November 17th, 2022 Oneonta District UMC News for you
* Please share this newsletter with your friends and congregation members.
District E-newsletters
To subscribe to the Oneonta district E-newsletter, send us your email address.
To submit news for this publication, send it no later than Wed. by 4 PM for Thursday publication, to: [email protected]
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In observance of Thanksgiving, the Oneonta District Office will be closed Thursday Nov. 24 and Friday Nov. 25. There will be no District Newsletter published next week; it will resume publication the following week.
We wish you and your family and friends a wonderful Thanksgiving.
We are grateful for you!
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When mailing items to the office PLEASE use the information listed below.
Oneonta District Office UMC
C/O Teresa Wood
28 Orchard St.
Oneonta, NY 13820
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The District Office is open by appointment only.
Please Call ahead to make an appointment.
Office hours vary Mon. – Thurs..
the office is CLOSED Friday Thru Sunday
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2022-2023 Church/Charge Conference Annual Forms Due Dates
NOTE* All Clergy Compensation forms are due at the district office by Monday Nov. 21st
IMPORTANT – NEW this year, there are 2 different Compensation forms. Please be sure to use the correct form or it will be sent back to you.
Form 5. 2023 Clergy Compensation Form (requires Microsoft Excel 2003 or later)- This form is to be used for all Licensed Pastors and appointed Elders
AND
Form 5c. 2023 Retired Serving Clergy/Lay Supply Compensation Form with excel worksheet- This form is to be used for Retired Clergy Serving a church, CLMs and Lay Supply pastors
Now Past Due ( Deadline was Nov. 1st)
*These need to be printed and mailed to the district office*
Due December 1st.: UPDATE ONLINE - DO NOT PRINT A COPY
Due February 15th. 2023
Report of Trustees
Report of Finance Committee
2022 Year End Financial Report
2023 Church Budget - Your church format
2022 Statistical Reports - to be entered online- Link to be provided
Click here to download the 2022-23 Annual Report Form Checklist.
If you need help getting forms please contact Teresa at the district office.
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Oneonta district Annual Church Conference Schedule
We hope to see you there!
All who have membership in the local church are welcome to vote.
The Theme this year is: “Keeping the Mission the Mission”.
Much of the required business we will do will have been considered by the appropriate teams in the congregation before we gather for formal approval at the Church Conference.
The schedule has already been shared with your pastor or other leader of your congregation. We hope as many as possible will be able to attend.
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Bishop Webb’s farewell gathering- UPDATE
Upper New York (UNY) Area Resident Bishop, Mark J. Webb, will be retiring from the Upper New York Conference on Dec. 31, 2022.
There will be an open-house style celebration and farewell gathering at the UNY Conference Center at 7481 Henry Clay Blvd. in Liverpool on Saturday Nov. 19 from 1-4 p.m.
All are welcome and you can come and go as you please. The tentative schedule is as follows:
1 p.m. Gathering begins – open-house-style fellowship time
2 p.m. Official program by the Episcopacy Committee
3 p.m. Cutting of the cake followed by more open-house-style fellowship time until 4 p.m.
We hope to see you there!
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Rev. George Nicholas speaks about Buffalo 10 initiative and systemic racism
Six months have passed since the racially motivated mass shooting at the Tops supermarket on the East side of Buffalo. Lincoln Memorial UMC is less than a mile away from this grocery store. The congregation is having a hard time healing not only from the tragedy itself, but the systemic racism that they experience in their day-to-day lives.
How can we address such deeply rooted structural racism?
The Rev. George Nicholas, pastor at Lincoln UMC and systemic racism expert expresses the importance or relationship building, truth telling, and seed planting in the work toward dismantling racism.
Rev. Nicholas is on the team of pastors and laity working on the Buffalo 10 initiative, which started with a scholarship for residents in the 14208 zip code.
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Are you interested in a clergy person tax workshop?
The Rev. Susan Ranous is planning on offering a two-hour workshop during the afternoon or evening of Dec. 8.
If you are interested, please email Rev. Ranous at [email protected]. It will be held via Zoom. Once Rev. Ranous hears from you, she will send you a link!
· Clergy are treated differently under the tax code than virtually anybody else in the country.
· Are clergy employees or self-employed? Hint: the answer isn’t obvious or easy!
· Clergy have advantages and disadvantages that no one else has.
