Oneonta District Newsletter
September 13, 2017
"Making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world by... living the gospel of Jesus Christ and to be God's love with our neighbors in all places."
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 Your prayers for the ongoing turmoil and disasters in our country and throughout the world.
Your prayers and support for all those who are ill
and pained in body, mind and heart.
Please continue to keep Pastor Carol Coltrain, her family and Huntersland
congregation in your prayers.
Please continue to pray for Mary Ann Linder.
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Please Contact us here at the Oneonta District Office - if you know of a good inexpensive source of 5 Gallon buckets - for Flood buckets !
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Want to Volunteer for Disaster Relief? Get Trained!
Early Response Team (ERT) Training and ERT Recertification
Oct 28, 2017 - Upper New York Conference office, 7481 Henry Clay Blvd. Liverpool, NY, 8 AM - 5 PM (or 1-5 PM to recertify)
UMCOR's Early Response Team (ERT) training equips individuals to prepare for, respond to, and recover from disaster.
Click below:
Read a letter from Bishop Webb urging The Upper New York Conference to pray, give for Hurricane Irma/Harvey response.
The Bishop writes, "...we know we are called and equipped to play a part in this work. Your prayers, your love and your giving are vitally needed now. "
Northeast Jurisdiction Volunteers in Mission Gives NEW Info:
Volunteering After Harvey, Irma, Jose .......
- Remember to wait until an invitation is extended by the affected Annual Conference before sending a team. Currently, only the Rio Texas Conference and the Louisiana Conference are accepting trained, badged Early Response Team members. The Texas Annual Conference (i.e. Houston area) and the Florida Annual Conference have not extended invitations yet.
- Stay updated through Conference websites, eblasts from UMVIM-NEJ, or our Facebook Page to plug in at the appropriate time.
- In the meantime, donate through the Advance, make Cleaning Buckets and serve in other Long-Term Recovery efforts in your area. Check out the interactive map of current efforts here.
100% of donations made through The Advance reach their intended target
since overhead costs are funded by your generous donations on UMCOR Sunday each year. The Advance number for Disaster Response, United States, is #901670
Do not send unsolicited items
such as food, water, and clothing since there may be no avenue for distribution. Piles of donated goods have been called the "second disaster" because they strain already-thin logistical resources. Instead, donate:
Moving forward these are the only types of UM Relief Kits that will be collected.
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| SAVE THESE DATES |
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Date
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Event
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Details
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| Tues. Sept 26th |
Fall Clergy Gathering & Orientation -
all Pastors, worship Leaders and Lay Leaders |
5:15 -8:45 pm at Oneonta: First UMC |
Oct. 24th-26th
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Bishops Retreat - See below fore details
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See below for details
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Mon. Oct. 30th
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Bishop Webb on the District -
see below for details
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Location - Unadilla UMC
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| SAVE THESE DATES for "Can I get a Winess" |
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Event and Date
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"Can I get a witness ? "
Sun. Oct. 1 Elm Park UMC, Oneonta, 1:30-4:30 pm
Sun. - Oct. 1, Morris UMC, 6:00-9:00 pm
Sun. - Oct. 8, Afton UMC, 1:30-4:30 pm
Sun. - Oct. 22, Cobleskill UMC, 1:30-4:30 pm
Sun. , Oct, 22, Schuyler Lake UMC, 6:00-9:00 pm
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| SAVE THESE DATES for regional Charge Conference |
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Event and Date
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Regional Charge Conference
Sun. Nov. 5th 1-4 pm - Schoharie Regional Church Conferences
at Middleburgh UMC - Coordinator:Anna Blinn-Cole
Includes The Following Churches:
Cobleskill, Central Bridge, Delanson
Esperance-Sloansville & Gallupville
Huntersland, Middleburgh/Grosv.Corners/Barnerville
Sharon Springs, Richmondville, Warnerville
