news stories
Coaching is an interactive, dynamic, team approach toward achieving a person’s goal
March 6, 2018 / By Rev. Chrys Beck and Rev. Ray Stees, approved UNY coaches
Editor’s Note: Many Upper New York Conference leaders find benefits in coaching sessions. Below, Rev. Chrys Beck and Rev. Ray Stees describe the coaching process. Through a process that includes deep listening and powerful questions, a coach journeys alongside the client providing a supportive atmosphere where new possibilities are discovered or created, expanded, and explored. The coach engages the beauty and grace of the client’s God-given …more
Bishop Proctor serving as Annual Conference 2018 ordination speaker
March 6, 2018 / By Kathleen Christiansen
Bishop Dennis Proctor of the North Eastern Episcopal District of the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Zion Church will serve as the ordination speaker for the 2018 Upper New York Annual Conference session (UNYAC). “I am honored and humbled to have the opportunity to speak to young ordinands,” Bishop Proctor said. “As a Methodist Bishop, I feel that the setting aside of young women and men in ministry is …more
How Mission Partner Churches can help International Reconciliation Ministries
March 5, 2018 / By Shannon Hodson / .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Editor’s Note: The Upper New York Conference is launching a new program called the Mission Congregation Process whereby churches can connect with a church with a large immigrant population to pray for them and help support them. Click here to read more about this new process. Below, learn about International Reconciliation Ministries, the New Faith Community chosen to be a pilot for this program. Pastor John Bizimana leads …more
Getting Ready for Annual Conference 2018: Meals
March 5, 2018 / By Vicki Swanson
NEW for this year is a Welcome to Annual Conference Buffet which will greet members upon arrival Thursday morning at Onondaga Community College (OCC)! This will be a continental breakfast which will run from 7- 9 a.m. (THURSDAY ONLY). All meals, except special banquets, will be buffet style. Name tags will need to be visible when going through any of the buffet lines. Click here to see the menus for …more
Lifetree Cafe: an outreach ministry of Pennsylvania Avenue UMC
February 28, 2018 / By Sue Dunlap, Pennsylvania Avenue UMC
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the Winter 2018 issue of the Advocate, which focused on the ministry of the laity. Lifetree Café, an outreach ministry of Pennsylvania Avenue UMC and its Fresh Start Faith Communities, provides a new interactive opportunity that invites people to gather weekly to explore life and faith. Dubbed as a “Conversation Café,” this nationally-syndicated program distributed by Group Publishing features …more
Upper New York Conference is “Praying Our Way Forward”
February 28, 2018 / By UNY Communications Team
“Praying Our Way Forward” is an initiative created by the Council of Bishops, in which every Conference around the world is invited to participate and engage in a week of intentional prayer for the Commission on A Way Forward. The week of March 4-10 was selected as the week for the UNY Conference to pray. The Commission is preparing recommendations for the Council to offer to General …more
Spotlight on the Rev. Dr. L. Gregory Jones, Upper New York Annual Conference 2018 study leader
February 28, 2018 / By Shannon Hodson / .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
The Rev. Dr. L. Gregory Jones of Duke Divinity School will be the guest study leader and this year’s Annual Conference (AC2018), which will be held from May 30-June 2, at Onondaga Community College’s SRC Arena. Rev. Jones’ emphasis will be on living our call in the Wesleyan Way. Rev. Jones said, “There is a distinctive Wesleyan Way to living and thinking and feeling …more
Toronto UMC unites with the Upper New York Conference as a New Faith Community
February 27, 2018 / By UNY Communications Team
In November 2017, the pastors and Church Council Chair of Toronto United Methodist Church met with the Rev. David Masland (Upper New York Director of New Faith Communities) and the Rev. Wayne Butler (Niagara Frontier District Superintendent) to discuss uniting with the Upper NY Conference as a New Faith Community. This young congregation (it’s only five years old and made up primarily of people in their 30s) is largely …more
International Reconciliation Ministries to be a pilot for UNY’s new Mission Congregation Process
February 27, 2018 / By Shannon Hodson / .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
The Mission Congregation Process of Upper New York (UNY) Conference is a new effort to connect existing United Methodist churches in partnerships with New Faith Communities and churches that are actively making new disciples with immigrant and refugee populations throughout upper New York. These partnerships can include any of the following: relationship building, praying for one another, worship and spiritual development together, VIM trips to do needed work on …more
Rev. Dr. Sherri Rood appointed for an eighth year
February 22, 2018 / By UNY Communications
Upper New York Area Resident Bishop Mark J. Webb has announced that the Rev. Dr. Sherri Rood will be appointed to the office of District Superintendent for an eighth year. “After consultation with Dr. Rood and with the members of the Cornerstone District Committee on Superintendency, I am delighted to share that Sherri will continue to provide leadership to the Cornerstone District, the Cabinet and the annual conference for …more