· Often, confusion exists concerning clergy compensation, deductions, and expenses.
This workshop will help you understand the current tax laws that affect clergy today.
At the end of this workshop, you will have a better grasp of the unique issues faced by a United Methodist Clergy Person. Topics will include: Defining the Dual-Status Tax Classification of Clergy, Defining What a Clergy Person Is, What Responsibilities the Church Has, What Responsibilities Clergy Have, Describing the Housing Allowance and Exclusion, Discussing Exemptions and Deductions, and Completing Your Tax Filing Forms.
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A prayer walk spiritual practice
Throughout 2022, the Rev. Nancy Dibelius has offered opportunities to engage in spiritual practices each month with video discussion and instruction. These videos invite you into ways of exploring, engaging, and nurturing your relationship with God.
This month, Rev. Dibelius revisits the spiritual practices of Stations of the Cross and Pilgrimage, providing suggestions and a script for a prayer walk.
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Local District News & Happenings |
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NEW- Sky Lake Camp & Retreat Center
Event
November 19 @ 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm
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Wherever you may be celebrating Thanksgiving this year, you’re going to want more than one slice of these delicious pies! Not only do you get to select from double-crust apple or pumpkin (or both!) you can also select whether your chosen pie comes “ready to eat” or “frozen & ready to bake or thaw” (don’t worry, instructions will be included.) Orders must be placed by 9:30 AM ET on Thursday, November 17, 2022.
Pickup will be available under the carport of Founders’ Lodge at Sky Lake from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM on SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 19th.
On offer for this special bake sale:
Special Orders:
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Is there something from a previous bake sale that you’d really like to have Kevin bake for you? Want two dozen carrot cake cupcakes? Looking for gluten free cookies? For a $20 minimum, we’d be delighted to prepare a special order for you for pickup during this Bake Sale (or another agreed-upon time.) Please email Kevin to inquire about feasibility.
Jigsaw Puzzle Fundraiser:
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We are excited to offer a 500-piece jigsaw puzzle of the iconic Jesus painting which resides in Underwood Lodge. For a $50 donation through our Square store, we’ll send you one of these limited edition puzzles (or you may opt to pick it up during a bake sale.)
Here’s how it works:
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Place an order at our online shop by 9:30 AM on THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17th (note that this is connected with the Square stand in our gift shop, which uses a central UNYAC account—you may need to select “Sky Lake” as the pickup location)
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Your order will be available for pickup on SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 19th under the carport of Founders’ Lodge at Sky Lake from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM
- To follow safe socializing practices, please remain in your vehicle. Please note that the Sky Lake grounds are open to walk, hike, or just sit and enjoy the view on Saturday
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We invite you all to our Cake Auction for your Thanksgiving Day with your family on Nov. 22nd, 2022 from 5pm-7pm in the Tiffany room of the Esperance-Sloansville United Methodist Church.
You can come and bid on a cake/pie for your Thanksgiving Day feast. And, at the same time, it will also be live stream on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/EsperanceSloansvilleUMC, for those who want to join but can't in-person. Cakes will be delivered to those not in-person within a 25-mile radius. We will be accepting cash or Venmo only.
In addition, we will sell tickets to gift baskets that we will raffle off that evening and the girl scouts will have a table and they can use some help with a donated baked good!
If you have any questions, please contact Brandi Kerber, by email, [email protected].
We hope you come and enjoy this fun community event!
Grace and Peace
Jongdeok Park
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New- Bible study for Advent at Richmondville & Worcester UMCs
Richmondville UMC - Wednesdays at 10 am in the fellowship hall
Dates: Nov. 30th, Dec. 7th, Dec. 14th, Dec. 21st
Worcester UMC - Tuesdays at 6pm in the fellowship Hall.
Dates: Nov. 29th, Dec. 6th,Dec. 13th, Dec. 20th
Lead by Pastor Russ Underwood
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Elm Park UMC -Christmas Cantata
Sunday, Dec.18th Worship Service at 9:30am
All are welcome.
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Come join us at Elm Park UMC
for A Festival of Nine Lessons & Carols
Christmas Eve Candlelit Service
Saturday, December 24 at 7pm
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From the Desk of Bishop Mark J. Webb—
Reflection on NEJ and Bishop Burgos
Upper New York (UNY) Area Resident Bishop, Mark J. Webb, sent a note to the UNY Conference on Nov. 7, 2022. In this note, he thanked the UNY delegates for faithfully offering their service and carrying out the work before them at the Northeastern Jurisdictional Conference, which was held Nov. 2-4.
