Oneonta District Newsletter
January 3rd, 2018
"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."
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 Your prayers and support for all those who are ill and pained in body, mind and heart.
Prayers for all those participating in the Holy Land Journey with Bishop Webb and his wife Jodi, including Oneonta DS Rev. everett and his wife Sharon -on an 11-day trip
(scheduled for January 9-19, 2018)
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Please Note :
Oneonta District Office hours through
January 14th, 2018 - will be as follows :
Thur. January 4th - 7am - 1pm (working but not in Office)
Fri. January 5th - 7am-12 pm (working but not in Office)
Sat. & Sun., Jan. 6-7th- Office closed
Mon. January 8th- 7am - 1pm (working but not in Office)
Tues. January 9th - 7am - 1pm (working in Office)
Wed. January 10th - 7am - 1pm (working but not in Office)
Thurs. January 11th - 9am-3pm (working in Office)
Fri. January 12th - 7am - 12pm (working but not in Office)
Sat. & Sun., Jan. 13th- 14th -Office closed
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| Local Church News & Events |
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f your church has events that you would like advertised in this section please email Teresa at
[email protected]- We send our weekly Newsletter out Weekly on Wednesday evenings so please send your information to us by 12:00 Noon on Wednesdays
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It's not over yet - Keep that paperwork coming -
Now Past Due - if you have not already sent this form to the District Office please do at your earliest convenience !
Now Past Due Friday, December 1, 2017 (
Do not mail printed copy - just update or complete and save online) *
Due by February. 15, 2018 (Mail completed & signed copy of each to the District Office) *
** If you experience difficulty signing into Ezra for the statistical report, please contact Teresa at the district office.
If you have a church that cannot complete their reports online, please fill out the blank forms
(Click here for Blank Forms) and send it to Teresa at the Oneonta District Office to input the report for you.
Erica Wentworth (UNYAC Finance Support Specialist) will also be available to any church who has questions, concerns or password issues. You can reach her at :
P: (315) 898-2004
Thank all of you in advance, as statistics can be very time consuming.
Due by March 15, 2018 (Mail completed copy of each to District Office) *
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Annual Men's Communion and Breakfast- Needs your help for 2018 Site
Greetings,
I am David Barnes, coordinator for 25 years of the Annual Men's Communion and Breakfast, held yearly on the Saturday before Palm Sunday.
For 2018, the date is March 24th.
This year's breakfast site has not been determined and I could use your help. I and looking for a church in the Oneonta District that would be willing to host this event. It is a time when Methodist Men from the district gather for coffee hour, communion and breakfast and some information. The logistics can be worked out after a location has been set.
Just so you know, this event has been around since I was a young guy in Oneonta District. Since the church I belong to was switched to Binghamton District, when the new conference was formed, we started including Binghamton District in the area covered.
If there are churches which have a United Methodist Men's charter, we look forward to your group reaching out.
Thanks and have a great day with Jesus.
Dave Barnes
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ONEONTA DISTRICT MISSION TEAM MEETING - Wants to know ...
How have your churches responded to recent mission projects. Please share with us how many cleaning buckets, health kits, Red Bird Shoe Boxes, or other such kits have been assembled in the last few months? Please send this information to Nancy Hale at [email protected]
Our new Mission Team wants to compile the information so we can share it with everyone in the district.
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Announcement: Rev. Carlos M. Rosa-Laguer to become Niagara Frontier DS
Upper New York Area Resident Bishop Mark J. Webb is pleased to announce his intention to appoint the Rev. Carlos M. Rosa-Laguer as superintendent of the Niagara Frontier District, effective July 1, 2018.
Rev. Rosa-Laguer serves as pastor of the Emmanuel and Churchville congregations of Rochester, NY, and has also been very involved in Hispanic-Latina Planting in cooperation with the Upper New York Conference Office of New Faith Communities.
In November, Niagara Frontier District Superintendent (DS), the Rev. Wayne Butler announced that he will retire June 30, 2018. Upper New York Area Resident Bishop Mark J. Webb gives thanks for Rev. Butler's service and wishes him well in his retirement.
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Did you know that our Annual Conference is working for social justice throughout our world? As a part of this mission, at our Annual Conference meeting this past June, the Body approved two recommendations that were presented by the Task Force on Peace with Justice in Palestine/Israel that will help our Annual Conference to be faithful to this mission.
The first of these recommendation calls on each local congregation and the administrative arms of our conference to avoid purchasing products from Hewlett-Packard. This corporation is the main supplier of computer technology for the Israeli military and for the security groups who oversee the Israeli settlements that are built on Palestinian lands in opposition to international policies.
The second recommendation calls on all conference personnel who are eligible to participate in the investment plans provided through the conference to move their investments into the Equity Social Values Plus Fund (ESVPF). This fund, also offered through Wespath, was created to help those investing to do so in a socially conscious way, while avoiding companies who are involved in the Israeli occupation, or are known for poor ecological practices throughout the world.
