judson, retired, and his wife, Jeanne, will be walking the Camino in Spain and Portugal.

Gary and I will continue from the place where Roy and Val ended their trek two years ago, walking the 150 miles to Santiago for two weeks.

Jeanne and Donna, following part of the Portugal Camino, will include a stop at the religious site of Fatima.

There are many values in this,

A reflection by the Rev. Roy Hansen, retired, on his 2012 Camino hike with and his wife, Valerie Brown.

T

he call to serve comes to many of us unexpectedly and leads us to places we cannot imagine ahead of time. This is what has happened to my wife, Valerie, and myself over the last year. We are currently living in Tarime, Tanzania, and have been here for one short month. We still look at each other sometimes and say, “We are in Africa!” “How did we get here?” “What does God ask of us here?”

Valerie and I have discussed for the past several years the desire to perform some short-term volunteer mission work. The problem was finding the time to do it. In addition, we had other yearnings that required a commitment of significant time such as a week-long bike ride and walking the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage in Spain.

Even though I retired in July of 2011, Valerie was still employed as a social worker at the medical center. One day in November of that year, while walking the stairway in the hospital, Valerie had a revelation.

That evening we made our plans.

Valerie would take a self-appointed sabbatical; we

16 UNY ADVOCATE SEPTEMBER 2014

beyond getting in better physical shape, and losing 15 pounds. We don’t become pilgrims by walking the Camino, one comes as a pilgrim. As a Christian, we are pilgrims, from birth to death. It is good for your soul, you become part of a larger pilgrim community, and it is fun.

Some of these persons identify as Roman Catholic, others as Protestant or no religious identification at all. There are 12 or more various routes to trek, and very few rules and requirements. A guiding principal appears to be “Everybody does their

would sell our house, take our bike ride in the summer, walk the Camino in the fall and then spend six months doing the mission work that we had dreamed about.

We wanted to sell the house to disencumber ourselves from property concerns as much as possible.

Valerie resigned her position at the Arnot on May 10, 2012. The second week in July we peddled our bikes for about 275 miles through central Michigan after spending July Fourth with family.

When we returned, we proceeded to sell some of our furniture, give away much of it and store those items that were really important to us. We closed on the house on Aug. 10. Three weeks later, we were on a plane heading to France where we would start the centuries-old pilgrimage in St. Jean. Forty days later, after walking 300 miles along the Camino across northern Spain, we returned to the states to make final arrangements for our mission work.

Read the rest of the Hansens’ reflection at http://tinyurl.

Rev. Hansen com/2012CaminoHike.

own Camino.” It is not the distance, but the experience; not a contest, but a journey.

Most trek by foot, while some ride bicycles, or a horse. Pilgrims stay overnight for as little as $7 a night in a hostel, pensione or church facility, while others choose more comfort in a B&B or small hotel, and frequent local restaurants for meals. Commonly, pilgrims spend about $25 a day for room and board.

Each pilgrim gets a special Camino Passport, which is stamped along the 500 miles, permitting them to find

special lodging and meals. The ultimate destination of the journey is the city of Santiago de Compostela. A daily worship service for the pilgrims in held at the conclusion of their Camino, then they return home or continue their travels.

The reasons and motivations are as varied as the millions of pilgrims “making their Camino.” There is a powerful unity and solidarity of the mobile community. A recent motion picture titled The Way (read more about the movie at www.thewaythemovie.com) offers a helpful

portrayal of the Camino.

In Methodism we are used to the pastors itinerating from flock to flock. On the Camino, it is the people who are moving along the Camino! It is tradition that pilgrims say words of encouragement to each other: “Buen Camino,” and “Ultreya,” which means “Keep going.”

The Rev. Donald Robert Hoff, retired, and his wife, Donna, live in Pine City.

Rev. Hoff invites those with inquiries about the Camino or persons who have made a Camino to contact him via email at donaldhoff@gmail.com.

El Camino de Santiago de Compostela (Trail in red)

Wikipedia.org image by Manfred Zentgraf unyumc.org 17

During National Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, 2014) we celebrate the heritage and culture of Hispanic Americans and recognize their past and present contributions to the United States.

Does your church have a ministry that is specifically for the Hispanic members of your community? Tell us about it, and we’ll post the responses on the Conference website during Hispanic Heritage Month.

