Being God s love with our neighbors in all places

Transcription

1 Upper New York ADVOCATE Being God s love with our neighbors in all places www. A PUBLICATION OF THE UPPER NEW YORK ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH Volume 3, Issue 3 - MARCH 2012 Inside this issue Bringing the Word to the World Mission trips are a chance to live out God s message AU Sunday 28 Area churches will host Africa University speakers on March 25. Learn about the health work being done by one AU grad. Page 10 One of the missionaries we spoke to is Todd Andrews, whose father is the Rev. Stephen Andrews, pastor at Hudson Falls and Warrensburg United Methodist churches (Adirondack District). Andrews took a summer 2011 mission trip to Kosovo. This monument, titled Newborn, was built to celebrate Kosovo s independence. Photo courtesy of Todd Andrews. Meet: Richard Barton Finger Lakes District Superintendent Page 2 By Beth DiCocco Advocate writer A life-changing experience. That s what you are bound to hear when you talk about going on a mission trip with United Methodists whether they are young or not so, first-timers or old hands that phrase is likely to come up. I came away from this trip as a new person, said Jillian Witz, who took her first trip to Mann, W.Va., with Cicero United Methodist Church (Crossroads District) last summer. Mission trips are absolutely life-changing, and that applies to each individual in a different way. I learned a lot of skills that I never thought I d be able to handle: Using power tools, installing drywall, framing a window, and the list goes on. This experience has made me more open minded and informed of what goes on in the world around me... From building a school to fixing a leaky roof and insulating a home, the work on these trips is demanding. Last August, Sharon Dettenrieder led a trip to Jamaica with Oneonta First United Methodist Church. The team went to work on a school building. In 2007, Hurricane Dean, just two weeks after we left, destroyed the school. The team was devastated, Dettenrieder said. The children never got to get into the school before it blew down. Money was raised to build a cementblock building; construction began July 1, and the building was up when the August team went down to help finish the Continued on pages 6-7 Designing women: Using art in worship Casowasco Camp & Retreat Center See what s happening Page 12 Count down to General Conference Check our website and for the latest info By Beth DiCocco Advocate writer It s not just decoration, said Linda Clemow, who heads the Annual Conference Design Team, talking about the role visual arts play at the Annual Conference Session and at worship in general. The team, made up of Clemow, Alice Rose, Nancy Kolvik- Campbell and the Rev. Meredith Vanderminden, is responsible for the Session s visual arts. This year s Session will be at the OnCenter in Syracuse, and, Clemow said, transforming that space into a sacred space is one of the ways art enhances the worship experience. In the first place, it gives a sense of awe, said Clemow, who has background in art education and master s degree from Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School, which she attended to to help my arts ministry and my own art. Continued on page 3 Annual Conference Design Team members, from left, Nancy Kolvik-Campbell, Linda Clemow and the Rev. Meredith Vanderminden at the 2011 AC Session holding a bowl designed by Rev. Vanderminden. The team, which also includes Alice Rose, is responsible for the visual art at the Session. Photo by Matt Williams. REMINDER: ITEMS SUBMITTED FOR PUBLICATION ARE DUE ON THE 5TH OF EACH MONTH FOR THE FOLLOWING MONTH S ISSUE.

2 Page 2 March 2012 How to Reach Us Bishop s office Upper New York Area Episcopal Office of The United Methodist Church 324 University Ave., 3rd Floor, Syracuse, NY Phone: (315) Fax: (315) Adirondack District Superintendent William Mudge 396 Louden Road Saratoga Springs, NY (518) x11 Fax: (518) AdirondackDistrict@ Albany District Superintendent Brolin Parker 396 Louden Road Saratoga Springs, NY (518) x10 Fax: (518) AlbanyDistrict@ Binghamton District Superintendent David Masland 53 McKinley Ave. Endicott, NY (607) Fax: (607) binghamtondistrict@ Cornerstone District Superintendent Sherri Rood 663 Lakeview Ave. Jamestown, NY (716) Fax: (716) cornerstonedistrict@ Meet Finger Lakes DS Richard Barton By Beth DiCocco Advocate writer Finger Lakes District Superintendent Dick Barton has traveled the world. His family he and his wife, Gloria, have a grown son and daughter has always liked to explore new places. He s been from Israel and Thailand to Italy and Brazil, where he searched for crocodiles on the Amazon in a dugout canoe. Being on the Amazon at night was pretty amazing, he said. But it Barton was a trip to Durban, South Africa, last summer that gave him a new appreciation for what it means to be part of a global Church. Barton, who currently serves as dean of the Cabinet for the Conference, was part of the Upper New York delegation to the 20th World Methodist Conference last August. The World Methodist Council represents almost DISTRICTS Crossroads District Superintendent Darryl R. Barrow 324 University Ave. 3rd Floor Syracuse, NY Phone: (315) x312 Fax: (315) ; toll free: (855) Crossroadsdistrict@ Finger Lakes District Superintendent Richard Barton 1 Franklin Sq., Suite 301, Geneva NY (315) Fax: (315) fingerlakesdistrict@ Genesee Valley District Superintendent Theodore Anderson 1100 South Goodman St. Rochester, NY (585) Fax: (585) geneseevalleyumc@crcds.edu Mohawk District Superintendent Sung Ho Lee 105 Genesee St. New Hartford, NY (315) Fax: (315) mohawkdistrict@ Mountain View District Superintendent Cathy Stengel 65 E. First St. Corning, NY (607) Fax: (607) mountainviewdistrict@ 80 million United Methodist people from virtually the whole world, he said, adding these are great people doing amazing things; they are all engaged in ministry in their place. The World Methodist Council holds a conference every five years. According to a press release from the council at the time of the conference, the World Methodist Council is made up of 77 member churches in 135 countries and represents 75 million people. Gathering with bishops from around the world was an experience Barton called humbling. It is evident, more than it had ever been for me, what an incredible impact, what a difference, we make in the world, Barton said. I knew it, but now I experienced it firsthand. Seeing all these United Methodists in one place, Barton said, highlights not only what draws members of the denomination together, but also the diversity of this Church. A part of what really is Conference office Upper New York Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church 324 University Ave., 3rd Floor, Syracuse, NY Phone: (315) ; toll free: (855) Fax: (315) important from that experience, he said, was the debates from different theological points of view. There was great diversity, but great respect and commitment to being one body of Christ. Diversity is an asset, says Barton, and the Church doesn t need to reconcile different points of view, but, rather, embrace them. It s important to realize how big the tent is that we re a part of, he said. Think and let others think, is part of John Wesley s philosophy, Barton said. It s possible to understand that diversity represents (different) parts of the truth, Barton said. You can agree with some and disagree with others, but respect those who have a different point of view more than respect, know they are a brother or sister in Christ. Barton can sum up in two words what ultimately unites United Methodists: Jesus Christ, he said. A 1970 graduate of Syracuse University, Barton said he first felt the call to ministry in his dorm room during his Niagara Frontier District Superintendent Wayne Butler 131 John Muir Drive West Amherst, NY (716) Fax: (716) niagarafrontier@ Northern Flow District Superintendent Rebekah Sweet 95 E. Main St. Gouverneur, NY (315) Fax: (315) northernflowdistrict@ Oneonta District Superintendent Jan Rowell 66 Chestnut St. Oneonta, NY (607) Fax: (607) oneontadistrict@ RESOURCE CENTERS Amherst Office 131 John Muir Drive West Amherst NY (716) sheilarader@ Endicott Office 53 McKinley Ave. Endicott, NY (607) dianealexander@. freshman year. I was, unlike most freshman guys, reading the Bible in my dorm room and felt called, he said. I was overwhelmed by the feeling It was like I m going to be a minister. Why didn t I ever think of that? He was ordained as a deacon in 1972 and as an elder two years later. He has served as a pastor including at churches in Marcellus and Clinton for 35 years. He s been the superintendent a job, he said, that leaves no room for coasting in the Fingers Lakes District since Many district superintendents have noted that much of their work is being a pastor to other pastors. So what makes someone a good DS? I think you need to have an open, flexible attitude. You need to have a lot of different skills for ministry and be able to share them. You need to be able to teach and listen, and to be able to deal with conflict. I have found serving as DS a wonderful opportunity and privilege, he said. ADVOCATE STAFF EDITOR/PUBLISHER Rev. Maidstone Mulenga Director of Communications x307 maidstonemulenga@ DEPUTY EDITOR Beth DiCocco Conference writer/editor x319 bethdicocco@ DESIGNER/WRITER Christian Vischi Communications associate x313 christianvischi@ E-ADVOCATE/WEB Ashley VanSickle Multimedia/ Web Coordinator x320 ashleyvansickle@ ADMIN. ASST. to the director Karen Campolieto x304 karencampolieto@ MARKETING ASSOC. Rebecca Lo Kohler x321 rebeccakohler@ IT MANAGER Clyde Wolford x322 clydewolford@ STORY IDEAS? The Advocate is always looking for news and story ideas. If your church is doing something you would like to share with Advocate readers, let us know about it. story ideas to Advocate@. Please include a phone number so that we can follow up. Or you can call (315) ext To submit photos, them to the same address. Photos should be at least 300 dpi at full size. UPPER NEW YORK UNITED METHODIST ADVOCATE RESIDENT BISHOP Marcus Matthews EDITOR/PUBLISHER Maidstone Mulenga. Upper New York United Methodist Advocate is a monthly newspaper of the Upper New York Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church, whose mission is to be God s love with all our neighbors in all places. Materials in the Advocate may not be reproduced unless the item is accompanied by a copyright notation. Subscriptions $15 per year paid in advance. 324 University Ave., 3rd Floor Syracuse, NY Call or visit www. ~ PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID ~ SYRACUSE, NEW YORK USPS POSTMASTER: SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO Upper New York United Methodist ADVOCATE 324 University Ave., 3rd Floor Syracuse, NY We reserve the right to edit or decline any items submitted for publication.

