2026 Annual Conference
The 2026 Annual Conference for United Methodists of Upper New York is planned for May 28-30, 2026 at the Oncenter in downtown Syracuse.
Upcoming Pre-Conference Briefings
About the theme and logo
RISE UP! Love Boldly | Transform the World Matthew 22:36–40
The 2026 Annual Conference session marks the beginning of a three‑year journey into embodied discipleship—a season of renewal that calls us not only to deepen what we believe, but to more fully live out what we proclaim.
Guided by Love Boldly, the first movement of the newly adopted Vision Statement of the United Methodist Church, this year’s theme invites us to rise with passion, clarity, and courage. It is a call to step forward—together—into a faith that is visible, practiced, and transformative.
Drawing from Jesus’ words in Matthew 22:36–40, we are inviting our disciples, leaders, and congregations to Rise Up and Love Boldly:
to grow in deeper love for Christ,
and to stretch into wider love for our neighbors.
The 2026 logo visually embodies this invitation. Its rising arc and upward movement symbolize growth, momentum, and hope. The warm rays suggest awakening and possibility, while the strong foundation grounds us in the central call to love—love God and love our neighbor.
This is more than a theme. It is a summons to spiritual renewal and a renewed sense of mission in this new era of United Methodism. Together, we will begin to articulate our shared how for ministry across the region: how we live, how we serve, and how we lead in ways that reflect the healing and liberating love of Jesus Christ.
As we rise in deeper love for Christ and reach into wider love for neighbor, we move toward nothing less than a revolution of love—one capable of transforming hearts, communities, the Church, and the world.
RISE UP. Love Boldly. Transform the World.
Workbook
The 2026 Upper New York Pre-Conference Workbook is available here. To view updates to the workbook after publication, click here.
Registration
Registration is now closed. The next opportunity to register is onsite at the Oncenter for an additional $50 fee. Meals are not guaranteed for late registrants.
Any clergy member looking to be excused from annual conference should click here and complete the form.
The registration costs are as follows:
Clergy $250
Retired clergy $120
Lay person on the Board of Ordained Ministry $120
Lay Member $250
Equalization Member $120
Equalization Member Youth $20
Equalization by Virtue of Office Member $120
Visitor $250
Non-Conference Vendor $250
Hotel Information
Discounted room rates are available at several area hotels near and around Syracuse. Reserve by May 1 to secure the best rate as availability is first come, first served. Shuttle buses will be provided to and from the Oncenter Thursday and Friday from all conference hotels.
All hotels listed below, except for Staybridge, offer complimentary parking and shuttle service to and from the Oncenter. Those marked with an asterisk (**) offer a complimentary breakfast during your stay.
**Parkview Hotel ($139/night)
713 East Genesee Street, Syracuse
Reserve by calling (315) 701-2600
SOLD OUT: Aloft ($119/night)
310 West Kirkpatrick Street, Syracuse
**Best Western ($119/night)
416 S Clinton Street, Syracuse
Reserve by clicking here
Super 8 ($87/night)
421 7th North Street, Liverpool
Reserve by clicking here
Collegian ($129/night)
1060 E Genesee St, Syracuse
Reserve by clicking here
**Staybridge ($149/night)- 2 bedroom, 2 bath suite
439 Electronics Parkway, Liverpool
Reserve by clicking here
Agenda
Thursday, May 28, 2026
8:30 AM Check-in/Registration Opens
10:00 AM Opening Worship
11:00 AM Organizing Plenary
11:30 AM Lunch
11:30 AM Extension Ministry luncheon (Invitation Only)
11:30 AM Check-in & Registration closes
12:30 PM Check-in & Registration re-opens
1:00 PM Clergy & Laity Sessions
2:00 PM Break
2:30 PM Business/Plenary: Recommendations and Resolutions from Conferences Teams
4:30 PM Apology to Victims and Survivors of Sexual Misconduct in the Church
5:00 PM Dinner
5:00 PM Retiree/Ordinands Dinner (Invitation Only)
5:30 PM Check-in/Registration closes for the day.