If you have photos, please include one or two. Email the information to news@unyumc.org subject line: Hispanic Heritage Month. unyumc.org 18

Remembrances C

ora (Maynard) Tiffany, 86, died on Aug. 28, 2014. Mondakini Naik died on Aug. 31, 2014 in India. Mrs. Tiffany was the mother-inlaw of the Rev. R. Brown Naik, and Mrs. Naik was his mother. Rev. Naik serves the Union Center and Wesley Endicott UMCs. Condolences can be sent to Rev. Naik at 128 Maple Drive, Endicott, N.Y. 13760. Read Mrs. Tiffany’s full obituary at http://tinyurl.com/ Tiffany082814.

E

dward T. Browka, 90, who died on Aug. 27, 2014, was the father-in-law of Abigail Browka, a local pastor serving Oneida First and Clockville UMCs. Read the full obituary at http://tinyurl.com/Browka082714.

R

ev. Fred Jackson, 90, died on Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2014. Before retiring in 1989, he served churches including Shortsville, Seneca Castle, Flint, Gorham and Minetto. In retirement he served Red Creek,

“ ... ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers.” Ephesians 1:15-16

Westbury, Amboy Center and as coordinating pastor at Hamilton: Park UMC before returning to retirement in 2011. Condolences can be sent to Rev. Jackson’s daughter Lorraine Storey at 3344 Waldron Road, Camden, N.Y. 13316. Read the full obituary at http://tinyurl.com/Jackson 082014.

K

athleen “Kay” Mihaly, 94, died on Monday, Aug. 11, 2014. She was the widow of Pastor Alfred Mihaly, who served in the former Troy Conference. 15. Read the full obituary at http://tinyurl.com/Mihaly 081114.

L

ois J. Cox, 83, died on Sunday, Aug. 10, 2014. She was the mother-in-law of Finger Lakes District Superintendent the Rev. Jeff McDowell. Condolences may be sent to the family c/o Barbara McDowell, 45 Maxwell Ave., Geneva, N.Y. 14456. Read the full obituary at http://tinyurl.com/Cox081014.

2016 General Conference logo unveiled I

n 2013, the Commission on the General Conference chose the theme of “Therefore go” for the 2016 General Conference.

The commission has now unveiled the logo to complement that theme.

Stephanie Deckard Henry, a member of the Upper New York Conference and chair of the General Conference’s Logo and Theme Committee, shared the committee’s process in selecting the logo: “When the logo and theme subcommittee met to brainstorm ideas for the theme for General Conference, we started by asking what the purpose of the theme of General Conference is and what we ultimately want General Conference to accomplish. A few of our ideas were: to make disciples of all, not just some; to be a powerful witness to the world; and, to consider what we teach, who we teach, and how we teach – the identity of United Methodism and the threads that keep us

together. “’Therefore go…’ (from Matthew 28:19 is a great) theme because of the global feel – ‘of all nations’; because it fits nicely with the mission of The UMC; because there’s a lot of possibility and flexibility with developing sub-themes; because it’s missionally focused; and because ‘go’ is an action word, something that Jesus is telling us to do, which makes it even more powerful.

“Once the theme was endorsed by the sub-committee and formally approved of by the entire Commission on General Conference, we then asked United Methodist Communications (UMCom) to begin developing some logo options to fit the theme. Ultimately, we landed on the official logo (pictured above) because we liked the contemporary, bold, and clear-to-read font and the black arrow that really emphasizes the action-oriented, mission-driven intention of the theme.

“Personally, I like the simplicity

and versatility of the logo, and I love the directionality of the theme. Go, and feed the hungry. Go, and baptize.

Go, and love. In my opinion, I believe that Jesus calls us to not only talk the talk but walk the walk. The logo and theme that have been chosen for General Conference 2016, in my mind, convey well the commandment from Matthew 28:19.”

The Rev. Larry Hollon, chief executive of UMCom, talked about how his team came up with the design.

“We wanted to provide an actionthemed logo that ties to the roots of The United Methodist Church, a denomination striving to fulfill the Great Commission,” he said.

The logo’s backdrop of Mount Hood is reflective of the location of the 2016 event in Portland, Ore. “We believe this logo provides cohesive imagery for the event, yet affords a lot of flexibility for the various needs of the conference,” said Sara Hotchkiss, business manager of the General Conference. “It gives us a strong foundation on which to build.” unyumc.org 19

How to reach us BISHOP’S OFFICE

CONFERENCE OFFICE

Upper New York Area Episcopal Office of The United Methodist Church 324 University Ave., 3rd Floor, Syracuse, N.Y. 13210 Phone: (315) 422-5027 Fax: (315) 422-5304

Upper New York Conference of The United Methodist Church 324 University Ave., 3rd Floor, Syracuse, N.Y. 13210 Phone: (315) 424-7878; toll free: (855) 424-7878 Fax: (315) 424-0975