3 March 2012 Page 3 Team works to incorporate visual arts into worship Continued from cover By including art, Clemow said, This gym or auditorium is turned into sacred space; it s immediately obvious that this is someplace special; someplace where we can acknowledge the presence of God and that God is always with us. Clemow acknowledges that we could have worshiped in a field or in gym without decoration or anything, but the added visuals make a statement that we know this is special. But the visual component of the Annual Conference Session goes beyond that, Clemow said. We work very hard to be sure that what we re doing speaks to the theme of what the conference is about. Alice Rose, who has incorporated visual art into the worship services at Christ United Methodist Church in Troy (Albany District), agrees that worship arts have to serve the worship process. Having something that is pretty, but not integrated into the worship is not meaningful; that requires working closely with pastors and the worship team, she said. Coming up with the visuals, Rose said, begins with asking some questions: What are the physical metaphors? What are the visual metaphors? We have some ideas, Rose said. Then we go back to the Worship Team to flesh them out with them, so the (visuals) are not something separate, but something integrated. Art conveys the message of the worship in a way that reinforces the other elements, such as the hymns, for example, Rose said; and helps people make those connections. For the Annual Conference Session that begins May 31, the design team s work starts in mid-february. When it s time for the construction work to begin, the team meets at Calvary United Methodist Church in Latham, where Kolvik-Campbell s husband is pastor. Rose lives in Troy and Clemow in Oneonta. Rev. Vanderminden, founder and executive director of Art Divina (www. artdivina.com), an online extension ministry that Rev. Vanderminden calls a place where Christians could come explore arts, explore their relationship with God (see story in the October 2011 Advocate), is in Lake George. They ll meet roughly once a week, Clemow said, and Photo by Matt Williams TOP: Design Team members created the stage setting at the 2011 Annual Conference Session in Rochester and will do so again at this year s Session in Syracuse. ABOVE: Design Team members Linda Clemow, left, and Alice Rose, preparing for the opening of the 2011 Session. RIGHT: Design Team member Alice Rose, an engineer, designed the door, which opened and closed. BELOW: A glass bowl, one of three, designed by team member the Rev. Meredith Vanderminden and used throughout the Session, including to collect names brought to Christ, which was the offering for the opening worship service. Nancy Kolvik-Campbell rounds out the Design Team. Photos by Matt Williams. when they need extra hands they get the husbands involved. By seeing and looking we ve added another language to the (worship) experience, said Clemow, the language of the visual rather than just the Word through speech or the Word through music. Last year, we heard a lot from people that it was meaningful and helpful, said Kolvik-Campbell. Even so, she said, that doesn t necessarily mean that the audience gets the message exactly as they, the artists, intended to send it. That s not a problem, she says; in fact, that s where she sees the Holy Spirit at work. When we stood on stage and talked about it, one thing we said is that you bring yourself to the artwork as well, Kolvik-Campbell said. Just because we say this is our intention, it doesn t mean that the Holy Spirit isn t working on you in a different way. When we re doing the artwork, that s the Holy Spirit moving, she said. I think in any artwork whether liturgical or a painting the artist intends one meaning; someone else can see something different. That s the Holy Spirit and the way it s moving, and where (the viewer is) at in their life and on their spiritual journey. Kolvik-Campbell offered the example of a painting she did for an exhibit at Sky Lake (Some artwork was auctioned to raise money and some was chosen to remain to decorate a new building there; Kolvik- Campbell s was one of the pieces to chosen to remain). The painting depicted an empty beach, the ocean and an empty boat. She titled the work Awaiting Adventure, and saw it as the scene before you get in the boat and go, she said. A group of women who were at a retreat at Sky Lake saw it differently. They stood before it as a group and Photo by Matt Williams Photo courtesy of Linda Clemow sang You Have Come to the Lakeshore, which includes the lyric: Now my boat s left on the shoreline behind me... It had a completely different meaning for them, Kolvik-Campbell said. She was excited to find, she said, that God could use something I did to be so powerful to someone else. It was not the way I intended it, so it was not me doing it... not just me. Register now for 2012 Annual Conference Session It s time to register for the Upper New York Annual Conference s 2012 Session. The session will take place from May 31 to June 2 at the Oncenter in Syracuse. The theme for this year s session is Planting God s Future in Hearts and Neighbors: Called to Till. Please note that everyone planning to attend even those who are exempt from fees such as retired clergy members and equalization members must register for the 2012 Annual Conference Session. A registration form is included in this issue page 11. There is also an online registration option. More information and registration guidelines can be found online at

4 Page 4 March 2012 HANDS4NY Genesee Street Elementary School in Auburn (Finger Lakes District) is one of the hardest hit schools in Cayuga County in terms of hunger. The majority of the students are eligible for free lunches during the school year, and many receive breakfast at school some are even given a meal before they go home for the evening. The United Methodist Church has long worked to combat hunger. The year-long HANDS4NY project is highlighting some of the work being done by UNY Area churches. If you have a story to share, contact Beth DiCocco at advocate@. Church helps hungry kids catch a break when school s out Food packages are given out on Fridays so the children have food the weekend. But what happens during school breaks? Are they going hungry? Possibly, and Genesee Street conducted a food drive called Fill a Belly During the Break to provide food during the Christmas break period. Through that effort students were sent home with enough food for two meals. But what about food for the remainder of the break? That s where Auburn United Methodist Church stepped in to help out. The church contacted the school s social worker and the principal proposing a program to offer hot, healthy lunches at the church. The two were overjoyed by the prospect and sent letters home to their students notifying them of this lunch program. With the Lord in charge, our church organized this with one week notice, writes the Rev. Richelle Goff, pastor at Auburn UMC. On Dec. 18, 2011, an appeal was made to the congregation for money and volunteers. A special offering collected $1,400 and another $400 came in during the week. Numerous members came forward to help these children, writes Rev. Goff. The church was being a verb. It was joyous witness. The week started out slow, according to Rev. Goff, but by the end of the week the Fellowship Hall was filled with children, food, laughter and love. They had served 65 meals. Genesee Street Principal Ronald Gorney and health official Sandy LaLonde came to see how things were going Please remember to keep reporting your numbers We want to exceed our 1 million fed goal. To enter totals from your church s feeding program/s: and have lunch. They were pleased with our facility and the quality of the food we were providing, and would like to work directly with us for future school breaks to get more of their students access to these lunches, according to Rev. Goff. The church has committed to doing so. The Auburn United Methodist Church created a lunch program to serve students from the Genesee Street Elementary School during their Christmas break, a time when they might have otherwise missed meals. Submitted photos. Older Adult Ministries Team awards 11 program grants The Older Adult Ministries Team has awarded mini-grants to 11 United Methodist churches that are using the funds to start new Older Adult programs or to give new life to existing programs. Applications were judged based on how the program would strengthen Older Adult Ministry within the local church and community. The Older Adult Team is pleased that applications were received from all areas of the Upper New York Annual Conference. The following churches received grants: Cicero United Methodist Church, development of an older adult ministry; Disciples UMC in Holley, Dementia/Alzheimer s Group; Gouverneur UMC, Nutrition, Feeding and Social program; Hamburg UMC, R Gang Respite program; Indian Falls UMC, continuation of the older adult program; New Hartford UMC, workshop: How Can I Be a Faithful Christian When My Feet Hurt and My Back Aches; North Cambridge UMC, Care Team program; McKownville UMC in Albany, Senior Outreach Ministries; Pendleton Center UMC, continuation of the senior lunch program; Community UMC in Slingerlands, Friday lunch program; Trinity UMC on Grand Island, Traveling Visitors program. Anne Hipp, who chairs the Traveling Visitors program at Trinity UMC on Grand Island, received a grant to fund travel expenses