news stories
Celebrating Indigenous Peoples Day
September 19, 2022 / By Sharon Schmit, CONAM
Often a holiday weekend is just an extra day off from work. We forget what the day is marking. This is not true for many Native Americans when Columbus Day is celebrated on the second Monday each October. Columbus, like other explorers of his time, operated under the Doctrine of Discovery, a series of Papal Bulls issued by the church in the 1500s which gave explorers permission to claim the …more
The Rev. Dr. Sherri Rood and the Rev. Kolvik-Campbell upcoming installation services
September 14, 2022 / By UNY Communications / .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
In January 2022, Upper New York (UNY) Area Resident Bishop, Mark J. Webb, announced his intention to appoint the Rev. Dr. Sherri Rood to the Southern Tier Region and assigned as Superintendent of the Mountain View District and the Rev. Robert Kolvik-Campbell to the Southern Tier Region and assigned as Superintendent of the Binghamton and Oneonta Districts. The appointments were effective July 1, 2022. Rev. Dr. Rood replaces the Rev. Dr. Jeff McDowell …more
Steve Hustedt to leave role as Director of Communications
September 14, 2022 / By Shannon Hodson / .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
After serving as the Upper New York (UNY) Director of Communications for more than nine years, Steve Hustedt will be leaving his role to become the top communicator for the College of Science at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. “I have greatly valued my time with the Upper New York Conference and the United Methodist Church as a whole,” Steve said. “And I especially value all …more
A Day of Truth and Repentance for Our Children 2022
September 13, 2022 / By Sharon Schmit, CONAM
(Editor’s Note: The following is excerpted from a letter that Sharon Schmit wrote to be mailed to local church representatives for CONAM. We will also be using the prayer and liturgy as part of the CONAM video for Annual Conference 2022. Long before and since the release of the Department of Interior’s initial report on boarding schools, there has been much focus on the devastating impacts of …more
The Rev. Dr. Pam Harris hired as Interim Executive Director of UNY CRM
September 13, 2022 / By Shannon Hodson / .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
For the past two-and-a-half years, the Rev, Bill Gottschalk-Fielding, Upper New York (UNY) Director of Connectional Ministries and Executive Assistant to the Bishop, has also served as acting director of the UNY Camp & Retreat Ministries (CRM). Throughout this time and for many years prior, the Rev. Dr. Pam Harris, founder and director of Run River Enterprises, has resourced UNY CRM as well as the CRM in UNY’s …more
Autism Friendly Family Camp pilot a success
September 7, 2022 / By Shannon Hodson / .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Rainy weather did not stop 10 children and seven parents from thoroughly enjoying the inaugural Autism-Friendly Family Camp at Upper New York’s Aldersgate Camp & Retreat Center, which took place Aug. 21-24. This camp was the brainchild of the Rev. Emily Huyge, pastor at First Geneva United Methodist Church. She wanted her seven-year-old son Jacob, who has an autism spectrum disorder (ASD), to be able to experience a …more
Jonesville UMC recognizes National Recovery Month
September 6, 2022 / By Shannon Hodson / .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
National Recovery Month is a national observance held every September to promote and support new evidence-based treatment and recovery practices, the emergence of a strong and proud recovery community, and the dedication of service providers and community members across the nation who make recovery in all its forms possible. Jonesville UMC’s STAHL (Stigma takes away hope and life) committee has a lot of great happenings to celebrate recovery …more
Introducing Autumn Wells as Administrative Accounting Services Specialist
August 24, 2022 / By Shannon Hodson / .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
The Upper New York (UNY) Conference is pleased to announce that Autumn Wells has been hired for the Administrative Accounting Services Specialist position. Autumn has over 20 years of experience in diverse areas of administration, including positions such as an Events Coordinator, an Office Administrator, and a Human Resources Director. Autumn’s education includes an associate degree in Business Administration from Adirondack Community College and coursework in International Management at …more
We laughed, we pushed, we dreamed about the plans God has for us
August 24, 2022 / By Georgia Whitney, CCORR member
The Upper New York Conference CCORR Team gathered at Casowasco Camp & Retreat Center on July 28th for prayer and conversation about where we go from here as we partner with the Holy Spirit and the people of the Upper New York UMC to dismantle racism. We laughed; we pushed; we dreamed about the plans God has for us. First, we took time to celebrate the accomplishments of the last …more
“Because We Care” Gaza in 2012
August 24, 2022 / By Karen Peterson
Editor’s Note: The following article is part of the "Because We Care" series, published monthly on the Upper New York website. With Gaza recently in the news, I was reminded of my trip to Gaza. In 2012, the Reverend Gary Doupe and I took an Eyewitness Palestine trip for two weeks in Palestine/Israel and then extended a third week to travel to Gaza. If we had been allowed …more