Crossroads and Finger Lakes Districts

August 22, 2023

Next newsletter is September 5, 2023

Please submit items to be included by the Friday before.

Welcome to the NEW District Newsletter, featuring news for

both the Crossroads and Finger Lakes Districts. This newsletter will contain only information relating to the districts. If you are receiving multiple copies of this newsletter please let the district office know and we will remove your name from one of the lists. Thanks

A Note from Sherri:

"See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland." Isaiah 43:19

Change. Change is all around us. August weather is already changing to cooler September temperatures. Kids and parents are busy getting ready to go back to school. Soon pumpkin spice will be everywhere!

Sometimes we like change: like a new pair of sneakers. Other times we resist it. Humans seem to have a love/hate relationship with change. We like change when we are in control of it. We dislike change when it surprises us or is out of our control.

Isaiah was speaking to God’s people who had been taken into captivity or left behind in Jerusalem. He’s saying to the people, “Hey, don’t give up! The same God that led us through the sea and the wilderness is still our God. But don’t expect God to do the same things. God is doing a new thing. It’s on the way. Do you see it yet?”

Isaiah is saying God is going to change things up again. While things may be different, God is still the same, yesterday, today, and forever. Our task is to keep our eyes open to see how God is acting and engage with what God is doing.

As United Methodists of Upper New York, we’re in a season of change in our district leadership and function. As you know, our Superintendents and Superintending Administrative Assistants are now serving two districts. I hope you have taken a moment to welcome SAA Betsy O’Flynn. Betsy is a true gift to us. She brings many years of experience in the Upper New York Conference. Please keep Betsy in your prayers as she gets to know all of you and works to digitize documents and prepares to work virtually.

With these changes we will need to do some things differently. I am praying that we will celebrate the new ways even when we might lament the old. Moving forward, we will need to extend grace to one another as we live into this new way of being. We will need to become more comfortable with meeting virtually from time to time. We will need to meet in larger groups at other times. What are the gifts of living into our new way of being? I believe God is doing a new thing within and among us. If we are willing to let go and see the possibilities, we can live into new ways of being God’s beloved community here and now.

One of the new things we are doing is our process for Charge Conferences and supervisory conversations. You should have received the Charge Conference schedule and the sign-up information for Supervisory One on One Conversations. If you haven’t, please let Betsy know and she can point you in the right direction.

What new thing is God doing today in your life? In your church? In your community? What new thing is God doing among us as United Methodists of Crossroads and Finger lakes Districts? How can we invite others into a new way of being Jesus’ hands, feet, and heart in the world? Please let me know what you are perceiving.

I’m praying for you. Please pray for me.



Grace and peace,

Sherri

** REVISED: SAVE THE DATE **

Fall Clergy Meeting Dates Scheduled

Please Mark your Calendars for the Fall Clergy Meetings!

Crossroads District is scheduled for Tuesday September 19th at the

UNY Conference Center - Room B.

7481 Henry Clay Blvd, Liverpool NY 13088

NEW LOCATION!!!

Finger Lakes District is scheduled for Wednesday September 20th at the Geneva UMC

340 Main Street, Geneva NY 14456

The meetings will start at 9:00am and will be ending by 12:30pm.

Dear Friends,

Retired pastor and superintendent Dick Barton has had a long recouperation from surgery early this year and is finally back home. He still has a lot of healing to accomplish and could use our encouragement. Please consider sending a note or card to Dick to bolster his spirit. Let’s shower him with some Crossroads and Finger Lakes love and support.

His address is:

Dick Barton

3592 Loch Haven Dr

Edgewater, MD. 21037

Thanks

DS Sherri Rood

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

Crossroads District News

“The Crossroads Lay Servant Ministries uses Facebook to communicate our classes and other news.

We invite all Lay Servants/Lay Servants/CLM’s to follow us on

“UNY Crossroads District Lay Servant/Speakers”

On Facebook, SEARCH for UNY Crossroads District Lay Servants/Speakers

CLICK Follow

We will see you there!

Bob Mueller Co-Director Crossroads LSM Committee

Darlene Dennis Co-Director Crossroads LSM Committee

Listed CLICK on the link below for Fall Classes -

Advanced Courses for Lay Servants, Required Course for Lay Speaking

FROM YOUR HEARTS TO THEIRS: Delivering an Effective Sermon

DISCOVER YOUR SPIRITUAL GIFTS



OPENING OURSELVES TO GRACE: The means of grace and discipleship

UNITED METHODIST HERITAGE

******

UNIVERSAL APPLICATION

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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August 8 - 29, 2023

PENNELLVILLE FARMERS MARKET 

A Farmers Market will be held every Tuesday through August 29th at the Pennellville United Methodist Church parking lot from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. 