so that she can share her knowledge and experience with local churches by speaking with churches Older Adult Ministries committees or Church Councils. Hipp has been involved in this ministry through which trained visitors see their assigned older adults once a month and attend six yearly meetings on aging issues as well as an annual social for 18 years. She is willing to help local churches adapt the visitation program to their own needs. A workshop will be held in the fall for all grant recipients to share their program experiences. Details will be forthcoming. In the meantime, Upper New York Older Adult Ministries Team members are available to help local churches who want to develop or expand their ministry to senior members and the community. For more information, contact Winona Stonebraker, at nths16@hotmail. com. Winona Stonebraker UM I.Q. Test your knowledge of The United Methodist Church Each month we will ask readers three questions about United Methodism. Some will be easy, others a little tougher. Due to the production schedule, we did not get responses by press time, but here are the correct answers to these questions: 1. How many Annual Conferences are there worldwide (as of 2010) Answer: A What are John Wesley s three General Rules? First: Do no harm, by avoiding evil of every kind Second: Do good of every possible sort, and, as far as possible, to all Third: Attend upon all the ordinances of God 3. Charles and John Wesley made their first trip to America in what year? Answer: C Ready to test yourself? 1. All bishops both active and retired are members of the Council of Bishops. True or False 2. United Methodists believe there are two sacraments ordained by Christ: name them. 3. Of the 1,000 delegates elected to General Conference (half lay and half clergy), approximately how many come from the U.S. annual conferences? A. 850 B. All of them C. 600 Send your responses to advocate@unyumc. org, subject line: March Quiz. Busts of John Wesley like this one were once popular mantelpiece decorations in the homes of British Methodists. Denominational treasures are safeguarded by the United Methodist Commission on Archives and History.

5 March 2012 Page 5 Take 2: Youth Video Contest seeks entries By Beth DiCocco Advocate writer Think, aim and shoot. It s time for the Upper New York Annual Conference s Annual Second Youth Video Contest! If you re between 12 and 22, we re inviting you to submit a 3-minute video that expresses your faith. You can participate as an individual or as a member of a group. I am a United Methodist and I am your neighbor is a theme for the entire Conference this year. We will be highlighting the stories of members and churches that illustrate how they reach out beyond the walls of their church to be a person of faith in the world. This year s video contest theme is a variation on that idea: I am a United Methodist youth, and I am your... Your what? I am a United Methodist youth, and I am your son? daughter? student? teammate? congregant? sibling? babysitter? co-worker? volunteer? You fill many different roles in your life, and your faith is a part of all of them. It shapes who you are, and as a result how you interact with others, how you work and how you play. That s what we want to see you illustrate in your video. The contest deadline is The UNYAC s 2nd Annual Youth Video Contest is accepting entries The theme: I am a United Methodist youth and I am... Win your choice of an ipad2 or $500 Upload videos and find entry forms at videocontest. Friday, April 27. A panel of judges, United Methodists from outside the Upper New York Annual Conference, will evaluate the entries and choose a winner in each of the two categories. Winners get to choose their prize: an ipad 2 or $500, and will be invited to the Annual Conference Session for an award presentation on June 2. Here s how we roll, we want you to: Create a 3-minute video based on the theme. It must be original work; it and any music used (unless it s in the The winners of last year s contest: Maddie Forrester, young adult category, and Nelson Johnson, youth category. public domain) must be created by you and your team. The video must be something you won t be embarrassed to show to your grandmother or your pastor. Complete the forms: there s an entry form, a permission slip for the appropriate category: either the youth (ages 12 to 17) or young adult (ages 18 to 22), and a pledge verifying that the material sent is indeed original and contains no copyright infringement. Upload your video to videocontest. videos may be created in either standard (4:3) or wide (16:9) format; video files can be no larger than 999 MB and should be in the one of the following formats:.wmv,.avi,.mov,.mpeg2 or.mpeg4. Please make sure the file is in a finalized form. Once you submit the file, your entry cannot be resubmitted, or altered. Watch for notification to the winners on May 18. All this information is on but if you have questions, contact the Communications Team: Call ext. 321 Write us at: Youth Video Contest 324 University Ave. 3rd Floor Syracuse, N.Y Attn: Communications us at YouthVideo@ The Upper New York Annual Conference is also on Facebook and Twitter; contact us there or check there for contest updates. Those who won t give up on cities will gather for Urban Summit 2 Organizers of Urban Summit 2 are inviting all who love and won t give up on the city, its churches and its people, to the second of three planned summits designed to develop a strategy for urban ministry in the Upper New York Annual Conference. Urban Summit 2 will take place Friday and Saturday, March 16 and 17, at University United Methodist Church in Syracuse. Friday s session begins at 7 p.m.; Saturday s session is from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The summit is being hosted by the Syracuse City Churches. Urban Summit 1 took place last November in Rochester. The Rev. Ann Kemper, pastor at the Covenant United Methodist Church and one of the organizers, said when the first summit was being planned that she hopes the summits will bring attention to the issues of urban ministry. This is very complicated stuff; there are no simple solutions, she said. It has to start with us making it a priority as a Conference and as people of faith. Leading some of the training and discussions will be Dr. Fred Smith, professor of urban ministry at Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C. The Saturday session will include a structured dialogue between grassroots urban leaders from around the Conference and the Conference Leadership Team. The goal is to learn how to best work together and mobilize Conference resources for the good of the urban communities and congregations. The deadline to register for Urban Summit 2 is March 9. Attendees are asked to contact the Rev. Roosevelt Baums at rbaums@twcny. rr.com or (315) or via mail to 3027 James St., Syracuse, N.Y A registration form is available online at www. along with housing and other logistical and hospitality information. About 60 leaders from large and small urban areas attended Urban Summit 1. Representatives came from Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Albany, Schenectady, Endicott and Jamestown. I was very pleased with what I saw and heard at this event. It was honest, but positive, said the Rev. Bill Gottschalk-Fielding, director of Connectional Ministries. I m particularly encouraged by the grassroots nature of the Urban Summit. This event was conceived, supported and carried out by lay and clergy urban ministry practitioners. poverty war terrorism hunger the economy unemployment abuse addiction healthcare depression violence racism Where sexism isolation do bankruptcy crime war terrorism poverty hunger the you economy see racism unemployment abuse addiction healthcare sexism violence racism isolation reality? bankruptcy crime poverty war terrorism hunger the economy unemployment abuse addiction healthcare depression violence racism sexism isolation bankruptcy crime The women and men who enroll in the Master of Divinity program at Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School come from diverse faith traditions and communities. However, they share the belief that Christ s greatest calling is to engage the real world as it is in order to transform it. Engage reality. Call Visit facebook.com/crcds

