April 22nd, 2021 Oneonta District News for you
* Please share this newsletter with your friends and congregation members.
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Please note - Much of the information in our past newsletters has been repeated, as there are resources that you can continue to use. We will no longer be repeating already posted information that is not critical ( based on deadlines) ! If you want information from our past newsletter you can access them on our conference based website at : https://www.unyumc.org/district/oneonta or you may contact Teresa at the district office.
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Note: The District Office is open by appointment only.
Is my home or church in a COVID-19 Cluster?
Click on this link and type in your address.
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Nancy’s Notes - #24
Hi, Friends.
Several pastors on both the Oneonta and Binghamton Districts have gotten requests from “me,” asking for gift cards and/or to discuss something discreetly. IT’S NOT FROM ME. IT IS A SCAM. Please know that I would never ask anything like that. Note that my email address is NancyAdams@unyumc.org. One pastor knew it wasn’t me because the email addressed him with his full first name, by which I would never and have never called him.
All this got me to thinking about identity theft. Now hear this: Each of us is a beloved son or daughter of God. Isaiah 43:1 says, “But now thus says the LORD, he who created you O Jacob, he who formed you O Israel; Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.” How’s that for a valid form of verified identification?!
Our identity is in Jesus Christ, and no one and nothing can ever steal that away from us! Hallelujah! When I have received scam phone calls, I have told the person calling that Jesus loves him/her and that He can help the person not to scam people anymore. The person generally hangs up quickly without saying another word, but hopefully, I’ve given the person something to think about.
Do you know that your identity is in Christ? That is the truth. It is not a scam, as hard as it might be for some to believe. My prayer is that if you have not received Christ, that you will – you will never, ever be sorry, and that’s a fact! My prayer is that if you have received Christ, but still find it hard to believe that you are loved and claimed by our Lord unconditionally, that you will realize that blessed truth (Truth) very soon.
Rejoice, child of God!
With You in the Journey, and Rejoicing in the Risen Christ,
Nancy
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Equalization Members Needed - Apply Today!
Lay people who are not the Lay Delegate for their churches are invited to consider serving as Equalization Members to the 2021 Annual Conference (June 17-19 online). Youth (ages 12-17), Young Adults (ages 18-30) and Adults are welcome to apply
click here for application). Contact your pastor or the District office for more information. Deadline for applications extended to April 23rd.
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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 10 ad interim appointments and four retirements pending approval of clergy session. View the full list of changes here.
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Around the District and local Church News |
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Available Items - Free to Church home
Cooperstown UMC would like to give away: Outdoor sign letters, metal with lip at the top. Some nearly new; others well used. 3 sizes: 1 1/2", 2 1/2", 3 1/2" If your church is interested, contact Merrilyn O'Connell at : merrioc88@gmail.com or call (607) 547-9515
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The Mosaic -A newsletter of Schoharie Region of the
United Methodist Church
A P R I L N E W S
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Mission Central HUB Seeking Support
The Upper New York (UNY) Mission Central HUB is preparing for the coming spring to support survivors affected by the different disasters (floods and high winds) that may impact our area. In partnering with the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR), UNY’s status of kits on hand is low at best. The most requested items are cleaning and hygiene kits. Those who can support our communities by assembling kits in your homes or churches, please share projects so we can support your efforts and possibly share your methods with others. Any number of kits will help.
Please review the list for contents of each kit. If you cannot provide complete kits, we can use individual items to help complete other kits that arrive incomplete.
The HUB at the UNY Conference Center will remain closed until further notice. However, there is a tent outside the Conference Center where kits can be dropped off. You can also make arrangements to drop off kits at the HUB by calling MaryBeth Ingalls at 315-372-0285 or emailing her at marybethingalls@unyumc.org or calling Mike Block at 315-491-0497 or emailing him at mikeblock@unyumc.org.
Click here for UMCOR Kit Assembly options outside the HUB.
