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.

July 28 
Rev. Molly Golando, Randolph United Presbyterian Church & Literacy Ministry/Haiti, her husband David and their family.

Pastor Vicki Hedlund, Chaplain at Olean General Hospital, her husband LeRoy and their family.

Rev. Tim Phelps, Chaplain at Chautauqua Hospice & Palliative Care, his wife Liz and their family.

August 4
The Olean:Trinity Church. Rev. Joan Zimmerman and her family.

August 11
The Sheridan Church.

Please keep the family of Rev. Jerry and Kathy Piper in your prayers. Kathy's mother, Priscilla D. Britton, 94, died Sunday, July 21. Jerry conducted a memorial service on Wednesday, July 24. If you wish to send a card or note of condolence to the Pipers, their mailing address is 2745 W. River Rd., Olean, NY, 14760.

Pastor John Green (Great Valley UMC) is working through some health issues. Please keep Pastor John and his wife Janet in your prayers.

Please keep the Lundgren family in your prayers. Dorothy Lundgren, 90, died on July 18. She was predeceased by her husband, the Rev. LeRoy Lundren, who served several Upper New York churches, including Laona, Olean: Showers, Dewittville, Hartfield in the former Western New York (WNY) Conference. She's also the mother of the Rev. Larry Lundgren (retired) who served UNY churches, including Baldwinsville, Rochester: Covenant, and others in addition to serving as the Buffalo District Superintendent in the former WNY Conference and also as the WNY Director of Connectional Ministries. A memorial service will be held in August at the convenience of the family. Condolences can be sent to Rev. Lundgren at 2873 Sanibel Circle, Baldwinsville, NY 13027.

Also be in prayer for all who are  in need of physical healing, burdened by stress, living with grief, and more.
Share Your VBS Stories!
Summer is a great time for the United Methodist Church to educate children about the love of Christ through Vacation Bible School (VBS). We'd love to hear inspiring stories about VBS programs throughout the Cornerstone District. Send us a paragraph or two about VBS at your church along with photos to cornerstonedistrict@unyumc.org. 
Around Our District

Magnolia UMC, 3969 Route 394 north of Stow, serve a chicken barbecue on Saturday, July 27 from 3 - 7 p.m. The meal includes chicken from 3C's Catering, potato salad, applesauce, roll, pie & beverage. The cost is $9.50 for adults and $4.50 for children. Take-outs will be available, and there will be baked goods for sale.

Ripley UMC,  84 W. Main St., will serve their monthly All-You-Can-Eat Breakfast from 7:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.  Saturday August 10. Cost is $7 for all the pancakes, sausage, bacon, made-to-order eggs and omelets, home fries, biscuits & sausage gravy, orange juice and coffee you can eat and drink! Proceeds from the August breakfast go to the Ripley Fire Auxiliary's Visit with Santa.

East Otto UMC , 7896 E. Flats Rd., will host their 10th Annual Blueberry Festival from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, August 10 , at the church. Children's games & activities, a rummage sale, food (Wendle's c hicken, hamburgers and hot dogs), a bake sale and terrific live music from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m.  Proceeds go to benefit East Otto's youth and outreach mission.
 
Machias UMC, 9735 Route 16, will be the site of a 34-week Disciple II class beginning Tuesday, September 10. Pastor Nancy Preston will teach the class, which will meet at 6:30 p.m. each week at the church. Completion of Disciple I is a prerequisite for taking the class; participants are responsible for purchasing their own books. Please contact Cindy Hull, 716-517-5576 or [email protected]. 
Make Copies of the Bridge!
The July issue 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 work of the UNY Mission Central HUB as well as ERT and VIM work. It includes a very moving, personal story about UNY's Mission Volunteer Coordinator MaryBeth Ingalls' first ERT experience, filled with what she calls "God moments." 
ATTENTION! All Course of Study Students
The deadline to register for the Fall Weekend of the Upper New York Satellite School - Friday, September 20 - will be here before you know it. 

Please remember that once you complete the registration form it has two "stops" to make before it can be sent to Wesley Seminary:
  1. The District office; once Suzanne signs the form, we mail it to
  2. The COS Registrar; once Betsy O'Flynn signs it, she sends it to Wesley.
Please do not send the registration form directly to Wesley; you cannot be registered for a class without the required signatures. Please send your registration form to the District office as far in advance as possible to ensure that you meet the September 20 deadline for Fall Weekend classes.