6 Page 6 March 2012 The Upper New York Un Mission trips: A life-c Upper New York Area United Methodists talk about wha Continued from cover project, but the work was tough. Our task was to rub the wall, she said, to prepare it for painting. Sanding a concrete wall is incredibly difficult. They used a local method that involves using an inchthick piece of concrete block to do the sanding. We were very happy to complete the task, Dettenrieder said. And whether the trip is as close as West Virginia or as far off as Haiti or Kosovo, the mission workers are likely to find themselves well outside their comfort zone. Dettenrieder teaches a nursing course in Jamaica for Hartwick College, and the August group also helps by bringing some supplies to the clinic. Supplies are very limited; for example, they don t have cotton balls, she said. If you walked into this clinic, you probably wouldn t stay, but they do remarkable work with the things they have; preventative care that keeps the young and the workforce healthy. Even with the difficulties they face, those who do mission work say they find spiritual renewal and a deep sense of accomplishment. Amanda Last August, Sharon Dettenrieder of Oneonta First United Methodist Church led a trip to Jamaica to work on Moses Baker Basic School. In 2007, Hurricane Dean destroyed the wooden school. A cinder-block building was built in its place. On this trip, the team was preparing and painting the walls, including adding a mural (below). The school serves 120 children ages 3 to 5; above are some of the students on the first day of school. Photos courtesy of Sharon Dettenrieder. Coyle led the 18 volunteers on Cicero UMC s July trip to West Virginia. (It s) absolutely different for everybody, said Coyle, who went on her first mission trip at 15. Everybody leaves feeling good... (with a) global sense of what it means to be a Christian. And, says Todd Andrews, a musician who is also known as the Noisy Nomad: A big point is that being a missionary isn t a magic thing. It s just doing what we should be doing here, halfway around the world. Andrews father is the Rev. Stephen Andrews, pastor at Hudson Falls and Warrensburg United Methodist churches (Adirondack District). In June, Andrews worked as an audio engineer for a band making a tour of Kosovo (Read his blog about the trip at blogspot.com/). He works with an Istanbul, Turkeybased group, TACO (Turkey Africa Asia Creative Outreach), which has contacts from all over Muslim nations. Andrews, who is in his mid- 30s, took his first trip with them about six years ago. One of the things I speak about a lot when I have the opportunity to talk to a church is that missionaries are not supermen or superwomen, he said, just Christians doing what they re called to do halfway around the world. Some people can do that kind of outreach with their neighbors or those they meet in the community, but he has a different calling, he said. I don t function well going across the street or in the grocery store, he said. I do function well half way around the world, where someone else might be freaked out. Each one of us, every day, we go somewhere; it s just a matter of doing the great commission: making disciples, wherever God s got us. So let s travel with some Upper New York Area United Methodists and see mission trips through their eyes. Haiti Retired teachers Peter and Carol Loveland, of Waterloo (Finger Lakes District), took their ninth trip to Haiti in October 2011 to visit the Mitspa school in Verrettes. But even after several trips, the island can still pose challenges. Peter Loveland writes: Our first challenge was connecting with our driver at the airport... Unfortunately there was no familiar face waiting for us... After about 10 minutes, that seemed like an hour, our porter borrowed a cell phone On July 30, 2011, 18 members and friends of Cicero UMC left for in Appalachia Service Project (ASP). ASP is a relationship minist the side, says Amanda Coyle, who led the trip. Volunteers instal painted, worked with insulation and drywall, created a foundatio installed a window, and completed electrical work on a home. Th the opportunity to connect with several families from Appalachia Coyle writes. We were truly able to make homes warmer, safe the families we served. For more information about ASP, visit ww at Amanda_M_coyle@hotmail.com. and helped us call our ride, Maxo. This would have been easy if our Creole vocabulary was more than 20 words, but with God all things are possible.... arriving at the mission house at 6:30 p.m., it was now pitch dark, this is especially true in rural Haiti, with no electricity. Our two student interpreters and David, the assistant director at La Providence School, were waiting for us. No one had a flashlight, and all our trunks from storage were zip-tied shut. We didn t even have a knife. By the light of a cellphone we ripped the zip-ties off and searched the trunks for the little generator and flashlights.... By 8:30, we had eaten, set up the kitchen and bedrooms. We were ready to turn in so we could be ready for what tomorrow would bring. Each trip is an incredible blessing to us, Loveland writes. When two worlds touch, the hand of God seems to become more visible.... Jamaica Dettenrieder recounted the story of a pick-up soccer game on the beach during the Aug. 9-18, 2011 mission trip. Six boys and two girls played against a group of local boys. When they started playing soccer it was black vs. white, Dettenrieder said, and the Haitians were creaming them. All of sudden, she said, a few of the black kids came over to help them out. It was a different game; an integrated game, and much more than just a game. It made you look at race and how people can be together and work together and cooperate, she said. Mission trips offer an opportunity to give back, but also get a lot of intangible stuff, Dettenrieder said. I think we have opportunity to learn about a different culture, learn how a different culture views the world, she said.... (We) worship with the people there, so we get to see a different kind of worship service and how people respond to that kind of church service. Interacting with them, we get to know who they are, what they value; how they make a living; what s important to them, she said. To a person, the youth come back thinking about: What it is that I value? I value all these material things. These people are very happy and have so very little. It takes months to begin to understand what the impact has been, she said. West Virginia Twins Austin and Tyler Mills, 15, were among the kids who went to Mann with Coyle. It was their first mission trip. Tyler talked about helping out a woman named Rose who needed to bring her house up to code so that the electricity could be turned back on. We found out that a couple months before, Rose fell down the stairs, he said. We went back and worked on the stairs to make them safer for her. The best part, he said, (Mission trips are) abs erybody. Everybody leav global sense of what it me Ama

7 ited Methodist Advocate March 2012 Page 7 hanging experience t taking a mission trip has meant to them and their faith Photos courtesy of Amanda Coyle Mann, W.Va., to take part ry with home repair on led a ridge cap on a tin roof, n for a safe second-story exit, e volunteers were also given who touched our lives, r, and drier (ASP s motto) for w.asphome.org. Coyle was how happy she (Rose) was that her house was more sturdy and she was more safe. Tyler talked about a symbolic gesture the work crew made to help maintain Rose s happiness. A horseshoe that was nailed to a post kept getting knocked so that it pointed downward, rather than up, bringing good luck. They fixed the horseshoe so that it wouldn t come down. He described Rose as having a big smile, like the happiest person on Earth. Austin talked about the skills he learned working on a house that had suffered a fire including measuring openings for the electrical work When you go down there, poverty so bad down there, he said, seeing the fire-damaged house and realizing it was someone s home was eyeopening. (You realize) it s someone s house, someone lives in this house, he said, adding how proud the owner was of his home, despite the damage. He s 21 and works in a coal mine. (He said) This is my house; really proud. It was a disaster, Austin said, We made it look good; warm, dry and safe for the family. The family could come back. Going on a trip like this, Coyle said, makes you really appreciate the little things. She talked about a woman they met who was part of a construction crew in a blasting olutely different for eves feeling good... (with a) ans to be a Christian. nda Coyle of Cicero UMC zone that the team passed daily on the way to their worksites. Coyle said the team would say hello to her every day; offering her cookies and talking. That doesn t happen here, Coyle said, adding that she was surprised that the woman accepted the cookies from strangers without suspicion. She didn t think twice, Coyle said. It didn t cross her mind. The best part of the trip, for me, was definitely building relationships with complete strangers, Witz said. It was an incredible thing to experience and witness everyone just welcoming and loving everyone around them. Kosovo While the band played many shows during this summer tour, it s after the performance that the indepth communication really happens, Andrews said. He recalled one performance in a village outside the capital; the performance was going great, he said, and the crowd was having great time. But it was not really conducive to communicating a spiritual message. Even so, the band leader was saying I need to talk to these guys, so they decided to play a song about the prodigal son, which really struck a chord with the crowd. It just looked like they were there for a good time, Andrews said, but it was just the beginning of the communication. The following day was ideal, Andrews said: We met at a cafe next to venue with eight guys that showed up from the night before, and had a two-hour Bible study. The questions they were coming up with were fantastic Did people kill Jesus or did he let himself be killed? said Andrews. The English-Albanian translator grew up in the town, Andrews said, we now have a contact who grew up in that town, a contact in the church in that village. Probably one of the biggest things (about mission work) never write off any situation you re in... what seemed like of all the concerts to be the least receptive, turned out to be one of the most receptive, he said. And the Internet now provides another way to reach those who are who are deciding to become Christian. Any opportunity you re given (for sharing the Gospel) whether it