December 12, 2023 Crossroads and Finger Lakes Newsletter

Crossroads and Finger Lakes Districts

December 12, 2023

Next newsletter is December 26, 2023

Due to the Holiday - Please submit items to be included by Dec 20th

A Note from Sherri:

Are We There Yet?

It’s a question children often ask on a long journey: “Are we there yet?”

By nature, we are not patient people. It seems impatience helped to create the Advent Wreath. The modern Advent wreath was created by a Lutheran pastor named Hinrich Wichern. Pastor Wichern founded a mission school in Hamburg Germany, and during Advent the children would ask daily

“is today Christmas? Wichern took a cartwheel and decorated it with 24 small red candles and 4 white candles. The red candles were lit every weekday and Saturday, and the white candle was lit each Sunday, helping the children count down to Christmas. Churches adopted the practice and eventually used a smaller wreath with only four candles. The practice of the Advent wreath spread to other protestant denominations and the Roman Catholic Church and reached the United States in the 1930’s.

There’s a lot of symbolism associated with the Advent wreath. The green represents eternal life, the candles represent the light of Christ, and the circle represents the unending love of God. Someone somewhere came up with the idea that each Sunday has a particular focus: hope, peace, joy and love, no doubt influenced by the lectionary readings for each day. Then there’s the age-old debate of the color of the candles: Red? Purple? Blue? And the use of a pink candle for the third Sunday, representing Mary’s joy and the Magnificat. Purple represented the age-old practice of Advent being a time of penance, like Lent. Blue? Who knows? It wasn’t purple! Of course, the Christ Candle on Christmas Eve is always white, symbolizing the sinless nature of Jesus.

This past Sunday some churches left the peace candle unlit, as a sign of solidarity with the war-torn places in the world. It’s good to be aware of those who struggle to find hope, peace, joy, and love in our world today. We’re certainly not there yet in terms of eradicating war, suffering, divisiveness and so much more. My prayer is that we will continue to light the way for others to find the love, hope, peace, and joy that is found in following Jesus. We could easily add candles for justice, mercy, grace, and community. These things are missing in the lives of so many. It can be wearisome to see and experience so much need. How can we make a difference? By being aware as we watch and wait, looking for ways to bring these precious gifts to life in our families, our neighborhoods, and our churches. Is today Christmas? The countdown has begun. How can we birth hope, peace, joy, and love into the world today and every day?

I’m praying for you. Please pray for those who need to know the hope, peace, love, and joy that Jesus brings and ask God to help you share these things in tangible ways with the people around you.

Grace and peace,

Sherri

Just a reminder to update your contact information

for the two districts - both the Crossroads and Finger Lakes physical offices have been closed:

All mail should be sent to:

District Office

PO Box 23206

Rochester, NY 14692

Please also update our email address to:

betsyoflynn@unyumc.org

we would like to move away from the

two district email addresses.

Thanks

Reminder: Update your Church Information on the UNY Website:

Thank you to all the churches that have sent updates and/or corrections to their church information listed on the conference website.

If you have not sent in an update or OK as is - please send a reply

email to the district office.

CLICK HERE for the Crossroads District listings

CLICK HERE for Finger Lakes District listings

CLICK HERE to reach the district office

The Jacksonville Community United Methodist Church, located on Route 96 just 8 miles north of Ithaca in Jacksonville, NY is accepting applications for the part-time position (approx. 3 hrs per week) of Organist/Choir Director.

Duties include hymn accompaniment during the Sunday morning worship service as well as responsibility for a weekly choir rehearsal and Sunday morning choir anthem performance. Compensation will be based on experience and credentials.

Additional information is available at JCUMC.com.

Interested individuals should submit a cover letter and resume to jcumcnews@gmail.com

Eastern Farm Workers Association At Erwin First Church

Twice a year, during the holiday season, we are honored to temporarily share our Friendship Hall with the Eastern Farm Workers Association (EFWA). EFWA is an all-volunteer based membership organization uniting migrant and seasonal farm workers with other rural and urban low-income workers, including domestic, temporary, and part-time workers, casual laborers and others who share the challenges of poverty and lack work benefits, collective bargaining rights and other protections of federal labor laws.

They use the large space for two days, once in November, close to Thanksgiving, then in December around Christmas to assemble holiday boxes for over 120 low-income families in Syracuse, greater Onondaga county and Cayuga, Wayne and Madison counties. At Christmas, there are also toys to distribute to families who have made requests for their children and grandchildren.

CLICK HERE to read the full article

Crossroads District News

Church Announcements

Stewardship with Susan Ranous

Please check out the blog below

CLICK HERE for the Blog: Stewardship with Susan Ranous

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Wishing you a joyous holiday season. In the spirit of giving and

making a difference in the lives of children in our community,

please support our Bellevue Heights UMC Chapter’s

Blessings in a Backpack Year-End Appeal.

Click www.bellevueheights.org to donate or download the letter.

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December 17, 2023

CICERO UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

8416 Brewerton Rd.

Holiday Concert Sunday December 17th at 3 pm

This concert will be filled with music of the season.

There will be a variety of performances by singers, trumpet,

trombone, harp and piano. You will be invited to sing along on special

sacred an secular songs. Church is fully accessible

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December 19, 2023

PENNELLVILLE FREE WILL DINNER

The Pennellville United Methodist Church

will be having their next Free Will Dinner

on Tuesday, December 19th from 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

The menu will consist of soup and special sandwiches plus a variety of desserts. Come out and enjoy some good food and fellowship.

The church is located at 389 County Route 54 in Pennellville.

This is the last dinner until spring, so get your fill on the 19th.

Watch for details on the spring free will dinner.

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January 27, 2024

Fayetteville UMC (601 East Genesee Street, Fayetteville)

will hold a Safe Sanctuary training Saturday 1/27 from 9-12.

Please register by emailing or calling the church office fayettevilleunitedmethodist@gmail.com,

(315) 637-4413 by Friday, January 19.

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Finger Lakes District News

Church Announcements

Black Preaching Robe - Free

Rev. Kristen Allen at Penn Yan UMC has been given a black preaching robe to share with someone who needs one, from a retired pastor in her congregation. It’s lovely, though slightly worn, and will fit someone about 6’2”. Interested? Email Kristen at pastorpyumc@gmail.com.

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December 16, 2023

20th Annual Christmas Cookie Sale,

Saturday, December 16, 2023.

Doors open at 10:00am until sold out (11:30 am).

Newark First United Methodist Church dining hall,

301 S. Main St., Newark, NY.

The sale will feature approximately 400 dozen decorated cutouts, fruits and nut filled, gingerbread, fudge and many holiday specialties. Price is $10 per pound. Info: 315-331-3895.

CLICK HERE for a flyer

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January 27, 2024

Safe Sanctuaries Training

Cortland First UMC is hosting a Safe Sanctuaries Training for the area churches. Trainer: Rev. Stephanie Brown

Saturday, January 27, 2024

(:00am - 12noon.

The church is located at 734 Rte 222

Cortland NY

No charge but reservations are important so as to have enough materials.

Contact: Pam Klotzbach

716-560-0290