MOUNTAIN VIEW DISTRICT NEWS

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"Nancy's final notes" will be sent out on Monday in a separate blast! So, stay tuned!!!!


From DS McDowell
Grace to you in Mountainview District, and peace through our Lord Jesus Christ! I write to you as the incoming superintendent for your district, well familiar with the area and many of your ministries. I appreciate all the work Rev. Nancy Adams has been doing in your midst. Our work is to empower you to serve Christ at your highest abilities. That service depends on us hearing and living the word of God. Do you hear what I hear?

God’s word is new every morning. God is speaking a life-changing word into the turmoil. Now is the time for God’s prophets to bring a new word to the people: a word of peace through Christ’s salvation. Do you hear a new word spoken just for this time and place? Are you noticing new people listening to the good news? Have you taken time to discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and acceptable? Do you stop to watch and wait for the Lord to pass by in the wind, the fire, and the earthquake and then speak in a still, small voice? (I Kings 19)        
                    
Friends, I am listening with you. And I have help doing so. First, I have you, already active in ministry. Second, I have a team of superintendents in the southern tier: Nancy Adams, Suzanne Block and myself strategizing ministry in the Cornerstone, Mountainview, Binghamton and Oneonta districts. Third, a new position of District Associate begins July 1. Rev. Mike Kelly will work over the summer to help me in my work of superintending. I have asked him to begin with the following tasks: 1. Assess the district in relation to active disciple-making in our churches and areas; 2. Assess the district’s needs for specialized assistance such as conflict transformation, growth impediments and leadership voids; 3. Discover and create peer support for clergy and other leaders; 4. Network with servants across district to prepare us to Discover, Develop, and Deploy (3 D’s) Christ-following leaders.

I commend the ministry of Rev. Kelly to you and ask you to receive him warmly as he begins his work. While I am on leave, Rev. Adams and Block are covering this district. I will begin work in the Bath office September 1. I vow to pray for each pastor and each church by name every week. My prayer will align with Paul’s prayer: 16 “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God ] 17  And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” (Colossians 3:16-17)

In Christ with you,

Jeff McDowell
6/25
The Mountain ViewDistrict Office Will Continue to Work Remotely
Through Labor Day
The office building is temporarily closed.
Please connect with us through email and telephone.

The Mountain View District Office Administrative Assistant is available via phone and email.
7 a.m. to 2:15 p.m., Monday-Thursdays generally.
Call the District 607-962-8047, or
send email to: mountainviewdistrict@unyumc.org.
In-person assistance may be available by appointment.
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.
Bishop Webb Announces Clergy Appointments
Upper New York Area Resident Bishop Mark J. Webb and the Upper New York Conference announce appointments and retirements pending approval of clergy session. View the full list of changes here .  
NEW
DS changes effective July 1 as UNY begins its Regional Superintendency Plan
July 1 marks the beginning of Upper New York’s (UNY) new Regional Superintendency Plan. While UNY Conference will maintain the current 12 Districts, every District will be a part of one of three Regions. This will allow leadership and collaboration opportunities between Districts within each Region. As a reminder, here are the three Regions:
 
  • Region 1 consists of the Albany, Adirondack, Northern Flow, and Mohawk Districts.
  • Region 2 consists of the Crossroads, Finger Lakes, Genesee Valley, and Niagara Frontier Districts.
  • Region 3 consists of the Oneonta, Binghamton, Mountainview, and Cornerstone Districts.
 
With the new Regions, there will be some changes with District Superintendents (DSes). Every District will have a primary DS appointed to it with a team of three DSes working together in each Region.
 
Click here to learn about these changes. 
6/25/2020
NEW
Helping to combat loneliness during the COVID-19 pandemic
While a virus may limit where you can go and what you can do, it cannot limit your affection for others or their affections for you. Social distancing may physically isolate people, but technology and creativity can bridge the gap. The best cure for loneliness is genuine companionship.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, most churches have been actively engaged with their congregants either through internet-based platforms or through phone calls, mailings, etc. Are you looking for more safe and creative ways to help your congregants feel loved during this difficult time?

Resource UMC has provided dozens of creative ways you can help your congregants combat loneliness. Click here to read this resourceful compilation of ideas. 
6/25/2020
NEW Associate Pastor of Youth
Family Ministries Wanted.
Cornerstone District has a job opening for an Associate Pastor of Youth Family Ministries.
 
Deadline to send resumes in July 15, 2020.
 