looks like it makes sense or not you need to be faithful in doing that, Andrews said. Upcoming mission opportunities Team needed for Paraguay The Baker Memorial United Methodist Church in East Aurora (Niagara Frontier District) will be leading a mission trip to Paraguay in July, and is seeking medical personnel and others to join its team. This trip is made possible through the Methodist church in Paraguay and its many missionaries. This particular trip will focus on the New Horizon Methodist School (www. paraguayschools.org), which is located in a small community in a suburb of Asuncion. The team plans to leave on July 5 for Paraguay and return on or about July 19. The team will stay at the school and work from there. This location is near a poor district that was recently established on the site of a garbage dump. Part of the team s effort is to reach out to this community including offering medical services. In Paraguay, only those who can pay for it receive medical attention. The team is seeking volunteers to join them particularly doctors, nurse practitioners or physician assistants and dentists. Past mission teams have provided vision testing and glasses. To join the team or for more information, contact the Rev. Richard Koch, pastor of Baker Memorial UMC, at MinisterRx@aol.com or call (716) The approximate cost for the trip is $2,000 inclusive. There are fundraisers planned that may help reduce this cost. Youth groups invited Refuge The Refuge is a brand new mission trip destination for United Methodist youth in Utica, sponsored by the Utica Eastside Mission. Youth groups are invited to spend a week in this culturally diverse community leading vacation Bible school-style day camps for children. Many of the children in the community are part of refugee families, and The Refuge s mission is to provide them with a quality summer program. Todd Andrews, who took a summer 2011 mission trip to Kosovo as the sound engineer for a band (pictured above during one of its street performances). This international band included members from the United States, Monaco, Canada, and South Africa. Andrews, whose father is a United Methodist pastor in the Adirondack District, said he would like to live and work in Turkey someday. Photos courtesy of Todd Andrews. Youth groups will use a provided curriculum and scheduled activities to make this program happen. The Refuge will host eight weeks of camp during July and August. Accommodations for youth groups will be at Asbury UMC in Utica. Lunches are provided and there is a kitchen for preparing dinner; showers are available at other local facilities. The day camp runs Monday through Thursday; Fridays are reserved for field trips so participating youth groups can take their own time to see some of the Utica area s best attractions such as Howe Caverns, the Baseball Hall of Fame, and the Adirondack mountains. Evenings are reserved for youth groups to plan their own devotions and group-building activities. The Refuge mission trip costs $200 per participant. For more information, visit or contact Mary B. Gladstone- Highland, Utica Eastside Mission church and community worker, at (315)

8 Page 8 March 2012 Opinion Letters to the Editor Time to include Evolution Sunday Thirty-plus years ago, a number of campus ministers, other pastors and university personnel thought the Church should add another celebration to the liturgical calendar: Evolution Sunday, on the second weekend of February (close to Charles Darwin s birthday). Parts of the Church have openly believed in evolution for centuries. Darwin s book did scare many church people into denying this already established concept. Dr. Michael Zimmerman, vice president of Academic Affairs at Evergreen State College in Olympia, Wash., has kept the idea of Evolution Sunday alive and well through the Clergy Letter Project ( org). We now have over 500 congregations that have signed up to observe Evolution Sunday in all 50 states and 10 countries. The Jacksonville Community UMC, where I am presently serving as one of the pastors, is near the Paleontological Research Institute and Museum of the Earth where Warren Allmon is director (wwwpriweb.org). He has written several books on evolution. In one of the articles in their publications regarding plant development of corn, they talked about natural selection and artificial selection. In our long religious history I would prefer to think of artificial selection in our religious history as something intentional. The Ten Commandments are one evolutionary marker as we have encouraged the best ethical and cultural selections for God s people. Our emphasis on family life is another way we participate intentionally in artificial selection. I would encourage congregations and pastors to look into this movement and sign up your congregation as a participant in Evolution Sunday. A very minimal level of involvement is naming the second Sunday in February as Evolution Sunday in your Sunday bulletin. Nelson R. Reppert Retired member of the UNY Annual Conference Homosexuality is immoral Bible says The January issue of the Advocate contained a letter, We Ignore Many Biblical Commands. The author uses Acts 15 about the consumption of blood as an example. In that same chapter and verse James also states that we should abstain from sexual immorality, which a homosexual lifestyle is as defined in 1 Corinthians 6:9. The remainder of his letter speaks about how we are to love one another with many more biblical references. This is the same theme that I heard from speakers at the 2010 Annual Conference. Well, what about love? Not once have I heard anyone say that we do not or are not to love anyone. It is stated throughout the Bible that God loves us all equally. I grew up in a home with a sibling who participated in a homosexual lifestyle, so I can relate to those whom this issue affects directly. Does this make me love my brother any less than my other siblings? NO, not at all, but I cannot condone his choice to live this way. There are many places in the Bible that refer to this lifestyle as being immoral, detestable and sinful. Authors of previous Advocate letters and speakers at the Conference have continually brought up the issue of love, or the lack of, when speaking for the various petitions dealing with homosexuals in our churches. But I have not heard or read anything that refers to where it is written in the Bible that this lifestyle is acceptable to God. We, as children of God, have turned our backs on Him in many instances. We have thrown Him out of many places; and now, as the author of the letter suggests, we are to add to the growing list of things that United Methodists should accept even if it is against God s Word. The Abington Bible Commentary states that sometimes the punishment of folly and sin is that God allows man to plunge deeper and deeper into sin in that God handed them over. Jesus said to the woman caught in adultery in John 8:11: Then neither do I condemn you, go now and leave your life of sin. So I ask you all: Is this God s will or man s will to change The Book of Discipline? Thomas R. Hartwig Byron, NY Consolidation is worth considering I was so happy to see the proposal recommending restructuring the General Church in the January 2012 Advocate. All the key aspects outlined are pertinent and necessary for this time and place. Another topic that should be considered in the very near future is the need to recognize that community church consolidation should be encouraged or even mandated. I think that the Upper New York Annual Conference of The Methodist United Church should understand that there are too many local churches and not enough active (participating) members to support old infrastructure and old ideas. If the notion was recognized and supported, it would be much easier for people like me to sell the idea for consolidation. I live in an area of upper New York where six churches exist in a 10-mile radius. All six struggle with paying ministers, maintaining very old facilities, paying for the heat and working efficiently as United Methodists. The crazy part about it is that members from all the churches know each other. I see the problem. I attempted to lead a consolidation process. It did not work for reasons that basically revolved around sentiment. What do other people think? Richard Helmich Delevan Majority rule is trumped by God I am moved by the Holy Spirit to respond to these individuals who wrote the letters Let s minister fully to gay Methodists and We ignore many biblical commands in the January issue of the Advocate. God loves all His creations, all His children. He loves the sinner, but sin separates us from God. Remember Sodom and Gomorrah? 