news / Communications

Editorial Policy

The content, news, events, and other information published on the Upper New York Conference website), in the Weekly Digest electronic newsletter, UNY notes, district newsletters, and the UNY UMC app must conform to the principles and policies of The United Methodist Church and the Upper New York Conference.

Official Publications and Purpose

The Upper New York Conference’s official communication channels—including the Weekly Digest, the UNY UMC app, and the conference website—serve to share the news and stories of how United Methodists in Upper New York are living the Gospel of Jesus Christ and embodying God’s love to their neighbors.

These stories highlight people, programs, ministries, and local churches. They also interpret and share news of the wider connectional church and its diverse constituencies to promote the welfare of the church and encourage spiritual growth among individuals and congregations.

Submissions

Items for inclusion in these official publications may be submitted by any conference member or ministry. All submissions must include the author’s name and email address for verification or clarification. Electronic submissions are preferred and should be sent to news@unyumc.org.

Editorial Review and Decisions

The Director of Communications reserves the right to accept, edit, or reject any submissions that do not conform to the principles and tenets of The United Methodist Church as outlined in The Book of Discipline. All submissions are subject to editorial approval by the Resident Bishop and/or the Director of Communications.

Editorial decisions will be guided by the following principles:

• Is the news about or related to an official Upper New York Annual Conference (UNYAC) organization, agency, or board? (The Director of Missional Engagement maintains the official list of such bodies.)
• Is the news about an official United Methodist Church organization, agency, or board?
• If the item is not directly about an official UNYAC organization, is it clearly related to UNYAC’s mission, work, or community?
• Is the content divisive or contrary to the official policies and principles of The United Methodist Church? Official positions of The UMC are defined in The Book of Discipline.
• Is the news, opinion, or commentary piece true, accurate, balanced, relevant, and significant to UNYAC readers?
• Does it respect and reflect the diversity of viewpoints within The United Methodist Church?
• For death notices: does the person have a clear connection to UNYAC as clergy, clergy spouse or family member, or layperson who made a significant contribution to the ministry of this conference?
• For financial appeals: is the request designated by The Book of Discipline, recognized Advance Specials, or approved by the Conference Council on Finance and Administration?

External Links and Content

Official Conference publications may include links to external websites for reference or convenience. Please note that the Upper New York Annual Conference does not control or endorse the content, policies, or practices of external websites, and cannot regulate or guarantee their accuracy or appropriateness. We encourage users to review the privacy and editorial policies of any external sites they visit.

Privacy Policy

To view Upper New York’s full privacy policy, click here.