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Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth.
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Psalm 124: 8 (King James Version)
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Adirondack District
Newsletter
April 7, 2018
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Is your newsletter "cutting off" at the margin?
Try clicking on the link at the top of this newsletter that says,
"Having trouble viewing this email?"
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Miss something? Not all information is repeated each week
To view Local Church Events sent on April 4,
Click here
To view the District Newsletter sent on March 30,
Click here
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Let Us Pray
Tips on How to Revive Prayer Ministries
One can follow many different paths to reviving congregational prayer ministries. The key is to make prayer a priority and to begin. The Rev. Michael Henderson of Cayce (S.C.) United Methodist Church says, "There has never been a revival or a reformation or re-anything that was not firmly bound in prayer."
Here are some things your congregation can do to revive prayer:
Click here
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Annual Conference Updates
Register for 2018 Annual Conference
Pastors, Lay Members, Equalization Members and Visitors to Conference: Register now for the Upper New York Annual Conference session, held May 30-June 2 at the SRC Arena at Onondaga Community College in Syracuse. Registration closes at 11 PM April 29. The next opportunity to register is onsite.
(New)
Upper New York Area Resident Bishop Mark J. Webb describes what to look forward to at this year's Annual Conference. In addition to Conference "business," this event will offer the opportunity to strengthen your relationship with Jesus, others in the Conference, and the world around us through worship, fellowship, and exciting study sessions. To view the video:
Click here
(New) Excused requests for the 2018 Annual Conference:
If you are clergy, your church's Lay Member, or an Equalization Member to Annual Conference and find that you are unable to attend all or part of the 2018 session, you must request to be excused. An
online form has been created which will direct your request to Bishop Webb:
Click here
(New)
Social Holiness Concerns: Conscience of the Conference: Click here
(New) Getting Ready for Five Special Offerings at the Conference:
Click here
(New) Seeking Nominations for 2018 Harry Denman Evangelism Awards:
Click here
(New) The 26th Annual Palestinian Dinner: 5:15 PM Friday, June 1
at St. George Macedonian Orthodox Church, 5083 Onondaga Rd. (Rte. 173), Syracuse. There will be a brief program centering on the plight of Palestinian children plus hearing from Rev. Leanne Zeck who traveled to Palestine/Israel with Bishop Webb.
Reservations: Linda Bergh (315) 492-8507, 116 Edna Rd., Syracuse, NY 13205, or Karen Peterson, (607) 739-3141, 116 Greenridge Dr., Horseheads, NY 14845. Checks for $20 made out to "UNY Conference", with Palestinian Dinner" on the memo line/ an additional amount may be designated for the Gary Bergh Scholarship Fund, which enables young adults/ adults to travel to Palestine/ Israel to learn first-hand about peace and justice issues there.)
To register and for information on housing, meals and childcare,
Click here
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Jason Moore to present
Guest Readiness Seminar in South Glens Falls
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Jason Moore |
Please join us for a hands-on learning experience designed to help participants better connect and build lasting relationships with visitors, exploring the theme, "Five Things your Visitors are Thinking But Won't Ask." Presenter is nationally-known Jason Moore, author, speaker and worship coach.
Join us from 10 AM to 3 PM
Monday, April 30 at the South Glens Falls UMC, 15 Maplewood Parkway, South Glens Falls (12803) to explore this topic with Jason Moore. Local church group participation is encouraged!
Sign-in and gathering time: 9:30 AM. The event starts at 10 AM sharp.
Admission is $5, which includes a catered lunch. If cost is a hardship, scholarships are available; we do not want to turn anyone away.
Please contact Carrie Boyer in the District Office for more information, [email protected] or (518) 480-4866.
To Register,
Click here
For the flyer: Click here (please disregard the registration form on the brochure). Register online from the link above, or call Carrie Boyer for assistance.
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Imagine No Racism Launch Day: Saturday, April 21
Imagine No Racism is a ministry of the Upper New York Conference with the goal to increase conversations on and awareness of racism and white privilege at the District and
local church levels and to increase the number of ministries which impact racial justice within local churches and their surrounding communities.
The launch date for Imagine No Racism is
Saturday, April 21; this event will take place from 12:30- 4 PM simultaneously at every
District Communication Hub across the Conference. The Adirondack District's event will be at the Saratoga Springs UMC, 175 Fifth Ave., Saratoga Springs (12866).
All are invited! Attendance for this event is mandatory for all Clergy, Supply Pastors and Certified Lay Ministers serving churches, and clergy are asked to invite laity who are passionate about racial justice.
