Thoughts from DS Olivia
The country of Haiti has a very special place in my heart. I have had the privilege of visiting there twice and Dustin has been there eight different times. Of all the places I have connected with through the Church of the Nazarene Haiti stands out. It is a place of impossible opposites. Brutal poverty stands side by side with ingenious people. Hopeless circumstances are held in tension with the hope we have in Christ. Countless efforts to bring revitalization from the outside and hard work and innovation from the inside have had varied levels of success. Loss and tragedy through earthquakes and hurricanes and racism and violence are real, but so is strength and new life and unity and healing.
With this in mind, you may understand why I am absolutely thrilled with the news that dorms on the Eastern Nazarene College campus are being used to house some of our Haitian brothers and sisters. If you have paid attention to what is happening in Haiti right now you will also understand why there are Haitians in desperate need of a new start in a safe place. What better place could there be than in the empty dorm rooms at ENC? This fits beautifully with our mission and vision as the Church of the Nazarene. We have always been about reaching out to those in need, seeking to bring safety and security for those in harm's way, and partnering to bring the flourishing of our neighbor. This is the Jesus way!
Recently I was reading our Articles of Incorporation. Isn't that something we all do? Ha! Tears came to my eyes as I read what those who have gone before us said about our call here in Upstate New York. We are meant to acquire property for "churches, parsonages, missions, Sunday schools, denominational educational institutions...residences of church workers, dispensaries of medicine for the poor, rescue homes, homes for the aged or for the needy and orphan children..."
I'm wondering as I watch this beautiful relationship unfold at ENC what it could mean for us to follow Jesus and live into our mission. Who has a need where you live? How could the amazing blessing of our facilities be used to be a blessing more than just a few days of the week? Where might Jesus be inviting our district to open our doors to make a difference for our neighbor?
Pastor Olivia
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Welcome New Upstate District Staff! | |
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Pastor Bob Tharp
District Treasurer
Please reach out to him at districttreasurer@upstatedistrict.org
Allocations are still being mailed to PO Box 573 Henrietta, NY 14467
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Pastor Janae Meyer
Communications Coordinator handling district projects, administration of events, the website, and other pastoral questions and needs.
jmeyer@upstatedistrict.org
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Bridget Beardsley
Administrative Coordinator handling day to day office tasks, event planning, finances, Funding the Mission, and other tasks as needed.
bbeardsley@upstatedistrict.org
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Opportunities for Pastors | |
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To guarantee a room, register by September 20th by clicking the button above!
Ministry Team Retreat for District Licensed and Ordained pastors and their spouse (if applicable) will be October 20-22, 2023. We will be gathering in Penn Yan at the Hampton Inn. Our speaker this year is Rev. Dr. Jeren Rowell, the president of Nazarene Theological Seminary. He and his wife Starla will be joining us for this incredible time together!
We ask EVERY church to do their best to cover the expenses for their pastor(s) to attend. If you need help with pulpit supply for that week please contact Pastor Olivia and she will help you!
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Join pastors from other districts as we learn from former General Superintendent, Dr. Jesse Middendorf. He will share his expertise and research and we will dialogue together! Sign up and we will get the Zoom information to you. | |
Pastoral Care
Pastors, you heard at Assembly about the value of Full Strength Network! If you are currently using it or would like to sign up, we need your help.
Please fill out this form and we will be sure to renew your subscription when the time is right or get you signed up to start. This is a tool to support you in your work. Take advantage of it!
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Opportunities for Everyone | |
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MISSIONAL GRANT PROPOSAL DAY
We are looking forward to hearing the proposals from the five churches that submitted Missional Grant Applications. If you would like to come as an observer, fill out this Google Form and we will send you the Zoom link. The date is set for Sunday, August 27th, starting at 4:30pm! This is a great way to see what God is calling our churches to, to pray for these ministries, and to have your imagination sparked about what you might be able to do to be the hands and feet of Jesus in YOUR community!
