TRUSTEES
The Board of Trustees of the Upper New York Annual Conference is responsible for managing and safeguarding the property and legal interests of the conference. It ensures that facilities, assets, and legal matters across the region are handled faithfully and responsibly in support of the mission of The United Methodist Church.
CLOSED CHURCHES
The Conference Board of Trustees faithfully steward the real and financial assets from closed churches from across the Conference.
REIMAGINING CLOSED CHURCH SPACES
The Conference Board of Trustees seeks to faithfully steward church properties in ways that extend the life and impact of ministry, especially when opportunities for renewal emerge. In some cases, initiatives like the Open Doors NFC reimagine closed church spaces as welcoming hubs for connection, hospitality, and new expressions of community life. Rather than allowing assets to sit idle, these investments ensure that sacred spaces continue to serve God’s mission in innovative and relevant ways. In doing so, the Trustees balance responsible financial oversight with a bold commitment to sustaining and reimagining United Methodist ministry for the future.
ARCHIVES
When a church closes, its records and official documents must be carefully handled in coordination with the District Superintendent. All deeds, records, and legal materials—including historical items—should be gathered and sent to the Conference office, where they will be reviewed and transferred to the Conference Commission on Archives & History for permanent preservation. This ensures that the church’s history and important legal records are properly safeguarded.
Here is a list of items that should be boxed up using labeled banker boxes and sent to the Conference office:
LIABILITY INSURANCE ARTICLES
