news stories Tagged “Advocate”
How Pastor Hoyt provides spiritual warmth digitally
August 20, 2020 / By Shannon Hodson / .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Editor's Note: The COVID-19 pandemic catalyzed digital discipleship for many churches throughout the Upper New York Conference. The Summer 2020 issue of the Advocate highlights many ways that churches have grown disciples digitally and through other creative ways.The following story about the Rev. Hoyt Brown is one of the stories featured in this Advocate issue. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the Rev. Hoyt Brown, the pastor at Livonia …more
Learning what mission means from Grandma Ruffo
June 9, 2020 / By Carmen Vianese, Chair of Finance for GBGM and UMCOR
Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared in the Spring 2020 issue of the Upper New York Advocate, which focused on being the hands and feet of Jesus. Carmen Vianese has been engaged in impressive mission work in Africa. Carmen’s passion for mission stems from her Granma Ruffo, whose mission work took place in her own backyard in Western New York State. My first example of ministry &ldquo …more
Early Response Team in the Mohawk District
May 26, 2020 / By Mary Lou Buck
Editor's Note: Mary Lou Buck is a very active member of Upper New York’s Early Response Team. In an article, originally published in the Spring 2020 edition of the Advocate, Mary Lou relives the ERT process that was used in cleaning up communities in the Mohawk District that were impacted by a strong storm and resulting flooding on Halloween night in 2019. This article is a great &ldquo …more
Families in mission
May 19, 2020 / By Don and Glenda Schuessler, Gouverneur First UMC
Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared in the Spring 2020 issue of the Advocate. The theme of this issue is “Being the hands and feet of Jesus.” Click here to read the issue. When I was five years old, I began helping my grandmother return books to the Christian Science Reading Room in Silver Spring, Maryland. I would ride in the front seat of her car&mdash …more
Friendship UMC: The story of the Friendship AWANA Club
November 19, 2019 / By By Clara E. Wilder, Licensed Local Pastor, First UMC of Friendship and River’s Edge UMC
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the 2019 Issue II of the Advocate, which zeroed in on the theme of Discipleship Systems: Beyond Sunday services. Click here to read the issue. “Where are all the children?” Is the most-asked question in one of the rural churches that I serve. I serve First United Methodist Church of Friendship in Friendship, NY. The town is in the beautiful southern …more
Appointing planters for New Faith Communities
November 12, 2018 / By Rev. Dave Masland. Director of New Faith Communities
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the Fall 2018 issue of the Advocate, which focused on appointmnt-making in the United Methodist Church. For the past six years, the Upper New York (UNY) Conference has been very blessed to have a Bishop who is very committed to planting New Faith Communities. Bishops make decisions about who will sit on their appointive cabinets, helping in the consultation process that leads to …more
Mentoring for Effectiveness: A Personal View
November 12, 2018 / By Rev. Robert Kolvick-Campbell, Sherrill: Christ UMC
Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared in the Fall 2018 issue of the Advocate, which focused on itinerancy. In the midst of newly ordained pastors, or even longer serving pastors, the situations of ministry can become a bit much to handle. Self-care can be forgotten and hopes can fall short of God’s vision for us. We …more
Mentoring for Effectiveness: A Personal View
November 12, 2018 / By Rev. Robert Kolvick-Campbell, Sherrill: Christ UMC
Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared in the Fall 2018 issue of the Advocate, which focused on itinerancy. In the midst of newly ordained pastors, or even longer serving pastors, the situations of ministry can become a bit much to handle. Self-care can be forgotten and hopes can fall short of God’s vision for us. We …more
Welcoming Rev. Eleanor Collinsworth to Bath: Centenary UMC
November 6, 2018 / By Bob Dunham, Co-Lay Leader, Bath: Centenary UMC
t was Sunday, July 6, 2014, and everyone at Centenary was anxious and excited to welcome our new pastor. Several of us had already met Pastor Eleanor when she came to an evening gathering at our church in the spring to be introduced and to have the opportunity to tell us a little about herself. It also gave her the chance to meet several of us for the first time. While I …more
Replacing a pastor who served a church for 17 years
November 6, 2018 / By The Rev. Eleanor Collinsworth, Bath: Centenary UMC
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the Fall 2018 Issue of the Advocate, which focused on itinerancy and appointment-making in the United Methodist Church. As if a phone call from a District Superintendent asking you to prayerfully consider a change in appointment doesn’t get your heart beating fast enough, these words will surely do the trick: “…and the person you are following has been …more