Sun. Nov. 5th , 5-8 pm -Cooperstown Regional Church Conferences
Cooperstown UMC - Coordinator: Tom LeBeau
Includes The Following Churches:
Cooperstown, East Worcester/Worcester
Fly Creek/Schuyler Lake,
Hartwick/Mt. Vision , Middlefield/Roseboom,
Schenuvus, Westville/Westford, West Exeter
Wed. Nov. 8th 6-9 pm - Oneonta Regional Church Conferences
Davenport UMC - Coordinator: Donna Taylor Martin
Includes The Following Churches:
Davenport, Elm Park Oneonta , Emmons/Cooperstown Junction
First Oneonta, Milford/Portlandville , Otego
Sun. Nov. 12, 1-4 pm - Sidney Regional Church Conferences
at Afton UMC - Coordinator : Cathy Honrath
Includes The Following Churches:
Afton/Bainbridge, Franklin/Treadwell
Guilford, North Afton, Unadilla, Sidney, Mount Upton ,Unadilla Center/ Sand Hill
Sun. Nov. 12, 5-8 pm- Norwich Regional Church Conferences
New Berlin UMC -Coordinator: George Gallandorm
Includes The Following Churches:
Broad St. Norwich, Morris/Edmeston
Smithville Center, New Berlin, Oxford/McDonough
Plymouth/Preston/ North Norwich , Sherburne/Smyrna
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UMW News
2017 Annual Meeting of the UNYAC United Methodist Women
September 15-16 - at the Saratoga Springs UMC.
Click here to go to the UNY Conference UMW website for more information and the registration form. The meeting is fairly close for the northern end of the Oneonta District in particular, so we hope you can take advantage of this. The Main Speaker on Saturday will be Carol Van Gorp from the National Office of UMW. She works in International Ministries. Come and learn how your pledge money is being spent on the International Level of UMW and how we partner with United Methodist Women in other countries.
Saturday, October 21 -
Fall Meeting of the Oneonta District UMW at Elm Park UMC in Oneonta. It will be a morning meeting concluding with lunch...more specific details to follow.
The program will be a speaker from "Caring Connections". She will speak about the Oneonta options for supporting the homeless and other persons in need of transportation, housing, paying utility bills, etc.
Come with information on how these needs are being met in your community. We can all learn from each other. "Caring Connections" is a part of Catholic Charities and Catholic Charities works in most, if not all, of the counties in our District.
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Regional Annual Church Conference Schedule
Sun. Nov. 5th 1-4 pm - Schoharie Regional Church Conferences
at Middleburgh UMC - Coordinator:Anna Blinn-Cole
Includes The Following Churches:
Cobleskill, Central Bridge, Delanson
Esperance-Sloansville & Gallupville
Huntersland, Middleburgh/Grosv.Corners/Barnerville
Sharon Springs, Richmondville, Warnerville
Sun. Nov. 5th , 5-8 pm -Cooperstown Regional Church Conferences
Cooperstown UMC - Coordinator: Tom LeBeau
Includes The Following Churches:
Cooperstown, East Worcester/Worcester
Fly Creek/Schuyler Lake,
Hartwick/Mt. Vision , Middlefield/Roseboom,
Schenuvus, Westville/Westford, West Exeter
Wed. Nov. 8th 6-9 pm - Oneonta Regional Church Conferences
Davenport UMC - Coordinator: Donna Taylor Martin
Includes The Following Churches:
Davenport, Elm Park Oneonta , Emmons/Cooperstown Junction
First Oneonta, Milford/Portlandville , Otego
West Davenport
Sun. Nov. 12, 1-4 pm - Sidney Regional Church Conferences
at Afton UMC - Coordinator : Cathy Honrath
Includes The Following Churches:
Afton/Bainbridge, Franklin/Treadwell
Guilford, North Afton, Unadilla, Sidney, Mount Upton
Unadilla Center/Sand Hill
Sun. Nov. 12, 5-8 pm- Norwich Regional Church Conferences
New Berlin UMC -Coordinator: George Gallandorm
Includes The Following Churches:
Broad St. Norwich, Morris/Edmeston
Smithville Center, New Berlin, Oxford/McDonough
Plymouth/Preston/ North Norwich , Sherburne/Smyrna
IMPORTANT -
Please contact Teresa at the District office by no later than Sept 8th with the name of your Regional Coordinator and the Location that your Regional Charge Conference will be at. Call (607) 441-5102 or Email: [email protected]
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In preparation for the upcoming Church/Charge Conferences, the following information is now available:
Charge Conference Forms are all located on the following page:
2017-18 Charge Conference Forms. There is a downloadable/printable forms check list to help ensure that each church is on track to completing the forms necessary for their Church/Charge Conference on time. Many of the forms need to be submitted to the District Office two weeks prior to your scheduled Charge Conference. Other forms, such as the annual audit, have later deadlines. Questions can be directed to your District Office or as noted on the forms page.
