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The Rev. Bill Gottschalk-Fielding chosen as AC2020 Memorial Service speaker
March 11, 2020 / By Shannon Hodson / .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
The Rev. Bill Gottschalk-Fielding has been chosen to be the Memorial Service speaker for the Upper New York (UNY) Annual Conference, to be held May 28-30 at the Oncenter in Syracuse.
Upper New York Area Resident Bishop Mark J. Webb said, “The leadership of Rev. Gottschalk-Fielding has been a great blessing to Upper New York. His passion for Christ and the Church is unwavering. I know we will be blessed as he shares God’s Word with us at the 2020 Memorial Service.”
Rev. Gottschalk-Fielding came to faith in college and after college attended the theological school at Drew University. Since that time, he has served in the local church for over 20 years, including Lansing UMC, Geneva UMC, and Trumansburg UMC. Since the formation of the UNY Conference, The Rev. Gottschalk-Fielding has served at the Conference’s Director of Connectional Ministries. He also serves as the Executive Assistant to Bishop Webb.
In his Memorial Service sermon, Rev. Gottschalk-Fielding intends to focus on the Bible verse Matthew 5:4, “Blessed are those who morn, for they will be comforted.”
Rev. Gottschalk-Fielding said, “The death of a loved one makes a person unavoidably vulnerable. It lays bare the reality of how little control we have in this life. In my Memorial Service sermon, I want to affirm the courage and generosity of the family and friends of those whose lives we celebrate. Their presence is a blessing. I also want to give witness to Christ’s promise of comfort for those who mourn.”