Close X
  • Our Focus
  • Home
  • About
  • Ministries
  • Missions
  • Events
  • News
  • Resources
  • X

    Translate

    Close

    United Methodists of Upper New YorkLiving the Gospel. Being God's Love.


    news article

    Reflection on INWARD 2k17

    November 27, 2017 / By Kristian J. Snyder, CCYM Member 2017-2018

    INWARD 2k17 Conference Youth Gathering were held on November 10-11 in Latham at Calvary UMC, and November 17-18 in Penn Yan at the Penn Yan UMC. There were youth groups from all 12 districts present at one or the other event, including some new youth groups that haven’t been at a CCYM event before, such as Pine Valley UMC and Bluff Point UMC.  Each event was attended by about 85 youth and adults. The events each opened with 6:30pm registration and a time of gathering for all youth and adults. After a short period of time doing icebreakers to get to know one another, everyone broke up into their assigned family groups for the weekend and during the family group time everyone got to know one another within their group. There also a time of prayer stations to do on Friday night and then Saturday morning we had early morning options:

                    A Few Friday Night Prayer Stations:

    1. Rocks in Water Prayers - In this station you wrote sin or confession and then put it into a fountain and the flowing water washed away that sin or confession.
    2. Walking Through the Labyrinth - In this station you prayed while walking in Jesus’s footsteps.
    3. Prayer Posts - At this station you wrote something that you wanted prayed for on sticky note and then posted it on a column, then you took a sticky note and prayed for what was on it and placed it back on the column.

                    Some of Saturday Morning Early Options:

    1. Community Prayer Walk - In this you joined a group of people and then walked and prayed around the neighborhoods surrounding each of the two churches.
    2. Morning Meditation with Sam Smith - In this option you learned new techniques of meditation or prayer.

    Friday and Saturday were full of time to grow with one another and grow closer to God. At the end of each weekend, there were one last worship service and then one last family group of the weekend followed by communion with each family group leaders anointing each member of their family group. After everything was done and over, everyone had a time of gathering and good-byes as they left to return to their homes, church, and youth groups.


    With more than 100,000 members, United Methodists of Upper New York comprises of more than 675 local churches and New Faith Communities in 12 districts, covering 48,000 square miles in 49 of the 62 counties in New York state. Our vision is to “live the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to be God’s love with our neighbors in all places."