The 2018 Clergy Compensation Package information has been mailed to the Staff Parish Relations Committee chairs for those churches which have provided contact information. Pastors have been emailed the materials and local church treasurers have been advised where to obtain the basic information contained in the packet. The United Methodist Discipline directs the SPPRC to consult with pastor and staff regarding all aspects of compensation and to then recommend appropriate proposals to the Church Council on an annual basis.
Information and forms, including the Salary Report Form and benefit cost information for 2018, can be on the following page:
2018 Clergy Compensation Information. Questions about completing the compensation form can be directed either to your District Office or to the Benefits Office.
Thank you for your attention to these important administrative ministries of your local church!
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Time for Lay Servants to Complete *Annual Reports
*This report is required each year for a lay servant to continue
Here is what you do:
- Click here for a copy of the report. (Or find it at: http://www.unyumc.org/resources/forms under "Lay Servant Ministries".)
- Print it and fill it out
- Get it signed by your pastor and your church council chairperson
- Keep a copy for yourself and give the report to your pastor to hand in with Charge Conference reports and materials.
Note: Lay servants must complete the Basic Lay Servant Course and an Advanced Lay Servant Course, with an additional Advanced course every three years. If you have taken only the Basic course, don't fill out a report until you have completed an Advanced course.
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Please Save these Dates - and plan to attend
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Bishop's Retreat - October 24-26, 2017
Join us for the 2017 Bishop's Retreat: October 24-26, 2017
Location: Double Tree Hotel in Binghamton, NY!
Keynote Speaker - Bishop Young Jin Cho. The theme will be "Leading through Prayer."-
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October 30th , 2017
Oneonta District Day Clergy and Laity gather with Bishop Webb
 Clergy...
When: Monday, October 30, 2017
12:00 PM-3:00 PM (with lunch provided)
Where: Unadilla UMC
Laity...When: Monday, October 30, 2017
6:30 PM-8:30 PM
Where: Unadilla UMC
NOTE:
We will be discussing the work of
Commission on the Way Forward, whose focus is matters of human
sexuality in the United Methodist Church. There will be ample time for discussion at both sessions. Pastors, you are expected to be there.
If you are unable to come to the afternoon session, please come to
the evening session. Pastors and Lay Leaders, I trust you have been
announcing this from the pulpit and putting the information in your bulletins and newsletters. Please continue to do so.
What to expect at the 2017-18 District Day
Upper New York Area Resident Bishop Mark J. Webb will be visiting each of the Districts in the Upper New York Conference during his 2017-2018 District Days tour. The theme of the tour will be "A Way Forward." Click here to learn more about the fellowship and conversations that will take place during the District Days and find out when and where your District's day will take place!
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" Can I Get a Witness"
- Event coming - mark your calendars and plan to attend
AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOUR CHURCH...
Dear Friends: The District Leadership Team has taken seriously the many expressions of concern from our local churches over the future of their congregations in this secular, challenging time.
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We are determined to offer tools that will help our churches move from Survival to Revival.
