news article
Conference body affirms closure, discontinuance of churches
May 29, 2015 / By Christian Vischi / .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Members at the 2015 session of the Upper New York Annual Conference affirmed the closure of churches through discontinuance or abandonment.
The discontinued or abandoned churches include:
Albany District
- Broadway United Methodist Church of Rensselaer (Discontinued) at 1550 Broadway, most recently served by Local Pastor Edward Whited
- Hagaman United Methodist Church (Discontinued) at 122 S. Pawling St., most recently served by Local Pastor Cynthia Leonard
Crossroads District
- Erieville UMC (Discontinued) at 2600 Erieville Road, most recently served by Local Licensed Pastor Clair Mosher (2011)
- Delphi Falls UMC (Abandoned) at 2190 Oran-Delphi Road, most recently served by Pastor James Austin
- Granby Center UMC (Discontinued) at 420 County Route 3, Fulton, most recently served by Pastor Dean Flemming
- Rockefeller UMC of Syracuse (Discontinued) at 350 Nottingham Road, most recently served by Pastor Penelope Hart
Genesee Valley District
- Fowlerville UMC (Discontinued) at 3333 Fowlerville Road, Caledonia, most recently served by the Rev. Kimberly Ferrel
- North Gainesville United Methodist Church (Discontinued) on the corner of Miller and Wethersfield roads, Silver Springs, most recently served by the Rev. Ruthellen Hoyle
Northern Flow District
- Buckton United Methodist Church (Discontinued) at 710 Buckton Road, Stockholm, most recently served by Certified Lay Minister Helen St. Louis 2010
Oneonta District
- Coventry UMC (Discontinued) at 2569 State Highway 206, Greene, most recently served by Andrew Doyle
- Union Valley on County Highway 17, Bainbridge, most recently served by Andrew Doyle
All real and personal property formerly held in trust by these churches is hereby vested in the Conference Trustees, and the Conference Trustees are authorized to sell and convey the real estate in accordance with market conditions.
The balance of the assets formerly of these churches, including the net sale proceeds, shall be transferred to and administered in accordance with the New Beginnings Fund of the Upper New York Conference. The memberships at these churches are transferred to other United Methodist churches as the individual members select.
Also in the Crossroads District, the body affirmed the discontinuance of the Solvay United Methodist Church at 206 Center St., most recently served by the Rev. Marilyn Wolfe.
All real and personal property of the Solvay UMC is vested in the Conference Trustees, and the church building will be leased to Casa de Dios, an Upper New York new faith community, for $1 per year for a term not to exceed four years. If circumstances arise and the Conference needs to divest the property, the Conference Trustees are authorized to sell and convey the real estate in accordance with market conditions. Membership of the Solvay UMC will be transferred to the Christ Community UMC in Syracuse or other United Methodist churches as the individual members select.
The New Beginnings Fund was established at the 2012 session of Annual Conference to provide financial support for new faith community development, revitalization of existing congregations, and to Camp & Retreat Ministries. The net proceeds from the sale of discontinued or abandoned local church real estate is allocated to the New Beginnings Fund to provide financial resources for the revitalization of disciple-making ministries. Of the proceeds, 80 percent is allocated to the Conference’s Vital Congregations and New Faith Communities ministries.