Saturday, May 17, 2025

Regular District Office hours: Tuesdays through Saturdays; 8 AM to 5:30 PM except Thursdays, 8 AM to 2:30 PM.

To have your event or classified published, please send information to carrieboyer@unyumc.org

The district office phone is (518) 608-1246 and our mailing address is PO Box 511, Newtonville, NY 12128.

Our District Superintendent, the Rev. Debbie Earthrowl, can be reached at (518) 391-3215 and debbieearthrowl@unyumc.org

This week's articles include:

Bishop Burgos Núñez announces clergy appointments 

Pre-conference video now available (and more Annual Conference news)

Together in Diversity: Empowering laity for culturally aware ministry

Global Ministries and GBHEM 2025 message to annual conferences

Boundaries Training requirements 

Save the Date: UNY Mentor Training

2028 General Conference announced 

And more!!

Sign up to receive the Weekly Digest: click here

UNY Annual Conference N

May 22-24, Syracuse

Click here to view all news on the Conference Website

Attending Annual Conference in person OR livestreaming?

Please download the UNYUMC APP

Download the UNY UMC app for free. Watch the video to learn more.  It is very easy to download to your phone or device.  

Please subscribe to Annual Conference notifications. View the workbook, learn about the speakers, view the lunch and dinner menus, see the best places to park, read the daily notes, and more in the app.

We will be sending important announcements, possible schedule changes, and other important information through the app.

Whether you are attending in person to AC or if you are watching the livestream, please download the app so that you will have all updated information at your fingertips.

Albany's Trinity UMC to close:

Churches/pastors invited to items of interest

Trinity UMC, 235 Lark St., Albany will hold its last service on June 22. We have many things that may be of interest to other churches in the district. Items include vestments, choir robes, candles, silver communion services, books, bibles, hymnals, a large standing Advent Wreath, as well as several pianos and furniture. Please contact the church at trinityalbanyclosure@gmail.com. We will arrange for an appropriate time for church representatives to come to the church to see what is available.

Boundaries Training Requirements 

The Upper New York Conference Board of Ordained Ministry requires all credentialed clergy, Certified Lay Ministers, and lay persons serving in pulpit roles to complete Boundaries Training every four years, effective immediately. 

The board has approved Safe Gatherings as the designated training platform.

The course costs $29 and can be accessed at safegatherings.com.

Once on the site, click the “Clergy Ethics” tab to begin. The training takes approximately two hours to complete. 

Upon completion, you will receive a certificate. Please retain a copy for your records and send electronic copies to your District Office.

The deadline to complete the training is August 15. 

Questions? Contact the Rev. Nancy Adams at adamsnj@aol.com

Explore the Splendors of Egypt

With Dr. B.J. Norrix and Pastor Alicia Wood

This Educational Opportunities organized tour will explore

Cairo and the Pyramids of Giza, Alexandria, a four-day cruise (October 12 – October 22, 2026) on the Nile River through the Valley of the Kings and Queens and conclude with an overnight at the St. Catherines Monastery at the foot of Mount Sinai. All inclusive (air travel, hotels, tour bus, entrance fees, two meals a day, etc.) $5196 from Syracuse, Rochester, or Buffalo. An optional extension to Petra and Mount Nebo is also available. An information meeting will be held at 10 AM on Saturday, May 31 at University UMC in Syracuse,

or contact Dr. Norrix at (315) 726-2815 or Pastor Alicia Wood at (315) 450-1632. Brochure and registration information is available through this link:

Educational Opportunities Tours / Tours · Splendors of Egypt with Dr. BJ Norrix & Pastor Alicia Wood | Oct. 12, 2026

New honoraria guidelines for short-term pulpit supply

Lay persons providing short-term pulpit supply while a pastor is away should take note of honoraria changes. The Upper New York Cabinet approved the changes in August 2024 following the 2024 UNY Annual Conference session. 

The changes are as follows: 

• The suggested honoraria for Certified Lay Servants, Certified Lay Speakers, and Certified Lay Ministers asked to provide pulpit supply outside of the local church where their membership is held is $150 for the first service of the day and $75 for each additional service on the same day.  
• If the church is part of a two-point charge, the suggested honoraria is $112.50 per church.  
• If there are three churches on the charge, the suggested honoraria is $100 per church. 

The honoraria changes do not apply to persons who are lay supply, hired by the district superintendent to serve long-term and functioning as a worship leadership. 

To read more, click here.

Certificates of insurance

If your church needs a certificate of insurance for disability or workers' compensation coverage, we’ve outlined everything you need to know to get started. Learn what information is required, who to contact, and how to ensure timely processing. To begin the request process or to learn what information you’ll need to provide, please reach out to Chelsea Connor, administrative services assistant at the UNY Conference at chelseaconnor@unyumc.org She can also guide you on who to contact for disability and workers' compensation certificates. Please allow at least five business days for your request to be completed.