He asked for prayers for the newly elected UNY bishop, Bishop Hector Burgos, and his family.
Bishop Webb also thanked the Rev. Dr. Wendy Deichman for accepting the UNY episcopal candidate endorsement and representing herself with grace, clarity, and a deep sense of what it means to be a follower of Jesus Christ.
He concluded his note by assuring the members of the UNY Conference that he will continue praying for them in his retirement.
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A note to you from our new bishop
Dear siblings in Christ of the UNYAC,
It has been quite a week! I am humbled by the discernment of the NEJ Conference who elected me to serve as a Bishop in The United Methodist Church.
Also, on Friday, I received the news that I have been assigned to serve with the beautiful people of the Upper New York Annual Conference, whom I already love and can’t wait to meet and to ministry together.
The UNYC delegation gave my family a sweet taste of the love and warm hospitality of the UNYC when we met briefly after assignments were announced. I was inspired by their passionate faith, diversity and hopes for the church.
I look forward to growing alongside you in our knowledge, experiences, and outward expressions of the love of God, in Jesus Christ, and share these blessings with all the people in our communities and the world.
See you soon!
Bishop Héctor A. Burgos-Núñez
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Northeastern Jurisdictional Conference details
If you would like to know all the details of what took place at the Northeastern Jurisdictional Conference, click here to read all the daily Christian Advocates. A summary of the Christian Advocate will be available next week.
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UNY Everyday Disaster grant opportunity
The Upper New York Mission Central HUB is excited to announce the “Everyday Disaster Grant” to benefit local churches in the Upper New York Conference that are working in their community to fight everyday (socioeconomic) disasters. These disasters might include, but are not limited to: food insecurity, addiction, racial injustice, violence, or lack of affordable housing.
This funding opportunity is intended to connect, build relationships, and celebrate the impactful outreaches that are happening throughout the Upper New York Conference and are playing a vital role in creating disciples that transform the world. We can't wait to hear the difference you are making in your community!
The grant application will be open from 11/1/22 – 12/31/22. Grant recipients will be announced in February 2023. Please send all questions to Kristina Clark, Director of Upper New York Mission Central HUB, at [email protected].
The grant application is now open and can be viewed by clicking here.
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United Methodists Communications #IGiveUMC campaign
The new #IGiveUMC campaign launched this week by United Methodist Communications invites donations in honor of a loved one to the church their honoree attends, their own church, or a church with family ties.
The giving campaign by United Methodist Communications in partnership with the General Council on Finance and Administration encourages donors to post a photograph or video on social media using the campaign hashtag.
The UNY Communications team would love to highlight all UNY members participating in this campaign. Please send your loved one’s name and photo to [email protected] and we will let others know that you participated in this campaign.
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The Buffalo 10 Scholarship—just the beginning
Eighty-five percent of Black Buffalonians live on the East side of the city, where the racially motivated mass murder took place at the Tops grocery store on May 14, 2022.
The Upper New York (UNY) Conference has a team of Buffalo-area clergy who are working together to support these residents.
The first step is the Buffalo 10 Scholarship. Dr. Scott Johnson, Pastor Angela Stewart, the Rev. George Nicholas, the Rev. Raquel Alston, and the Rev. Tanya Spencer are all pastors at local churches in Buffalo. These pastors along with Buffalo area resident and Conference Commission on Religion and Race member, Charles Syms, submitted a petition at the 2022 UNY Annual Conference on Oct. 6, 2022, requesting the creation of a Buffalo 10 Scholarship to honor the 10 Black residents that were killed at the Tops local market on May 14, 2022.
This petition called for the UNY Conference to establish a scholarship in the name of the Buffalo 10 for students from the 14208 zip-code attending college. This petition was supported by 93.6 percent of the Annual Conference body.
Click here to read more about the initiative UNY clergy has initiated to help give a voice to residents on the East Side of Buffalo.
Click here to donate to the Buffalo 10 Scholarship fund.
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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.