If you have questions, please contact Rev. Steve Taylor, steven.taylor@panamaum.org
6/25
NEW
COS input Requested
To all those that are part of the Course of Study program.

We will be having a meeting to discuss the COS satellite program and was looking for any input that the local pastors have concerning their experience with the past sessions. What did you like and what do you think we can improve on? I understand that the last session had to move to online – how did that work? Would you like to see more online options? This was our first year with the Satellite school located at the conference office location. Any constructive feedback is welcome and I will bring it up at our meeting in July.
Please reply to candidacy@unyumc.org by July 8, 2020 with your comments.

Thanks in advance for your help
Betsy O’Flynn
COS Registrar
NEW
Is God Calling Your Congregation
To Serve College Students?

We are excited to offer a new lay servant course focused on empowering local congregation to grow in understanding and service to students in your local contexts! This course is open to both clergy and laity, taught by Rev. Colleen Hallagan Preuninger, Associate Minister for Memorial Church and Director of Student Engagement, Office for Religious Life, Stanford University.

  • Dates:  7/5, 7/12, 7/19, 7/26, 8/2
  • Time: 3:00-5:00 pm EDT
  • Location: Zoom
  • Cost: Free!
  • Materials Needed: Campus Ministry: Empowering Congregations to Support Students at Colleges and Universities by Colleen Hallagan Preuninger

For more information on this course click here

RSVP by July 1
Rev. Colleen Hallagan Preuninger
e-mail: colleenpreuninger@gmail.com   cell: 315-527-7383
6/25/2020
NEW
UNY Conference Commission on Religion and Race Statement on recent racial violence and subsequent demonstrations
The UNY Conference Commission on Religion and Race (CCORR) has released a statement about the recent acts of racial violence and the subsequent demonstrations. CCORR explains that these recent killings represent more than a few bad apples among us—they are the result of a white supremacist system that dehumanizes people of color.
 
Click here to read the full statement, which includes suggestions on deliberate steps to take to help address the challenges before us
6/25/2020
Re-opening Your Church Information
PPP is STILL Available
Good news!!!!! We are being told that there is still a billion dollars (and yes that is B for billion) available as of a week ago today to apply for. The timeline is now 24 weeks. I am not sure if that means for new applicants or if for those of you that applied in the beginning.
You may want to check this out to see where things are now.
Click here for more information.
6/11/2020
UNY Conference Reopening Taskforce
On June 2nd, the UNY Reopening Taskforce hosted a webinar on reopening your church. Click here  to watch that webinar.  Click here  to see the PowerPoint that accompanied the webinar.
6/18/2020
New York State Opening Guidelines
As you know New York State has recently authorized the resumption of limited in-person gatherings in church buildings across the state, provided certain mandatory minimum safety requirements are met. These are the links that pertain to churches from the NYS website. 




Churches are required to have developed a Safety Plan   and have it available/on file at the church and to submit a form that affirms that guidelines are being followed prior to reopening.  

6/18/2020
Upper New York ALSO Requires Affirmation
The Upper New York Conference is also requiring that churches affirm their compliance with safety requirements by submitting this form . Every church in the Conference whether you reopen or you choose to continue to meet remotely must submit this form.

Deadline for submission is Friday, June 26 , 2020. 
6/18/2020
FAQs about churches reopening

Last week, the UNY Conference published a news item overviewing reopening guideline with a link to view an up-to-date comprehensive guide to help local churches understand when they can open and resume services. Since then, we have been getting some questions.

Click here for a compilation of the Frequently-Asked-Questions with answers. If you have a question related to reopening, feel free to contact our COVID-19 hotline at (315) 898-2012 or  COVID-19response@unyumc.org  and someone will contact you and add the question and answer to our compilation.
5/28/2020
PREVIOUSLY RUN NEWS ITEMS
Dismantling racism resource

The UMC will lead a sustained and coordinated effort beginning now and continuing through General Conference, August 29 to September 7, 2021, 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.

This week, we recommend graphics you can use on social media to promote the need to end racism. Use the hashtag #EndRacism and click here to access graphics you can use.
6/18/2020
UNY clergy are eligible for 1 CEU from BOM
The Upper New York Board of Ordained Ministry (BOM) has approved the following motion: It is moved that all clergy, including local pastors, and all Certified Lay Ministers serving as leaders of congregations, shall be eligible to receive one (1) CEU from the Board of Ordained Ministry, for leading congregations through the COVID-19 pandemic in the Upper New York Conference.

