Aerial view of Chautauqua Lake
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.

June 23
The Rev. Dr. Sherri Rood , who has served as Cornerstone's District Superintendent for the past 8 years, her husband Bob and their family. Sherri has been appointed to the Penfield United Methodist Church in the Genesee Valley District effective July 1.

June 30
The Rev. Suzanne Block, who has been appointed to serve as District Superintendent for the Cornerstone District effective July 1, and her family. 

July 7
The  North Harmony Church.  Joe Osborne, his wife Kelly and their family.

Congratulations to Susan Hardy, Conference Lay Leader, and her husband, Randy, on the birth of their grandson, Leland Michael Clutter. Leland was born on Saturday, June 1. He joins his toddler sister, Aurora, and two teen siblings, Hailey and Jason. The whole family is doing well and prayers of Thanksgiving are welcome. 

Please keep the family of Alice Cauvel in your prayers. Alice, 90, died on June 13. She was the spouse of the Rev. Paul Earnest Cauvel, who served several Upper New York churches including Olean: Christ; Macedon Center; South Perinton, and others. Services were held on June 15 at Christ United Methodist Church in Olean, NY. Condolences can be sent to Rev. Cauvel at 195 Fullerton Road, Derrick City, PA 16727.

Please keep the family of Pastor Gail Fuller in your prayers. Pastor Fuller, 86, died on June 6. He served Ava UMC in the former North Central New York Conference. A Celebration of Life will be held at 3 p.m. on June 22 at St. Mark's Methodist Church in Sumter, South Carolina.

Please keep the family of Emily Millbyer in your prayers. Emily, 73, died on June 1. She was the spouse of the Rev. Terrance Millbyer, who died in November 2018. Rev. Millbyer served several Upper New York churches including Cornerstone, Syracuse: Gethsemane, and others. Services for Emily were held June 10 and 11 in Syracuse. Condolences may be sent to Emily's daughter, Christine Douglas, 61 Clementine Street, Trabuco Canyon, CA 92679. 

Click here to read the full obituary.Please lift up in prayer the pastors and their families who will be moving to new appointments/assignments in the coming days. Pray also for the congregations that will be celebrating the ministry of departing pastors and welcoming new pastors during this time. 

Also be in prayer for all who are  in need of physical healing, burdened by stress, living with grief, and more.
Congratulations!
To the Upper New York clergy members who are retiring. We thank you for your service and commitment to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. This year the Conference celebrated more than 30 retirees! From our district we celebrate and wish our sisters in Christ well in their retirement:
Pastor Barbara Brewer
Rev. Deborah Hamlin

Please Welcome (effective July 1, 2019):
Rev. Suzanne Block, appointed as Cornerstone District Superintendent
Rev. Susan Hadley, appointed to Christ First UMC in Jamestown
Rev. Thomas LeBeau, appointed to Kidder Memorial UMC in Jamestown
Rev. Chad Sayers, appointed to Christ UMC in Olean
Pastor Wes Tessey, appointed to South Dayton UMC & Wesley UMC
Missy Ulinger, serving East Otto UMC (Pastor Wes Tessey, coordinating pastor)
Pastor Clara Wilder, appointed to Brocton Tri-Church Parish
UPDATED - Please Join Us!
Please help us say "thank you" Rev. Sherri Rood as she completes her 8-year tenure as Cornerstone's District Superintendent:

7 p.m. Thursday, June 27
Christ First UMC, 663 Lakeview Ave., Jamestown 

Please plan to come and share in this time of worship and fellowship with people from around our district.

Contributions in Sherri's honor may be made to Upper New York's Mission Hub or to the New Places for New People campaign.
UPDATED - Prayer for Graduates
Graduation marks a major milestone in life, a time when we celebrate accomplishments and transition to another phase. Click here to view a video that combines images of graduates with the words of a  benediction written by the Rev. Jay Moyers . 

**If you have a graduate in your family and would like to share that information (name, school graduating from, future plans) with the district office, please email us at [email protected] .
The 10th Session of the Upper New York Annual Conference
took place June 5-8, 2019
Get information & updates on UNY Annual Conference business:

Watch worship videos & daily wrap-up videos:
NEW - Make Copies of the Bridge!
The June 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 everything that happened at the tenth session of the Upper New York Annual Conference earlier this month and is filled with links to news articles as well as videos.

The Bridge a bi-monthly publication from September-May and for the months of June-August, the Bridge is published during the week prior to the third Sunday of the month. If you have questions or are unable to make copies, please contact [email protected].
NEW - Disciple I Online
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.

Cost (for the ZOOM link) will be determined based on the number of people who sign up - the more who sign up, the lower the cost. The ZOOM link will be shared prior to the first session. This class is open to all who would like to participate, especially those seeking CLM status.

If you have questions or wish to register, please contact Pastor David Pritchard, [email protected].
UPDATE - One Conference, Three Choices
The United Methodist Women of the Upper New York Conference and The United Methodist Church continue to offer Mission u programs in locations across our Conference. For more information, please click here.

The session closest to Cornerstone is scheduled July 25-17 at Asbury Camp & Retreat Center. Please contact Dean Ellen Klock with any questions you may have, [email protected].
REMINDER - EQ Members, Housing Reimbursement Form
is Due by July 22
The form must be postmarked  on or before Monday July 15, 2019 or received at the conference office by 4 p.m. on July 22, 2019.  

You have approximately 4 weeks from today (June 20) to send your receipt in for reimbursement; there will be NO exceptions made this year.
 
Click here for the form.
A Video Prayer for This Season of Travel
Whether traveling overseas or around the corner, starting a new job or a new family, we embark on all kinds of journeys. Life itself can be a long and winding road, but as Christians, a life dedicated to God is not one defined by standing still, and our faith assures us that we will never travel that road alone.

