News Stories from December 2023

Save the date for 2024 District Days

December 20, 2023 / By UNY Communications / .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

In the new year, Upper New York Area Resident Bishop, Héctor A. Burgos Núñez, will be visiting local churches from February to April during District Days. This time allows Bishop Héctor to meet with laity and clergy across Upper New York. Clergy meetings are scheduled for each visit from 1-3 p.m. Another gathering is being held for laity (and …more

Three Upper NY United Methodist Churches’ help bring joy to seniors

December 20, 2023 / By Kevin Miller, Multimedia Content Creator / .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

The holiday season is a time of celebration, joy and family gatherings, but for many senior adults, it can also be a time of loneliness and isolation.    However, Faith in Action Volunteers, a program of the Broome County Council of Churches, has been lighting up the lives of seniors for a number of years through a heartwarming initiative known as the Silver Bells program. The mission of …more

Two churches create lasting Christmas memories for children, their families, and volunteers

December 11, 2023 / By Pastor Deb Peacock, Argyle UMC

Two years ago, I took my grandson shopping so he could buy small gifts for his mom and dad for Christmas. I remember how excited he was to do this. I began to think about the children in the Argyle and West Hebron communities, as well as other small communities around us, that are struggling to provide meals for their families, let alone Christmas gifts. I immediately had an idea. …more

Commentary: Where is he?

December 7, 2023 / By Dianne Roe / .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Dianne Roe is a member of First United Methodist Church of Corning and wrote the following reflection on behalf of the Upper New York Task Force for Peace with Justice in Palestine-Israel which is part of Social Holiness. Dianne drew the sketch below from an Instagram photo sent out from Gaza during the bombing in 2014. She reflects on this as she processes the present catastrophe, which at …more

Community yoga opens church doors to new faces

December 7, 2023 / By Shelby Winchell, UNY Director of Communications / .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Breathe. Don’t just inhale and exhale. Take the kind of breath where you can feel your diaphragm contract and your lungs expand. Become one with your breathing.   Deep breathing is a part of yoga, an ancient practice that not only can improve strength and flexibility, but also helps reduce stress. Yoga can also be used to manage pain. Disbelievers may hear the word “yoga” …more

A call for prayer for wise discernment

December 6, 2023 / By Rev. Dr. Michelle Bogue-Trost on behalf of the CVA Task Force

The Conference Leadership Team has been tasked “to provide a comprehensive examination of every feasible funding source… for payment of the Child Victims Act (CVA) case settlements and legal fees to be reported back with recommendations to the Conference no later than Annual Conference 2024. In the meantime, the sources of any funds spent in the next year on the resolution of CVA cases must be tracked and understood …more

Bishop Héctor A. Burgos Núñez shares his message for Advent

December 4, 2023 / By Bishop Héctor A. Burgos Núñez

Editor's note: The following video was released and sent to United Methodists of Upper New York on Wednesday, Nov. 29. The video transcript is provided. Click here to download a version that can be printed for easy sharing. Dear United Methodists of Upper New York,   I greet you in the name of Jesus Christ, the source of our faith and hope.   During the Advent season, we …more