By: Jeehye Kim, Senior Director of Communications and Marketing, General Commission on Religion and Race | Email Editor note: The following press release was sent on September 1, 2026 by the General Commission on Religion and Race. The General Commission on Religion and Race of The United Methodist Church (GCORR) is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2026 CORR Action Fund (CAF) Grant program, an initiative dedicated to expanding mental health support for historically u

By Rev. Corey Turnpenny, Church in the Wild | Email Editor’s Note: Church in the Wild, an Upper New York New Faith Community in the Binghamton District. The alternative eco-spiritual community was recently awarded an EarthKeepers grant from UMCOR in the amount of $6,500 to support their Creative ReUse thrift store. In 2024, a board member at Church in the Wild suggested we open a creative reuse thrift store as a way to help support the church and provide low-cost art supplie

By UNY Communications | Email Editor's Note: The following message was sent to United Methodists in the Susquehanna and Upper New York Episcopal Area on behalf of Bishop Héctor A. Burgos-Núñez on Tuesday, September 1, 2026. “We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.” -2 Thessalonians 1:12 Dear Friends in Christ, Grace and peace to you in the name of our Lord, Savior, a

By Kristian Snyder, Conference Director of Lay Servant Ministries | Email It is a joy and a humbling responsibility to begin serving as the new Conference Director of Lay Servant Ministries for the Upper New York Annual Conference. As I begin this new role following in the footsteps of Linda Barczykowski, I find myself reflecting on where I come from, the people who have shaped my faith and ministry, and the many ways God has continued to open doors for me to serve. My journe

By Rev. Dr. Robin Blair, Chair, Commission of the Role & Status of Women (COSROW) | Email I have stepped away from local church leadership for a season to answer another call God has been speaking to me for years and I am to share it: Media Literacy as Spiritual Care. When did you last hear those words in a sentence? Probably never — but here they are. Media has a powerful spiritual influence on our lives, particularly on the children in our orbit. This digital culture is eve

By Rev. Dr. Robin Blair, Chair, Commission of the Role & Status of Women (COSROW) | Email When you think about your identity, what comes to mind? Your faith? Your vocation? Your character? Perhaps even your name? For women in ministry, identity is still a living question because women in positions of pastoral authority are not yet what many people instinctively imagine when they hear the words the minister. Years of cultural conditioning, denominations that still do not ordai

By UNY Communications | Email Editor's Note: The following message was sent to United Methodists in the Susquehanna and Upper New York Episcopal Area on behalf of Bishop Héctor A. Burgos-Núñez on Friday, July 17, 2026. “…with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making very effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace…” — Ephesians 4:2–3 Dear siblings in Christ, In recent months, I have watched with deep concern as

By UNY Communications | Email Editor's Note: The following message was sent to United Methodists of Upper New York on behalf of Bishop Héctor A. Burgos-Núñez on Thursday, July 16, 2026. Dear siblings in Christ, Grace and peace to you in the name of Jesus. At the 2026 Annual Conference, we affirmed a Missional Path Forward for the Upper New York Conference—the fruit of a yearlong, Spirit-led labor by the Visioning Taskforce approved in the 2025 session. Now, the moment ha

By UNY Communications | Email Editor's Note: The following message was sent to United Methodists in the Susquehanna and Upper New York Episcopal Area on behalf of Bishop Héctor A. Burgos-Núñez on Tuesday, July 14, 2026. Dear pastoral and local church leaders; Grace and peace of Christ be with you. During my episcopal address at the 2026 Annual Conference session, I celebrated the many ways United Methodists across the Upper New York Conference are rising up and loving boldl

By Eric Coons, UNY Trustees Chair | Email In recent years, many of our church families have faced the difficult decision to close their churches after a season of prayerful discernment. These are never easy moments. Each congregation leaves behind a unique legacy of faithful ministry, cherished memories, and deep connections to its community. When a church closes, responsibility for the building and its contents is entrusted to the Upper New York Conference Board of Trustee

A Story of Suffering, Resurrection, and a Congregation that Refused to Let the Light Go Out By UNY Communications | Email For nine years, the Rev. Dr. Marlowe V.N. Washington, who likes to be called Pastor Marlowe, poured his life into Agape Fellowship Church in Rochester—teaching, preaching, shaping, and equipping a people to become disciples who makes disciples. Week after week, year after year, he labored to build a church when it was first Seneca United Methodist Church b

By UNY Communications | Email A partnership that began with a mission trip has grown into a life-changing ministry that is opening doors for children and youth in Kenya. Webb Mills United Methodist Church in Pine City recently welcomed the Rev. Pamela Okinda, director of the Kenya Scholarship Program and Hope for Girls, to worship on Sunday, June 14, 2026. The visit was an opportunity to celebrate the congregation's ongoing partnership with Rev. Okinda and the impact it is

By UNY Communications | Email Editor's Note: The following message was sent to United Methodists in the Susquehanna and Upper New York Episcopal Area on behalf of Bishop Héctor A. Burgos-Núñez on Tuesday, June 30, 2026. Dear siblings in Christ, Grace and peace to you in Christ. I give thanks for your faithful witness and the many ways you help nurture communities of hope, healing, and courage. A Call to Beloved Community Across the world, people are discovering that the antid