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One thing that seems apparent is that we need to revive a culture of basic faith-sharing. Many of our congregations could write the book about offering need-filling ministries in our communities (community meals, food and clothing giveaways, ecumenical outreach, and so on); but those same congregations are stymied to know how to make those vital ministries avenues for sharing faith and inviting people into deeper spirituality.
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So, we would like to re-discover these skills together.
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As a first step, we are offering, Can I Get a Witness? workshops about faith-sharing at five locations across the district. Here are the locations and times:
Sunday, October 1, Elm Park UMC, Oneonta, 1:30-4:30 pm
Sunday, October 1, Morris UMC, 6:00-9:00 pm
Sunday, October 8, Afton UMC, 1:30-4:30 pm
Sunday, October 22, Cobleskill UMC, 1:30-4:30 pm
Sunday, October 22, Schuyler Lake UMC, 6:00-9:00 pm
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Our hope is that every church can send a team of at least three people to the workshop that is most convenient for you.
To help us plan, please let the district office know by phone or email which of these your church team can attend.
This is a simple step, but even in planning these programs, we have found this process to be energizing. We see great benefit to participants, local churches, and the people around us in our communities.
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And the District Leadership Team will continue to listen to you and your church, and respond with resources that can help your church become more vital and more viable. Let's prayerfully work together to be ready for the revival God has in mind.
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| What's going on at YOUR Church ??? |
If your church has events that you would like advertised in this section please email Teresa at [email protected]
Unadilla Center UMC invites you to join us on our trip to Sight and Sound Theatre to see Jonah on
Saturday, September 16. There will be pickups at Oneonta, Sidney and Binghamton. The cost is $150 for adults and &95 for children 12 and under. This is a one day trip and the fee includes the bus (Oneonta Bus Lines coach), show ticket and meal at Hershey Farms Restaurant. Call Claudia Jenkins at 607-563-7713 to reserve your seat.
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History of Country Music
Dinner Dance
Sat. Oct 7 at First Oneonta UMC
Dinner 4:30 - 6:30 pm -
Dancing 6-8:30 pm
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"Walk to Emmaus" This Fall
 The Walk to Emmaus, a program created by The Upper Room, is an experience of Christian spiritual renewal and formation that begins with a three-day short course in Christianity. It is an opportunity to meet Jesus Christ in a new way as God's grace and love are revealed to you through other believers.
Pastor can earn 3 CEUs through the Upper Room for attending their initial Walk to Emmaus weekend. The cost is only $5 per CEU or $15.
There are two Walks scheduled for this fall at Sky Lake. The men's Walk is October 26-29, 2017 and the Women's Walk is November 2-5, 2017.
Be watching for Application to Apply .
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STILL TIME TO ENROLL FOR THE HOLY LAND TRIP HAPPENING IN JANUARY 2018!
There is still plenty of time to register for a wonderful spiritual pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Sharon and Everett will be hosting under Bishop Webb's Holy Land Journey. All you need to do is go to www.eo.travelwithus.com/ and enter Tour=HL18, Date=010918, Code+N, and ID=12303.
This is an outstanding tour and Educational Opportunities has been conducting these for many years. This time will be Everett's 7th and Sharon's 4th. This pilgrimage to the sites where Jesus walked will bring your faith to a deeper level and the Bible to life!
If you have any questions or need further information, please call Sharon at 315-430-6149.
CEU Credits- 2
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Route 122 - A Development Opportunity
- a gathering designed for those focused on increasing the vitality of existing congregations as Conference staff, District Superintendents, and pastors of local churches.
This coming November, Bishop Webb, Sherri Rood, and I will be presenting at the gathering. If there is a group that is interested in going we might be able to work out a group rate for airfare. I hope you will consider joining us. By the way it is in Las Vegas at the end of November.
Here is the link for information and registration:
https://dscumc.org/event/route-122/
Please contact Aaron Bouwens if you have any questions.