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Peace-Making Webinar
Register now for this September 27th event! We will gather on Zoom with Pastor Eric Paul from Hawaii and begin a conversation about restorative justice and peace making in the church. The cost is $5 and anyone who wants to learn is welcome to sign up!
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The tragic wildfires in Maui have captured the attention of our nation. In the midst of tragedy, it is a gift to be a part of a connectional church. This means that our local Nazarene churches are on the ground serving and helping. It also means that you and I can be engaged! If you want to give to a trustworthy organization that meets short-term and long-term needs, give through Nazarene Compassionate ministries. Use and share this link to make a difference:
https://give.ncm.org//donate/140029?source=C23SFBK99
All Local NMI Presidents should have received an email outlining the updated Crisis Care Kit collection information, and other ways to get involved. Upstate District NMI would like to encourage each church to prayerfully consider how they can participate in helping our brothers and sisters during this time.
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NAZARENE COMPASSIONATE MINISTRIES | |
Back to School Bash!
Upstate Teens - we want YOU to join us for this year's Back to School Bash at Binghamton Nazarene on September 8th and 9th! We have fun, food, and fellowship on the docket, so grab your coolest glow-in-the-dark swag and meet us there (overnight event, but there will be time to sleep)!
This event is open to all students in grades 6-12. Price: $40/student.
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Upstate NYI Fall Retreat at Camp Lamoka- October 6-9, 2023
Students in grades 6-12 are invited to join us for Upstate NYI Fall Retreat on October 6-9! We are back at Camp Lamoka and will hear from Pastors AJ and Chelsea Fry on our theme: There Is A Time. The cost is $175 per student and $150 for adults until September 25. After that, prices will increase by $15 per person. Paintball is an additional $20.
Questions? Contact Pastor Noelle Eichenberger at nriley77@gmail.com.
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From Pastor Chris Davies: On Saturday, August 12 we wrapped up the Upstate NY District Nazarene summer camping season with the conclusion of our Children’s Discovery Camp. There is much to be celebrated. God has been faithful. It’s all come and gone so fast, but with it some precious memories have been stored up to last a lifetime, and most importantly, heart decisions were made that will last for eternity. Family Camp, Teen Camp, and the new Children’s Camp all saw an increase in support, and for that I thank you for showing up and/or praying for Brooktondale.
The summer may be coming to a close, but Brooktondale will still be going strong into the fall. We have a local Nazarene church and a non-Nazarene youth group using the grounds Labor Day weekend (is that still summer???). We have a few organizations from Ithaca using the grounds deep into September/October. And of course, if you own a cabin/lot, you’re always welcome to come on down (or up--for our southern-tier folks). Even if you don’t own a cabin or lot, the camp has plenty of space for you to do your own little retreat this fall. Reach out to Pastor Chris at campdirector@upstatedistrict.org to learn more or to reserve your cabin today.
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ANU Project Fully Funded!
Upstate New York District churches fully funded the Smart Classroom Project for Africa Nazarene University. District NMI put out a challenge to local churches to raise $3250 by early August with the promise to match all money up to that amount in the hopes of fully funding the project. Not only did churches fund the $3250 (which District NMI matched), an additional $3250 was contributed by one church. So, we not only met our project funding goal....as a district, we surpassed this goal.
Well Done!!
Let's continue to pray for the team that travels to Kenya this fall.
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NDI Promoting Local Women's Retreats | |
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NDI will be promoting local women's retreats this year! If you have a Women's Retreat happening at your church this coming year, please let us know so that we can promote it to other women on the district.
Canastota- September 12th (Contact: Pastor Michelle Archer)
Owego- November 4th (Contact: Sharon Frampton)
Schenectady- November 10th-11th (Contact: Pastor Liz Criscuolo), *Pizza and Bowling on Friday Night*
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All District Prayer Zoom
Join us on August 26th from 10-11:30 for prayer. When you click the button below you will be able to register and the Zoom link will then be sent to you. These are rich times of fellowship with one another and our good God!
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Fruit of the Spirit Resources | | |
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All year we are talking about the Fruit of the Spirit. Click below to find some ways to grow in your faith, learn more, and engage with others on this journey!
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