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 Do you not know the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God (NKJV). We must love the sinner, but not the sin. We do not condemn or judge the eternal life of another, but we are to be examples of God s Word on human behavior. Repentance through Jesus is basic Christian doctrine. Let us be with love bringing souls to Christ for the purpose of His enlightening them to truth. As Christians we are not under Jewish biblical law. Jesus gave us two commands (short version): Love God above all, love thy neighbor. We should not try to change the Word of God so as to keep ourselves comfortable under the label of love. Be careful not to be led astray because the Word upsets us or doesn t suit our lifestyle. The great apostle Paul was condemned, beaten, imprisoned for professing Jesus and how we are to be like Him. Read your Bible; read it again. Read it several times until He reveals His Word to you to you; listen not to those with their interpretations and opinions. Majority never rules where God s concerned; only He rules. Preach the Good News the gospel of Grace. Margaret M. Richard Queensbury Christian man seeks dating advice I am a 43-year-old bornagain single male. One of the things that bothers me within our churches is people living together and having sexual relations outside of marriage. I feel that this sets the wrong example for our young people within our churches. It isn t just the younger generation that s doing it, but the older generation as well. The problem, I feel, is that we have too many tight-lipped ministers that are afraid to speak out on premarital sex, divorce, homosexuality, smoking and drinking. If the church was on fire the way it should be, we wouldn t be having these problems in our churches. If there are still some born-again saved single people in their 40s, 50s or 60s out there who feel the same way I do, where are they? I feel the Church has not done enough to help those people that want to date as well as helping those that are married. One way (would be) by having classes on the do s and don ts of dating and helping them find meaningful relationships; also classes for newly married and even classes for those married for longer periods of time; they, too, have problems. Life has its problems regardless of your age. Randy Lisle, NY Letter submission guidelines The UNY Advocate accepts letters to the editor and guest columns on issues within the Annual Conference, the denomination or commenting on stories found in the Advocate or on our website. Letters should be kept to 250 words and columns to 600 words. (Longer letters or columns may be published when space allows). The deadline is the 5th of the month for the following month s newsletter. Letters submitted must include your name, address and a daytime phone number. Letters can be published using only a first name if the writer requests, but the full details listed above must be included with the letter for verification purposes. The editor/publisher of the Advocate and the E-Advocate reserves the right to reject a submission or edit submissions for clarity, content and space accommodations. Full submission guidelines are available online at the conference website: advocate@unyumc. org. (Please put letter to the editor in the subject line). Or mail your letter to: Upper New York Annual Conference 324 University Ave. 3rd Floor Syracuse, NY Attn: Letters to the Editor

9 Why I By Anna Malone & Paul Sweet CCYM co-chairs Anna says: Shalom! My time serving the Conference Council on Youth Ministry (CCYM) has been the most meaningful and incredible time, full of spiritual growth and joy. The CCYM is more than just a youth group; it is a group of Malone youth and adults working together to spread God s word to our peers. There is something indescribably special about being with people our own age who are passionate about Christ, and work together in Christian love where it s not about us, but about Him. That s my personal experience. But we want you to have a chance to experience the same thing. Anybody can be on CCYM you just have to be active in your youth group. So, if you re passionate about Jesus and feel called to lead youth, now is the time to get involved. If you re interested, talk to your pastor and youth leader. Get in touch with your district youth coordinator and find out what you need to do to get involved. The first meeting of the CCYM is April 21 at UP!WORD 12. Even if you don t feel called to join CCYM yet, you should still come to UP!WORD it s a great change to meet youth from across New York state and meet God in a whole new way. Please prayerfully consider joining CCYM, and I will see you at UP!WORD 12! Paul says: I have found serving on CCYM to be one of the greatest blessings that I have CCYM and why you should join had over the past two and a half years. It really is an honor and a blessing to be entrusted with the planning of events that exist to draw young people (and maybe some of their adult leaders) into a closer relationship with our God and Creator. This is not to mention the wonderful camaraderie that I have found with the other members of CCYM. CCYM really is special in the sense that it is a committee that allows youth to be youth, builds leadership in young people and endeavors to create places where a lot more youth can be youth and learn to be leaders. This is done not only through our events, but also through Sweet the promotion of the District Council on Youth Ministry and individual youth groups, along with the selection of youth to represent our Conference on the Mission of Peace, the Northeast Jurisdictional Council on Youth Ministry, as observers at NEJ Conference. CCYM also selects youth to serve on select boards and committees such as the Division on Ministry to Young People. It really is nothing less than a miracle that the CCYM can gather as a body at all in order to do the work that we are charged with. In our society young people have extremely rigid schedules as we try to get as much out of our high school experience as possible. Add this to the fact that CCYM is made up of 60 youth from almost every corner of the state and most do not have their driver s licenses. Given all of these factors it is nothing less than an act of God that allows us to assemble so we may try to do God s work. Do you believe that youth have a voice in The United Methodist Church? Do you wish your voice could be heard? Then consider joining the Upper New York Conference Council on Youth Ministries (CCYM) this spring! Youth in grades 7 to 12 serve on the CCYM until they graduate or until they step down. Every year, there are openings for new youth to join and become part of a great discipleship and personal growth experience. Now is the time to add your name, and your voice, to this team whose entire focus is on connecting youth to God through the church. Membership: In our UNY Annual Conference, the CCYM is comprised of four YSF: Focused on service youth and one adult from each of the 12 districts. In addition there are two youth from each of the five metropolitan areas: Albany, Binghamton, Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse. Expectations: CCYM members are expected to participate in leadership training and development opportunities that include a Saturday afternoon session during UP!WORD 12 (April 21), and CCYM training camp to be held this year at Camp Asbury from June Additional overnight meetings are held in September and January in the Syracuse area. CCYM members plan and present the Fall Doing and Fall Gathering in November and UP!WORD in April. In addition, CCYM is responsible for participation in Northeastern Money raised: The Youth Service Fund (YSF) of the Upper New York Annual Conference received $868 at its January meeting, and voted to give nearly half of it away. Conference Council on Youth Ministry (CCYM) members were challenged to raise money for the Youth Service Fund in many ways: one successful way involved mini M&Ms that come in tubes just the right size to fill with quarters! Money given: The YSF team voted to give $400 to youth from the Greece United Methodist Church (Genesee Valley District) for their upcoming Mission Trip to Nicaragua. Other requests will be considered as they are received. To apply for funds, see the CCYM page on the Upper New York website ( or contact the Rev. Becky Laird at revlaird@hotmail. com or (315) The next YSF meeting will be in April during UP!WORD 12. Service planned: The YSF team challenges every youth group planning to attend UP!WORD 12 in April to bring non-perishable food items that will be donated to a food pantry. How creative and how generous can your youth group be? Bring canned goods, boxed cereals, pastas or other packaged goods to the YSF table at UP!WORD 12 registration! Join with us and the Upper New York Annual Conference s HANDS4NY initiative working to feed 1 million people in a year! The YSF team is proudly working to live the CCYM motto: For youth, by youth! March 2012 Page 9 Want to join CCYM? Here s how Jurisdictional Mission of Peace (NEJ MOP) program and NEJ CYM. Members also encourage youth ministry throughout our Conference especially in the districts and local churches and through participation in worldwide Methodist youth events such as Global Gathering of Young People and YOUTH 15. The opportunities for young Methodists are many and varied! Join: To become a member, contact the adult leader for your District Council on Youth Ministry, your district superintendent, or one of the Conference council adult leaders. A full list of contact information is available on the Conference Council on Youth Ministries page of the Upper New York website (www. /pages/detail/1033). New co-coordinator The Conference Council on Youth Ministries is delighted to announce the addition of a third adult to its leadership team. The Rev. Sharon Rankins- Burd, pastor of Sauquoit Valley and Cedar Lake United Methodist churches in the Mohawk District, joins the Rev. Ted Anderson and the Rev. Tony Hipes as an adult co-coordinator for the CCYM. Rankins-Burd The appointment is effective immediately and continues through the year ahead. Congratulations to Sharon! Also in the year ahead, the CCYM will be going through some restructuring, including adopting a new process for choosing conference coordinators.

