Message from
D.S. Rev. Mike Weeden
“The Lord,” David added, “who rescued me from the power of both lions and bears, will rescue me from the power of this Philistine. “Go!” Saul replied to David. “And may the Lord be with you!” Then Saul dressed David in his own gear, putting a coat of armor on him and a bronze helmet on his head. 39 David strapped his sword on over the armor, but he couldn’t walk around well because he’d never tried it before. “I can’t walk in this,” David told Saul, “because I’ve never tried it before.” So he took them off. 40 He then grabbed his staff and chose five smooth stones from the streambed. 1 Samuel 17:37-40
It's appointment season. May churches will welcome new pastors and say goodbye to their current pastors. There is a human tendency to want a new pastor to have the same gifts, disposition, temperament, and skills as a current beloved pastor.
David feels the call of God to fight Goliath for his people and for God. King Saul tries to outfit David in Saul’s armor and gear. It is too heavy and too uncomfortable for David. He is not used to it. He discards Saul’s armor and picks up his own preferred weapons. We know the rest of the story. Imagine what would have happened if David tried to fight Goliath in someone else’s armor?
This account invites us to not long for a new pastor to have the same gifts and skills, and disposition as a beloved pastor. It is also a reminder about how we should receive new people, visitors, guests, and new members in the life of our churches. David would not have been able to bear fruit in his response to God’s call wearing someone’s else’s armor, someone else’s giftedness, skills, and disposition. The same is true for pastors, new guests, and new members to our churches. We can not expect them to bear fruit in response to God’s call in their lives based on our expectations and desires for them. We have to allow them to pick up their own stones, to share and reveal the ways they have been gifted by God for ministry. It just may be that they are called “for such a time as this.”
How do you create the openness, curiosity, and space to allow new guests, members, and pastors to display and share the ways they have been uniquely gifted by God for ‘such a time as this’? How do you help people in your church discover the ways they have been gifted by God?
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In Person Conference Postponed
to October 6-8 to be held Remotely
The Sessions Committee of the Upper New York Conference gathered by Zoom on the morning of Thursday, April 21 to discuss growing concerns about the uptick in COVID-19 cases in Upstate New York and throughout the United States.
Members of the Committee shared both their own perspectives and what they have been hearing from others regarding the comfort level of gathering more than a thousand United Methodist from across Upper New York at Onondaga Community College’s SRC Arena. In the end, while there was a great sense of loss about not being able to gather in-person for the third year in a row, the Committee overwhelmingly agreed that the top priority had to be the health and safety of the individuals that would be asked to attend. The decision was made to institute a backup plan that has been in place since the Committee started planning for an in-person Annual Conference gathering.
Annual Conference will be postponed to Oct. 6-8, and it will be a virtual gathering. The plan is to use the same technology that was used at the 2021 virtual Annual Conference gathering, which was relatively well received.
Postponing Annual Conference creates a new set of logistical concerns to address and the decisions about those concerns will be shared once they are made. In the meantime, anyone who has already registered for the planned in-person Annual Conference gathering will receive full refunds. The processing of refunds will start immediately but could take a couple of weeks to complete. If you made a hotel reservation, you should contact the hotel directly to cancel.
“We know that there will be many different reactions to the news of Annual Conference being postponed and moved to a virtual event,” said the Rev. Joellyn Tuttle, Chair of the Sessions Committee. “Many will be disappointed; many will be relieved; and many more will be some combination of the two. Ultimately, this decision puts the health of the members of the Annual Conference first and that felt right to the Committee. Our first desire was to do no harm, and we are confident that we can pull together an excellent virtual event in October.”
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Phishing Emails Again!!
D.S. Rev. Weeden has been notified that people are receiving phishing emails again that appear to come from him.
Please note that any email Rev. Weeden sends out will only be from his work email that is mikeweeden@unyumc.org and he would never send anything from a gmail account to you. Also note that he would never solicit any gift cards or anything else from anyone.
If you receive this kind of email please DELETE it and do not respond or open it.
Thank you
Northern Flow District
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Grants Available for Projects
It is the desire of the UNY Conference United Women in Faith (formerly UMW) to offer grants to non-profit community and faith-based organizations that follow the teachings of Jesus Christ and address the needs of women, children and youth within the boundaries of our conference.
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Trip to Holy Land 2023
The clergy team of Syracuse United Methodist Ministries (Revs. Andy Anderson, B.J. Norrix, Jee Hae Song, and Alicia Wood) invite you to join them on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, Feb. 14 – Feb. 24, 2023.
You will explore, learn, and fellowship as you visit Caesarea, the Sea of Galilee, Cana, Nazareth, Samaria, Jacob's Well, the Dead Sea, Bethlehem, Jerusalem, and much more. The cost of the trip starts at $3,448, leaving from JFK, New York. There is also an option to extend your trip through Jordan for an additional cost.
