E-Advocate November 22, 2011

E-Advocate

This newsletter of the Upper New York Annual Conference is published every Tuesday and Thursday.
www.unyumc.org

This Advent, help those recovering from flooding

Churches in the Upper New York Annual Conference have been asked to assist sisters and brothers whose homes, churches and communities were devastated by Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee. Click here to see the Advent letter from Bishop Marcus Matthews. Find details of the appeal from the Director of Connectional Ministries and a bulletin insert here.

Hundreds celebrate the life of Rev. Margie Mayson

In a four-hour emotion-filled ceremony, hundreds of mourners, including Upper New York Area Resident Bishop Marcus Matthews, packed St. Paul's United Methodist Church in Ithaca on Saturday (Nov. 19) to celebrate the life and ministry of the Rev. Margie Mayson. Her husband, the Rev. Dr. H. Wes Perkins, in his personal reflection, said simply: “Margie was a 10 in all she did.” DETAILS

Nearly $90,000 in scholarships, loans awarded to UNYAC students

Thanks to significant support from members of The United Methodist Church, 33 students from the Upper New York Annual Conference were awarded $32,492 in scholarships and $57,100 in loans in 2011 from the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry. Sunday is United Methodist Student Day. DETAILS

Rev. Sinnathamby Thevanesan shares sermon on peace and justice

The Rev. Sinnathamby Thevanesan, who retired this summer as an elder in the Upper New York Annual Conference, delivered a sermon titled Questions on Peace, Justice, Mercy: A Reflection on Isaiah 11:1-12 at the fall meeting (in September) of the General Board of Church & Society’s Board of Directors at Lake Junaluska, N.C. A native of Sri Lanka, Thevanesan is a GBCS board member. Thevanesan has given us permission to share his sermon here: DETAILS

Conference Offices closed on Thursday and Friday

The Upper New York Annual Conference main office in Syracuse and district offices around the conference will be closed for business on Thursday, Nov. 24 and Friday, Nov. 25, for the Thanksgiving holiday.  The offices will reopen on Monday. Please have a blessed Thanksgiving Day.

Keep these conference calendar dates:

  • April 20-22, 2012 - UpWord Youth Conference

  • April 24-May 4, 2012 - 2012 General Conference - DETAILS

  • May 31-June 2, 2012 - 2012 Annual Conference - DETAILS

  • July 18-20, 2012 - 2012 NEJ Conference - DETAILS

  • Oct. 8-10, 2012 - Bishop’s Retreat - DETAILS

Prayer Concerns

Please keep the family of Rebecca Mary Weeks Murashige in prayers. She died suddenly on Nov. 18 at the age of 60. She is the sister of Gloria Barton, the wife of Finger Lakes District Superintendent Richard Barton. The memorial service will be on Nov. 28 at 11 a.m. at the Naval Academy Chapel.  Beckie and her husband, Glenn, were active there in the faith community of retired Naval Officers for many years.  In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Fisher House Foundation or Horses For Heroes. Please see additional information at http://www.barrancofuneralhome.com.

Please keep the family of Verna Orr in prayers. Mrs. Orr, spouse of the late Rev. Thomas Orr, died on Saturday, Nov. 19, 2011. Her memorial service will be held on Dec. 9 at 11:30 a.m. in the Eastern Parkway United Methodist Church, 943 Palmer Ave., Schenectady.

Please keep the Rev. Burtt E. Sweet and his family in prayers as he receives hospice care. Rev. Burtt, who retired in 1990, has served United Methodist churches since 1948, including as Oneonta District superintendent. He is the father of current Northern Flow District Superintendent Rev. Rebekah Sweet.

Please keep the family of Harold Rohrer Howes, 85, in your prayers. Howes, the former chair of Albany United Methodist Society (AUMS), died on Nov. 11, 2011. Donations in his memory may be made to the Slingerlands United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 146, Slingerlands, NY 12159. A memorial service will be held at the church, 1499 New Scotland Rd., on Saturday, Nov. 26, at 3 p.m. 

With more than 182,000 members, the Upper New York Annual (Regional) Conference of The United Methodist Church comprises 937 churches in 12 districts, covering 48,000 square miles in 49 of the 62 counties in New York state. Its mission is to “live the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to be God’s love with our neighbors in all places."