Read the article

Finance and Administration

Immigration guidance for employers

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — As immigration policies shift across the U.S., the General Council on Finance and Administration is providing resources to churches and ministries to stay informed about their responsibilities and rights as employers.

Download resources

Missionary Rev. Charles Mulemena to speak

at Eastern Parkway UMC on Monday, May 19



The Rev. Charles I. Mulemena, a dedicated missionary serving with the General Board of Global Ministries, will be visiting the Eastern Parkway United Methodist Church at 6 PM on Monday, May 19.

Rev. Mulemena is a pastor and trainer for the MCCA Belize Honduras District, The Methodist Church in the Caribbean and the Americas, and has an inspiring story of service that spans continents.

Originally from Kitwe, Zambia, Rev. Mulemena has worked in a variety of ministry roles, including as a pastor, and director of the New Life Center in Zambia. He is passionate about evangelism and cross-cultural mission work. He was commissioned in 2015.

During his time with us, Rev. Mulemena will share his experiences and the impact of his ministries in Belize. This is a unique opportunity to hear firsthand about the work of the United Methodist Church in the Caribbean and the Americas and learn how the global church is making a difference in communities far and wide.

This event is part of his visit to the Upper NY Annual Conference (May 22-24, 2025) and a series of local congregation visits between May 14-21. We are honored to welcome him and we invite you to come and be inspired by his testimony and mission work.

Eastern Parkway UMC is located at 943 Palmer Ave., Schenectady.

Refreshments will follow the event, so please stay and join us for fellowship!

Register Now: Offers & Needs Market: A Virtual Pentecost Week Celebration of Community and Mutual Aid

“All who believed were together and had all things in common…” – Acts 2:44–45

Market Dates:

Sunday, June 8, 6-8 PM via ZOOM

Thursday, June 12: Noon to 2 PM via ZOOM

(Join one or both!)

Register for free and learn more here

Celebrate Pentecost by joining these 2-hour virtual gatherings and sharing your gifts of the Spirit! We’ll share what we have — time, talents, tools, or even just listening ears — and express what we need — whether it’s a job, helping hand, a listening ear, or a physical product. There’s no prep required, just come with an open heart and a spirit ready to connect.

Facilitated by: Kristina Clark, Associate Director of Missional Excellence (pictured at right)

2025 Tending the Soul kicks off in September

Tending the Soul is designed to train individuals in Missional Spiritual Direction and Congregational Formation. The program offers training in both one-on-one spiritual direction and group/congregational direction and formation as well as provide skills for leadership within their local congregations, districts, and conference. This year, Tending the Soul will kick off another session with its first retreat September 12-15. Applications are due by Aug. 1.



Download the brochure

Learn more

Calling all Youth:

The Salt of the Earth Missions: Walking on Water

July 31 -August 3 in Watertown, NY

Click here for the flyer for the event 

Salt of the Earth Missions: Walk on Water is an exciting opportunity for youth, who have completed grades 6-12, to spend intentional time together this summer serving, learning, and growing in their relationship with God and others. Adult chaperones for each group are fully responsible for the youth they are bringing to the event. This includes behavior, maintaining your church's Safe Sanctuary policies, supervision, and transportation throughout the weekend. All programmatic elements - service opportunities, food, fun, worship, and sleeping arrangements - will be provided by CCYM and Upper New York Missional Engagement.

Opportunities to serve through Missional Engagement

Kristina Clark, Conference Director of Missional Engagement has compiled a list of ways for individuals and churches to become engaged in Mission. You can reach Kristina via email @ kristinaclark@unyumc.org

Click here to view details on the following:

Operation: Home Repair – Now Accepting Volunteers

Register your Mission Team through UMVIM

Love & Serve Summer Mission Guide 2025

Registration Open - Salt of the Earth Youth Missions: Walk on Water

Mustard Seed Migration Grants Now Open

District Superintendent

Rev. Debbie Earthrowl

posts a daily devotional on Facebook

Click here to view today's devotion. Debbie is reading from the Chapter 19 in Book of Acts, recounting the missionary journeys of Paul and others. She invites us to focus on God, and his way for us ... and how Jesus teaches us to embrace all, and how to pray.

You can also view many of Debbie's past devotions on her YouTube page. Click here.

Read through the New Testament with Rev. Bill Mudge

Debbie is also sharing Rev. Bill Mudge's daily readings of the New Testament. He will do this every weekday in 2025 and by the end of the year if you follow along, you will have read the entire New Testament. You can also visit Bill Mudge's Facebook page to join along with the readings by clicking here.