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CCORR (Conference Commission on Religion and Race) currently has three Imagine No Racism 2.0 courses happening. CCORR hopes to continue to offer INR courses as they are requested. Typically, people have chosen to do six weekly sessions but planning the sessions is flexible. People looking for an INR group can email: bsmith@binghamton.edu. Clergy may receive 1 CEU and Lay Servant Ministries laity may receive advanced course credit.
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Dismantling racism resource: Council of Bishops’ statement in aftermath of George Floyd verdict
The UMC is leading a sustained and coordinated effort to actively engage in the ministry of dismantling racism and promoting racial justice. The UNY Conference Communications team will regularly share worship, advocacy, and educational resources to help with this important campaign.
Yesterday, a jury convicted former police officer Derek Chauvin of murder and manslaughter in the death of George Floyd, nearly a year after a viral video of the Black man gasping for breath pinned beneath the White officer’s knee sent millions into the streets demanding justice and forcing a national reckoning on race and policing.
Reflecting on the importance of this verdict, the United Methodist Council of Bishops released a statement reiterating the importance to continue the work needed to dismantle systemic racism. Click here to read the statement.
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New! Two-day Workshop:
Developing and Maintaining
An Outward Heartset & Mindset (Open to all)
Our Objective:
To help the people in our churches and communities to see themselves and every human being as a beloved child of God in order to be better prepared to be part of making disciples for Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.
We invite teams, individuals, lay & clergy leadership to participate in a workshop that brings us to a renewed awareness of ways to use deeper insight to strengthen relationships and ministry.
Many have commented that this workshop has reawakened their God-given longing to genuinely appreciate, support, and learn from all, so that we are better able to be in ministry together.
The workshop is 6 to 9 PM, Friday, May 7, and 9 AM to Noon, and 1 to 4 PM, Saturday, May 8. The cost is $130 for materials; some scholarship assistance is available.
or (518) 608-1246. She will send you the ZOOM links when you register.
Workshop Leaders: Rev. Bill Mudge and Rev. Debbie Earthrowl
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New! Becoming Informed to Transform
Open to All!
“….all were united in their devotion to prayer….suddenly a sound from heaven …filled the entire house”
(Acts 1:14 & 2:2 CEB)
WHAT: Transforming Church Leadership to Transform Lives
WHO: Church Leadership Teams covenanting to work together for 12 months
WHY: To prepare to lead the church into its revival
WHEN: Orientation Meeting May 4, 8 p.m. via Zoom
Three Phases:
May 11 - July 27, 2021, Zoom Bi-weekly, Tuesdays 6 - 8 p.m.
September – December 2021
January - June 2022
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Lay Servant Ministry
For more information about Lay Servant Ministries, click here
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NEW - FOR CERTIFIED SAFE SANCTUARIES TRAINERS ONLY:
Zoom Review of Revised Trainers Manual and Final Curriculum
2 training opportunities:
(both sessions will be the same, please only sign up for one)
Tuesday, May 18th, 7pm-9pm
Wednesday, May 26th, 7pm-9pm
Please only choose one training date as they will provide the same information.
The UNY Safe Sanctuaries Team would like to thank all of you for your patience during the transition in this time of covid. As many of you know, we have now hosted three conference-wide online trainings. We feel we are ready to roll it out to you trainers to begin training this new curriculum in your local churches and districts.
- The Trainers’ Manual has been reformatted to accommodate virtual training.
- The curriculum has been finalized, taking into account many of your suggestions.
- With the assistance of 20 trainers, the SS Team has presented this training in the last 3 months (3 times) to approximately 200 participants. It has received great feedback from participants.
Communities are beginning to open up. Our churches are opening up, but we still need to be safe. As the conference Safe Sanctuaries Chairs, we recommend this training to be done via an online platform such as Zoom. However, if you wish to do a small group gathering of vaccinated individuals in person, PLEASE use THE NEW training manual to avoid sharing and touching props as used in the past. And just like anything else we do, please practice social distancing and wear a mask.
We want to allow SS trainers to be together again and begin offering this training to your District and/or local church.
We look forward to seeing you all in May. Thank you for your time and passion for keeping the children, youth, and vulnerable adults safe in our churches and our communities.
Pastor Christine Mitchell and Arlene Schmidt, CLM.
