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JOYS & CONCERNS
Please include these prayer requests in your weekly church bulletin, in your prayers during your Sunday worship if you have a time of "pastoral prayer" and keep these pastors, their families and the Church families in your prayers throughout the week.
February 10
The
Dewittville-Hartfield &
Mayville Churches.
Rev. Mark Parsons, his wife Jan and their family.
February 17
The
Edwards Chapel &
Watts Flats Churches.
Pastor Warren VanDewark, his wife Diane and their family.
February 24
The
Ellington Church.
The
Falconer &
Gerry Churches.
Pastor Heather Allport-Cohoon, her husband Robert and their family.
Pastor Carol Dill wants to thank her friends and colleagues for their prayers offered and cards sent to comfort her and her family when her father, Sam Grey, Jr., died. All were greatly appreciated.
Please offer prayers for Rev. Sandra Lasher (retired elder) who has been undergoing treatment for cancer. Notes/cards may be sent to her at home, 3274 Maple Ave., Allegany, NY, 14706.
As the Special Session of General Conference (The Way Forward) approaches (February 23-26), please keep the UNY delegation in your prayers and hear their prayers and share your prayers too.
The Rev. Bill Allen, head of the UNY delegation, recites his prayer for the upcoming Special Session of General Conference. Share your prayers for Rev. Allen and the other delegates.
If there is ever a place where we can be one, it's in the space where we meet God.
Also be in prayer for
all who are
in need of physical healing, burdened by stress, living with grief, and more.
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Bishop Webb Announces DS
Upper New York Area Resident Bishop Mark J. Webb is pleased to announce his intention to appoint the Rev. Suzanne Block as Superintendent of the Cornerstone District, effective July 1, 2019.
Rev. Block currently serves as pastor of Christ United Methodist Church in Olean.
Rev. Block will succeed the Rev. Dr. Sherri Rood as Superintendent of the Cornerstone District. Rev. Rood will return to pastoring a local church after eight faithful years serving as the Cornerstone District Superintendent.
Click here
to read more about this change and Bishop Webb's reflection on both the Rev. Rood's time as District Superintendent and his excitement for what's to come for the Cornerstone District with Rev. Block serving as DS.
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You Don't Want to Miss This!
5th annual Learning Day for Laity & Clergy
Saturday, March 16, 2019
Bemus Point UMC
4954 Bemus-Ellery Rd.
Join us and discover:
How your church can be "guest ready" in
5 Things Your Visitors Are Thinking But Won't Ask led by Jason Moore, nationally known worship coach and author.
How your spiritual gift (yes, you have one) might help your church with Susan Hardy, UNY Conference Lay Leader, in
Spiritual Gifts Discernment.
Rev. Dave Masland, UNY Conference Director of New Faith Communities, will lead a conversation about
New Faith Communities: What We Are Learning From 100+ New Places for New People."
Click
here for an
updated brochure or go to
www.cornerstonedistrict.com (click on Resources, then choose 2019 Learning Day for Laity & Clergy) and register online.
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Training of Trainers on March 16
As part of our
5th annual Learning Day for Laity & Clergy, Carol Barnes, Safe Sanctuaries coordinator for the Upper New York Conference, and Roberta Anderson, a member of Cornerstone's Safe Sanctuaries Training Team, will lead a
Training of Trainers. The all-day training (9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.) is open to those who have completed the basic 3-hour Safe Sanctuaries Training since 2016 in the standard learning station format facilitated by a certified UNY Safe Sanctuaries trainer.
There is no cost for the training;
advance registration is required. The training is limited to 20 participants and priority is given to those who wish to serve on the District's Safe Sanctuaries Training Team.
Questions? Please call or email the District Office.
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NEW - Breakfast at Ripley UMC
Food for body & soul are served once a month at
Ripley United Methodist Church, 84 W. Main St., with an
All-You-Can-Eat-&-Drink Breakfast. The February breakfast is scheduled from
7:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. on
Saturday, February 9.
The menu includes pancakes, sausage, bacon, made-to-order eggs (including omelets), toast, fried potatoes, biscuits & sausage gravy, orange juice & coffee, all for $7 a person! Proceeds from the February breakfast will benefit the church's Special Ministries.
Start your weekend off with a hearty meal & good fellowship - all are welcome!
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Special Event at Napoli UMC
Napoli United Methodist Church will host a
Chili Cook-Off/Valentine Dinner beginning at
5 p.m. Saturday, February 9, at the church, 10087 Route 242.
You don't have to be affiliated with the church to enter your favorite chili - call the church at 716-938-9821 to enter! Entrants are asked to bring their chili heated and the church will keep it hot. Prizes will be awarded for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place (and bragging rights!).
Following the judging, all chili entries will be served with crackers, bread, salad and dessert for a special
Valentine Dinner. All are welcome to come, bring their sweethearts, friends and neighbors and enjoy the chili dinner. There is no cost for the dinner but donations will be accepted.
Questions? Call Napoli United Methodist Church and leave a message: 716-938-9821.
