Media Resource Center Newsletter
November 2019
Welcome to the Upper New York Media Resource Center
If you've never used the Media Resource Center before, I invite you to give us a try. Funded by your Shared Ministry dollars, we can supply you with small group discussion materials, Bible studies, children and youth curriculum, adult curriculum, and a myriad of subjects such as stewardship, evangelism, social issues and VBS materials, just to name a few. Our quick and easy online ordering is just a click away. You can add things to a "shopping cart", then once submitted, you'll receive an email with your invoice attached. We send your order through the USPS and we'll supply the mail back envelopes and label with instructions on mailing. Your only cost is the postage to return it. Please feel free to search our online catalog below.

If I can assist you in any way, please don't hesitate to give me a call at 315-898-2027 or email me at [email protected].
All Saints Day: A holy day John Wesley loved
November 1 is All Saints Day, a sometimes-overlooked holy day in United Methodist congregations. It is not nearly as well known as the day before, All Hallows’ (Saints’) Eve, better known as Halloween, but is far more important in the life of the church.

John Wesley, founder of the Methodist movement, enjoyed and celebrated All Saints Day. In a journal entry from November 1, 1767, Wesley calls it “a festival I truly love.” On the same day in 1788, he writes, “I always find this a comfortable day.” The following year he calls it “a day that I peculiarly love.” Click here to read more.
Welcome Home, Veteran: My Son, My Daughter
They give up comforts so we can live in freedom. They leave their families behind to protect ours. They return changed by their experiences and are in need of our love and support.

As you celebrate Veterans Day, giving compassion to those who serve and their families, think about how your congregation can find opportunities to support them year round.

Click here to find tips and ideas for honoring and supporting veterans and military families on Veterans Day and beyond.

T hanksgiving and Thanks Sharing: Engage your church with gratitude

 It is a spiritual practice of many religions and a hallmark of Christianity: gratitude, giving thanks, showing appreciation for all that we have and the wonderful world God gave us. Gratitude journals and lists are all the rage in popular culture, but how often do we plan thankfulness as an activity of the church? Click here f or several ideas on bringing people together in the joyous practice of gratitude.
Get Your Spirit in Shape: Talking with God through Prayer
Do you struggle with prayer? Do you wonder if you’re doing it ‘right’? Have you ever wanted to ask someone how to pray? You are not alone. Even though the disciples asked Jesus how to pray, many feel embarrassed to ask a question that seems so elementary.

In this podcast episode, the Rev. Adam Weber, a United Methodist pastor and author of  Talking with God: What to Say When You Don't Know How to Pray , shares how his understanding of prayer changed over the years and offers tips and advice to help us have better conversations with God. He even touches on how to think about the times when God doesn't answer our prayers in the way we would like. Click here f or more prayer resources.
Advent Resources for 2019
It's not too early to place your order for the Advent season in the Media Resource Center. Many items have already been scheduled and reserved so please order as soon as you can so that you will get the resources that you want.

For a full list of our Advent/Christmas resources, go to our Media Center webpage, scroll down to Featured Subjects and click on Advent/Christmas. This will bring up a list of all of our Advent and Christmas resources that are in our collection. Click on the red highlighted resource code to read a description of any item you may be interested in. It should also tell you if there are any copies available, then you can order right from that page by placing an item in your shopping cart. Click here for tips on ordering online.
Calendar - November 2019

  • November 1 - All Saints Day
  • November 11 - Veteran's Day
  • November 25-29 - Media Resource Center will be closed
  • November 28-29 - Conference office will be closed for the Thanksgiving holiday.
  • December 1 - 1st Sunday of Advent
If you have any suggestions for our format of the Media Resource Center newsletter or have ideas that we may include in the future, I'd love to hear from you. Just drop me a line at [email protected] .
Upper New York Conference | 315-898-2027 | [email protected] | www.unyumc.org