For more information about Upper New York's COS, including the registration form, click on this link: http://www.unyumc.org/ministries/course-of-study-satellite-school.
REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN!
Transforming Church Conflict &
Creating Space for Authentic Community
What Is This? A 2-session retreat on transforming conflict for United Methodist clergy and servant leaders of the Upper New York Conference
 
Time & Place:  
Western Series at Asbury Camp & Retreat Center, sponsored by the Mountain View District, Rev. Nancy Adams, District Superintendent
  •  Session One - September 18 & 19, 2019 (W/Th)
  •  Session Two -October 9 & 10, 2019 (W/Th)
Eastern Series at Aldersgate Camp & Retreat Center, sponsored by the Northern  Flow District, Rev. Mike Weeden, District Superintendent
  •  Session One - September 25 & 26, 2019 (W/Th)                           
  •  Session Two- October 16 & 17, 2016 (W/Th) 
* Cost:  
West: Early Registration - $626  
After August 15 - $676*                  
 
East: Early Registration - $562 
After August 15-$612*                   

*Please contact your District Superintendent for information about any subsidies being offered.

Maximum # of Participants / Series: 20

Content: 
The first session introduces Transformative Conflict Theory, spiritual practices to ground participants in the face of conflict, and skills & strategies for responding to conflict. 
The second session reviews the theory and skills in session #1, then introduces new concepts and skills used to facilitate participation in the heated church meeting. Methodology includes lecture, individual reflection, discussion, concept & skill development exercises, & role plays. 

Click here for a flyer; click here to register for the retreat.
Opportunities for Learning

"Wesley Revealed" at UM House
The United Methodist House, located at 14 Pratt Ave. on the grounds of Chautauqua Institution, is pleased to announce a  weekly series at 7 p.m. on Thursdays through  August 23.

Dr. Richard Heitzenrater, a professor at Duke Divinity School and longtime friend of the UM House, will speak on a different topic each week (download  schedule of topics).  For information about parking and access to Chautauqua, please call  Rev. Carmen Perry, 716-357-4045.
Disciple I  is being offered by David Pritchard and Paul Winkleman beginning  Monday, August 5 , from  6-7:30 p.m.  This is a  34-week Bible study . Meetings will be done online through ZOOM with no requirement to meet in person; a reliable internet connection is required.

If you have questions or wish to register, please contact Pastor David Pritchard,  [email protected].

*****
NEW - UNY Training in Spiritual Direction
Tending the Soul is a program designed to train individuals in Missional Spiritual Direction and Congregational Formation. The two-year training program offers learning and formational experiences in classroom and small group settings. Along with one-on-one soul care in a more formal spiritual direction setting, this training moves participants toward a posture of spiritual direction within the wider context of the neighborhood of one's work, travel, and life in community.

The program will be held at Sky Lake Camp and Retreat Center and will begin in November 2019. Click here for more details about the program.


SAVE THE DATES: Lay Servant Ministries Fall Training is scheduled October 18-19 at East Randolph UMC. Watch for details & registration information.

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Calling Prospective CLMs!
The four-module  Certified Lay Minister  (CLM) training (approximately 8 hours per module) will be offered in the Cornerstone District in the near future. We hope to have a schedule for the training very soon!

Please click here to read more about  CLM . Then, if you or someone in your church is interested in this training to please call or email the district office (716-665-2423,  [email protected] ).
Please Share What
the Youth in Your Church are Doing!

Fredonia 1st UMC Promotes Collaboration to Support Summer Programming for Area Youth
Fredonia First United Methodist Church's youth director June Ruckman and Cherry Creek United Methodist Church youth leader Pattie Lukaszewski have been working with Taylor Gates from Christ Community Church in Fredonia to provide opportunities for children, youth and families in the area to know, love and serve others, the community and God. To read more about what they have been doing, please click here.
General Conference 2020 Petition Submission Process Opens
Petitions for consideration by the 2020 General Conference may be submitted to the Petitions Secretary now through September 18, 2019.

According to church law, "Any organization, clergy member, or lay member of The United Methodist Church may petition the General Conference...."

Detailed instructions for submitting a petition are available on the General Conference website at umc.org/gcpetition. Petitions must be typed and may be submitted through the General Conference website, by postal mail or fax, or via e-mail to [email protected]. This e-mail address should be used for petition submission only. All other correspondence should be directed to [email protected].
Ways to Help UNY Mission Central HUB
It's finally summer here in Upper New York (UNY). The rains have let off, the sun is shining, and the temperature has warmed up beautifully. We hope you are enjoying this season!

