Pre-Retirement Workshop

Click here to register for the pre-retirement workshop on Friday, October 20.

All clergy looking to retire in the next year are encouraged to attend a pre-retirement workshop. A pre-retirement workshop is held once each year in the fall and spring. The purpose of the workshop is to highlight and explain the benefits available through The United Methodist Church. 

The workshop will be held on Friday, October 20 from 10-3 p.m. at the United Methodist Center in Liverpool, NY (7481 Henry Clay Blvd.) and participants are allowed to bring a guest.

Join Susan Latessa (UNY Director of Human Resources and Benefits), Julie Valeski (UNY Benefits Administrator), and Robert Christophel (Wespath Director of Benefits Education) for this important meeting to discuss retirement health care, for those that are eligible, and the retirement moving policy.

If you would like to schedule a private, pre-retirement consultation with a benefits educator, you can request during registration. Private consults are on a first-come, first-served basis and are 15 minutes in length.

Pre-registration is required in order to have all materials prepared for the day of the meeting. The registration deadline is October 6, 2023. If you would like to schedule a private, pre-retirement consultation with a benefits educator, you can do so on the registration page.



The pre-retirement workshop is sponsored by the Conference Board of Pension & Health Benefits, through the generosity of our local churches’ ministry share giving.  

News Article: NYS Wage Transparency Law

September 6, 2023/By Tracy Rickett, Human Resources Generalist

Effective September 17, 2023, all private sector employers with 4 or more employees must post a range of pay on job advertisements pursuant to NYS Wage Transparency Law. In addition, pay ranges must be placed on all advertisements for promotions or transfers. The wage range requirement applies to postings that are both internal and external to the employer. The wage range must be included on all postings for jobs that will be physically performed (in whole or in part) in New York, and this includes a job that is performed outside of New York but reports to a supervisor, office, or worksite within New York. The range should show the minimum and maximum annual salary or hourly rates that the employer believes in good faith to be accurate at the time of posting. In addition to posting a pay range, all job postings must include job descriptions.



Individuals cannot bring private lawsuits against their employers for violating the wage transparency law, but they can file complaints with the New York Department of Labor. The Department can impose penalties ranging from $1,000-$3,000. Under the terms of the law, the Department is required to provide additional guidance on wage transparency. This guidance will be provided once published.

If you have any questions regarding the NYS Wage Transparency Law, please contact Tracy Rickett, HR Generalist, at tracyrickett@unyumc.org or 315.898.2017.  

Robin Meyers is coming to Plattsburgh in the Fall of 2023

Saturday – October 14^th and Sunday October 15th

Rev. Dr. Robin Meyers will be a guest speaker beginning at 10:30 AM at the Plattsburgh UMC, 127 Beekman St., Plattsburgh.

Lectures include "The Underground Church"

"What exactly is a Progressive Church?" at 1:30 PM

A conversation about the future of the church at 11:30 AM Sunday morning.

Meyers is an ordained minister who served in the United Church of Christ for 40 years, Tenured professor of Rhetoric at Oklahoma City University, and Distinguished Professor of Social Justice in the Philosophy Department at OCU.

He is the author of eight books (including the national bestseller, Saving Jesus from the Church), an award-winning columnist for the Oklahoma Gazette, a commentator for National Public Radio, and a widely traveled lecturer and preacher on behalf of Progressive Christianity.

Please register if you are staying for lunch by Sept. 30. 

Northern Flow District Offering

Lay Servant Courses

Pastor Donna Fitchette will be leading an Advanced Class on-line only in the month of October:

"For the Common Good: Discovering and Using Your Spiritual Gifts"

The dates and times are as follows:

October 10th 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

October 17th 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

October 24th 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

October 31st 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

You are responsible for purchasing your own book and it can be purchased here

You must attend all the classes to get credit for them. If you have any questions or to register please contact Pastor Donna @ missuaprilsue@hotmail.com

Northern Flow District Offering

Lay Servant Courses

Jane Hill will be leading an Advanced in-person class in the month of October at Malone Centenary UMC

"Worshipping with United Methodists"

The dates and times are as follows:

October 24th 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

October 26th 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

October 31st 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

November 2nd 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

November 7th 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

You are responsible for purchasing your own book and it can be purchased here

You must attend all the classes to get credit for them. To register please contact the district office at northernflowdistrict@unyumc.org

Stewardship with Rev. Susan Ranous

September 7, 2023

   GIVING COMMUNICATION

                          THANKING YOUR GIVERS

Last week we started talking about effective giving communication, which started with revisiting the mission of the church. When our focus is on money, we (and our hearers) are uncomfortable. I get giving is money, but generosity is more.

