news stories
UNY Extended Cabinet work to clean up Casowasco as long road to flood recovery continues
September 16, 2021 / By Shannon Hodson / .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
On July 12, 2021, Casowasco Camp & Retreat Center was hit hard by heavy rain and flooding. Within four hours, the site had six inches of rain and the resulting damage was severe: the waterfront was washed away, water and mud crept into the Lakeview Chapel, Galilee Lodge, Bethany Lodge, The Emmaus Commons, and the office building. Twenty-two culverts were broken, missing, or completely compromised. Roadways were washed away. Tree limbs fell …more
Golf with Bishop Yeakel
September 16, 2021 / By Gordon W. Knapp
When Joe Yeakel was about to leave our Conference for another assignment, Irv Hill, Vern Lee, and I gave him a plaque that I made up which read, “May your score glide down with eagles. May you drive and not be weary… sink a putt and not faint.” It commemorated golf with the Bishop. I guess that you don’t get to …more
Why observe Oct. 6 as day of truth and repentance for Native American children
September 13, 2021 / By Shannon Hodson and CONAM / .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
On Oct. 6, 1879, Capt. Richard Pratt opened the first Indian boarding school in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. For almost 100 years until the 1960s, thousands of Native American children were forcibly taken from their homes and trained to reject their heritage and do manual labor. The United Methodist Church supported at least 12 Indian Boarding Schools. The Native American International Caucus (NAIC) of The United Methodist Church is calling on United Methodists to observe Oct. 6 …more
NY HERO Act now in effect
September 10, 2021 / By UNY Communications
Editor's Note: On May 5, 2021, Governor Andrew Cuomo signed the New York Health and Essential Rights Act (NY HERO Act) into law. The law mandates extensive new workplace health and safety protections in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of the NY HERO Act is to protect employees against exposure and disease during a future airborne infectious disease outbreak. Click here to read more about …more
Remembering the Act of Repentance
September 8, 2021 / By Shannon Hodson / .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Earlier this year the Upper New York (UNY) Conference Committee on Native American Ministries wrote a letter to the Council of Bishops endorsing the Native American International Caucus’ (NAIC) call for the United Methodist Church to observe Oct. 6, 2021, as a day of Truth and Repentance for Our Children to begin a process of healing, justice, and reconciliation for families and communities. On that day in 1879, General Richard …more
Our Family in Palestine-Beit Ummar
September 8, 2021 / By Dianne Roe
Editor’s Note: For more than 30 years United Methodists from Upper New York (and the WNY and NCNY Annual Conferences that preceded it) have been “Getting off the Bus” to meet Palestinian families when we have been on Holy Land tours. This is the work of the Upper New York (UNY) Conference Task Force on Peace with Justice in Palestine/Israel. Sharing meals and hearing stories built …more
Equitable Compensation Application for January-June 2022 available
September 1, 2021 / By UNY Communications
The Commission on Equitable Compensation has issued guidelines and application forms for salary grants to local churches for the period January to June 2022. Salary grants are available only to churches with a pastor under full time appointment. To apply for salary assistance from the Equitable Compensation Fund, applicants should review the policies and procedures in the application document for guidance, and then complete the application according to the …more
Engaging in small group ministry on Facebook
August 30, 2021 / By UNY Communications
Upper New York Conference’s very own Lori Jagow (Pendleton Center UMC Online Minister) shared with Resource UMC many ways that you can engage your parishioners in small groups using Facebook. In her article, Lori mentions some of the following ways to engage with your Facebook community: • Comment on posts made by followers • Host weekly Facebook Live sessions with Q&A. Avoid one-way communication. Remember, people …more
But God—How Harris Hill UMC triumphed through the pandemic
August 23, 2021 / By Shannon Hodson / .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
When COVID-19 swept the globe starting in March 2020, churches in UNY scrambled to start services in new ways. Like many churches, Katie Zettle, the pastor at Harris Hill UMC and her leadership team began connecting with congregants digitally. Katie said, “We had to find ways to reach the people of church without gathering, and what we thought would be two or three weeks turned into months of quarantine and …more
Digital discipleship catalyzes positive trends in UNY
August 17, 2021 / By Shannon Hodson / .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
When COVID-19 swept the world in March 2020, we were forced to change the way we connect with God, the way we worship, and the way we serve. The Rev. Joungjae Jee, pastor at Jonesville UMC in the Albany District, said, “The pandemic mandated us to move our services online.” Interestingly, digital discipleship provided a silver lining during a devastating global pandemic—worship attendance increased for many churches …more