Rev. Dr. Aaron M. Bouwens -
Director of Vital Congregations
Upper New York Annual Conference
7481 Henry Clay Blvd.
Liverpool, NY 13088
(o) 315-898-2014
(c) 607-591-5780
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Pre-retirement seminar scheduled for Sept. 25
There will be a Pre-retirement seminar held on Monday Sept. 25 from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. at the Upper New York United Methodist Center (7481 Henry Clay Blvd., Liverpool). This seminar will highlight and explain the benefits available through The United Methodist Church to retiring clergy. It is intended to assist persons in their later years of ministry understand the current pension plan, health insurance options, Social Security, and moving assistance available. ONLINE REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED, as we will provide clergy-specific retirement projections, and also need to plan for lunch. The deadline to register is Friday, Sept. 15, 2017.
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CONAM - Committee on Native American Ministries -
All of us in the Upper New York Conference celebrated the Act of Repentance and Building Relationships with Indigenous Persons at the 2015 Annual Conference service. Wonderful words were spoken by Rev. Dr. Thom WhiteWolf Fassett, witty, funny, poignant and at times starkly honest.
As our AOR work continues, I would like to introduce you to opportunities to become involved in ministry that will directly benefit Native peoples, particularly the elderly and disabled population.
Read more .......
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Shoe Boxes for Red Bird Mission 
The Endwell United Methodist Church mission's team is again coordinating the collection and delivery of shoe boxes for Red Bird Mission, located in Beverly, Kentucky. The Red Bird Missionary Conference is one of three missionary United Methodist conferences in the United States. It is the most comprehensive mission effort of the United Methodist Church, providing outreach
and services that minister to the whole person (spiritual, physical, social and economic).
Last year our team drove two-26 foot trucks to the Red Bird Mission. Because of
your generosity, one truck was filled with over 3,000 shoe boxes and the other with clothes, books, school and cleaning supplies. We have begun to collect shoe boxes with the goal of having everything ready by November 22, 2017. We plan on transporting all items the first week of December.
This year we are asking churches that want to participate in this project to help us by dropping off all filled shoe boxes to the following two locations: the Upper New York Conference Center at 7481 Henry Clay Blvd. in Liverpool or to the Endwell United Methodist Church located at 3301 Watson Boulevard in Endwell. Drop off dates will be November 1st-17th. If needed,
arrangements can be made to have a pickup of items by contacting Dave Alexander at (607) 743-8955 or by e-mail to
[email protected]
There are two different styles of shoe boxes: adult and children. Please do not wrap the boxes. Items needed for the adult shoe boxes (please mark for a man or woman) include a comb/brush, shampoo, hand lotion, deodorant, toothbrush and paste, chap stick, full size bath soap, wash cloth, mittens, disposable razors, shaving cream, scarves and hats, nail care supplies, socks, work gloves, and mittens.
Items for the children's shoe boxes (please mark for a boy or girl) include two or
three toy items, two or three school items, bar soap, children's toothbrush, children's toothpaste, shampoo, lotion, wash cloth, comb/brush, chap stick, mittens, hats, socks, and small flashlights. Christian bookmarks, wrist bands, and other spiritual items are also appreciated. There is also a great need for sheets and blankets for children beds
Most of these items can be purchased at a local Dollar Store. Please include $1.00 for each shoe box in a separate envelope to help with shipping costs. Monetary donations are also needed to cover the cost of truck rental, fuel, lodging and the trip back home. All items should be put in clear plastic shoe box sized storage containers with lids.
If any Church would like a power point presentation we can send you one or make a presentation to your group.
Blessings,
Dave Alexander, lay person
Endwell United Methodist Church
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Bishop Webb announces clergy appointments
Upper New York Area Resident Bishop Mark J. Webb has announced new appointments and retirements.
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Vital Congregations Opportunities this fall
There is still time to register for the fall opportunities from Vital Congregations. In reaching toward our mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world, all of us will need to continue to grow in our capacity as leaders.
Click here to read about many opportunities to do so, including: Leadership Academy, Illuminate Preaching Academy, Tending the Fire, Growing with God, and Tending the Soul, all of which begin this fall.
