MOUNTAIN VIEW DISTRICT NEWS |
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Dear Friends and members of the Mountainview District UM churches:
Grace comes to you in ways you cannot imagine, especially this Advent season. In the time of waiting for the coming Messiah, you must also feel you have been waiting too long; too long for the pandemic to slow; too long to wait to visit your relatives and too long not hugging your church family members! It seems like forever since we have felt fully alive in our churches, but it has not been forever. There is a waiting which is spiritual: a yearning dependence on God to make a move, and if God does not make a move, we are dusted.
Press into Advent. Make the waiting count by growing spiritually stronger through adversity, wiser in planning ahead and kinder in giving to those in need via newly creative means. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn and to thrive, for God comes in Christ to save us from our sins, and to save the entire world… through Christ in us!
Invite you to celebrate the wait with me on the district:
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Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2:00-5:00 Celebration of Church Ministries on Zoom (see below in Note from District Associate): all lay and clergypersons: send video of, or prepare to share a great outreach ministry of your church to Rev. Mike Kelly.
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Monday, Dec. 21 9:00-10:30 OR 7:00-8:30 Clergy Christmas Party on Zoom (invitations will be sent to clergy separately)
In Christ ,
Jeff McDowell
12/3/2020
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A Note From District Associate Mike Kelly |
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From the Desk of Pastor Mike Kelly
Your District Associate
M many thanks to all of the Pastors and congregations in the Mountain View District that have made this season so
special for your congregations even in these difficult times
E everyday has brought new excitement, new challenges and new opportunities.
R rejoice in knowing that we have come together to celebrate Christ and His birth
R renew and rejoice with vitality, as we have met some of the needs of the community, all in God’s name
Y you all have made this possible through you continued commitment to your churches.
C Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year, the time where we celebrate together, when old friends join us for the candlelight service and we revel in praise and song, bringing joy to so many. Some may be virtual, but you will still make it possible
H hospitality will shine through, radical hospitality, where everyone is greeted and welcomed with smiling faces, although behind the mask, where we recognize all as God’s children and make people feel excited to be together
R reaching out and meeting others needs is who we are, as Christian communities
I I am overjoyed at the willingness of all of you to step up in God’s ministry and missions in your community, living the Gospel as directed to “Love our Neighbor”
S see what we can do together and commit yourselves to be involved, there is no task, no mission, no work that is done for the Lord that is unimportant or unnoticed
T time is of the essence, take the responsibility, one person at a time, to make a difference in their lives, you have that ability, embrace it
M may your Christmas season be filled with joy, strengthening your relationships with each other, with your family, with your friends and with God Himself
A as we celebrate the season of Advent, I thank you all, I encourage you to continue to support our local food pantries, feed the hungry, clothe the poor, protect the homeless and comfort the sick
S so may you find peace, joy and love during this season, eagerly anticipating the great things come.
Merry Christmas
12/3/2020
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Greetings Brothers and Sisters of the Mountain View District,
In October I was blessed to be part of The Food Bank of the Southern Tier’s Hunger Heroes Virtual celebration. During this celebration we had an opportunity to share in the ways that we made a difference in the lives of those that were hunger insecure in our areas. The celebration included videos and interviews and was a great event to see what was happening in our area.
As you may have guessed that really made me think, “You know this has been a very difficult year, yet I know that ministry has continued to happen throughout our district.”
LET’S CELEBRATE
Let’s have a Virtual Party of our own. Let’s put together our videos of our ministries or just be prepared to share at a Celebration of God’s Ministries, December 16th from 2 to 5:00. If you aren’t sure what to do, give me a call. Every one of you have something to be proud of. You have all done an amazing job through this pandemic, lets lift each other up by sharing our success stories.
With Warm Regards and Blessings,
Pastor Michael J Kelly
Mountain View District Associate
11/19/20
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Bishop Webb's Laity Gathering |
In December, Bishop Webb is inviting all laity to join him for Regional gatherings on Zoom. These gatherings will be a time of prayer and conversation around our ongoing commitment to the mission of the Church in these unprecedented days.
Bishop Webb said, “I look forward to gathering with the laity of each region to join together in prayer, celebrate the ongoing ministry within each congregation, and keep our focus upon the common task we share in ‘making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.’”
The Zoom meetings for each region will be as follows, from 6:30 p.m-8:30 p.m.
Dec. 8 – Southern Tier Region (Oneonta, Binghamton, Mountain View, and Cornerstone Districts)
Click here on Dec. 8 to join Zoom meeting or call 646-558-8656.
The meeting ID is 962 8916 4197 and the passcode is 778210.
11/5/2020
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Changes to NYS Paid Family Leave in 2021 |
Please find attached information announcing changes to NYS Paid Family Leave in 2021.