7:00 PM Business/Plenary: Visioning Task Force Report
9:00 PM Rehearsal for Commissioning/Ordination Service
Friday, May 29, 2026
7:30 AM Check-in/Registration opens
8:30 AM Praise and Worship
9:00 AM Episcopal Address
10:00 AM Break
10:30 AM Memorial Service
11:30 AM Check-in & Registration closes
11:30 AM Lunch
11:30 AM Memorial Service Family Luncheon (Invitation Only)
12:30 PM Check-in & Registration re-opens
1:00 PM Learning Session led by Ken Willard
1:50 PM Break
2:00 PM Registration closed
2:00 PM Business/Plenary: Continue Recommendations and Resolutions from Conferences Teams & Recommendations and Resolutions from Individuals and Groups
5:00 PM Dinner
5:00 PM Check-in closes
7:00 PM Celebration of Ministry, Commissioning & Ordination Service
Saturday, May 30, 2026
8:30 AM Praise and Worship
9:00 AM Business/Plenary continued
12:00 PM Closing Worship – Service of Passage & Reading of Appointments
1:00 PM Adjourn
Lunch Learning Sessions
Thursday Sessions
Rest and Play Oasis: Meeting Room 9 & 10 - Step away from it all and surrender to your body's needs. Welcome to Oasis, a time and space to recharge your batteries through rest and play. Here you will experience a calm, sensory-friendly environment, with opportunities for creative expression, table games, conversation, and much more. Won't you join us at Oasis? Hosted by Rev. Rebekah Solar of UNY's Preachers: Rest. Work. Play. Initiative.
How to Connect to your Community: Meeting Room 1 - How to Connect with your Community brings together best practices from new faith communities and missional ministry to help a local church connect with their community. Featuring Rev. Abigail Browka of New Faith Communities and Kristina Clark of Resilient Communities in UNY.
CRM being a Camping Advocate: Meeting Room 7 & 8 - If you love advocating for our camp and retreat centers, this is the perfect learning session for you—even if you’re not the officially designated Camp and Retreat Advocate (formerly known as an agent or representative) from your congregation. Together, we’ll explore ways to share the impactful stories that arise out of time at your camp and retreat centers, along with effective ways to connect and recruit members of your church and community to make use of the disciple-growing connection shared with these sites. Hosted by CRM staff.
Stewardship Coaching Academy: Meeting Room 3- Do you have a strong desire to serve others and an empathetic heart toward those in need, and are you a person who has demonstrated a heart of generosity, the practice of good stewardship and understanding of financial management practices? If so, you may be someone who should consider attending the UNY Stewardship Coaching Academy. This academy will give you a good learning base, as well as resources that will enable you to provide support for reviewing and developing health systems of stewardship, financial management and other administrative services to our churches around the Conference. Come to this learning session to learn more about this, to hear about the topics that will be covered, the dates the academy will be offered, and to have conversations around how coaching will work. Rev. Susan Ranous, Director of Christian Stewardship will lead this learning session and facilitate the academy.
Walking Alongside Our Immigrant Neighbors: A Wesleyan Call to Justice and Welcome: Meeting Room 2 - Join members of the Immigration Justice Cohort as we share stories from our immersion experience at the U.S.–Mexico border and explore what it means to offer Christ-like hospitality in the midst of our current immigration landscape. This session will introduce practical tools to help congregations deepen their understanding, strengthen advocacy efforts, and build relationships with immigrants in their own communities. Participants will leave with actionable ideas for worship, discipleship, mission engagement, and community partnerships rooted in Wesleyan compassion and justice.