Imagine No Racism will convene multiple District-level small groups, consisting of both clergy and laity, to engage in deep listening, transformative study, and meaningful action to eliminate racism and white privilege in individuals, local churches, and the communities the local churches serve.
The event will include worship; a welcoming message from Upper New York Area Resident Bishop Mark J. Webb, live-streamed from the United Methodist Center; educational videos featuring members from the Bishop's Taskforce for Eliminating Racism; the formation of small groups; and more.
Click here
to learn more about what to expect at the Imagine No Racism launch event.
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Take an online course designed for new United Methodists and anyone wanting to learn more about what it means to be a United Methodist.
The free course includes 4 modules that contain many interactive features. Each module takes approximately one hour to complete. To read more,
Click here
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(New)
How We Handle Money in the Church webinar
Every church that has ever had a crisis of financial impropriety thought what they were doing was fine until the day it was discovered. What's your church's policy for handing the gifts people entrust to you? Are you protecting sensitive information? Is it appropriate for the pastor to know what people give? A one-hour Webinar, sponsored by Discipleship Ministries of the United Methodist Communications, is 7:30 PM EDT, Thursday, May 10. To register:
Click here
Explore Additional Webinars!
Several webinars are scheduled through November 2018 on topics ranging from Crowdfunding to Witness and Outreach. Discipleship Ministries also maintain an extensive archive of past webinars - check it out:
Click here
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(New)
Podcast: Major Facebook News Feed changes
In January 2018, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced a refocused vision for the
social media giant, writing, "One of our big focus areas for 2018 is making sure the time we all spend on Facebook is time well spent."
The practical changes Facebook is implementing to work toward this vision will have a big impact on those of us who do ministry on the platform, so in this episode of the MyCom Church Marketing Podcast (From United Methodist Communications), we will walk you through what's changing and offer some ideas about how to adapt.
For the Podcast,
Click here
More abut Facebook:
When Facebook first launched, "Pages" were only available to individuals. Facebook "Groups" were the only option for ministries wanting to organize their community online. Then, in 2007,
Facebook opened up Pages to organizations. The conventional wisdom shifted toward ditching Groups. Even as late as October 2016, Facebook Groups were declared a
"dying practice" in church communications.
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Safe Sanctuaries Training Coming Up!
Saturday, April 28, 8:45 AM sign-in; training is 9 AM to Noon, at the Hudson Falls UMC, 227 Main St., Hudson Falls (12839). If you plan to attend,
please RSVP to Carrie
Boyer by April 13 at
[email protected] or (518) 480-4866. She will then send you the training handout via email.
A reminder that all clergy, certified lay ministers serving churches and supply pastors are required to take this training (one-time only).
For updated information on background checks
Click here
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Several Lay Servant Classes to be Offered
As disciples of Jesus Christ, we are all called to a life of servanthood. For many
laypersons, Lay Servant Ministries of The United Methodist Church is a part of their faith journey as they seek a closer relationship with God through Jesus Christ. The courses offered in this program can help an individual on their personal faith journey or help prepare them as servants of leadership through the ministries of leading, caring, and communicating.
For more information on upcoming classes
in the Adirondack and Albany Districts Click here
For more information about Lay Servant Ministries, Click here
For a listing of courses throughout the Conference Click here
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2018 Camp Registration Open!
Registration for 2018 Summer Programs is now open!
Click here to browse all of our 2018 summer programs and to register. Don't forget to take advantage of our Early Bird ($10 before May 1), Sibling ($20 per camper), and Refer-A-Friend ($40 for the referring friend) discounts! We've got big things planned this summer and we want YOU to be part of it! Register today! If there are any questions, please contact us at (toll free) 855-414-6400 or [email protected]
Day Camp/Open Houses make for a great church, family, youth group, or Sunday school outing and gives families a chance to meet staff and experience some fun camp activities. We hope to see you and a group from your church at one of our Open House/Day Camp Events.
Skye Farm's Open House is May 26, from 10 AM-3 PM Visit Open House
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Students: Apply now for 2018 UNY Conference scholarship!
United Methodist high school seniors and college students are invited to apply for a Lottie Brown Grant. Deadline to apply: April 10.
For more information and to apply, Click here
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Northeastern Jurisdictional Council on Youth Ministries:
Mission of Peace Trip
The Upper New York Conference is looking for four youth members to participate in the
Northeastern Jurisdictional (NEJ) Council on Youth Ministries upcoming Mission of Peace (MOP) mission trip to the Philippines next year.