10 Page 10 March 2012 AU celebrates its 20th year 28 churches to host special guest speakers on Africa University Sunday, March 25 The Upper New York Area is a long way from Africa University s home in Zimbabwe some 8,000 miles but on Sunday, March 25, the two places will be brought closer together when 28 speakers celebrate the work of Africa University during worship services at churches across the Area. On March 25, the conference will observe AU Sunday, when 28 churches, at least one in each of the Area s 12 districts, will open their doors to AU alumni, board members and others to hear the remarkable story of this United Methodist affiliated institution that has been growing strong for the last two decades. Africa University was founded by The United Methodist Church in It is pan-african by design and enrolls students from throughout the continent. Among those who will be speaking about AU are Area Resident Bishop Marcus Matthews, who attended a celebration of AU s anniversary in February; Shirley Drake Byers, chair of the Conference s AU Scholarship Endowment Campaign, and When the three-year Africa University Scholarship Endowment Campaign comes to a close, the $1 million raised will fund eight scholarships each year. During the campaign, the Upper New York Annual Conference will highlight how an education at AU has transformed the lives of students and alumni, and will showcase some of work that is being accomplished, both within and without Mutare, Zimbabwe. Meet Mercy Chikhosi Nyirongo, a 2010 graduate of Africa University s Health Sciences program. She is presently the health coordinator for the Malawi Missionary Conference. Malawi was designated a missionary conference in 2008; that is defined by the Church as a conference that has particular missionary opportunities, limited membership and resources, unique leadership requirements, strategic regional or language considerations, and ministerial needs. Nyirongo manages four health programs: Health and Nutrition, Water and Sanitation, Malaria Prevention, and Early Childhood Development (ECD). The goal of these programs is to empower communities for sustainable development. In a blog post, Nyirongo wrote about her visit to Madisi to conduct a nutrition screening for children the Rev. Okitakoyi Lundula, an AU graduate and pastor in Nashua, Iowa, who will talk about AU s work and ministry (See a complete list of Africa University Sunday speakers and locations at right). This year marks AU s 20th anniversary, but there are still many United Methodists who don t know a lot about AU. For example: Enrollment at Africa University is at an all-time high. The current total population of 1,634 full-time students is 42 percent higher than it was for the academic year. The students at AU represent 23 African countries. Africa University is debt-free and its endowment fund balance stood at $48.5 million as of November 30, AU is expanding its online distance learning systems. Online training options will focus on areas such as practical theology, health and business. This year brings new academic offerings including undergraduate degree programs in Computer Science and Laboratory Science AU graduates at work: Meet Mercy Nyirongo Parents and children wait for a nutrition screening in Madisi, Malawi. Conducting the screening was Mercy Chikhosi Nyirongo, a 2010 graduate of Africa University s Health Sciences program. Learn more about the work of AU and its students on AU Sunday, March 25. Submitted photo. younger than 5. After traveling some 243 miles, she reached the community to find not only 45 children age 5 and younger, but another 69 older children hoping to be part of the screening. She wrote: I left Blantyre at 4:30 a.m. After driving for almost seven hours, about 390 kms, I was in Madisi around 11:30 a.m., found the wonderful women and men waiting for me. As soon as I saw them, my soul wept, my exhaustion melted. They have been waiting from 8 a.m. Of the 114 children screened, 23 were found to be malnourished and were enrolled into the nutrition as well as graduate degree programs in Child and Family Studies, and Public Policy and Governance. Everyone is encouraged to attend an AU Sunday worship service (some churches are also hosting programs separate from worship) to learn about how United Methodists are helping to encourage and strengthen the next generation of Africa s leaders through their support of Africa University. Education is the cornerstone on which Africa can build its future success and prosperity. The students of Africa University graduate with a brighter future, not just for themselves, but for their families, communities and nations as well. Beginning in June 2011, the 937 churches of the Upper New York Area embarked on a three-year AU scholarship endowment campaign to raise $1 million to support eight scholarships in perpetuity. To date, the effort has raised $120,000. To learn more about Africa University, visit www. africaau.edu. To donate to the AU Scholarship Endowment Campaign, visit www. /auscholarship. program. Along with working as conference health coordinator, Nyirongo is enrolled in the online master of public health program offered by Walden University. Her long-term goal is to become Malawi s Minister of Health. To read Nyirongo s blog and see photos, visit wandikweza.wordpress. com/2012/02/14/114-underfive-children-screened-foracute-malnutrition-in-madisi/ To learn more about Africa University and the Upper New York Annual Conference s three-year AU Scholarship Endowment Campaign, visit /auscholarship. AU Sunday speakers Speakers will come to 28 churches on March 25, AU Sunday. For the times and other specifics, contact your district office or individual church. A list will also appear online. Adirondack Dr. Maggie Jackson, AU board member and educator, will speak at Christ Church United Methodist Church, 54 Bay St., Glens Falls. The Rev. Dr. Joseph L. Harris, AU Advisory Development Committee member and communications director/assistant to Bishop Robert E. Hayes Jr. of the Oklahoma Area of The United Methodist Church, will speak at Saratoga Springs United Methodist Church, 175 Fifth Ave., Saratoga. Albany Shirley Drake Byers, chairwoman of the Upper New York Africa University Scholarship Endowment Fund Committee and a long-time supporter of Africa University, will speak at Christ Church United Methodist Church, 35 State St., Troy. Richard Fotsin Fotsin, AU s IT director and an AU graduate, will speak at First United Methodist Church, 603 State St., Schenectady. Bishop J. Lawrence McCleskey, now retired, donates his time as executive vice president for development for AU. He will speak at Latham United Methodist Church, 15 Ridge Place, Latham. Donald Wood, a member of the AU Advisory Development Committee, will speak at East Greenbush United Methodist Church, 1 Gilligan Road, East Greenbush. Binghamton Kevin G. Goodwin, member of the AU Advisory Development Committee and a delegate to the United Methodist General Conference, will speak at Endwell United Methodist Church, 3301 Watson Blvd., Endwell. Cornerstone The Rev. Dr. William L. McFadden, a retired pastor and member of the AU Advisory Development Committee, will speak at Christ First United Methodist Church, 663 Lakeview Ave., Jamestown. Crossroads Angella Current-Felder, AU board member and daughter of Bishop Leontine Kelly the second United Methodist woman to be named bishop, will speak at Baldwinsville United Methodist Church, 17 W. Genesee St., Baldwinsville. Dr. Aubrey K. Lucas, former treasurer of the AU Board of Directors, will speak at Fayetteville United Methodist Church, 601 E. Genesee St., Fayetteville. The Rev. Dr. S. Huw Anwyl, a member of the AU Advisory Development Committee and pastor of Shepherd of the Hills Church Laguna Niguel, Calif., will speak at Jordan United Methodist Church, 63 Elbridge St., Jordan. Thomas McAnally, a member of the AU Advisory Development Committee, will speak at Brown Memorial United Methodist Church, 228 Davis St., Syracuse. Dr. Artemus Gaye, educator, former AU student and a member of the AU Advisory Development Committee, will speak at University United Methodist Church, 1085 E. Genesee St., Syracuse. The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Lutgen, Jr., retired, a member of the AU Advisory Development Committee and former employee of United Methodist Committee on Relief, will speak at Cicero United Methodist Church, 8416 North Main St., Cicero. Finger Lakes Ruth Ellen Stone, a member of the AU Advisory Development Committee and chairperson of the Indiana Friends of AU Committee, will speak at Lansing United Methodist Church, 32 Brickyard Road, Lansing. James H. Salley, AU s associate vice-chancellor for institutional advancement, will speak at Penn Yan United Methodist Church, Main and Chapel streets, Penn Yan. Cheryl L. Walker, director of Black Congregational Ministries for The United Methodist Church s General Board of Discipleship, will speak at St. Paul s First United Methodist Church, 402 N. Aurora St., Ithaca. Genesee Valley Upper New York Area Resident Bishop Marcus Matthews, vice chairman of the AU Board of Trustees, will speak at Asbury First United Methodist Church, 1050 East Ave., Rochester. The Rev. Joseph Abram, Jr., a member of the AU Advisory Development Committee who is pastor at Union United Methodist Church in Barnwell, S.C., will speak at Aldersgate United Methodist Church, 4115 Dewey Ave., Rochester. Mohawk Andra Stevens, director of communications at AU, will speak at New Hartford United Methodist Church, 105 Genesee St., New Hartford. The Rev. William E. Lovell, a retired pastor and a member of the AU Advisory Development Committee who grew up in Africa where his parents were missionaries. He will speak at First United Methodist Church, 400 N. George St., Rome. Mountain View The Rev. Okitakoyi Lundula, an AU graduate and a pastor Nashua, Iowa, will speak at Centenary United Methodist Church, 3 W. Washington St., Bath. Niagara Frontier The Rev. Kalaba Chali, AU graduate and a pastor in St. Charles, Mo., will speak at Emmanuel United Methodist Church, 75 East Ave., Lockport. Mr. Fay Hodza, an AU graduate and member of the AU staff, Hodza is a Fulbright Scholar and a PhD candidate at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. He will speak at Kenmore United Methodist Church, 32 Landers Road, Kenmore. The Rev. F. Lloyd Rollins, former director of development for the AU Development Office, will speak at East Aurora United Methodist Church, 345 Main St., East Aurora. Christine Doran, executive assistant to the bishop and staff support to the Upper New York AU Scholarship Endowment Fund Committee, will speak at Hamburg United Methodist Church, 116 Union St., Hamburg. Northern Flow LaMar Wilson, Jr., a member of the AU Advisory Development Committee, will speak at Gouverneur United Methodist Church, 34 Grove St., Gouverneur. Oneonta Steve Drachler, a member of the AU Advisory Development Committee and executive director of United Methodist Advocacy in Pennsylvania, will speak at First United Methodist Church, 66 Chestnut St., Oneonta.