Adirondack District District Superintendent William Mudge PO Box 590 – 54 Bay St. Glens Falls, N.Y. 12801 (518) 480-4866 Email: AdirondackDistrict@unyumc.org

Finger Lakes District District Superintendent Jeffrey McDowell 1 Franklin Square, Suite 213 Geneva, N.Y. 14456 (315) 781-0188 Fax: (315) 781-0199 Email: FingerLakesDistrict@unyumc.org

Niagara Frontier District District Superintendent K. Wayne Butler 247 Cayuga Road, Suite 70 Cheektowaga, N.Y. 14225 (716) 276-8631 Fax: (716) 276-8632 Email: NiagaraFrontier@unyumc.org

Genesee Valley District District Superintendent Ted Anderson 1100 South Goodman St. Rochester, N.Y. 14620 (585) 340-9525 Fax: (585) 340-9526 Email: GeneseeValleyDistrict@unyumc.org

Northern Flow District District Superintendent Rebekah Sweet PO Box 208 – 93 E. Main St. Gouverneur, N.Y. 13642 (315) 535-5149 Fax: (315) 535-5151 Email: NorthernFlowDistrict@unyumc.org

Binghamton District District Superintendent Dr. David Kofahl 53 McKinley Ave. Endicott, N.Y. 13760 (607) 748-0662 Fax: (607) 748-0549 Email: BinghamtonDistrict@unyumc.org

Mohawk District District Superintendent Dr. Sung Ho Lee 105 Genesee St. New Hartford, N.Y. 13413 (315) 797-1777 Fax: (315) 797-5702 Email: MohawkDistrict@unyumc.org

Oneonta District District Superintendent Jan Rowell PO Box 668 – 66 Chestnut St. Oneonta, N.Y. 13820 (607) 441-5102 Fax: (607) 441-5102 Email: OneontaDistrict@unyumc.org

Cornerstone District District Superintendent Dr. Sherri Rood 663 Lakeview Ave. Jamestown, N.Y. 14701 (716) 665-2423 Fax: (716) 665-3763 Email: CornerstoneDistrict@unyumc.org

Mountain View District District Superintendent Nancy Adams 65 E. First St. Corning, N.Y. 14830 (607) 962-8047 Fax: (607) 962-8045 Email: MountainViewDistrict@unyumc.org

Albany District District Superintendent Richard Weihing 568 Loudon Road Latham, NY 12110 FOR MAIL: PO Box 511 Newtonville, N.Y. 12128 (518) 608-1246 Email: AlbanyDistrict@unyumc.org

Crossroads District District Superintendent Darryl R. Barrow 324 University Ave., 3rd Floor Syracuse, N.Y. 13210 (315) 422-2288 Fax: (315) 424-0975 Email: CrossroadsDistrict@unyumc.org 20 UNY ADVOCATE SEPTEMBER 2014

On the Conference calendar October

Oct. 18

Hand to Plow Phase 1

SPECIAL SESSION Special Session of the Upper New York Annual Conference 1-3 p.m., OnCenter, Syracuse (see back cover for details) Before

Sept. 27

CONAM Learning Session Asbury First UMC, Rochester

After

Sept. 27

Service of Dedication Schuyler Lake UMC

The Schuyler Lake United Methodist Church has re-opened its doors after a devastating fire. To celebrate, the congregation is inviting everyone to a special Service of Dedication followed by lunch and a concert beginning at 11 a.m. on Sept. 27, 2014.

Affectionately known as “The Little White Church,” the building suffered major damage due to a fire just after Christmas in 2010. Read a story about the rebuilding effort at http://tinyurl.com/SLUMCFire.

Now rebuilt on its original foundation, the church has re-opened its doors to the congregation and the community. For more information or to RSVP for the event, contact Pastor Sharon Rankins-Burd at pastorsharon@windstream.net or at (315) 822-3342. www.unyumc.org/ churches/detail/969

How do you get 12.5 million United Methodists to repent for something many of them don’t even know about? Answering that question is at the heart of the District Learning Sessions that have been hosted by UNY’s Committee on Native American Ministries (CONAM). www.unyumc.org/events/ detail/2703

Oct. 3-4

UMW Annual Meeting & Officer Update Jonesville UMC

uppernyumw.org

Phase 1 of Hand to Plow will begin in October. The clergy learning groups will be held at the six Conference Camp & Retreat Centers. The laity learning groups will be held at five of them, plus the Warrensburg UMC. The registration deadline is Oct. 1. www.unyumc.org/news/ detail/1953

Oct. 7-9

Path 1 Coach Training Liverpool UMC

This training is the first level of basic training for persons who wish to serve as a coach to planters and other pastors who are seeking to develop new ministries.