If selected, each youth member must raise money to support their MOP and, upon their return, share their experience. Click here to learn more and to download a PDF to apply. The deadline for submission is April 9.
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(New)
Health Newsletter from the UNY Conference Benefits Office
The Benefits Office of the Upper New York Conference is happy to provide a new resource promoting personal wellness. This newsletter is produced quarterly by the Center for Health, which is a division of Wespath, dedicated to health and wellness products and resources addressing the five dimensions of well-being: physical, emotional, spiritual, social and financial. To read the current newsletter,
Click here
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(New) Grow Your Church Online
Web-based possibilities for connection and outreach can seem overwhelming:
- a welcoming website,
- a successful enewsletter,
- an engaging social media presence,
- effective search engine optimization.
If you're unsure where to get started, here's the perfect first step: explore an online library of articles that will help you use internet tools and resources to support your ministry efforts.
To read more,
Click here
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Apply for Peace With Justice Grant
Peace with Justice Grant applications are being accepted through April 30.
The Peace with Justice Grants are provided by funds collected on Peace with Justice Sunday, one of the six Special Sunday offerings required by the Book of Discipline. Half of all money collected in our conference stays right here to support new ministries that address justice issues.
For more information, and to apply:
Click here
For information and resources for Peace With Justice Sunday,
Click here
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Updated
Order Resources from Media Resource Center
The Media Resource Center is a free lending library supported through your ministry share dollars.
To learn more about the center and to look through the online catalog
Click here
You will find a multitude of DVD studies, curriculum, and support materials for your use!
It only takes a couple of days to receive the materials.
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(New)
Apply for Franklin J. Sherman Seminary Scholarship
Applications are being accepted for the Franklin J. Sherman Seminary Scholarship.
The scholarship is to be awarded annually to one or more persons enrolled in a seminary accredited by the United Methodist Church, who is preparing for service as an ordained minister, a Minister of Christian Education, or Director of Christian Education. The award will be given in addition to scholarships awarded by the Upper New York Conference Board of Ordained Ministry. A person may receive the scholarship more than once. This scholarship is made possible by the Jordan UMC in the Crossroads District. Priority is given to members of that church and members of churches in the Crossroads District, and then to any church member in the UNY Conference. Deadline to apply: May 18. For more information, Click here For the application, Click here
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Previ
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From the Conference Office
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Job Opportunities
For these job opportunities at the Conference,
Click here
-- Conference Treasurer
-- Regional Coordinator for Imagine No Racism
-- Payroll Specialist
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UNY Conference 2019 Narrative Budget booklet available
The first draft of the UNY Conference 2019 Narrative Budget booklet has been released.
As changes are needed, these digital copies of the budget booklets will be updated. When all updates are completed in the coming months, printed copies of the budget booklet will be available in the District Offices and at the UNY Conference Center. The final budget booklet will also be added to the 2018 Conference Journal, Vol. I.
To view the booklet from the Conference website,
Click here
To view from "Issuu"
Click here
To
gain an overview of how Ministry Shares support the Upper New York Budget in a new, dynamic video, starring many youth and adults across the Conference,
Click here
Printed copies of the Narrative Budget booklets will be made available at all District offices and are currently available at the United Methodist Center. Contact your District office to request your copy.
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Sign up for the Weekly Digest
The Weekly Digest is a wrap-up of news and information, along with feature articles, direct links to several "hot spots" on the Conference website, photos and more.
If you don't already subscribe but would like to look at this week's issue, be in touch with Carrie. To sign up to receive the Weekly Digest beginning next week, click here:
Weekly Digest
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Previously Run/Ongoing Interest
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United Methodist Men to Host Retreat,Open to all
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Bishop Swanson |
You are invited to attend this dynamic retreat hosted by United Methodist Men, "Transformation Through Christ," at Sky Lake in Windsor, NY, September 7-8. The retreat is open to all w
omen, children and men.
The Keynote Speaker is Bishop James E. Swanson Sr.
For the full article,
Click here
To read more about Bishop Swanson,
Click here
To view a video invitation from Bishop Mark J. Webb
Click here
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District Contact Information
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Adirondack District
of the Upper New York Conference
Rev. William (Bill) Mudge, District Superintendent
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Rev. Bill Mudge |
Carrie Boyer, Administrative Assistant
Physical Location: 15 Maplewood Parkway (South Glens Falls UMC)
South Glens Falls 12803 (GPS)
Mailing Address: PO Box 590, Glens Falls, NY 12801
(518) 480-4866
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