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A new program starting this fall entitled
Growing with God. The intent of the program is to equip participants to attend to their spiritual lives, attend to God's presence and movement in their lives, and offer tools with which they can better discern God's invitation for their lives and ministry.
Contact the District Office if you are interested in attending and are
willing to bring the information back to the district to share .
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The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection invites you to Leadership Institute 2017,
which takes place at the Leawood, KS campus, September 27-29, 2017.
Registration is now open!
CEU Credits- 7.2
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Tending the Soul
Spiritual Direction & Congregational Formation
2017-2019 - beginning a new 2-year training group in Oct. 2017;
Tending the Soul is a program designed to train individuals
in Spiritual Direction and Congregational Formation. The
two-year training program offers guidance in discerning a
participant's sense of giftedness and call to one-on-one
spiritual direction.
For more information or to learn how to apply contact Nancy Dibelius
[email protected] or call (518)369-9147
CEU Credits 8 (24 month program)
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| Click here for ... Leading Ideas,  Resources & Quick Links |
Upper New York Camp & Retreat Ministries (CRM)
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"Building Community: Because It Doesn't Just Happen"
If, over a two day presentation, you could learn and practice skills and methods that could help you better understand your own strengths and those of others, help build a sense of community in your congregation, clarify the decision making process in committee meetings, clarify the lines of communication and get to the "real information" in tense situations, foster team building and help you feel more confident about dealing with difficult people as well as building collegiality among your peers, would you attend?
This two-day learning opportunity
will be provided on Tuesday, October 17 and Wednesday, October 18 from 9 AM to 5 PM each day by retired UMC pastors Ray Stees and Terrence O'Neill at the McKownville UMC, 1565 Western Ave., Albany, NY 12203. (2 C.E.Us.) will be awarded
Registration deadline is October 2nd. A registration fee of $5.00
To register for the event please contact Ray Stees
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 2017 UNY Conference Journal Directory now available for purchase and download
The 2017 Upper New York Conference Journal Directory is now available. This directory contains up-to-date contact information of all UNY churches, clergy, members to Annual Conference, and surviving spouses for the 2017 Upper New York Annual Conference Session. There are two ways to receive the Journal Directory:
Click here to purchase a hard copy from online publisher Lulu.com OR
A free downloadable PDF version is available on our Issuu page
If you order directly from Lulu.com, you can have it delivered to the address of your choice (Note: You will need a major credit card to place an order). A hard copy of the Journal Directory
costs $5.54 plus tax and shipping.
Vol. 2 of the Journal will be available later this fall. Vol. 1 of the Journal (published last spring), the Journal Directory, and Vol. 2 of the Journal will make up the entirety of the 2017 Journal
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UNYAC Job Postings
Current Job Openings at Upper New York
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Conference Offices Have Moved
The Upper New York Conference office has moved to the new: United Methodist Center
7481 Henry Clay Blvd
Liverpool, N.Y. 13088
NEW Phone: 315-898-2000 Toll Free: (same) 1-855-424-7878
For additional information, click here.
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| UNY Media Resource Center ...Click here Watch the Media Resource Center Video ...Click here Flyer |
Quick Links
The Oneonta District newsletter and calendar can be found
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| Please share this issue of the Oneonta District Newsletter with church members and staff, teams and organizations. If you wish to include news about your missions or disciple formation ministries, please send it on Mondays to be published - that week - email: [email protected] Also - If you have ideas for making our District Newsletter better - we would like to hear from you . |
Oneonta District Office
of the Upper New York Conference
of the United Methodist Church
"Living the gospel of Jesus Christ and Being God's love with our neighbors in all places."
Your Partners in Ministry at the Oneonta District Office
Rev. Everett Bassett
, District Superintendent
Teresa Wood, Administrative Assistant
64 Chestnut St. (GPS) / PO Box 668 (Mailing), Oneonta, NY 13820
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