News Stories from July 2019
UNY Delegation to General and Jurisdictional Conference gathers
July 31, 2019 / By Stephen J. Hustedt / .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
On July 26 and July 27, the Upper New York Conference Delegation to General Conference and Jurisdictional Conference gathered at Casowasco Camp and Retreat Center. This was the first gathering of the Delegation since the delegates were elected at Annual Conference in June. The Delegation’s time started with an evening of team building lead by the well-known speaker and author, Michael Brandwein. “It was intentional for us to begin …more
A glimpse at UNY Vacation Bible School July 2019
July 30, 2019 / By UNY Communications
Editor's Note: Vacation Bible School took place at several Upper New York Churches this July. Here is a look at some of the programs that took place. If your church held a Vacation Bible School this past July, feel free to submit your story by sending it to news@unyumc.org. At the end of August, we will feature VBS programs that took place through the month of …more
How Tending the Soul affirmed my calling to end-of-life ministry
July 29, 2019 / By Rev. Tim Phelps, Chaplain Chautauqua Hospice and Palliative Care
Editor’s Note: Tending the Soul, open to both laity and clergy, is a program designed to train individuals in Missional Spiritual Direction and Congregational Formation. The two-year training program (which takes place during six retreats) offers learning and formational experiences in classroom and small group settings. Below is a reflection from Rev. Tim Phelps, who took the TTS training from 2012-2014. Click here  …more
How Tending the Soul shaped my work as a Pastor and Spiritual Director
July 19, 2019 / By Rev. Dr. Michelle Bogue-Trost
Editor’s Note: Tending the Soul, open to both laity and clergy, is a program designed to train individuals in Missional Spiritual Direction and Congregational Formation. The two-year training program (which takes place during six retreats) offers learning and formational experiences in classroom and small group settings. The following is the Rev. Dr. Michelle Bogue-Trost’s reflection of Tending the Soul. Click here to learn more about …more
When Churches Neglect Payroll Taxes
July 10, 2019 / By Rev. Susan M. Ranous
Your Council on Finance and Administration (CF&A) want to share the following information with you: An article written by Bobby Ross, Jr., in the Church Law and Tax Report, titled “When Churches Neglect Payroll Taxes,” stated that “failure to file payroll taxes on time is a fairly common issue” in churches. Some churches prioritize their electric bill over the IRS; others assume that because …more
26th Annual United Methodist Palestinian Dinner in Central/ Upper New York: A Catalyst for Peace?
July 9, 2019 / By Linda Bergh, co-chair, UNY Task Force on Peace w/ Justice in Palestine/Israel
How can people treat others that way?,” I thought, while listening to Huwaida Arraf tell of a five-year-old Palestinian child, suffering from cancer and officially admitted to an Israeli Jerusalem hospital, prevented from having the comforting presence of parents, a grandparent, family, or friends with him due to Israel's refusal to grant any of them permits. As our speaker, Huwaida, a Palestinian American lawyer and civil rights …more
Top five ways to help UNY Mission Central HUB this summer
July 8, 2019 / By UNY Communications
It’s finally summer here in Upper New York (UNY). The rains have let off, the sun is shining, and the temperature has warmed up beautifully. We hope you are enjoying this season! While summer is a time of rest, renewal, and a whole lot of vacationing for Upper New Yorkers, our UNY Mission Central HUB is buzzing with hard work thanks to the UNY Director of Missional Engagement, …more
CCYM Training Camp-an amazing experience
July 3, 2019 / By Danny Gekonge – Emmaeus UMC / Albany District Kathryn Helms – Brockport UMC / Genesee Valley District
Greetings from CCYM training camp! Here at Asbury Retreat Center, we participated in worship, games, and welcoming gestures. We sang lots of praise songs to get us energized and in a good mood. We lifted our voices to God many times every day. We used skits, lessons, and songs to teach messages about God. We served communion and had short services, one of which was around a warm campfire, where …more
UNY Mission Central HUB installs ramp in Syracuse’s Southside
July 1, 2019 / By UNY Communications
Editor’s Note: The Upper New York Conference’s Mission Central HUB has a phenomenal partnership with Operation Northern Comfort and has built more than ten ramps together for those in need. The latest ramp project took place earlier this month during the UNY Annual Conference for an 82-year old woman, Lucille Morris, who lives in a high-crime area of Syracuse’s Southside. Some may deter from …more