Co-Chairs of the UNYAC Safe Sanctuaries Conference
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UMC Clergy Education Offering Courses for Credit
Apr. 22 - Starting and Sustaining Effective Hybrid Ministries
Anne Bosarge. Click here to register or for information.
April 29 - Love Thy Neighbor: Staying the Course Toward Racial Reconciliation: Part 1
Patricia Sanders Hall. Click here to register or for information.
May 11 - Love Thy Neighbor: Let's Get Busy With sustainable Actions: Part 2 Patricia Sanders Hall. Click here to register or for information.
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Camp & Retreat Ministries |
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Join us for a time of contemplation and connection at Sky Lake Camp and Retreat Center in May! We’ll gather outside and enjoy the beauty of Sky Lake as we consider what is blossoming in our world and in our life.
Clergy day: Thursday, May 20th 10am-3pm
Laity day: Thursday, May 27th 10am-3pm
Cost is $30, includes a hot lunch
We'll spend the majority of the day outdoors following all Covid-19 safety protocols. This event is co-sponsored by Sky Lake and Church in the Wild, a New Faith Community based at Sky Lake.
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Click here for the April issue of the Media Resource Center newsletter!
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NEW- How United Methodists can protect the earth
Today, April 22, is Earth Day, a day to acknowledge the things we can do to help the environment.
As United Methodists, we heed the call to do all in our power to care for planet Earth. Psalm 24 tells us, “The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it, the world and its inhabitants too.” In the Creation narrative in Genesis 1, God instructs human beings to care for the earth and all God created to dwell there.
UMC.org has prepared an article with eight ways we can better protect our planet. Click here to read these helpful tips.
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NEW - Fraudulent Unemployment Claims
The Upper NY Conference office has seen an increase in fraudulent unemployment claims for conference staff. We have received a few calls from churches who participate in unemployment insurance that they have as well. Click here for more information.
Please note: Churches are not required to participate in unemployment insurance but some voluntarily do for their lay staff.
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Can churches require proof of vaccination for visitors at worship or a church event?
With vaccination eligibility available for so many now, a lot of New Yorker’s are starting to return to more regular participation in various activities as they are vaccinated. This includes going to church.
Accordingly, there are a lot of questions about if it is okay to require that visitors show proof of vaccination when attending church events, including weekly worship. Current legal guidance advises against requiring visitors to show proof of vaccination. Click here to learn why.
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MENS OVERNIGHT RETREAT AT CAMP ALDERSGATE
April 30th-May 1st 2021
The Conference United Methodist Men wish to invite men from your own districts to our annual Spring Retreat, which will be held at
WHEN: Friday April 30th- Saturday May 1st
TIME: 4pm Friday-3pm Saturday
To help us promote this annual event, there is a descriptive flier available on our www.unyumm.org website.
Any questions contact our Conference President Mark Jones at 315-749-3700.
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Mission u 2021 Survey
United Methodist Women in the Upper New York Conference are planning this summer’s “Mission u 2021” event, to be held virtually in July. Mission u is a transformative education program that offers study on several different curricula, including plenary and worship sessions open to everyone—not just women.
Please help us in preparing this event by completing a two-minute survey by April 26. If you have attended Mission u events in the past or would just like to consider attending in the future, you are encouraged to complete this survey. Thank you in advance for helping guide the development of this important program.
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Links to Resources for Reopening Your Church
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Revised COVID Worship Guidelines
1. All other COVID protocols remain in place:
2. Social distancing of 6ft (12ft for singers are allowed).
3. Masks.
4. Disinfecting of hands, surfaces, and objects.
5. Based on current guidance from the NYS and CDC, vaccination status does not change the requirements stipulated in #1 and #2.
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Free Discipleship Resources!
Download the latest free local church resources from Discipleship Ministries! Enjoy helpful how-to-booklets, webinars, and more all designed to support spiritual formation!
Discover Your Spiritual Gifts!
We all have a mixture of gifts that work together and give each of us a unique way to contribute to ministry.
Take the assessment to discover your primary and supporting gifts today!