While summer is a time of rest, renewal, and a whole lot of vacationing for Upper New Yorkers, our UNY Mission Central HUB is buzzing with hard work thanks to the UNY Director of Missional Engagement Mike Block, and UNY Mission Volunteer Coordinator MaryBeth Ingalls. These two dedicate their hearts and time (even when not at work) to helping others...no matter what the weather is.

This time of year, when donations to the UNY Mission Central HUB are drying up, disaster relief demand hasn't. The UNY Mission Central HUB needs your help. Click here to learn how. 
DON'T FORGET!
New Places for New People Campaign Continues Through November 1.
Every individual who makes a gift of $100 or more will receive a button like the one pictured. Congregations that give at least $500 will receive a certificate recognizing them as a "New Places for New People"Partner Church. Churches should list Advance Special #664 in the memo line of their checks; individuals should write "New Places for New People" in the memo line of their checks.

The "New Places for New People" Partners campaign is underway until November 1. Click here for toolkit resources to promote the "New Places for New People" partnership. 
Click here for the June/July issue of
the Media Resource Center newsletter!
Important Dates For Your Calendar!

August 5
Disciple I via ZOOM begins. Contact Pastor David Pritchard for details:
[email protected]

September 2
Cornerstone District Office CLOSED in observance of Labor Day

September 12
Fall Pastors' Gathering
Christ First UMC, 663 Lakeview Ave., Jamestown

September 18
District Committee on Ordained Ministry (dCOM)
Bemus Point UMC, 4954 Bemus-Ellery Rd.

September 20
Registration deadline for COS Fall Weekend at UNY Conference Center in Liverpool

September 23-24
One-on-One Pastoral Conversations 
Christ First UMC, 663 Lakeview Ave., Jamestown

September 25-26
One-on-One Pastoral Conversations
Christ UMC, 633 Linwood Ave., Olean

October 3
One-on-One Pastoral Conversations
Christ First UMC, 663 Lakeview Ave., Jamestown

October 6
Installation Service for DS Suzanne Block
4 p.m., Christ UMC, 633 Linwood Ave., Olean

October 7-8
One-on-One Pastoral Conversations
Christ First UMC, 663 Lakeview Ave., Jamestown

October 18-19
COS Fall Weekend
UNY Conference Center, 7481 Henry Clay Blvd., Liverpool

October 18-19
Lay Servant Ministries Fall Training
East Randolph UMC, 122 Church St.

October 22-24
Bishop's Retreat
RIT Inn & Conference Center, 5257 W. Henrietta Rd., Henrietta

1. Consider community grants to fund mission and ministry. Learn how to write grant applications to help your church access funds that might be available. Join Discipleship Ministries at 6:30 p.m. (CDT) on August 6 for the webinar "Grant Writing 101: The Basics for Church Leaders." For more information and to register, go to  https://bit.ly/2XsONhT.

2. Join YOUTH 2019 sessions live online. If you can't attend the national gathering for United Methodist youth and their leaders in Kansas City July 10-14, share the experience online. Look for links to large portions of the morning Bible studies and evening worship services at  https://youth2019.com or on social media feeds from Facebook or Twitter @youth2019.

3. How to Fail Boldly for the sake making disciples. Rev. Christian Coon's book, Failing Boldly, is a sometimes hilarious and always on-point guide for anyone who has ever tried to bring new energy to an existing ministry or to start something new. For more information and to order, go to https://bookstore.upperroom.org/Products/Default.aspx?bookid=DR878.

4. Preparing for the next stewardship season. A new four-week study, A Spirituality of Fundraising: Workbook Edition, is available from Upper Room Books. To order the study, based on the best-selling Henri J.M. Nouwen book, A Spirituality of Fundraising, go to https://bit.ly/32bi6nW.

5. Impacting congregations and communities for Jesus Christ. Learn new approaches for revitalization, small church ministry, creating new places for new people and more at Navigate, an equipping event August 22-24 in Harrisburg, PA. For more information and to register, go to https://bit.ly/2xybJgC.
REMINDER - When you get a call from the District Office . . 
The phone at the District Office goes through the Conference Office system. So a call from the Cornerstone district office will display 315-898-2000 (Conference Office main number) on your caller ID.  We will leave a message for you,  but please don't hit "redial" to call us back; dial 716-665-2423 to call us back . 


Rev. Suzanne Block
District Superintendent

Rich Preston
District Lay Leader
[email protected]

Cathy Hall
Administrative Assistant
716-665-2423
[email protected]