Titled "A Song of Ascents" in Scripture, Psalm 121 marks life's journeys. The sacred song is believed to have been sung by pilgrims traveling the ancient road to Jerusalem but, over the ages, has become known to many by a more familiar name: "The Traveler's Psalm." The words serve as a guide for the journey and a reminder God is watching over us every step of the way.

You are encouraged to use this video meditation as a source of comfort as you commence, continue, or conclude your journey. This short segment is easy to share or download and can be used in a wide variety of church settings, such as before or during worship, in Sunday school classes, or in small groups.

Note:  The images in this video were taken by photographers from various United Methodist conferences and agencies.  This video was produced by  United Methodist Communications  in Nashville, TN. 
NEW - Staff Positions Open at Bemus Point UMC
  Due to one staff retirement and three other staff moving to graduate degree programs, BPUMC currently has full-time and part-time positions available in the areas of Contemporary Worship Leader, Technology/Web/Graphics, Children's Ministry Director, Traditional Worship (Organist and Choir director), Outreach, and Discipleship.

This is an exciting opportunity to create new ministry models and to serve with a very dedicated and collaborative team. Some of the departing staff members held more than one of these positions. (For example, the Contemporary Worship Director was also the Technology Director.) Recognizing that new, incoming staff may have different combinations of gifts, BPUMC welcomes your inquiries about how your gifts might combine one or more of the categories above to meet these available opportunities. For more information, see  https://bpumc.com/about-us/employment-opportunities
UPDATE - New Places for New People Campaign Continues
Upper New York Area Resident Bishop Mark J. Webb and Rev. David Masland, Director of New Faith Communities, are inviting individuals (lay & clergy) as well as every church in Upper New York to prayerfully consider becoming a "New Places for New People" Partner by making a gift to the campaign.

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. Watch the "New Places for New People" video here.
Click here for the June/July issue of
the Media Resource Center newsletter!
Important Dates For Your Calendar!

June 27
Celebration for DS Sherri Rood 
7 p.m. worship with fellowship to follow
Christ First UMC, 663 Lakeview Ave., Jamestown

June 30
Open House at Asbury Camp & Retreat Center, 1 - 4 p.m.

July 3 - 4
Cornerstone District Office CLOSED in observance of Independence Day

July 25-27
Mission u at Asbury Camp & Retreat Center

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

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

October 22-24
Bishop's Retreat
RIT Inn & Conference Center, Rochester, NY
NEW - Transforming Conflict Retreat for Clergy &
Servant Leaders of the Upper New York Conference
A two-part series on transforming conflict will be held this fall in our Conference. Each session will be held over two days in two locations:
 
Western Series at Asbury Camp & Retreat Center on Silver Lake, 7000 Chapman Ave., Perry, NY, 14549
Session 1 - September 18 & 19
Session 2 - October 9 & 10
Cost is $626 before August 15 & $676 after August 15
Sponsored by the Mountain View District, Rev. Nancy Adams, DS
 
Eastern Series at Aldersgate Camp & Retreat Center in the Adirondacks, 7955 Brantingham Rd., Greig, NY, 13345
Session 1 - September 25 & 26
Session 2 - October 16 & 17
Cost is $562 before August 15 & $612 after August 15
Sponsored by the Northern Flow District, Rev. Mike Weeden, DS

All sessions begin with lunch at 12:15 p.m. and end at 5 p.m. Thursday. Maximum number of participants at each location is 20.
UPDATE - Interested in CLM Training?
The four-module Certified Lay Minister training (approximately 8 hours per module) will be offered in the Cornerstone District in the near future - two people have indicated an interest so far!

We are asking that 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]). To read more about becoming a Certified Lay Minister, please click  here .

NEW - Camp & Retreat Ministries Looking for Summer Help
Camp & Retreat Ministries (CRM) is looking forward to a great summer programming season at Aldersgate , Asbury , Casowasco , Sky Lake , and Skye Farm . We are excited that campers, families, and retreat guests are registering for fun-filled and life-changing programs where skills will be learned and honed, and confidence will be gained. They will join us in learning and deepening their understanding of what it means to live in a Christian Community being reminded that: There is a God, God loves you, and God wants a relationship with you. If you have yet to sign up your camper, yourself, or your family, there are still spaces in most programs - check them out here .
 
CRM is also looking for some key summer staff for this summer. There is a critical need for a Health Director at Casowasco and Skye Farm. This can be an EMT, LPN, RN, PA, NP or Physician with current CPR FPR w/AED and valid Driver's License. This individual would live on site for 1 week to the full summer season depending on availability. Please feel free to share this  Health Director flyer with your local EMS, Hospital, School Nurse, or Fire Department to help us recruit this key position. If interested or more information is needed, call Casowasco (315) 364-8756 or apply here or call Skye Farm (518) 494-7170 or apply here.
 
Aldersgate, Casowasco, Sky Lake, and Skye Farm are also in need of additional summer staff as male counselors and lifeguards. If you know anyone that would make a good candidate, please let us know or ask them to contact us. If YOU would be interested in serving at our sites and being a part of the team of staff caring for campers and our site so they may know and experience God's love, please contact us. It may be the most impactful experience (week or summer) of your life!
Call Aldersgate (315) 348-8833 or apply
Call Casowasco (315) 364-8756 or apply here.
Call Sky Lake (607) 467-2750 or apply
Call Skye Farm (518) 494-7170 or apply here.
 
If you are interested in receiving training and participating as a volunteer at any of our sites, there are many ways you can serve.  Please call the site where you'd like to volunteer for more information.
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. Sherri Rood
District Superintendent
[email protected]

Rich Preston
District Lay Leader
[email protected]

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