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NEW - Dinner-Dance at Cherry Creek
A
Winter Snowball Dance will take place at
Cherry Creek-Leon United Methodist Church, 6813 Main St., from
5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Friday, February 22.
Intergenerational "dates" are encouraged: father-daughter, mother-son, etc. A dinner will be served as part of the event.
Please RSVP to Pattie, 716-338-8429.
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NEW - Weekly Services During Lent
Lent is just around the corner! Beginning Ash Wednesday (March 6), the congregation of Ripley United Methodist Church invites the greater community to join them for a weekly Bread & Broth Supper & Service at Meeder's Restaurant, 19 E. Main St. in Ripley.
The light meal (soup, bread & a beverage) will be served at 6:30 p.m. followed by a brief service or worship. The supper & service will be offered every Wednesday during Lent (through April 10).
A flyer for you to share with your church may be downloaded here.
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The Special Session of General Conference will be held from
February 23-26, 2019 in St. Louis, MO. Upper New York Area Resident Bishop Mark J. Webb and the UNY Communications staff have compiled a wealth of resources to help you and your church prepare for Special Session:
- Videos from Bishop Webb
- Way Forward Power Point Presentation
- Overview of Three Plans
- Praying Our Way Forward
- Special Session FAQs (download here)
- Other Videos
- Publications
As the Special Session of General Conference (The Way Forward) approaches, please keep the UNY delegation in your prayers and hear their prayers and share your prayers too.
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NEW - Follow-Up to Special Session
Bishop Mark J. Webb will host an all-clergy gathering on Saturday, March 9, from 10 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. at Asbury First UMC in Rochester.
"The purpose of this gathering is for us to gather together after the Special Session of General Conference to worship together, pray together, understand the decisions or actions of the Special Session, and remember our individual and collective call to ministry and mission in the name of Jesus Christ," Bishop Webb said.
It is expected for all clergy (anyone appointed/assigned to a church) to attend this gathering. If you are interested in ride sharing, please call or email the District Office.
Bishop Webb also will host six regional gatherings open to laity and clergy which will take place on the following dates at the locations listed:
Plan now to attend one of these gatherings, and as we approach the Special Session of General Conference, please keep the delegates to the Special Session, all those attending the Special Session, and the entire United Methodist church in your prayers. If there is ever a place where we can be one, it's in the space where we meet God.
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Make Copies of the
Bridge!
The February 2019 Issue I copy of the Bridge is now available for download. It is available in both color and black & white formats. Click here to select the version you prefer and make copies as necessary.
This issue focuses on our delegates who are going to the Special Session of General Conference, which will be held February 23-26 in St. Louis, MO.
Read this issue to access the links to video prayers from Upper New York (UNY) delegates leading up to Special Session. Also, learn how to be connected to Special Session through livestream, blogs, and vlogs from our delegates as well as Facebook Live and photos they will be posting on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
This issue also includes news about UNY paying 100 percent of our General Church apportionments for the third year in a row! This issue also includes an inspiring story titled, "Hope in the midst of tragedy."
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Deadlines for AC Petitions,
Resolutions & Reports
The Committee on Petitions and Resolutions is charged with overseeing the submission, review, and presentation of petitions and resolutions to the Annual Conference.
All resolutions and petitions for the 2019 Annual Conference session
(June 4-8, 2019) must be submitted to the Committee no later than March 15, 2019. Submissions should be emailed to the Petitions and Resolutions Committee at [email protected].
Click here for writing and submission guidelines as well as a petition and resolution template and sample document.
All reports and materials to be published in the Journal Vol. I are due on February 15, 2019. These items should be submitted to the Connectional Ministries' office at [email protected].
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EIGHT DAYS TO GO!
Not Started - 62% (42 churches)
Working On - 17 % (12 churches)
Completed - 20% (14 churches)
Churches: Please remember that the
deadline
to enter 2018 statistics is
Friday, February 15
.
The church's
User Name and
Password should be the same, the church's
6-digit GCFA number. If you have trouble logging in, please call or email the District Office.
All entry is online. The District Office can provide you
access to a computer and/or
help you with data entry if you need it. Please call the office (716-665-2423) to schedule a time for hands-on help between 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday (office is closed on Friday).
This doesn't have to be a "painful" process. If you need help, please don't hesitate to ask.
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Changes, Tips for Completing 2018 Statistics
-
There is a
new line in Table 1
-
Membership
. Line 6c has been added this year, its title is Non-Binary and includes direction/definition. It will NOT create an error if it is not filled. It is below the Female and Male lines and will auto-total into Line 6. If you have any questions about it, please contact Erica Wentworth (
[email protected]
). This line was approved at Annual Conference and is required to be part of the gender options in Ezra.
- Churches will be required to input their FEIN (Federal Employee Identification Number) this year. This is to ensure that all churches know their FEIN and have it on hand and to ensure that the Conference has a list of accurate FEIN numbers.
- This year, Lines 52a through 52t on Table 3 will give a warning when the line has an increase or decrease of more than 15%. An explanation will need to be given in order to submit the report. It is hoped that this puts more emphasis on accuracy and understanding of why increases or decreases in income are important.