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NEW- Jason Moore’s follow-up workshop offered helpful tips to UNY clergy
This past Monday, Jason Moore offered an hour of follow-up on Zoom to recap the Zoom workshop he hosted in Dec. 2020, including what he has learned in the last four months on how to offer successful worship and engagement on digital platforms. There was also a time for questions from the 41 attendees. Click here to access this recording.
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NEW- John Wesley’s health tips
United Methodists are indebted to John Wesley for his habits of study and discipline that enabled him to create the writings and teachings that became our denominational traditions. What may be less well known is that Wesley was also fascinated by the human body; he conducted many an experiment on himself, eventually leading to his development of over 800 remedies for 300 unique ailments, which he recorded in his volume, Primitive Physick.
One of Wesley’s remedies was for coughs; he suggested to, “make a hole through a lemon and fill it with honey. Roast it and catch the juice. Take a tea-spoonful of this frequently.”
Click here to discover a few more of John Wesley’s health tips.
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For information on Safe Sanctuaries, and on background checks,
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Lectio Divina revisited by Nancy Dibelius
Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, Upper New York Assistant Director of Vital Congregations for Spiritual Life, the Rev. Nancy Dibelius, has been providing videos of helpful spiritual practices to help deepen people’s relationship to God during this difficult time.
Click here for Rev. Dibelius’s latest spiritual discipline exploration.
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Listen to recorded digital discipleship webinar on children’s ministry
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Intentional Discipleship Systems in a pandemic
Article by Rev. Dr. Aaron Bowens, the UNY Director of Vital Congregations,What it means to have an intentional discipleship system. Click here to read it.
How do we create disciples during a pandemic? Click here for insight from Ellen Mall John, Albany District Associate.
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Self-care resources - Click here to visit the COVID-19 resources section of the Conference website to see the recently added self-care resources.
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Reminder: Beware of Scam Emails with the Superintendent's name
Scammers are once again using the Superintendent's name and 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. Nancy Adams. If you receive emails like this and move your mouse over the name "Rev. Nancy Adams", you will see the false email address the scammers are using to try to fool you.
Rev. Adams 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.
If you receive such emails 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.
Be sure to look carefully in the future as scammers have targeted hers 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 and wait for a call back or send a separate, new email to Oneonta District, OneontaDistrict@unyumc.org . to make sure it is not legitimate.
But asking for money or gift cards is a clear sign of a scam.
Below 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.
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What Harm Can One Click Do...?
(Courtesy of UM Communications)
Email scams are an inevitable part of living in a digital age. The most deceptive appear as inquiries, warnings or attachments from a trusted friend, colleague or organization like your local church. In truth, imposters are tricking people to reveal contacts, confirm logins or reset personal information.
Has your information been harvested by a data breach? Use this tool to check. Prevent further data hijacking by minding these tips
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How to get help from UNY Conference for...
Regular needs or questions, contact the Conference (315) 898-2000 or email: info@unyumc.org and leave a message including what assistance
you are seeking and it will be given to the right person to respond to you.
Technical or creative needs such as online Bible studies/meetings,
live streaming worship, or online giving
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Conference Office Address:
The Upper New York Conference
United Methodist Center
7481 Henry Clay Blvd
Liverpool, N.Y. 13088
Phone: 315-898-2000 Toll Free: (same) 1-855-424-7878
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Stay Informed, Up-To-Date Through These Links:
UNY Notes -Include notices From the Desk of Bishop Webb; Alerts; Announcements; Prayer requests; Death Notices; Camp & Retreat info
Weekly Digest - 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.
Another great resource is the UMCOM newsletter. To subscribe, click here
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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."
Your Partners in Ministry at the Oneonta District Office
Rev. Nancy Adams - District Superintendent
Teresa Wood, - Minister of Administration
Rev. George Gallandorm- District Associate
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Phone: (607) 441-5102
Fax: 607-353-1034
All past District Newsletters can also be found at:
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Mailing Address:
Oneonta District Office UMC
C/OTeresa Wood
PO Box 668
64 Chestnut St. Oneonta NY 13820
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