E-News from the Valley! February 16, 2021

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This is sent on Tuesday - Items you would like to see in the E-News should be submitted to the district office by the Friday before

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Click here to go to the Genesee Valley District website.

Please click on the following links:

UNY Notes - these include notices From the Desk of Bishop Webb; Alerts; Announcements; Prayer requests; Death Notices;

Camp & Retreat info

Weekly Digest - this will be sent every Wednesday. It will include a listing of all of the new information available.

This will help reduce the amount of e-news announcements coming to your computers.

District Office is open by appt only.

Call Betsy at 585-340-9525

Please click here for guidelines to come into the office

More info on yesterday's scam emails.

I have sent a notice to the conference IT dept.

Yesterday scammers used the Superintendent's name and stole her contact list to attempt to defraud others. The scammers set up a fake email account and made it appear that the sender of the email was Rev. Vonda Fossitt. If you receive emails like this please move your mouse over the name "Rev. Vonda Fossitt", you will see the false email address the scammers are using to try to fool you.

DS Vonda's correct email address is vondafossitt@unyumc.org. You will also receive email on her behalf from the District Office email: geneseevalleydistrict@unyumc.org

DS Vonda doesn't use other email addresses or a gmail address to send you email. She will never ask you to send gift cards or money to her by clicking links in an email. She did not send this message.

It was a scam.

If you receive such emails today or in the future, you can hover over the supposed sender's name and the actual false email address will be visible. If it was sent from any other address than the ones above, 1. block the sender

2.delete the email.

3.Do not click on any links in the email or give them any of your information.

Today the false address the scammers set up was:

vondafossitt.unyumc@gmai l.com

As you see it is very similar, but not right. Be sure to look carefully in the future as scammers have targeted her name and contacts. Don't let them fool you.

If you are unsure you should do something an email from the Superintendent is asking you to do, feel free to call the District Office or send a separate, new email to the district office to make sure it is not legitimate.

But asking for money or gift cards is a clear sign of a scam.

Here is an additional article the UNY Conference shared to help you to avoid scam emails.

Please be aware of phishing attempts

Please be aware of scammers attempting to get personal information from you via your email account. This is referred to as phishing. We have been made aware of the fact that many pastors in the UNY Conference have received such emails. A lot of these emails ask for money, gift cards, credit card numbers, etc. Many of these emails are from recognizable names, such as Bishop Webb, but if you look closely at the email address, it is not the person’s actual address.

Click here for a good five-minute video clip on what to look for.

Complete your Boundaries Training by March 1

All clergy and those leading congregations are reminded that the required Boundaries Training for 2020 needs to be completed by March 1, 2021. This deadline was extended from the original Feb. 15th deadline. This Boundaries Training is through the Lewis Center for Pastoral Excellence and is entitled “Understanding Clergy Sexual Ethics.” It is entirely online.

Click here for the information letter from the Lewis Center to register. Thank you for your faithfulness in completing this training!

Real Property Tax Exemption Reminder

All churches must renew their real property tax exemption every year. Renewal forms must reach your assessor’s office by the deadline date, which for most towns is March 1. Check with your local assessor’s office to confirm the date for your location. This deadline is critical. Missing the deadline date may result in the denial or revocation of your church’s real property tax exemption. This filing includes all church buildings, parsonages, and all other parcels used for religious purposes. For more information, contact Pat Toukatly, UNY Conference Property Specialist, at (315) 898-2000 Ext. 2010 or at pattoukatly@unyumc.org.

Annual Conference 2021 to be held remotely

New Dates Set

After consultation with the Upper New York (UNY) Committee on Sessions, Conference Leadership Team, Board of Ordained Ministry Executive Committee, and the Upper New York Board of Trustees, Resident Bishop, Mark J. Webb and the Upper New York Cabinet are announcing that the UNY 2021 Annual Conference (AC2021) session will be held remotely.

The Rev. Bill Gottschalk-Fielding, Executive Assistant to the Bishop and Director of Connectional Ministries, who also serves as the Annual Conference Agenda Chair said, “Given the uncertainty about if we will be able to legally and safely gather 1,400 people in person for Annual Conference, Conference leaders have decided to hold Annual Conference by remote means.”

The dates for this year’s Annual Conference will be June 17-19.

Rev. Gottschalk-Fielding said, “The dates needed to be changed from our original ones because of our desire to utilize the services of GNTV, a resource that many Annual Conferences used in 2020 and will be using in 2021 to conduct their sessions. Their dates were limited, and we needed to go with what GNTV had available.”

The Committee on Agenda and the Committee on Sessions will continue to create the framework of our time together during these three days.

Rev. Gottschalk-Fielding said, “It is our intention to create an environment as similar to being in person as possible, with debate, amendments, and action being allowed on all the necessary and vital work that is before us. At this time, we envision clergy and laity sessions, opening worship, ordination, and a memorial service being a part of these three days. We are also aware that June 19 is the Juneteenth holiday as well as the 11^th anniversary of the formation of The Upper New York Conference and we plan to recognize both in a form of worship.”

Submissions (reports, petitions, team recommendations) are due on March 15 to be included in Vol. I of the UNY Journal. Submission guidelines will be issued by the Petitions and Resolutions Committee in early February.

Continue to follow all UNY communication platforms for more details.

OPEN TO ALL!!!!!

Mt View District Lay Servant Ministries

presents

2021 Winter Class Session

to be held via Zoom

Advance Polity Course

Five Monday Evenings beginning

February 22nd from 6-8pm

Feb. 22, March 1, 8, 15, & 22

Tuition: $15.00 per person plus purchasing your own books

Registrations end February 16, 2021.

Click here for more information and the registration form.

LOOKING AHEAD

February 15, 2021 - Past Due

Please send a completed & signed copy of each to the District office. (Click on the boldface titles to download the forms.):

Report of Trustees

Report of the Finance Committee

2020 Year-end Financial Report

2021 Church Budget

March 15, 2021

Please send a completed & signed copy to the District office:

2020 Local Church Annual Financial Audit

Genesee Valley District

of the Upper New York Conference

of the United Methodist Church

Peter Lagueras, District Lay Leader

Rev. Ted Anderson & Rev. David Underwood, District Associates

Betsy O'Flynn, District Adminstrative Assistant

Rev. Vonda J. Fossitt, District Superintendent

MAILING: 1050 East Ave, Rochester, NY 14607

PHYSICAL: 1040 East Ave, 2nd Floor, Rochester, NY 14607

(585) 340-9525 * GeneseeValleyDistrict@unyumc.org