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UMY Mission Central Hub News |
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NOTICE: Please direct all questions regarding the Mission Central HUB to:
Kristina Clark
Director of Missional Engagement
Upper New York Conference of the United Methodist Church
7481 Henry Clay Blvd.
Liverpool, NY 13088
Direct Line: 315.898.2066
Cell: 570.267.5711
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How You Can Help Those Affected by Hurricane Ian
United Methodists plan to lead the way to recovery after Hurricane Ian unleashed substantial damage in Florida and South Carolina. At this time, the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) has asked for prayers, monetary donations to UMCOR, and for congregations to continue assembling supply kits.
There are so many ways to help!
Click here for monetary donations to go directly to UMCOR.
Click here to access kit supply lists and instructions.
You can also bring the kits and/or appropriate supplies directly to the Upper New York (UNY) Mission Central HUB in Liverpool—contact the UNY Director of Missional Engagement, Kristina Clark ([email protected]), to coordinate a drop-off date and time.
Congregations can also buy supplies for the kits off the UNY Mission Central HUB Amazon wish lists and have them shipped directly to the HUB. If purchasing from another website, congregations or groups can ship the supplies directly to the HUB by setting the mailing address to Mission Central HUB 7481 Henry Clay Blvd, Liverpool NY 13088.
Click here for the UNY HUB hygiene kit Amazon wish list.
Click here for the UNY HUB menstrual hygiene Amazon wish list.
Click here for the UNY HUB cleaning bucket Amazon wish list.
Monetary donations to the UNY Mission Central HUB can be given by clicking here.
Please continue to pray for those affected by Hurricane Ian.
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Training & Education Opportunities |
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For information regarding Safe Sanctuaries please visit our website:
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Course of Study Information
If you are registering for a COS class at GBHEM – you will need to list the name and email of your COS registrar.
That information is as follows:
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UMC Clergy Education Offering Courses for Credit
ClergyEducation.com is a resource for clergy and church leaders, offering CEUs accepted by most United Methodist annual conferences.
Click here for a complete catalogue of recorded courses.
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Celebrate Native American Heritage Month
(American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month)
Native American Heritage Month is an opportunity to raise awareness about the unique challenges Native people face, and share the ways in which tribal citizens conquer those challenges.
Click here for Native American Heritage Month worship resources.
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GCSRW celebrates 50 years of ministry with launch of new resource
The General Commission on the Status and Role of Women is marking its 50th anniversary with the release of the Welcoming a Woman Pastor learning module. The self-paced, online resource guides local churches through the onboarding, orientation, and set-up process when introducing a female pastor appointed to serve their congregation.
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The Church Wellness Checkup Information
We believe a Vital Congregation is the body of Christ making and
engaging grace-filled
Christ Followers, who put faith into action.
A Vital Congregation…
Worships with passion
Nurtures and grows disciples
Engages in mission and outreach to their community
Gives generously to the mission and ministries of the church
The Church Wellness Checkup is a tool to help your congregation
become more faithful in
partnering with God in bringing the Kingdom of God to fruition.
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Bishop Webb announces clergy appointments
Upper New York Area Resident Bishop Mark J. Webb and the Upper New York Conference announce interim appointments and four retirements pending approval of clergy session. View the full list of changes here.
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Attention Churches: Please Post this Job Rights Poster
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has issued a revised version of its poster, entitled “Know Your Rights”. A copy of the revised poster can be located here.
The law requires an employer to post a notice describing the Federal laws prohibiting job discrimination based on race, color, sex (including pregnancy and related conditions, sexual orientation, or gender identity), national origin, religion, age (40 and older), equal pay, disability or genetic information (including family medical history or genetic tests or services), and retaliation for filing a charge, reasonably opposing discrimination, or participating in a discrimination lawsuit, investigation, or proceeding.
The “Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal” poster, prepared by the EEOC, summarizes these laws and explains how employees or applicants can file a complaint if they believe that they have experienced discrimination.
The EEOC has not released a specific date by which the revised poster must be used but has said that employers should replace the old one with the revised one within “a reasonable amount of time”. The poster must be placed in a conspicuous location where notices to applicants and employees are customarily posted. It may also be distributed electronically, but electronic distribution does not remove an employer’s requirement to have the poster present in the workplace(s).
Employers who fail to use the revised poster may face penalties. It is recommended that you replace the EEO poster with the revised version as soon as possible. Please be sure you are using the version marked “(Revised 10/20/2022)” going forward.
For questions on this topic, please contact Tracy Rickett, Human Resources Generalist, at 315-898-2017 or [email protected].
