news article
The joy of serving: Put love into action
January 26, 2026 / By Tara Barnes
Being United Methodist means striving to be “perfected in love,” to grow hearts capable of fully loving God and neighbor. In our local churches we find joy, respite, and inspiration during worship on Sunday mornings, we grow spiritually in Bible studies, and we extend our hands to our communities through meals, pantries, clothing drives, bike repairs, backpack giveaways, and more.
We also belong to a connection.
From Niagara Falls to the Hudson River, from the Adirondacks to the Finger Lakes to the Southern Tier, we are part of the Upper New York Conference of The United Methodist Church. We share a purpose and an identity.
“The United Methodist connection means that we are never doing ministry alone. It is the understanding that we are bound together—local churches, clergy, and laity—by a shared mission to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world,” said Conference Lay Leader Jessica White. “The connection allows us to support one another, share resources, learn from one another, and respond faithfully to God’s call in ways no single congregation could do on its own. It reflects our belief that God works through community, cooperation, and shared purpose, and that together we are stronger, more faithful, and more effective in living out the gospel.”
Upper New York’s mission is to transform the world as we nurture passionate disciples of Jesus Christ that embody and share faith, love, mercy, and justice in their everyday lives.
One way we accomplish this is through the important work of conference teams and boards.
Zach Stahlsmith is part of the Upper New York Young Adult Council. It’s a place where he’s been able to meet people throughout the conference and learn more about what it means to be a Christian community in action.
“I enjoy being able to play and work alongside my friends! We get to plan and execute events, casual hangouts, and retreats from the hustle and bustle of the world, which allows us to grow closer to God and to each other. It is a group that is welcoming, affirming, authentic, and love-filled,” he said. “I felt God call me to the work that the Young Adult Council does, which includes creating community, connectedness and being in fellowship with other young adults both in our conference and around the Connection.”
The body of Christ has many parts. So does our conference when it’s at its best. Help preserve church history with the Archives and History commission, care for creation or church property, set budgets, reach college students, make our churches more accessible, work for racial justice, and much more.
Being part of a conference team is a great way to meet new people and learn new skills. It’s a place where you can offer your voice and wisdom, all to the glory of God.
“My favorite part of being a Conference Lay Leader is walking alongside lay people across the conference and helping them discover that their voice, gifts, and calling truly matter,” said White. “I love encouraging lay leadership that doesn’t stop at the church doors but lives out faith in everyday life—at work, in families, and in the wider community. It is a joy to listen, to learn, and to help equip others to lead with confidence, compassion, and faithfulness, knowing that God is actively at work through the laity.”
Susan Hardy is lay leader for the Cornerstone District. Her district superintendent once warned her that praying the Wesleyan Covenant Prayer—which begins, “I am no longer my own, but thine”—could have powerful effects.
“She was right!” Hardy said. “My favorite part of being United Methodist is meeting the loving, passionate, justice-seeking disciples, clergy and laity, serving Jesus in this purposefully equitable and diverse denomination.”
God is at work in us, but God can’t work through us without our participation. We have agency and responsibility to build beloved community together. What a blessing to get to be partners with God.
“I was brought up in a religion that valued strict obedience to religious leaders over a personal relationship with God,” said Dr. Maggie Smith, who chairs Upper New York’s Committee on Nominations and Leadership Development. “I came to Methodism yearning for people to talk with about what it means to be a beloved child of God, a Christian, a believer, in a world that rarely values those things. After over 30 years of being a Methodist, my favorite part is still talking with the people who I meet on the Methodist journey: those who walk beside us, continue to mentor us, and find strength in Christ as we act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God.”
Are you ready to contribute to how we United Methodists of Upper New York strengthen our mission and ministry and reach those who need us? Please share your gifts and let us know how you’d like to volunteer.
Tara Barnes is lay leader for the Binghamton District member of the Upper New York Commission on Archives and History, vice chair of the Upper New York Committee on Nominations and Leadership Development, and director of denominational relations for United Women in Faith.