- Please note the Directions for Line 52d on Table 3. Churches are required to report any money that is transferred in from savings or trustee accounts that is going towards the annual budget and spending plan of the church. If a church transfers money from their savings/trustee accounts to pay for Ministry Shares, it is then expected to be reported as income on line 52d.
- When logging in to Ezra, please make sure that the User Profile is correct and up-to-date. If you have trouble updating the information, please contact Cathy in the District Office or Erica Wentworth for help.
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How to Prepare for 2018 Audit
The Book of Discipline
requires every United Methodist congregation to conduct a church audit (due March 15, 2019), but that doesn't have to be a big expense or an insurmountable obstacle. Ken Sloane, director of generosity at Discipleship Ministries, will lead a free webinar that will walk you step by step through the Local Church Audit Guide. The guide, prepared by the General Council on Finance & Administration, is available free for United Methodist churches.
The webinar, "The Church Audit: You Can Do This," will be at 7:30 p.m. EST on February 7. To register, go to https://bit.ly/2RBbX2U.
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Important Dates for Your Calendar!
As we begin to think about the year ahead, please
make note of these dates and
share them with your church family:
Friday, February 15
Please send the following reports (email, FAX or snail-mail) to the District Office by this date: Report of the Trustees, Report of the Finance Committee, 2018 Year-End Financial Report (church's own format), 2019 Church Budget (church's own format).
Friday, March 15
Please make sure that the District Office has your church's 2018 Local Church Financial Audit by this date. Please click here for the form.
Saturday, March 16
5th Annual Learning Day for Laity & Clergy
Bemus Point United Methodist Church, 4954 Bemus-Ellery Rd.
Morning & afternoon learning opportunities, inspiring worship and a great time of fellowship together. Click here for registration information.
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Mark These Dates on Your Calendar
This year's UNY Local Pastor's licensing school will be held May 5-11, 2019. This is an earlier date than in years past. The venue is unknown at this time.
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Online Series Coming This Spring
A new online video teaching series from Discipleship Ministries is coming this spring. The free series, called See All The People: Discipleship Begins with Relationship, will include three sessions featuring the Rev. Junius B. Dotson, General Secretary (CEO) of Discipleship Ministries, and Rev. Jacob Armstrong, pastor at Providence Church, a United Methodist congregation in Mt. Juliet, Tennessee.
The series, which launches in March, will teach the basic principles behind See All The People to clergy and lay leaders. Registration begins in February at www.SeeAllThePeople.org.
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Training Retreat in Mountain View
Mountain View District Lay Servant Ministries would like to extend an invitation to attend their
2019 Spring Weekend Training,
March 29-31 at Watson Homestead in Painted Post.
A brochure with full details may be downloaded
here. Cost for the weekend is $225 and the
registration deadline is February 28. Questions may be directed to Peter O'Neill, Lay Servant Class Registrar, at
[email protected] or 516-314-1994.
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From the Media Resource Center
If you've never used the Media Resource Center before, your church is invited to give it a try. Funded by your Shared Ministry dollars, the Media Resource Center can supply you with small group discussion materials, Bible studies, children and youth curriculum, adult curriculum, and a myriad of subjects such as stewardship, evangelism, social issues and VBS materials, just to name a few.
Click here for the Media Resource Center's January newsletter.
Please note that there will be limited service from the Media Resource Center from January 28 through February 8; only online orders will be filled during this time. Click here to place an online order.
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Webinars to Check Out!
Monday, February 11 at 11 a.m. EST
Clergy face some unique challenges when it comes to things like social security payments, estimated tax payments, housing allowances or exclusions, and reimbursed expenses. Your corner tax preparer may not understand the unique situation of clergy, and finding a tax preparer who does understand your situation can save you substantially in money and aggravation. Join us as the Rev. Don Joiner, a certified financial planner, helps us navigate the preparation of taxes under the new tax laws as well as plan for a sound financial future. Register by clicking here.
These webinars and a variety of other helpful resources are provided without cost thanks to your church's generous support of the Word Service Fund Apportionment! Thank you!
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Register for Summer Camp!
Registration for Summer Camp 2019 is now
OPEN
!
Upper New York Camp & Retreat Ministries is pleased to offer a wide variety of
fun
,
exciting
, and
meaningful
programs this summer including classic favorites and brand new adventures!
Whether you want to live on the edge and experience all the fast-paced action we have to offer, or something more relaxed and laid-back is your style, we have a program for you!
All
of our programs offer opportunities for spiritual growth and renewal, and diverse styles of meaningful worship experiences. This year we will learn how God calls us to be
Agents of Change
in our communities, and how we can transform those communities through
Generosity
,
Compassion
,
Inclusion
,
Justice
, and
Forgiveness
.
Come experience how a week at camp can
Transform Lives
! We can't wait to see
YOU
this summer!
Check out our retreat offerings throughout the year, including summer, at
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Rev. Sherri Rood
District Superintendent
Rich Preston
District Lay Leader
Cathy Hall
Administrative Assistant
716-665-2423
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