11 March 2012 Page 11

12 Page 12 March 2012 In brief... New material from UNYAC resource centers United Methodism 101 This interactive course blends audio, video and written materials into a fast-moving learning experience for groups and individuals wanting to increase their understanding of United Methodism. Each kit includes five identical CDs and one leader s guide. Additional CDs and leader s guides are available separately. Each CD includes five modules: 1. Introduction and overview to your journey: What is The United Methodist Church? 2. History of The United Methodist Church: From the birth of a movement to a modern denomination 3. Underlying theology and foundations of basic beliefs 4. Organization and structure of the denomination 5. Present and future challenges faced by all United Methodists United Methodist Communications. This resource was updated in Three Simple Questions Know The God Of Love, Hope And Purpose Who Is God? Who Am I? Who Are We Together? How we answer these three simple questions has a big impact on what we believe, how we live, and how we relate to other people. This six-session DVD, designed to help participants reinforce connections between the questions and Scripture, is essential for creating a successful Three Simple Questions churchwide study. Each of the videos leads naturally into discussion and sharing through the use of stories, Scripture, personal comments and music. The six sessions on DVD include: Introduction, Who is God, Who am I, Who are we Together, Praying the Questions, and Living the Questions. This study also includes six-week components for both youth and children. Credo Multimedia Teaching Tools Multimedia Teaching Tools provides an original video segment and PowerPoint for each of the 18 sessions in the Remembrances Mr. Clair Zimmerman, 82, died Feb. 10, He is survived by his daughter, the Rev. Lorraine Lori Zimmerman, who is currently on incapacity leave, and his son and daughterin-law Brent and Angie Zimmerman of Mechanicsburg, Ohio. Funeral services were held Feb. 15 in Mechanicsburg. Mrs. Geneva Mae Long, 105, died Feb. 11, Her son is the Rev. Bob Long, retired. Mrs. Long was a long-time member of Calvary United Conference calendar April 1 Palm Sunday AU Offering April CCYM s UPWORD! Credo Confirmation program. The videos segments, which are approximately 2 minutes in length, illustrate and reinforce the key teachings in each session and are a great way to introduce each topic. The PowerPoint shows can run throughout each session, emphasizing key points and stimulating visual learners. The Credo Multimedia package also will provide posters and promotional materials, such as high resolution art that can be used on T-shirts, church websites, newsletters and so forth. Operation Overboard VBS Dive in and discover God s underwater universe! Swim with humpback whales and seahorses, scuba through a vibrant coral reef, and take a personal submarine to the ocean floor, where eels and octopi play. As they journey miles below the water s surface, kids plunge into Bible stories of people with deep faith and learn to trust a God whose love is bigger than the sea. Participants will learn to go deep into God s Word for their lives, exploring the meaning and application of Bible stories about people who exhibited deep faith. Theme Scripture for the week: Faith is the reality of what we hope for and proof of what we don t see. (Hebrews 11:1, CEB) Session 1 Noah Depends on God (Genesis 6:9-13, 6:22-7:17, 8:1, 8:13-9:17) Session 2 A Servant Girl Dares to Care (II Kings 5) Session 3 John Proclaims Jesus (Matthew 3:1-17, Mark 1:1-11, Luke 3:1-22) Session 4 The Disciples Choose to Follow Jesus (Luke 5:1-11, John 21:4-24) Water Connection The disciples fished in a boat on the Sea of Galilee. Session 5 Paul Delivers Good News (Acts 27) There are many support items available to borrow for this and other VBS programs. Diane Alexander is director of the Endicott office of the UNYAC Media Resource Center, 53 McKinley Ave., Endicott, N.Y Contact her at (607) or via April 24 - May 4 General Conference May 13 Mother s Day Brunch Casowasco Over 100 youth gathered Dec. 30-Jan. 1 for Camp Echo, a three-day New Year s Eve party. It began with a performance by Nels Ross, world-renowned Christian juggler and speaker. Frosty Olympics and worship including skits, video clips and rocking music by In- Side Out (the Casowasco house band) were also part of the weekend. And it was a reunion for some of the 1,200 summer campers who attended Casowasco in Log on to casowasco.org to see a Camp Echo video. at DianeAlexander@unyumc. org. For more information about the Media Resource Center or to search the catalog online go to: Volunteer to help in flood recovery Greg Forrester, Upper New York Annual Conference recovery director, is reminding those in the UNY Area that volunteers will be needed to help with recovery efforts this spring and summer. There are two volunteer centers now open and scheduling volunteer teams. The centers are in Endicott (Binghamton District) and Middleburgh (Oneonta District). For more information about how you can volunteer or how to schedule a team from your church, contact Forrester by phone at (607) or (607) , or by at umvimnej@ twcny.rr.com. Join Folts Homes Auxiliary The Folts Homes Auxiliary assists with the care Methodist Church in Latham. She was a member of the Board of Education of the former Troy Annual Conference and served two terms on the General Board of Discipleship. Pastor Leon Stillman, 92, retired associate member, died Feb. 13, Pastor Stillman served the Sulphur Springs, Bombay, Newport- Middleville, DeKalb Junction, and Middlesex United Methodist churches; he retired in Send condolences May 18 Retirement Banquet May 19 Laity & Clergy Sessions At Casowasco Camp & Retreat Center and services provided to the residents of Folts Homes, a senior retirement community in Herkimer. This volunteer group focuses on enriching the lives of residents by providing various activities and sponsoring events designed to stimulate socialization and recreation, to make residents daily life more fulfilling and enjoyable. Periodic fundraisers and holiday parties, along with several large-scale projects have helped to improve comfort and create a true sense of home for residents. In 1943, Folts Home for the Aged admitted its first guests; it has been United For the most complete, up-to-date information, check the calendar at May 31- June 2 Annual Conference Camp & Retreat open houses June 10 Casowasco, Findley Charcoal or gas? Barbecue sauce or dry rub? The Guys With Grills retreat at Casowasco Camp & Retreat Center is the perfect opportunity to invest in your relationship with God, spend time around the grill and campfire with other men, and get the answers to those questions. Participants in the May retreat will cook most of their meals outdoors while learning new techniques for grilling an assortment of foods and how to use a smoker. The group will examine how to become the man that God has called you to be. The cost for the weekend is $195. To register, visit: www. casowasco.org or call (315) Methodist affiliated since that time. Membership is open to anyone and dues, set at different levels, take into consideration everyone s budget. Meetings are held on the third Thursday of each month September through June in the Folts Homes Chapel. If you are interested, but can t commit to monthly meetings or assisting with special functions, there are other ways to support the Auxiliary. To become a member or for more information, contact the Folts Homes Development Office at (315) , ext. 318 or by lindac@foltshomes.com. Folts Homes Auxiliary members with the homemade baked goods they prepared for the annual Valentine s Day party for the residents held Feb. 16. Folts Homes is a retirement community in Herkimer. Submitted photo. to Roberta Stillman at P.O. Box 601, Rushville N.Y Ms. Helen L. (Clarey) Nichols, 93, died Feb. 14, She was the mother of the Rev. Judy Alderman, pastor at Syracuse s Bellevue Heights United Methodist Church. Condolences may be sent to 210 Hancock Ave., Syracuse, N.Y The Rev. Robert Rosenkrance, 82, died Feb. 18, Rev. Rosenkrance was retired from the former Wyoming Conference. Over 20 years, he served several churches including Calvary United Methodist Church in Vestal and the Chenango Bridge United Methodist Church. Mrs. Dorothy Frank, 84, died Feb. 23, Her husband is the Rev. Leon Frank Jr., retired, who is serving part time at West Chenango United Methodist Church (Binghamton District). June 16 Aldersgate June 30 Skye Farm