Friday Sessions
Come Away: Making Retreats a part of your plan for Discipleship: Meeting Room 1 - Retreats offer a powerful opportunity to nurture spiritual growth and deepen discipleship within your congregation. They provide a dedicated space for people to step away from the distractions of daily life and focus on connecting with God, with themselves, and with one another. This session explores the transformative potential of retreats and offers practical advice for planning and executing a successful experience. Learn about the resources that are available to you for incorporating retreats into the life of your congregation. Hosted by CRM staff.
Conference Council on Youth Ministry: Meeting Room 9 & 10 - The Conference Council on Youth Ministry lunchtime learning session explores the impact of youth on local, conference, and global levels. During the learning session, individuals will engage in conversations surrounding intergenerational cooperation and collaboration. Participants will be allowed to ask the youth questions and see the vital role the youth play in making disciples of Jesus Christ. CCYM encourages all ages to attend this collaborative workshop experience.
Fresh Expressions of Church: Meeting Room 2 - Meet people in your community where they are. Rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all model, learn how to cultivate a blended ecology in your local church, where traditional worship and new forms of church grow side-by-side. Led by Rev. Abigail Browka of New Faith Communities and Innovation in UNY.
Introduction to Nonviolence: Meeting Room 3 - Drawing on the materials of the NAACP, the King Center, and other groups, participants will have an introduction to practicing nonviolence in a manner that is safe for the persons involved. This workshop will set the stage for deeper understanding and practice of nonviolence in the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.. This workshop is presented by the UNY Social Holiness Team.
Starting and Enhancing Green Teams: Meeting Room 7 & 8 - Does your congregation have a “green team?” These environmental ministry groups may inform their congregations about the theology and practical steps for caring for God’s creation, promote environmental responsibility regarding UM properties, lead environmental projects for the benefit of the communities around churches, and apprise their congregations of environmental policies. This workshop will introduce you to the basics of building a green team at your church.
Hospitality & First-Time Guests - Ken Willard: East Ballroom - Based on the book, Beacon of Hope: Your Guide to Reaching, Witnessing, and Welcoming New People, this webinar session focuses on practical ways for you and your church to connect with first-time guests and grow your overall hospitality.
It is not enough for us to reach new people, we must also ensure we are prepared for them to engage with our church and our congregation. Hospitality in churches today is not just for a few people on a team, but for all of us who are involved in ministry.
This workshop will cover areas such as: Biblical principles of welcoming strangers, breaking down barriers, radical hospitality, seven key areas to prepare for first-time guests, dangerous assumptions, and more.
Meals
After last year's post annual conference survey, many members expressed the desire for more flexibility and freedom to move around the Oncenter during meal time. Instead of plated meals, all meals will be served buffet style. The menu is as follows:
Thursday Lunch – served from buffet tables:
Boxed Lunch (served with bag of potato chips, cookie, bottled water):
Roast Beef Sandwich (Nut Free) – Caramelized Horseradish Onions, Smoked Chedder, Lettuce & Tomato with Whole Grain Mustard on Wheatberry Bread
Turkey Bacon & Swiss Sandwich (Nut Free) – Roasted Turkey Topped with Swiss Cheese, Peppered Bacon, Lettuce & Tomato on Sourdough Bread with Roasted Garlic Aioli
Spinach Berry Salad – Baby Spinach, Strawberries, Blueberries, Feta, Sweet Bell Peppers & Almonds with Raspberry Vinaigrette
Thursday Dinner – served from buffet tables:
Mac N Cheese bar with separate toppings of broccoli, bacon, and parmesan
Tossed salad with two different dressings
Pre-carved Roasted Rosemary Turkey
Dessert: Cookies and Brownies
Friday Lunch – served from buffet tables:
Boxed Lunch (served with bag of potato chips, cookie, bottled water):