Tuesday will focus on foundation level training; Wednesday and Thursday will focus on training specific to those coaching new faith community planters. www.unyumc.org/pages/ detail/2151

Oct. 4-5

Road T.R.I.P. The Upper New York Conference staff Road T.R.I.P. is an opportunity for pastors and local church leaders to participate in a series of workshops that will help support you as you carry on the vital work of making disciples for Christ. Similar to the workshops offered this spring, these learning opportunities are designed to be Transformative, Relevant, Innovative and Personal.

The next Road T.R.I.P. events are: Oct. 4 – Batavia First UMC Oct. 5 – Bemus Point UMC www.unyumc.org/news/ detail/1978

CCYM Fall Gatherings Nov. 14-15 (see page 14) East: Schenectady First UMC Nov. 21-22 (see page 14) West: Aldersgate UMC, Rochester unyumc.org 21

Bishop Webb issues new call for special session

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ishop Mark J. Webb has announced that a special session of the Annual Conference will be convened as outlined in the Book of Discipline, paragraph 603.5.

The purpose and call of the special session is to discuss and vote on a recommendation from the Conference Board of Trustees to purchase the property located at 7481 Henry Clay Blvd. in Liverpool as a new Conference Center. The special session will be held from 1-3 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2014, in the Ballroom at the OnCenter (800 S. State St., Syracuse). As stated in paragraph 603.5, “a special session of the Annual Conference shall have only such powers as are stated in the call.”

If the recommendation is approved, the new building would become the long-term home for the Episcopal and Conference offices, which have been in temporary offices since the Conference came together in 2010.

Originally scheduled for Sept. 6 and 7, the special session was postponed when negotiations between Upper New York Conference Trustees and the seller of the property seemed to reach an impasse. Those challenges have been resolved, and the trustees will be able to bring an exact cost for the property and details of the transaction to the special session.

“It was a hard decision to postpone the special session, but the additional time has allowed for the Trustees to gather specific information for members to consider,” Bishop Webb said. “Voting members of the Annual Conference will now have detailed information about what the long-term costs and benefits to the Conference will be.”

The special session will be held in a single location: the Ballroom at the OnCenter, a forum that will be familiar to the members of the Annual Conference.

“We have decided to move to a single location model to simplify our legislative process. We want to do all we can to support a time of healthy discussion and decision making, and do not want concerns about process or potential parliamentary challenges to the process to distract us,” Bishop Webb explained. “This will also allow us to be together to celebrate wherever the Spirit leads us.”

The Pre-Conference packet in color (http://tinyurl. com/SSBookC1018) and black and white (http:// tinyurl.com/SSBookBW1018) has been updated to reflect the changes to the special session format and is available in the special session section of the Conference website (http://tinyurl.com/SpecSess1018).

Due to the changes in date and location, voting members of the Annual Conference will need to register for

22 UNY ADVOCATE SEPTEMBER 2014

the Oct. 18 session – even if they previously registered for one of the September sessions. Registration (http:// tinyurl.com/SS1018 Reg) is open now.

“We understand that fall schedules are very full and Saturdays are important to family and within the life of a congregation, but I encourage you to do all you can to attend this special session,” said Bishop Webb. “It is with great appreciation that I ask our voting members of the Annual Conference to gather once again in October and listen to the Spirit.”

Questions about the special session can be sent to specialsession@unyumc.org so they can be answered and added to an FAQ that will be posted to and updated on the Conference website (www.unyumc.org). The FAQ will be updated up until the day before the special session.

“It has been a long journey to get here, but I believe the Spirit is leading us,” Bishop Webb said. “I praise God that we have come this far, and I am excited to see where God will lead us next.”

About the building search The recommendation results from more than two years of study and research. The Liverpool property was identified by a task force responsible for determining a long-term plan for a Conference Center, and was selected over many other potential properties in the Syracuse area.

“Our new Conference has successfully liquidated most of the building assets of the predecessor conferences and is now in a strong position to situate itself in a new, permanent, accessible location designed to serve its mission in UNY and beyond,” said the Rev. Dr. Wendy Deichmann, Conference Trustee and chair of the task force.

“As we are still beginning new life as a Conference of The United Methodist Church, it is essential that we position ourselves to maximize effective ministry and mission opportunities,” said Dr. Deichmann. “The Upper New York Conference Center must be a place that belongs to – and is accessible to – all our congregations and members, and provides appropriate resources for our bishop, Cabinet, staff, and volunteers to perform their respective missions. Its focus upon ministry and mission must be clear and facilitated by its setting and built environment.”