Greetings Albany Synod-
 
Delegates and Friends of Albany Synod are invited to attend a sharing of the ministry and staff reports of the Regional Synod of Albany on Saturday, October 17 from 9:00am to 11:45am.
 
The event on October 17 will begin at 9:00am and will be hosted by Rev. Paige Convis, Albany Synod President. We will share in worship together and some fellowship with one another. Then we will hear a BRIEF summary of each report by the ones who wrote the reports. After that, we will be sent to smaller break out rooms where each report can be reviewed with questions, affirmations, and application. There will be a small group leader for each break out room to guide you through the process. Then we will regather and share concluding comments and be blessed on our way.
 
You can find the reports on the Albany Synod Website. Please read them in preparation for the event on October 17.
 
I look forward to seeing you on October 17 for this special event and opportunity to share the blessings Albany Synod is providing through the many ministries offered.

Peace,
Rev. Bob Hoffman, Regional Synod of Albany Administrator



Join the Virtual Gathering via Zoom on Oct. 17 at 9am


It's not too late!

You can still sign up for Sexual Harassment Prevention Training offered on Thursday, October 8 at 7:30pm. This training is required by NYS for all employed persons, including those employed by churches, to complete each year. The Regional Synod of Albany is offering this 90-minute, tailored training for $10.



Have you Signed Up Yet
for Churches Learning Change?

Need a place to process all of the change you've been living? Leaders involved with CLC are expressing repeatedly how grateful they are for CLC, especially during pandemic times. The next round of Churches Learning Change IS technically beginning this fall, and we are extending the sign on deadline to December 1.

Know that you want to participate? Sign on now!
Contact Ali at Clcbigeast@gmail.com OR

Not sure?
  • Check out www.churcheslearningchange.com
  • Have a conversation with Sherri Meyer-Veen, Abby Norton-Levering, Mike Meyer-Veen, Megan Hodgin, Greg Town, or Edie Lenz. They'd be happy to speak with you and/or your leadership team.
  • Jump into a Faithwalking course this fall and give it a try. Faithwalking is a part of the Churches Learning Change process, and Faithwalking 101 is retreat #1 for Churches learning change.
Any individual, regardless of CLC participation, is welcome to Faithwalking 101 or Faithwalking Foundations Module 1. If your church chooses to join CLC later, you can credit the fees that you pay for the retreat toward your first CLC payment.

Fall opportunities for Faithwalking include three Faithwalking 101 in-person retreats (tentatively moving forward with precautions) and three Faithwalking Foundations options. For more info and to register, go to nyfaithwalking.com
Offering from the Reformed Church Center

In the Reformed Church Center’s second Understanding Theological Education in the RCA colloquy, reflecting on what theological education has been in the RCA and what it could be, we look inward, at this, the oldest Protestant theological seminary in North America. Forty-five years ago, NBTS had a mostly white, almost exclusively male student body, with a white, male faculty. Thirty-five years ago, it was still a majority white school, and the main educational program occurring during bankers’ hours. Twenty-five years ago, it was still a school that taught RCA ministers and welcomed people from other traditions. Today, the vast majority of students are people of color, most classes meet at night or on weekends, and the RCA is a minority denominational group among students studying in several different programs. 
 
New Brunswick Theological Seminary has been on the growing edge of theological education ever since its founding in 1784. Life on the growing edge comes with challenges, even though those challenges may change from time to time. The theme for our colloquy on October 20 at 12:00 noon will be Changing Challenges at New Brunswick Theological Seminary. We will begin with presentations by two former presidents of NBTS, Norman Kansfield and Robert A. White, and one former dean, Renée House. We will then spend the rest of the hour in questions and discussion.

There is no charge for taking part in this colloquy, but all participants must register HERE 


Boundary Awareness Training Available

The School for Christian Living and Serving: A Ministry of the Mid-Hudson and Orange Classes is offering "Boundary Awareness Training; Developing and Keeping the Sacred Trust". The invitation is going out wide to neighboring classes and synods.

Instructors are Rev. Greg Town and Lesley Mazzota, RCA Spiritual Director.
Dates: Wednesday, Nov. 11, 9:30am-12:30pm and Nov. 12, 9:30am-1:30pm
Tuition is $45 plus the cost of Healthy Boundaries 201 Course Workbook

Details and How to Register can be found HERE
SMB Grants Can Help

As the church considers when, how, and if regathering in person for worship is safe, you may need things to do so. The Synod Ministries Board offers grants for up to $1000 for new endeavors in Revitalization, Discipleship, and Mission. As the practical and physical considerations of ministry change, you are invited to apply for grant support.

The process is easy.
  1. Check out the application. It's on the website in two forms.
  2. Work with your committee or consistory to answer all the questions.
  3. Get approval for this grant from your consistory and your classis. If you don't know what the process of approval is for your classis, check with your clerk. This double endorsement for the grant request is in keeping with our polity in how churches communicate with the Regional Synod.
  4. Send the completed grant requisition to rsa.comscoordinator@gmail.com. This happens when you hit "submit" on the Google Doc and no further action is necessary. If you're using the downloaded form from the website, simply scan (or photograph) the completed pages and email them as at attachment.
  5. Your grant will then be considered by a small committee of SMB members. They read every grant, discuss, ask questions, get clarification, and ultimately approve the request. We want to disperse grant money.
  6. The approved grant gets emailed to Bob Hoffman, Administrator for the Regional Synod. He writes a check and the Ali Stone, our Bookkeeper and Office Manager extraordinaire puts that check in the mail to you. Once a grant is submitted, the approval process ideally takes about two weeks.

Already have an idea that just needs a little funding boost?
Fonda Reformed Church has a round table (5 ft diameter x 21.5 inches high) and approximately 40 children's chairs (seat height 11.5 inches, mix of blue chairs and white chairs) that it no longer needs. If any church could use some or all of these items, please contact david.patterson@alumni.psu.edu.