March 18, 2025 Crossroads and Finger Lakes Newsletter

Crossroads and Finger Lakes Districts

March 18, 2025

Next newsletter is April 1, 2025

Please submit items for inclusion to the district office no later

than Friday before.

A Note from Sherri:

^“And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” Hebrews 10:24-25

In a few days registration will open for the 2025 Session of Annual Conference. This year the United Methodists of Upper New York will gather May 22^nd through 24^th at the OnCenter in Syracuse. Yes, we’re meeting earlier than usual, and we are back in the city of Syracuse. With the change at Jurisdictional Conference and Bishop Héctor assigned both Upper New York and Susquehanna Conferences, it was necessary to change our dates, and then, find a facility that could host us. As you can imagine, it’s no easy task to find a place for over 800 people to meet! Many people across the conference are working to prepare for this event and I invite you to keep them in prayer.

What is an Annual Conference? Well, it’s three things: a regional body, an organizational body and an annual gathering.

· The regional body is the designated geographical area that includes churches, camp and retreat ministries and other ministry sites.

· The organizational body are the folks at the conference office who work on your behalf: the Episcopal Office, Communications, Human Resources, Finance, Camp and Retreat Ministries, to name a few.

· The annual gathering is a time for clergy and laity from the churches to gather for worship, fellowship, learning and decision-making on behalf of everyone in the conference. It’s a time to pray together, encourage one another and hear how God is calling us to move forward in faith.

Each church sends their pastor and a lay member to annual conference to help shape our life together. Your lay member to annual conference is the voice and vote of your church in the conference. Please pray for our gathering in May. If you are a clergyperson or the lay member to annual conference, please be sure to register. Your voice and vote matter.

If you have questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Betsy O’Flynn or me.

Grace and peace,

Sherri

The Commission on Archives & History of UNY Conference

has an urgent need for Volunteers

The Commission on Archives and History is looking for new members to join the Commission. Currently we do not have representative from every District. We meet every 2 months by Zoom and at the Archives in Liverpool at least once a year. We are in charge of the United Methodist Archives for the UNY Conference, as mandated by the Book of Discipline.

Our duties are to maintain the Conference Archives and to collect, record the contents by GCAH standards, and supervise boxes of closed church records.

Disaffiliations made very obvious how critical our work is.

In addition we hire and supervise an Archives Asst and supervise

an intern and the small team of monthly Archives volunteers.

Contact Susan Slenker, CAH Secretary for details. jslenker@twcny.rr.com

Click Here for Pictures

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Calling all lovers of history! The UNYUMC Archives in Liverpool is again in need of monthly volunteers. We meet the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays to process records received from closing churches and to research requests received from past church members for family legal records.

Every day is a treasure hunt! Bring your lunch / beverage

and plan to stay 3-4 hours.

For details, call Susan Slenker, CAH Secretary, at 315-516-5289.

UPDATE: The Crossroads Basic Lay Servant Ministries Class that was scheduled to begin March 1st has been postponed until after Easter.

Basic Lay Servant Course (in person) - March 1st thru April 5th

UMHEF Scholarship April 1st Deadline

Apply by April 1 for Scholarships from the UM Higher Education Foundation!

Applications are due April 1st for scholarships from the United Methodist Higher Education Foundation. Don't miss out on some of the $2+ million awarded every year to students attending United Methodist-related colleges, universities, and seminaries. Learn more and apply by April 1st at https://umhef.org/apply. (Note: UMHEF scholarships are separate from those offered by the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry.)

UM Dollars for Scholars Program Awards up to $4,000!

The United Methodist Higher Education Foundation offers the UM Dollars for Scholars program. A $1,000 scholarship from a student's church is matched by UMHEF as well as participating UM-related schools and UM conference foundations for up to $4,000 to help pay your higher education. Learn more and apply by April 1st at https://umhef.org/umdfs. (Awards and final amounts are not guaranteed.)

SCHOLARSHIP FAQs

2025 UMHEF REFERENCE GUIDE

ERT Basic Training:

Celebrate UMCOR Sunday a day early by joining an

Early Response Team Training on March 29th!

This training will give you the skills you need to make a difference

when disaster strikes in your community.

You’ll learn key skills like roof tarping, debris removal, and

how to care for survivors.

Date: March 29th, 9AM - 5PM

Location: Rush United Methodist Church ( 6200 Rush Lima Rd, Rush, NY)

Cost: $35 (includes materials, lunch, background check, and ID badge)

Questions: disasterresponse@unyumc.org

Crossroads District News

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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March 20, 2025

Gethsemane UMC is hosting an

Easter Flower Sale

Lily or Hyacinth

$12.00

Orders due March 20th

Delivered April 18th

email request to rdennis31@verizon.net

or call or text Susan @ 315-345-6070

Leave name, phone number, type & number of plants requested

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April 6, 2025

Local Church Offers Free Will Dinner

The Oswego Trinity United Methodist Church (UMC) welcomes everyone to its free will dinner on Sunday, April 6 from 4:30-5:30 p.m. or until gone. The menu includes roast beef, mashed potatoes, vegetable, rolls, cupcakes, and beverage.

The eat-in dinner will be served downstairs (please use Utica Street entrance). Donations will be accepted, but never expected. The free will dinners usually occur the first Sunday of each month starting at 4:30.

The next free will dinner will be Sunday, May 4 from 4:30-5:30 p.m. or until gone. The menu includes chili, cornbread, Italian bread, Jello salad, cupcakes, and beverage.

The church is located at 45 East Utica Street, corner of East 4^th and Utica, Oswego. Everyone is welcome to attend in person worship on Sunday starting at 10:00 a.m. For further information, please call and leave a message at (315) 343-1715; visit https://trinityumcoswego.org/ or https://www.facebook.com/OswegoNYTrinityUMC.

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June 3-6, 2025

Sight and Sound Theater to see NOAH

Lancaster Bus Trip

June 3-6 2025

The trip includes transportation and lodging, with three breakfasts, dinners,

shows, driver gratuity and more.

Sponsored by Cicero United Methodist Church Caring Group

For more information, contact Mary Alice Scheel at 315-699-7181

Cost is $875.00 per person double, $950.00 Single

A $250.00 deposit is needed As Soon As Possible

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July 24, 2025

Syracuse United Methodist Ministries is sponsoring

A Family & Friends Fun Night

NBT Bank Stadium

1 Tex Simone Drive

Syracuse NY 13208

Syracuse Mets vs Omaha Storm Chasers

Game starts at 6:35pm

Tickets are $18.00

The 45h annual United Methodist Night at the Ballpark game-

Syracuse Mets vs Omaha Storm Chasers

There will be no tailgate party, but food and beverages will be discounted (Dollar Thursday). Like last year, we will have 200-level assigned seats. We will gather at 6.15 pm at Home Plate to sing the national anthem.

Please do not miss this fun event. Order your tickets by the JULY 10, 2025.

For more information or ticket reservation, please call or email

Rev. Andy M Anderson – at 917-723-0901 Email: andmcand@hotmail.com

Darlene Dennis – 315-345-6338 Email: rdennis31@verizon.net

Bellevue Heights UMC – 315-475-0011 Email: bellevueheightsums@gmail.com.

Make Check Payable to: Bellevue Heights UMC with Game written on the memo line and mail to: Bellevue Heights UMC, 2112 S. Geddes Street, Syracuse, NY 13207

Please, do not miss this fun event. Order your tickets by July 10.

CLICK HERE for Flyer and order Form

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Finger Lakes District News