Eligible clergy would apply for the certification by Dec. 1, 2020 and would need to briefly share in a paragraph for two, the nature of the work during the New York State PAUSE , how it worked, and what the response was. Eligible Clergy and CLMs would then receive a CEU certificate.

BOM’s policy on this would be as follows: Pastors would apply for the CEU by filling out a short form, with a paragraph, describing what they did to keep churches connected and how it worked. Certificates would then be issued by BOM.  Click here to fill out the form. The deadline to submit the form to BOM is Dec. 1, 2020. The form should be emailed to Pastor Bob Kolvik-Campbell at pastorbob@hotmail.com or sent by regular mail to Bob Kolvik-Campbell, Christ Church UMC, 417 Park Street, Sherrill, NY 13461.
Tune in to Webinars 
The Conference website has webinars to assist you with the following:
• How to Facebook Live
• Using ZOOM to keep church connection
• Online Giving
• Streaming worship online

6/11/20
Deadlines for Annual Reports
is July 15th
Deadline for the following Reports:
  • Report of Trustees
  • Report of the Finance Committee
  • 2019 Local Church Financial Audit
these reports due date have been extended until July 15, 2020.
Local Church Historian School
The General Commission on Archives and History of the United Methodist Church will be offering a Local Church Historian School in 2020 for church historians---or anyone interested in the story of their church.

The curriculum will cover a wide range of skills necessary to become a "complete" church historian.

The school will begin on September, 14, 2020. Plan now to use this opportunity to ensure that the heritage of each of our churches will be celebrated and that each church can receive the full benefit of its own amazing story.

The school is free to attend. Click here to register.
6/11/2020
General Conference 2021 dates announced
and will explore use of technology
The quadrennial legislative event will take place on Aug. 29 - Sept. 7, 2021 , at the Minneapolis Convention Center in Minneapolis, Minn.   Click here for more information

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UMC Bishops announce dates
for postponed 2020 Jurisdictional Conferences

The Jurisdictional Conferences in the United States will be held Nov. 10-12, 2021.
Click here for more information
5/28/2020
UNY Conference Center remaining closed
to the public
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 until Tuesday Sept. 8, the day after Labor Day at the earliest.
From the Lewis Center
for Church Leadership
50 Ways to Welcome
a New Pastor
If a new pastor is in your congregation's future, be sure to check out 50 Ways to Welcome a New Pastor. This resource shares tips on how to say goodbye to your current pastor in a healthy way and offers helpful advice on how to welcome your new pastor.

Read now and download free.
6/11/2020
New Pastors Should Make Time to Listen 
Sidney Williams writes that a top priority for a new pastor needs to be listening to the stories of congregants to discern needs, learn who the leaders are, and build community. The importance of spending time listening, sharing, laughing, and crying together cannot be overstated.

COS Satellite School Registration
for 2020-2021 Sessions
All of us at Wesley and the UNY conference pray that you are well and your congregations are healthy. We are hoping to hold courses in person in the fall, but those decisions have not yet been made. Everyone, faculty and students, should be prepared to hold courses on-line should the stay at home orders and social distancing requirements remain in effect.  
 
If you have any questions about this, please contact Sara Sheppard at ssheppard@wesleyseminary.edu   Please check Blackboard close to the start of your class for instruction information.  
 
Thank you!
 
Sara
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Click here for the registration form
Please remember your DS needs to sign;
then the UNY COS registrar ( candidacy@unyumc.org) needs to sign BEFORE it gets forwarded on to the school.
The registration form can also be found on the conference website - under Ministries in the toolbar - under Board of Ordained Ministry -
right hand side of screen - COS satellite school
Imagine no Racism approved as an
advanced course in UNY
Great news for Lay Servant Ministries! Imagine No Racism (INR) has been approved as an advanced course for Upper New York. The curriculum, which has a deeply spiritual foundation, has been formatted as a 10-hour course including videos, conversations, and experiential learning. An INR facilitator will lead each course. Each District has at least three trained facilitators who will guide the conversation as the participants experience vital concepts dealing with racism in today’s world. The goal of this experience is to develop each lay servant’s ability to be an ally who walks with people of color to build relationships and take action for justice.

Stay connected to the Conference communications platforms for more details to come.
5/28/2020
RESOURCE CENTRAL
Helpful links to put resources at your finger tips!