Effective January 1, 2021, there are changes to the New York State Paid Family Leave benefit. To see the changes Click here
11/5/2020
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Links to Sources for Reopening Your Church |
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NEXT NEWSLETTER
December 17, 2020
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Please consider subscribing to the following links. These will keep you updated on all the news coming from the conference office during this time. It will help keep repeated emails from being received. |
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Bishop Webb's Laity Gathering by Zoom
Dec. 8, 2020
Zoom Webinar with Jason Moore (Free)
Dec. 10, 2020
Safe Sanctuary Training For Trainers Only-by Zoom
Dec. 12, 2020
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Click the button to see the list of events happening in
Mountain View District
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Check Your Address to See
if You are in a COVID "Hot Spot" Zone
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Here is a website to see if your address is in one of the "Hot Spot" zones. Click here
12/3/2020
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BOTH/AND: Webinar
Maximizing Hybrid Worship for Online & In-Person
Audiences with Jason Moore
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WHEN: Thursday, Dec. 10th
WHERE: By zoom
TIME: 6-8pm
Prepare for Advent and Christmas
Better prepare into the New Year
A new Webinar! (also available for 90 days to view and review)
Tips, strategies, and equipping to help the local church create a worship ministry where both in-person and online worshiping communities feel equally included and cared for.
Free to all in UNYAC churches. Register here (to receive the handbook and zoom webinar invitation) by emailing Northern Flow Office.
We have emerged from a season where after initial online worship many churches have gone back to the pre-pandemic approach: treating the home audience as observers and no longer giving them attention. OR, after living in an online world for 9+ months, treating the people in the room like a studio audience for the people watching at home.
This webinar will offer Tips, Strategies, and Equipping to help the local church create a worship ministry where both in-person and online worshiping communities feel equally included and cared for.
(Click here for the deeper rationale for BOTH/AND)
85% new content, with a short foundational refresh on some of the concepts presented in Telling the Story in a New Time.
The 2 hour talk will explore:
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Re-imagining worship for both/and
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How to create interactive both/and experiences
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Bringing at home and in-person audiences together in real time
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Alternative opportunities for online audiences watching in-person livestreams
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Repurposing in-person worship for online audiences
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Strategies for adapting practices for both/and
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Avoiding letting your groove becoming a rut
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And more
Attend and view to:
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Better prepare for the rest of Advent and Christmas. Advent/Christmas input to be discussed.
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Attend and/or view to prepare into the new year. Recorded webinar available for 90 days for all in UNYAC!
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View webinar in the first 30 days to participate in a “town hall” style follow up 30 days after the webinar for people to gather, ask questions, share ideas, and so on. Participants in that session can attend whether they attended the live webinar or if they watched the recording.
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A 20 Page Handbook, extended Q&A.
Through this webinar churches large and small, technically savvy and challenged, are finding hope, inspiration, and great best practices for the next season of worship in their faith communities.
12/3/2020
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Ann Michel and Doug Powe of the Lewis Center write that the pandemic makes connecting with new people this Christmas more important than ever. But new ways of being and doing church adopted in the face of the coronavirus present some natural opportunities for outreach and evangelism during this holiday season.
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Looking for creative ways to observe Christmas this year? A group of Minnesota churches assembled this list of ways to celebrate Advent and Christmas safely during a time when churches can't enjoy fully packed sanctuaries.
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The Right Question
Leaders do not need answers. Leaders must have the right questions.
Co-pastors of a church designing Christmas Eve worship in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic asked members of their Worship Committee to name what had been most meaningful to them about Christmas Eve worship in the past. Recognizing that many traditions would not be possible this year, they changed the tone of the conversation in a way that created genuine excitement. They asked:
What can we do this year that will be so memorable that people will be talking about it for decades to come?
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archives of past Christmas articles provide inspiration and ideas for your congregation this season. Even in this most unusual Christmas in this most unusual year, these articles will help you reach more people and unchurched people, provide opportunities for newcomers, attract children and families, offer inspiring giving for ministries, and much more.
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Updated NYS Travel Guidelines |
In response to increased rates of COVID-19 transmission in the United States and other countries, and to protect New York State’s (NYS) successful containment of COVID-19, NYS has issued a travel advisory for anyone entering NYS from a non-bordering state or traveled internationally from a country designated under a CDC level 2 (moderate risk) or 3 (high-risk) COVID-19 travel health notice.
Effective November 4, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo has announced new guidelines allowing travelers to New York to “test out” of the mandatory 14-day quarantine.
All travelers must fill out a Traveler Health Form. Click here to fill out the form. Additionally, for travelers who were out-of-state from a non-bordering state for more than 24 hours:
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Travelers must obtain a test within three days of departure, prior to arrival in New York.
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The traveler must, upon arrival in New York, quarantine for three days.
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On day 4 of their quarantine, the traveler must obtain another COVID test. If both tests come back negative, the traveler may exit quarantine early upon receipt of the second negative diagnostic test.