The Italian Sandwich (Nut Free) – Prosciutto, Mortadella, Salami, Provolone Cheese, Arugula, Oven Dried Tomato, Oil & Vinegar on an Italian Hard Roll
Fresh Garden Wrap (Vegetarian) – Grilled Portabello, Baby Spinach, Summer Squash, Roasted Red Peppers, Dilled Havarti Cheese Wrapped in a Spinach Tortilla with Pesto
Lemon Chicken Salad (Gluten Free) – Lemon Pepper Grilled Chicken, Arugula, Cranberries, Smoked Cheddar, Pistachios, Raspberry Dressing
Friday Dinner – served from buffet tables:
Salt City Buffet – includes BBQ Chopped Salad, Creamy Crisp Slaw, Smashed Salt City Potato Salad, Hickory Smoked Brisket, BBQ Pork, Baked Mac & Cheese, New England Style Baked Beans, Cornbread Muffins w/Butter, Bourbon Apple Crisp
Tossed Salad with two dressings
Saturday Lunch – optional in registration – handed out from a table at end of conference:
Sack Lunch (includes chips):
Turkey – Turkey with Lettuce, Tomato, and Cheddar Cheese
Meet The Speakers
Bishop Delores J. Williamston is the Ordination speaker. In her episcopal role, she provides spiritual leadership to the Louisiana Conference and serves the wider church, including as President of the General Commission on the Status and Role of Women and liaison to the Disabilities Ministries Committee. She is also on the board of Strengthen the Black Church for the 21st Century. Before her episcopal ministry, she served churches in Kansas and held leadership roles including district superintendent and Director of Clergy Excellence/Assistant to the Bishop in the Great Plains Conference. She is a 22-year veteran of the Kansas Army National Guard and a breast cancer survivor.
Ken Willard is the 2026 UNY Annual Conference study leader. Ken is a professional Christian leadership coach, author, and church consultant whose mission is to equip God’s people to expand God’s Kingdom. He has over a decade of experience coaching pastors and church leaders and consulting with churches, districts, and annual conferences nationwide. In 2018, he joined the West Virginia Conference as Director of Faith Communities ReNEWal. Ken has authored multiple books for church leaders, including Beacon of Hope: Your Guide to Reaching, Witnessing, and Welcoming New People, and emphasizes Christ-centered strategic thinking, leadership development, continuous learning, and encouragement in his work.
The Rev. Debbie Earthrowl, Superintendent of the Adirondack and Albany Districts, is the 2026 UNY Annual Conference Memorial Service speaker. Prior to serving in this role, she served several Upper New York churches, including Salem UMC, West Hebron UMC, and Cambridge UMC. Rev. Earthrowl considers it a privilege to walk alongside congregations and communities as they seek to welcome all, grow in faith and discipleship, and bear witness to God’s abundant grace and mercy. She values the deep sense of belonging that faith communities foster and is grateful for the ways God continues to call and equip people for ministry in particular places, drawing on the unique gifts each person brings to God’s mission.
Offerings
The Engage Fund offering is collected during Opening Worship and helped nurture young people, serve them, and serve alongside them—including the Buffalo 10 Scholarship, Mission of Peace, and other national and international experiences.
The Clergy Care Fund offering is collected during the Clergy Session and is used to assist clergy in need of financial support.
The Helping Hands Fund offering is collected during the Laity Session and is used by the Cabinet to assist congregants in need of financial support.
Don’t wait to be part of the impact—give today through the UNY UMC app and support vital efforts that care for youth, clergy, and congregations in need.
Upcoming Pre-Conference Briefings To equip you for bold, informed engagement at Annual Conference, we're offering eight 90-minute briefing sessions across Upper New York. These gatherings will prepare clergy and lay members for critical conversations and decisions at our May 28-30 conference at the Oncenter in Syracuse.
What You'll Hear:
Updates from the Conference’s Visioning Task Force on the future direction of our conference
Key recommendations from administrative teams with financial implications for local churches, including:
Commission on Equitable Compensation
Council on Finance and Administration
Conference Board of Pensions and Health Benefits
Format: Presentation followed by Q&A
When & Where: Three weekends in April and May: