news stories
How God has been calling me into pastoral ministry
August 14, 2018 / By Gavin Hill, Eden United Methodist Church
Editor's Note: The article below was featured in the Summer 2018 issue of the Advocate, which focused on churches and individuals that are boldly living their call. Read how young Gavin Hill, not even out of high school has already been called to pursue a career path into pastoral ministry. It’s important to know this when discerning God’s call—God whispers, he doesn&rsquo …more
Becoming disciples through confirmation
August 14, 2018 / By Heidi Gran, Director of Christian Education, First United Methodist Church of East Greenbush
Editor's Note: The following article was published in the summer 2018 issue of the Advocate. This issue focused on ways in which churches and individuals are boldly living their call. Living boldly into a call can start as early as confirmation. In this article, Heidi Gran describes how successful their confirmation model has been in growing the faith of youth at First United Methodist Church of East Greenbush. Our church …more
From the desk of Bishop Mark J. Webb: Imagine no Racism engagement
August 13, 2018 / By Bishop Mark J. Webb
Editor's Note: Below is a letter that Upper New York Area Resident Bishop Mark J. Webb sent to the Upper New York COnference on Tuesday August 14. Dear Imagine No Racism Group Participants, I am grateful to each of you for your participation in Upper New York’s Imagine No Racism ministry. You are engaging in the urgent work of addressing racism in ourselves, our Church, and …more
Partnering with Friends in Uganda
August 8, 2018 / By Pastor Bob Schooley, Centerville UMC / .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
You know what it’s like to see a friend you haven’t seen in a year, don’t you? It’s a moment of great joy, when time stands still. Stepping out of the airport in Entebbe – 7,000 miles away -- there stood our friend Musumba (Pastor) Fred Muyimbwa, welcoming us, as he always does. This was our 16th journey to Uganda since 2006. Friends, our …more
Into the desert
August 7, 2018 / By Pastor Cory Jones
Editor’s Note: This is an excerpt from a longer story that Pastor Jones submitted for the Mohawk District newsletter. To read the original article, contact Mohawk District Administrative Assistant Cindy Muder at MohawkDIstrict@unyumc.org. This past July I took part in a cross-cultural trip through my seminary, Drew Theological, and spent eight days in southern Arizona in an area commonly referred to as the Borderlands. The purpose …more
What is God inviting you to do?
August 6, 2018 / By Nancy Dibelius, Assistant Director, Spiritual Life for Vital Congregations
Editor’ Note: This article originally appeared in the Summer 2018 issue of the Advocate, which focused on individuals and churches throughout the Upper New York Conference who are boldly living their call. Discerning your call is a many-layered, challenging process for most of us. To discern means more than to understand or to make a decision. Discern comes from the Latin discernere; dis means apart, and cernere means to separate. …more
The Susquehanna Conference visits for mission work on the Onondaga Nation Reservation
July 31, 2018 / By Shannon Hodson / .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Connection. This is what enables United Methodists to make a difference in the global community. Just as the Upper New York Conference engages in mission work all over the world so all the Conferences. Last week, members of a mission team from the Susquehanna Conference repaired houses on the Onondaga Nation Reservation, just South of Syracuse. In fact, the Susquehanna Conference has been committed to mission work on the …more
Way Forward report released in all four official languages of General Conference
July 31, 2018 / By Council of Bishops
The final report of the Commission on a Way Forward has been released in all four official languages of the General Conference: English, French, Portuguese, and Swahili. The report will be presented to the 2019 Special Session of General Conference. Subject to final copy editing, the report will be printed in the Advance Daily Christian Advocate (ADCA) in November. Here is a statement from the moderators of the Commission and the …more
Q&A about baptism
July 30, 2018 / By UMC Discipleship Ministries
Q: What does United Methodism fundamentally believe about baptism? A: Baptism is a sacrament. In a sacrament, God uses common elements – in this case, water – as means or vehicles of divine grace. Baptism is administered by the church as the Body of Christ. It is the act of God through the grace of Jesus Christ and the work of the Holy Spirit. Q: Is sprinkling the only way …more
How baptism is related to your call
July 30, 2018 / By The Rev. Bill Gottschalk-Fielding, Director of Connectional Ministries and Assistant to the Bishop
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the Summer 2018 issue of the Advocate, which focused on individuals and churches throughout the UNY Conference that are boldly living their call. Do you confess Jesus Christ as your Savior, put your whole trust in his grace, and promise to serve him as your Lord, in union with the Church which Christ has opened to people of all ages, nations, …more