12/3/2020
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Dismantling racism resource:
Sign up to receive a daily prayer for anti-racism
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In this Kairos moment of protest and awakening, Discipleship Ministries and other agencies and bodies of the United Methodist Church are providing resources and guidance on how to become anti-racist individuals and churches.
The Worship Team of Discipleship Ministries believes, however, that such a change will not happen unless the whole process is bathed in prayer every step along the way. To that end, you can subscribe to daily prayers to help keep us all centered on the journey ahead. From Monday through Friday, a new prayer will arrive in your inbox for your use as personal devotion, to share in your small group, or for use in corporate worship.
Click here to subscribe to daily anti-racism devotions.
12/3/20
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PREVIOUSLY RUN NEWS ITEMS |
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6 questions every church media policy should answer |
You've probably already implemented a safe sanctuaries policy to ensure your church is a safe place for children, youth and elders to experience fellowship and the abiding love of God. Consider developing a complementary social media policy.
This article will help you get started by guiding you through the process of discerning exactly which boundaries are most appropriate in your context. To read more, click here.
11/5/2020
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Adirondack District Lay Servant Classes Open to All |
The following courses are the 2020-2021 cycle for certification as Lay Servant or Lay Speaker.
Advanced Course: United Methodist Heritage
Thursday January 7, 14, 28: 6-9pm
Saturday January 23: 9am-1pm
Advanced Course: Preaching: From Your Hearts to Theirs
Course 1: Mondays February 22, March 1st and 8th : 6-9pm
Saturday March 13: 9-1pm
OR
Course 2: Thursday February 25, March 4 & 11: 6-9pm
Saturday March 20: 9-1pm
ZOOM: Course Fee $15
Deadline for registration form and fee is February 8
Advanced Course: Leading Prayer
Wednesdays April 14, 21, May 5: 6-9pm
Saturday May 1: 9-1 pm
ZOOM: Course Fee: $15
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Updated COVID-19 guidelines and best practices |
New York State, like much of the world, is seeing a spike in COVID-19 cases with regional micro-clusters across the UNY Conference experiencing positive test rates above 4.5 percent.
With the health and safety of all members and communities of the Upper New York Conference in mind, the Conference Reopening Task Force, with the full support of Upper New York Area Resident Bishop, Mark J. Webb, and the members of the UNY Cabinet, have revised the COVID-19 guidelines. While underlying public health science and regulations have changed little since March, this revision seeks to increase clarity and ease of use.
The New York Forward requirements remain the minimum standards and are mandatory for every congregation. In addition to these requirements, the guidelines also include a set of “UNY Recommended Best Practices.” While these do not have the force of law, they are designed to further decrease the chance of infection and harm and are strongly recommended by the Bishop, the Cabinet, and the Task Force. Congregations, operating through their own “Reopening Task Force,” are responsible for making decisions about how they will keep staff, members, and visitors safe during this crisis.
The guidelines cover facility, worship, small group, food, and program hosting minimum standards and best-practices. Click here for a chart that outlines the minimum standards that churches should follow (the NYS guidelines) and the additional UNY recommend best practices. This chart also provides helpful resources.
Future updates and revisions will be noted in red in subsequent versions. If you have any questions involving these guidelines, feel free to contact the COVID-19 response team of the UNY Conference via phone at 315-898-2012 and email at covid-19response@unyumc.org.
11/19/20
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Tips for a Successful Virtual Charge Conference |
Since the members of the Council who attend will be spread apart, it will be helpful if each individual has copies of the reports in front of them during the Charge Conference, either electronically or on paper. Consider printing/distributing or emailing packets of the reports to each person.
Remember: Charge Conference Must Be Announced
AT LEAST 10 days in advance. Announce the time and date during worship, in the newsletter, in meetings, person-to-person.
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For many people, Covid-19 is kicking up a lot of issues ranging from financial strain and family dynamics to stress, depression, and grief. Worries and problems often have a tendency to grow when we keep them to ourselves.
Your EAP has a variety of excellent no-cost counseling services available to you and your family! Whatever the difficulty you may face, our experienced counselors are available day and night to help – simply make a call to our helpline – 800.252.4555.
Click here for a flyer to tell you more about these great services. Be sure to share this benefit with your family, too!
800.252.4555
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UNY Conference Center remaining closed
to the public
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Please note that the Upper New York Conference Center in Liverpool, including the Episcopal office and Crossroads District office will remain closed to the public. |
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Helpful links to put resources at your finger tips! |
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Mountain View District Office |
35 Wilkes Ave., Suite 101 (physical address)
PO Box 706
Bath, NY 14810
607-962-8047
Office Hours:
Mon.,Tues.,Thurs., 7 a.m. to 2:15 p.m
In-Person Wed. 8 a.m. to 3:15 p.m.
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