news article
Oneonta District encourages Conference to ‘Revive and Connect’
October 16, 2015 / By Anna Buell
On Sept. 26, the Oneonta District held its first “Revive and Connect – Doing Big Things Together” event at the Cobleskill United Methodist Church, hosted by members of the Cobleskill and Warnerville United Methodist churches. The District Leadership Team developed the event as a celebration of God’s love and commitment and Jesus’s presence within the churches across the district as well as to show how we are stronger in mission and purpose when we come together as one connected body in ministry.
It was important to the District Leadership Team to have an event that inspired a sense of excitement, a renewed faith, and a renewed spirit for being a modern-day Christian committed to Wesleyan ethos. And, based on the overwhelming response from attendees, the event accomplished just that! The team is comprised of Oneonta District Superintendent the Rev. Jan Rowell, Pastor Nancy Dulkis (serving at the East Worcester UMC), the Rev. Pam Hayes (pastor at the Warnerville UMC, Mineral Springs UMC, Hyndsville UMC, Dorloo UMC, and Cobleskill UMC), Pastor Richard Howard (serving at the Mount Vision UMC and Hartwick UMC), Pastor Thanna Howell (serving at the Plymouth UMC, Preston UMC, and North Norwich UMC), Pastor Matthew Rowe (serving at the Gallupville UMC and Esperance-Sloansville UMC), and lay members Anna Buell, Joann Fisher, Penny Harrington, Ed Honrath, and Neil Law.
Keynote speaker Matt Williams, Director at the Sky Lake Camp & Retreat Center, incorporated the fun and enthusiasm of summer camp again while playing a robust game of rock-paper-scissors; while still conveying the seriousness that, as churches in the 21st century and as churches within the Oneonta District, we must support each other, share resources, and be more connected overall and less independent.
The day was filled with a tremendous sense of fellowship, which was exemplified during three breakout sessions. The sessions included:
- Coming together in one voice during the “community” choir session,
- Coming together in one character during the brief book study review session of “Five Marks of a Methodist,” and
- Coming together in one mission during the session in which 509 United Methodist Committee on Relief health kits were assembled. After finishing some partial kits, 561 kits were delivered on Oct. 4 to Mission Central in Mechanicsburg, Pa., for distribution to those in need.
The day also included facilitated round table discussions designed to invite open and honest conversation on some profound questions that congregations should be asking on a regular basis. Though the table conversations were broad in content, they all began with two fundamental root questions that simply asked: 1) Where are you seeing God at work in your community or church? and 2) Where do you want to see God at work in your church or community? Imagine if we allow these questions to take seed, becoming the basis for all church administrative council meetings across the District? Further, what if we tag on the foundational question that asks, “How do we accomplish this as one body in Christ, and as one body in the Oneonta District?” Think of the endless possibilities we will have for success as Jesus’ disciples, empowered and connected as leaders in God’s Master Plan and as The United Methodist Church of the Upper New York Conference.
I encourage us all to: “Dream. Connect. Act. Make it happen together.”
Anna Buell is the Oneonta District Lay Leader.