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New York State Minimum Wage Increase effective 12/31/2022
October 2022/By Tracy Rickett, UNY Human Resources Generalist
New York State Minimum Wage Increase
Effective December 31, 2022, New York State minimum wage will increase to $14.20/hour.
Employers in the Upper New York Conference, regardless of number of employees, must pay non-exempt employee’s minimum wage. Future increases will be determined by the NYS Director of Budget in consultation with the NYS Commissioner of Labor and will be announced on or before October 1 each year. Please click this link for more information on the change to
Non-exempt employees are entitled to overtime pay under the state and federal wage and hour laws. Overtime pay for non-exempt employees is calculated as time and one-half their regular rate of pay for all hours worked in excess of 40 hours in a workweek.
An updated NYS Minimum Wage poster must be posted at your work site for your employees by December 31, 2022. Once the updated poster is available, the Conference office will post it on our Church Employer webpage under Employment Law Compliance and Posters
New York State Minimum Salary
As of the date of this news article, the New York State minimum salary for employees classified as exempt under the New York State Labor Law remains at $990.00/week or $51,480.00 per year. Any updates to the New York State minimum salary will be published as it becomes available.
Churches should review their wage and hour practices to ensure that their employees are classified properly as non-exempt or exempt and that current minimum wage and minimum salary levels are being paid to employees.
If you have any questions on this topic, please contact Tracy Rickett, Human Resources Generalist, at 315-898-2017 or [email protected].
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Disaffiliation Information-From Wespath
Understanding Pension Liabilities-For Local Churches Considering Disaffiliation
Watch this video for easy-to-understand answers to complex questions related to pension plan funding and the withdrawal liability payment required for local churches that disaffiliate from the UMC.
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Disaffiliating from the UNY Conference and the UMC
During the Upper New York (UNY) Annual Conference held virtually in June of 2021, the body passed Resolution UNYAC2021.7 which created a Study Commission to examine the readiness in the UNYUMC for the Implementation of the Protocol of Reconciliation and Grace through Separation.
Last fall, the UNY Study Commission issued surveys to clergy and congregations in the UNY Conference about the Protocol. Despite there only being a 30 percent response rate, some congregations and clergy did report that if the Protocol passes, they will leave the United Methodist Church. Click here to read the survey report.
Earlier this month, the Global Methodist Church announced that it will launch on May 1, 2022. Click here to read the announcement.
Given these changes, the Conference Board of Trustees anticipated there would be congregations who might now desire to explore disaffiliation.
Click here to read an article that outlines the disaffiliation process.
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Reminder: Sexual Harassment training mandatory
New York State required sexual harassment annual training prevention reminder
New York State Law requires that employers who have at least one or more employees must conduct sexual harassment prevention training for all employees on a yearly basis. The timing of when to hold the yearly training is up to the employer as long as it is completed annually. A notice of the employer’s sexual harassment policy must be provided to all employees during this time and the employer should maintain records of the training for audit purposes.
Safe Sanctuaries training does not exempt churches from the New York State sexual harassment prevention training requirements.
Click here to learn more about what’s required in the training, how to create a sexual harassment policy if you haven’t already, and free training opportunities offered by New York City that satisfy the state’s requirements.
If you have questions, you can contact Tracy Rickett, Human Resources Generalist in the Conference Office at (315) 898-2017 or via email at [email protected]
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Don't Wait, Get Your Federal Tax Exemption Letter!
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On the Conference calendar
Nov. 1-30: Native American Heritage month
Nov. 19: Bishop Webb Farewell Gathering 1- 4 p.m.
Nov. 24-25: Conference Office closed for Thanksgiving
Nov. 27: First Day of Advent
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2022 Holiday Schedule
The District Office Will Be closed on the Following Dates:
November 24th and 25th Thanksgiving
December 23rd Christmas Eve (Observed)
December 26th Christmas (Observed)
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Oneonta District Office
66 Chestnut Street Oneonta NY 13820 - Physical Address (Second Floor)
Mailing Address
Oneonta District Office of the UMC
C/O Teresa Wood
28 Orchard St. Oneonta, NY 13820
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
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Your Partners in Ministry at the Oneonta District Office |
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"Making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world by... living the gospel of Jesus Christ and to be God's love with our neighbors in all places."
Rev. Bob Kolvik-Campbell- District Superintendent
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