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

We hope to connect our community with the best in local produce and

products at reasonable prices. The church will also be selling hot dogs,

salt potatoes, potato chips, soda and water.

New vendors are welcome. There is no charge for a space.  

You must feature homegrown and/or homemade products. 

Any vendor who is interested may contact Jeff Hodge at (315) 383-4384, Bonnie Frawley at (315) 695-2193, or Chris McCabe at (315) 516-4875. 

Please call as soon as possible to reserve a space.

***********************

August 25, 2023

Gethsemane UMC in Syracuse is announcing our

first "Inside N Out" Yard Sale coming on

August 25th and 26th from 10 am to 4 pm. 

The church is located at 1700 Butternut St. 

This is an effort to showcase our Northside Thrift Shoppe which is

open from 10-noon on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. 

The merchandise on display both in the Shoppe and

outside on the lawn is a combination of household items, pictures,

clothing for all, books, toys, small appliances and some special collectables. The prices are unbeatable and all of the proceeds will go to one of our missions, the Wuster-Whitehead Personals Closet. 

Please visit our website for more information and mark the dates

on your calendars. 

You never know what treasures you'll find!  

*********************

August 26, 2023

Please join Trinity UMC for their Open House on

Saturday August 26, 2023 from 11:00am - 2:00pm.

Self guided tour - 120 year old building

30 Exquisite Tiffany Styled Stained Glass Windows

Enjoy Light Refreshments

The church is located at 45 East Utica Street, Oswego NY

More information at 315-343-1715 or Facebook Page.

CLICK HERE for a Flyer

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August 29, 2023

PENNELLVILLE FREE WILL DINNER

The Pennellville United Methodist Church will be having their next

Free Will Dinner on Tuesday, August 29th from 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. 

The menu will be a 'summer fare' type.  

Come out and enjoy some good food and fellowship. 

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

In conjunction with the Free Will Dinner, we will also be holding our Farmers Market in the parking lot from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m.

Free Will Dinners are held the last Tuesday of each month. Menu and dates are subject to change, if needed. We hope to see you on August 29th.

*********************

2024 Journeys of St. Paul in Turkiye and Greece

October 21 through November 2, 2024

Join Pastors Alicia Wood and B.J. Norrix on this Educational Opportunities Journey of learning and Discovery!

Visit Athens, Corinth, Thessaloniki, Philippi Istanbul, Cappadocia, Antioch,

Colossae, Laodicea, Emphasis (and Much more).

$4496 from Syracuse (Includes all travel, hotels, admission fees, guide,

deluxe motor coach and two meals a day)

$150 discount if you register before December 21, 2023.

Visit the places of St. Paul's missionary journeys with your Syracuse neighbors

 and friends.

For more information or brochure contact:

Pastor Alicia Wood at pastoraliciawood@gmail.com 

or Pastor B.J. Norrix at bjnorrix@gmail.com for brochures and more information.

Finger Lakes District News

Church Announcements

August 28, 2023

Join us on Monday, Aug 28 at 11:30am at the Lyons United Methodist church (93 William St.) for a FREE sit-down lunch and fellowship!  

We will be serving a sloppy Joes, tossed salad and

ice cream sundaes for dessert.

There are no take-outs available. 

Please sign-up for this meal by the Aug 25 by calling 315-946-6035

or email lyons.umc@verizon.net.

*********************

Looking for a Used Church Organ

I'm looking for a used church organ that is self contained and

will fit into a smaller studio in Auburn.

I'm looking for a console organ which has at least 2 manuals (that have the same number of keys) and has at least 25 pedals.

If you know of an organ that's looking for a home,

please contact me.

Susan May (organist at the Auburn UMC) 315-364-7141.

Email: maysings52@gmail.com. Thank you.

As stated previously - please subscribe to the conference news for the following:

For important news regarding Bishop Hector A. Burgos Nunez,

Annual Conference, and valuable other resources,

YOU will need to subscribe to Conference emails by clicking here.

You should subscribe at least to the UNY Notes and the Weekly Digest.

If you missed a previous District newsletter,

Click here for an archived copy of

Crossroads District

Finger Lakes District

THANK YOU for your patience during this transition time.

Please reach out to the district office with any questions.

Crossroads and Finger Lakes District Superintendent

Rev. Dr. Sherri Rood - Sherrirood@unyumc.org

Crossroads District Lay Leader

Darlene Dennis

Robert Mueller

Finger Lakes District Lay Leader

Shafeegh Habeeb

Superintendency Administrative Assistant

Betsy O'Flynn - betsyoflynn@unyumc.org

Office # - (585) 340-9525

PO Box 23206

Rochester, NY 14692