Dear Upper New York clergy, 

Grace and peace from our Savior and Friend, Jesus Christ, be with you.  

I hope you are enjoying the summer months! This time of the year provides us unique opportunities for rest and renewal, and to spend quality time with our loved ones before the busy fall and winter months. 

CLERGY PROFILES 

As I shared with you on July 6, 2023, this year the clergy profile, supervisory, and advisory forms will be consolidated into one form to be filled out online by all clergy under appointment. Completing the streamlined clergy profile form will serve as the official supervisory engagement with your superintendent that is required by our polity. All clergy under episcopal appointment must complete the online clergy profile form by August 25, 2023.  

I ask that you prayerfully and diligently complete the form in its entirety. The information you share with the Cabinet is not only used to assist superintendents in effectively fulfilling their supervisory responsibilities, but it is also crucial during appointment-making and to help us discern how to best support and resource you for impactful ministry.  

You can complete your clergy profile, here.  

MINISTRY GOALS 

Starting this year, as part of the clergy profile, the Appointive Cabinet is inviting clergy to frame and focus their development on the following four priorities and set clear and measurable goals around them to work throughout the 2023-24 appointment year. Setting these personal goals is for the willing and ready. Please note that these four areas will be part of your evaluation going forward (whether you set goals or not). 

PRIORITY #1: Live Well – involves offering your day-to-day living as an expression of worship to God. Foundational to living well, is embracing Jesus’ promise of abundant life.  

Physical/Intellectual Wellness: includes a healthy diet and eating habits, regular exercise, routine doctor checks, and the appropriate amount of rest and play. Intellectual wellness involves a life-learner mindset, a desire to grow and develop, and openness to different perspectives, feedback, and coaching. 

Emotional & Relational Wellness: includes understanding oneself, healthy personal and professional boundaries, developing and maintaining meaningful relationships, developing the skills and tools to effectively handle life and ministry stresses, adapt to change and difficult times.  

Spiritual Wellness: foundational to spiritual wellness is a personal growing relationship with Jesus Christ. Also, it involves experiencing and integrating meaning, purpose, and connectedness with God, self, and others. Key to spiritual wellness in the Wesleyan tradition are faithfully engaging the means of grace, including being part of an accountability group and holding personal piety and social holiness together.  

PRIORITY #2: Lead Paid and Volunteer Leaders Strategically – includes working towards clarity and alignment with the vision and strategic priorities of the congregation and UNY and setting clear and measurable goals, coupled with equipping, resourcing, coaching, unleashing folks for vital ministry and healthy accountability; delegating and multiplying yourself; creating and managing effective systems and processes that provide for healthy ministry.  

PRIORITY #3: Preach and Teach with Excellence – involves aiming to preach the best sermon you can every week, thus, setting appropriate time to prep a solid sermon and worship experience that inspires, encourages, equips, challenges, and moves people to action. Sermons and teaching experiences must be focused on addressing the needs of the people, not the institution, and providing a clear vision and path for fruitful discipleship.  

PRIORITY #4: Care for your People - involves setting intentional systems, processes, and rhythms for effective congregational care so that members and participants feel loved, valued, and cared for. Wherever possible, the role of the clergy is to equip others to exercise their spiritual gifts so that impact is amplified within the faith community and beyond.  

ONE-ON-ONE CONVERSATIONS WITH DS 

As District Superintendents begin overseeing more churches and clergy, I have encouraged them to experiment with new ways and prioritize who they invite for a one-on-one supervisory conversations. Please note that this is a mandatory meeting for clergy that are invited by the DS. If they haven’t done so already, District Superintendents will communicate their 2023 one-on-one schedule in the coming days. 

CHARGE CONFERENCE FORMS 

All charge conference forms are now available on the UNY website. Pastors, as the administrative officers of the charge(s) you lead, it is your responsibility to ensure all forms are completed accurately by the appropriate parties and submitted to the district office by the set due dates.  

You can find up-to-date information on Charge Conference forms, schedules, due dates, and procedures on the UNY website, here.  

Do not hesitate to contact the Superintendency Assistant for your District if you have any question or need additional information about charge conference or accessing the clergy profile online interface.  

As we begin this new season of ministry, may the peace of God guard your hearts, the grace of Christ strengthen your hope, and the Holy Spirit lead you as we continue living the gospel and being God’s love with our neighbors in all places.  

Together in the journey,  

Bishop Héctor A. Burgos Núñez