The Task Force on Peace with Justice in Palestine/Israel would love to hear from you about how your congregation is helping us as a conference live into our mission for peace and justice throughout the world. Have you been able to change to a different provider for your technology needs? Has your pastor changed her/his investment plan? Please contact one of the task force members listed below by e-mail to let us know what your congregation is doing, or to inquire of us how we can walk beside you as we seek to live into the vision and mission of God's church.
Peace,
Pastor Gary Kubitz
First United Methodist Church of Voorheesville
The Upper NY Annual Conference Task Force on Peace with Justice in Palestine/Israel
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| Clergy Compensation and Taxes Video
Clergy face some distinctive tax regulations and often need guidance from tax professionals with experience working with clergy. The Lewis Center has prepared an informational video to help seminary students and clergy understand better the issues to which they and their tax preparers need to give attention. We use it as part of our seminary class on Personal Finances for Religious Professionals. Click here to view this 12-minute video on Clergy Compensation and Taxes.
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GCFA Guidelines on Local Church File Retention
Click here to view the UMC - General Commission on Archives and History - Local Church Record Management guidelines
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Anyone interested in borrowing our set of- on loan 
Faith We Sing UM Hymnal CDs,
please contact us at [email protected] or call (607) 441-5102
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Have you checked out the classifieds section on the UNY website?
The classified ads are meant to be a way for members of the Upper New York Conference to communicate directly with each other about available or needed goods or services. It is a small way to support the United Methodist Connection in Upper New York. Currently, there are a number of job openings. Click here to view the UNY classifieds section.
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2017 Ministry Share remittal deadline announced
As we near year-end for 2017, please note that the cut-off date for churches remitting 2017 Ministry Share payments to the Conference office is Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2018. More important dates to mark in your calendars will be released soon.
'Track' your Ministry Shares progress
Through Ministry Shares, your local church supports remarkable ministries around the world and in your backyard. The majority of Upper New York Conference churches are currently on track to pay 100 percent of their Ministry Share benevolence for 2017.
Click here to see the full list of on-track churches.
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Track Data, Gain
Insight, and Help Your Church with VitalSigns
The VitalSigns dashboard is a tool that allows churches to track church growth indicators, such as weekly worship attendance, professions of faith, small group participation, missional participation, and financial giving. It is a deeper level of insight, support, and accountability that tracks and trends vital information in an easy-to-understand dashboard.
The General Council on Finance and Administration pays for this software through General Church apportionments - which the Upper New York Conference paid in full in 2016. The UNY Conference began using VitalSigns about 18 months ago, and so far, 38 UNY churches have signed up.
Click here to learn how VitalSigns can help your church.
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CONAM - Committee on Native American Ministries -
Read about it - click here |
| Paid Family Leave ..Click to read |
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Bishop Webb announces clergy appointments
Upper New York Area Resident Bishop Mark J. Webb has announced new appointments and retirements.
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Tending the Soul Program
Tending the Soul is a program designed to train individuals in Spiritual Direction and Formation. As well as provide skills for leadership within their local congregations as well as District and Conference wide. The program will offer training in both one-on-one spiritual direction and group/congregational direction and formation. By the end of the first year, participants will be encouraged to discern the unique way in which they are being called to live out this ministry. The training will occur during six retreats, each four days in duration, spread over a two-year period. The next opportunity for participation will begin with the following dates:
- February 23-26, 2018
- May 18-21, 2018
- October 22-25, 2018
- February 22-25, 2019
- May 17-20, 2019
- October 14-17, 2019
All the retreats are held at Casowasco Camp and Retreat Center. For more information or to learn how to apply contact Nancy Dibelius:
[email protected]
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Upper New York Camp & Retreat Ministries (CRM)
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UNYAC Job Postings
Current Job Openings at Upper New York
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Conference Office Address:
The Upper New York Conference office has moved to the new:
United Methodist Center
7481 Henry Clay Blvd
Liverpool, N.Y. 13088
NEW Phone: 315-898-2000 Toll Free: (same) 1-855-424-7878
For additional information, click here.
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| UNY Media Resource Center ...Click here Watch the Media Resource Center Video ...Click here Flyer |
Quick Links
The Oneonta District newsletter and calendar can be found
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| Please share this issue of the Oneonta District Newsletter with church members and staff, teams and organizations. If you wish to include news about your missions or disciple formation ministries, please send it on Mondays to be published - that week - email: [email protected] Also - If you have ideas for making our District Newsletter better - we would like to hear from you . |
Oneonta District Office
of the Upper New York Conference
of the United Methodist Church
"Living the gospel of Jesus Christ and Being God's love with our neighbors in all places."
Your Partners in Ministry at the Oneonta District Office
Rev. Everett Bassett
, District Superintendent
Teresa Wood, Administrative Assistant
64 Chestnut St. (GPS) / PO Box 668 (Mailing), Oneonta, NY 13820
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CCLI License Guidelines for the Conference
Resources &
Quick Links
