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Retirees honored and appointments named
June 6, 2023 / By Tara Barnes, Director of Denominational Relations, United Women in Faith
Retiring clergy were recognized and appointments were named at the Service of Passage on the final day of the 2023 Upper New York Annual Conference.
The Rev. Mike Weeden, Dean of the Cabinet and District Superintendent of the Northern Flow District, opened the service by thanking retirees for their years of ministry.
“The world and the church have always needed faithful ones who answered the call. Thank you, retirees, for answering that call many ago.”
Conference Secretary the Rev. Carolyn Stow read names of clergy who have or are retiring in 2023, which you can read on our website.
“You did much that seemed beyond your power,” said Bishop Héctor Burgos Nuñéz. “We thank God for your calling and ministry.”
The bishop then passed a stole as a symbolic mantle to retiree the Rev. Sung Ho Lee, who then passed it to newly ordained elder Olga Elsie Gonzalez Santiago, who passed it to newly commissioned Ann-Marie Brown, who passed it to newly appointed local pastor Alisyn Clock. The bishop then passed the mantle to Conference Lay Leader Jessica White.
After singing “Spirit of the Living God,” the bishop recognized district superintendents the Revs. Nola Anderson, Ted Anderson, and Abel Roy, reading Ephesians 4:7-14 to acknowledge the end of their terms.
“Remember that we do not journey alone,” he said. “The one who has called us is on the journey with us. Go with grace, go with humility, go with boldness and courage to deliver the good news of Jesus, and go with the willingness to recover from mistakes, to persevere through hard times, and to see and celebrate the goodness of God in all people.”
District Superintendents read the new appointments for their districts. Both the new appointments and the full list of appointments can be found here.
Bishop Burgos Nuñéz prayed.
“As we send these leaders to be salt and light to the world, we pray that you pour out a fresh outpouring of your spirit on their lives so that they may lead with your love, they may care with your compassion, and they may reach with your generosity.”