Talking about what your church is doing and how givers can help is far more effective than just asking for enough money to pay the bills.

But we can’t take people for granted. Thank people. We’re asking them to be generous; we need to be grateful as well. Go out of your way to make them feel appreciated.

I think givers are often lucky if there’s a brief paragraph from the finance chair in the bulletin or the newsletter thanking “everyone that gave.” Even the giving statements are essentially receipts and not thankful. Most giving statement shave lots of space. You know that white space on the piece of paper? The statement contains the dates and amounts of gifts; it gives the giver the total. But what if we also talked about how their generosity made a difference. What happened because they gave to the church? What lives were changed? What was the impact? Tell the stories. It’s not going to cost any extra postage to write a few lines telling the story and another line or two thanking people.

Do you remember the last thank you note you received? Was it handwritten? Were you happy to receive it? I don’t know about you but when I receive a thank you note, it means a lot. I probably didn’t give to get it; but it’s wonderful to receive. This could be a task for pastors, or for Finance team members or other leaders in the church. It doesn’t mean telling everyone how much the person gave. We’re thanking them for their gift. It’s that gift, coupled with other gifts, that is making the difference.

What if instead:

Thank them

• Tell them what has been accomplished because of their generosity
• Sign your name

It continues to be a lot of work, but the benefits will continue to pay off! For the next couple of weeks, I will continue to spend time on how some of this could work and things that we could be doing to change our stewardship focus and our discipleship focus.

If you wish more information on this or would like to discuss stewardship and its relationship with discipleship, please feel free to contact me at (315) 427-3668 or sranousacctg@twcny.rr.com. I’d be happy to help.

Adirondack District Offering Lay Servant Courses

Adirondack Lay Servant Ministries has added some courses to the 2023 schedule.

Please remember that you MUST attend all class times and dates to receive credit.

All registrations and course fees MUST be in by the date due.

For a registration form or for more information, contact Arlene Schmidt, arlenedschmidt@gmail.com For more information about the courses (books, etc.) click here for the updated brochure.

Advanced Course: Discover Your Spiritual Gifts

Registration opens August 24. Last day to register: Sept. 16

Thursdays: October 5, 12, 19, 26, & Nov 2: 6-9pm

Zoom: Fee $15

Facilitator: Jacqueline Kim, CLM

Advanced Course: Called to Preach

Registration opens September 26. Last day to register: Oct. 19

Tuesdays: November 7, 14, 28, Dec. 5 & 12: 6-9pm

ZOOM: Fee $15

Facilitator: Jacqueline Kim, CLM

Northern Flow Charge Conference Schedule

Wesley Heritage Tour 2024

Join Pastor Brett Johnson on the trip of a lifetime to visit John and Charles Wesley’s homeland of England. We will be visiting sites of great importance to United Methodists, including the Wesleys’ hometown of Epworth, Oxford, Bristol, and worship in the Wesley Chapel in London.

We will also be stopping at Stonehenge and Stratford-on-Avon, the birthplace of William Shakespeare, and St Paul’s Cathedral. Tour dates are July 13-22, 2024. Please use the following link to register: https://portal.myfaithjourneys.com/ and use group code 24002.

Contact Rev. Brett Johnson, pastor.brett.johnson@gmail.com, with any questions.

Mohawk Charge Conference Schedule

The District Office will be closed in observance of the

following holidays:



• Thanksgiving Thursday, November 23rd
• Day after Thanksgiving Friday, November 24th
• Christmas Day Monday, December 25th
• Christmas Eve (Observed) Tuesday, December 26th

Northern Flow District

District Superintendent

Rev. Michael Weeden

mikeweeden@unyumc.org

Administrative Assistant

Tammy McAdam

northernflowdistrict@unyumc.org

District Lay Leader

Brenda Shelmidine

shelmidinebrenda@gmail.com

Northern Flow/Mohawk District

PO Box 208

Gouverneur, NY 13642

Phone: (315) 535-5149 FAX: (315) 535-5151

Upper New York Annual Conference

7481 Henry Clay Blvd,

Liverpool, NY 13088

Phone: (315) 898-2000 Fax: (315) 898-2027



Bishop's Office

7481 Henry Clay Blvd,

Liverpool, NY 13088

Phone: (315) 898-2020 Fax: (315) 898-2150 

The Media Resource Center of UNYAC

Visit the website at

 http://www.unyumc.org/resources/media-resource-center

Our mission is to “make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world."