You are encouraged to register immediately with only $100. Register by April 14 ($125 off), May 14 ($100 off), June 14 ($75 off), July 14 ($50 off), August 14 ($25 off). Brochures with more details and registration forms are available. Please contact:
Jee Hae: jeehaesong611@gmail.com, 404-825-8025 (cell), for a brochure, online registration link, if you have any questions, or need more information.
There will also be an informational session on May 3 at Erwin First United Methodist Church that you can attend in-person or via Zoom.
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Training to Help You Deal with Everyday Struggles you Will Find in Any Ministry Setting
Transitional Intentional Interim Specialist Training (TIIMS) is designed to help pastors and congregations deal with the stresses of our culture in this time of uncertainty. While this training is specifically designed for those entering an interim situation (death of pastor, long pastorate, pastor leaving ministry, etc.), the training will help you deal with the everyday struggles you will find in any ministry setting.
This training is a three-phase experience spanning six months of time. Phase I is a three-day introduction to the concepts and principles of Interim Ministry. Phase II is a time in one’s ministry setting using some of the tools and principles learned in Phase I. Phase III is a re-gathering of the group.
Contact Jane Sautter with questions or register with the form here. She can be reached at 315-225-6170 or pastorjfs@gmail.com.
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Job Opportunities for Upper New York Conference
The Upper New York Conference has job openings, please click here for more information.
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Upper NY LPLS 2022
The Upper New York LPLS (Local Pastors Licensing School) Will be held May 9th to May 15th 2022 at
Casowasco Camp and Retreat Center
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Connect with Us 2022
Attached is the Connect with Us Academy 2022 announcement with the continuing education course schedule and descriptions --along with the registration form. These are high-quality courses. The full cost per course is just $75. The courses include videos and printed resources as well as 1-2 short zoom sessions. These courses are available to all clergy and CLMs. The pastor may invite one lay leader to attend the course with them without cost. A team of pastors from the same district may wish to register for these courses. The only written assignment is a short implementation plan at the end of the course for one CEU credit. Textbooks are not required. Videos and resources are provided for each course.
Your continuing theological education is important. Please consider registering for these courses.
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Tending the Soul Training
Tending the Soul, a training program in Missional Spiritual Direction and Congregational Formation, will be starting a new cohort in November 2022. The program is designed for lay and clergy. Perhaps more than any other time in our recent past, the ability to listen deeply for God, to remain centered and non-anxious, and to hold sacred space for others is an essential tool in ministry (both within your local congregation and the greater community).
Click here for more information and a brochure with all details on the program and how to apply.
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Conference Office Looking for your Stories!!
We’re looking for stories of a church vitality! Stories that inspire! Stories that motivate! Stories that can encourage churches throughout the Upper New York (UNY) Conference to try something new to live out the mission of the United Methodist Church, to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.
- May: Accountability groups
- June: Supporting marginalized or oppressed individuals and communities
- July: Church membership growth
Throughout the first half of 2022, we are asking for narratives of church success stories. Click here to read more about this initiative.
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Stewardship with
Rev. Susan Ranous
April 21, 2022
WITNESSING TO GENEROSITY
When we give inside church, during worship, it is a matter of public worship, and we are witnessing to our generosity. When we can’t pass the offering plates, that public witness is much more subtle.
How else can we witness to our generosity?
- Testimonies
- Telling stories of generosity
- Telling what generosity accomplishes in service of God’s mission
Don’t fixate on the face that offering plates aren’t being used like they used to be. I don’t know how to break it to you, but they may never be used the same way again!
And that’s okay. We just need to provide opportunities to give in as many different ways as possible. There need to be a variety of ways to give. Have you noticed fewer and fewer people actually have a checkbook or cash on them now-a-days. That means passing the plate wouldn’t work, even if we could.
There has been appositive result of the pandemic, and that is churches that hadn’t been providing online opportunities to give had to start online giving when their church buildings were closed.
Let’s embrace new and varied ways of giving, but, most importantly, keep offering central to worship and invite everyone to give.
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Safe Sanctuaries Training Schedule for 2022
Attached is a flyer for all upcoming Upper New York Safe Sanctuaries Zoom training session for the year, along with registration links and dates.
We will continue to send reminders prior to registration by an individual bases but we wanted to make sure all dates were available to the conference, districts and churches.
You will notice that the dates are strategic as we want to make it available prior to summer VBS programs, Fall Sunday school start up and a couple others in between. We have also set two Training of Trainer dates which we will ask those who wish to become a trainer in their local church and/or their districts to join.
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2022 Holiday Schedule
The District Office Will Be closed on the Following Dates
May 30th Memorial Day
July 4th Independence Day
September 5th Labor Day
November 24th and 25th Thanksgiving
December 23rd Christmas Eve (Observed)
December 26th Christmas (Observed)
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Northern Flow District
District Superintendent
Rev. Michael Weeden
Administrative Assistant
Tammy McAdam
Regional Associate
Rev. Rich Weihing
District Associate
Nancy Stanley
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Northern Flow District Office Hours |
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Monday through Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
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Northern Flow District
93 East Main Street, Second Floor
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
Our mission is to “make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world."
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