By UNY Communications | Email Editor's Note: The Council of Bishops released the following pastoral letter on Saturday, June 27, 2026, in response to the devastating earthquake in Venezuela. The letter calls United Methodists to prayer, compassion, and support for relief efforts through UMCOR. Click the following links to read the letter in Español, Português, Français. Beloved, Grace and peace to you in the name of Jesus Christ. Our hearts are heavy as we turn our attention

By Shelby Winchell and Matthew Shineman, Director of Communications for Upper New York and Susquehanna Conferences | Email As the Susquehanna (SUS) and Upper New York (UNY) Conferences continue deepening their partnership in ministry following the Northeastern Jurisdiction’s formation of the new episcopal area in 2024, two key staffing transitions are helping support the shared work of the SUS–UNY Episcopal Area. Welcoming New Leadership in the Episcopal Office On Monday, Jun

Loving Boldly is a blog series that highlights how individuals and congregations across Upper New York are living out The United Methodist Church's vision to love boldly. From unexpected encounters and acts of compassion to ministries that build relationships and transform communities, these stories showcase disciples who are empowered by the Holy Spirit to share the healing and liberating love of Jesus Christ. Through their witness, we see how bold love can change lives, str

By Shelby Winchell, Director of Communications | Email Editor’s Note: This article is based on feedback from the 2026 Annual Conference survey conducted by the Upper New York Conference of The United Methodist Church. Nearly half of those in attendance provided feedback anonymously through a post-event survey. The 2026 Upper New York Annual Conference left a positive and lasting impression on attendees, according to survey feedback from more than 300 clergy and laity who gath

By Rev. Nancy Adams, Endwell United Methodist Church | Email For the past two Mondays, members of Endwell United Methodist Church have been stepping outside our church walls and into our neighborhood for prayer walks. While our congregation has long been active in mission and outreach ministries, we recognized that we have not always connected directly with the people who live and work around us. These walks are a simple but meaningful way to pray for our community and listen

By Charles Syms and Georgia Whitney, Regional Coordinators, Dismantling Racism: from Imagination to Action | Email "There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus." — Galatians 3:28 "...though many, [we] form one body, and each member belongs to all the others." — Romans 12:5 Paul's vision wasn't only that old divisions stop separating us — it's that each of us, different as we are, belongs fully to the whole. A body

By UNY Communications | Email Editor's Note: The following message was sent on behalf of Bishop Héctor A. Burgos-Núñez to United Methodists of Susquehanna and Upper New York on Tuesday, June 23, 2026 sharing an important new resource about suicide-prevention. Dear Pastoral Leaders of Susquehanna and Upper New York, Grace and peace to you in the name of Jesus Christ. I write to share an important new suicide‑prevention training resource developed by the General Board of Higher

By Rev. Peggi Eller, Norwich: Broad Street UMC | Email Broad St. United Methodist Church (BSUMC) partnered with the United Way of Mid-Rural New York and Sidney Federal Credit Union for a Day of Action on June 17, 2026. Over 4,000 dental hygiene kits were assembled and will be distributed to schools throughout Chenango County. This is one of four assembly days designed to ensure that all schools and students in Chenango County have access to toothbrushes, toothbrush covers, t

By Kristina Clark, Associate Director of Missional Excellence | Email Members of the Upper New York Global Ministries team were recognized at the 2026 Upper New York Annual Conference by Michelle Schwartzman, Mission Engagement Liaison for Global Ministries, for Upper New York Conference's outstanding support of Global Ministries. Upper New York received the award as the conference that contributed the highest amount to Global Ministries within the Northeast Jurisdiction.

By UNY Communications | Email Upper New York welcomes Jennelle Torrey. Jennelle is the new Superintendency Administrative Assistant for the Mountain View and Genesee Valley Districts. She is replacing Patti Gridley, who is retiring on July 8, 2026, following nearly 16 years of service. Jennelle is no stranger to The United Methodist Church and Upper New York. She is married to the Rev. Christopher Wylie. Her diverse professional background includes work in IT, education,

By UNY Communications | Email After decades of faithful service, Casowasco Camp & Retreat Center is entering a new chapter. Nestled on the shores of Owasco Lake, Casowasco has long been a place of refuge, renewal, and spiritual growth.  On June 14, 2026, the Upper New York (UNY) Camp & Retreat Ministries led a service celebrating the ministry and legacy of Casowasco. The gathering brought together former campers, staff, volunteers, clergy, and friends to give thanks for the

By UNY Communications | Email “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.” Psalm 34:18 Editor's Note: The following message was sent on behalf of Bishop Héctor A. Burgos-Núñez to United Methodists of Susquehanna and Upper New York on Tuesday, June 16, 2026. Dear siblings in Christ, Grace and peace to you in the name of Jesus. I give thanks to God for our 2026 Annual Conference in Syracuse—a Spirit‑filled gathering where United Methodists of Up