Genesee Valley District Office
585-340-9525; Fax 585-340-9526
geneseevalleyumc@crcds.edu
www.geneseevalleyumc.org
E-News from the
Valley!!!!
(August 14, 2008)
E-News is an email
communication tool (sent each Thursday) of the Genesee Valley District Office
to clergy and laity across the District. If you wish to be removed from this
mailing list, just “reply” to this message and include
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Hit any link to view the article in full
Table of contents: (1) NEW! Note from the D.S. (2) Joys & Concerns (3) NEW!
Dates To Remember (4) NEW! Sabbatical
Grants Available (5) NEW! Date set for Order of Elders (6) NEW DATE! District Fall Pastors Meeting (7) Ministry
to College Students (8) NEW! Info on Students attending SUNY Geneseo
(9) Healthy
Congregations Workshop (10) Training Opportunity for SPSARV/Faith
Partners Team Ministry (11) Church Audits Needed (12) Bishops
Convocation (13) 63rd Annual Retreat for Men & Boys (14) Items free to a good
home (15) NEW! Branch Meeting Schedule
(16) NEW! Committee Meetings (17) NEW! Directory
Updates
Local Church Announcements:
(18) NEW! Ionia UMC to host Fall Festival & Tractor Pull (19) NEW! Livonia UMC to host Weight Watchers Group (20) NEW! West Webster to hold Huge Garage Sale (21) NEW! Geneseo UMC to host 14th
Annual 150-family garage sale (22) Carlton UMC to participate in Music &
Praise under the Stars (23) Books Needed for Roberts Wesleyan
in
the valley…
change…!
last week it was hot…today
it is not!
last month was July…August
has different sky… (that was a rhyming stretch) J
last year we were shorter…lighter…less
gray …. than we are today…
summer…fall…winter…spring…
in these changes all life sings!
even in church the seasons
change… Pentecost…Kingdomtide… Advent again!
change!.. it happens
everywhere… whether we are here or there!
then there is God who changes
not…but is working to change all things a lot!
and there is resurrection and
forgiveness too…changes good for me and you!
and Jesus comes and makes things
new…change is change and changing too!
life is changing every
day…it seems that change it is God’s way!
God grant us the serenity to
accept the things we cannot change…
the courage to change the things
we can…(for the better )…and
lets do work to
help God bring the changes which mean life….
and the wisdom to know the
difference
let us not fear change or hide from it… let us embrace it and live in
such a way
that the changes we are part of are life giving to all and thus pleasing to
God!
may it be so!
Ted
A look at the upcoming two weeks 8/15/08 – 8/29/08
Wednesday, August 13, 2008 – Sunday, August 17, 2008 =
Ted on Vacation
Monday, August 18, 2008 = Appointment (9:30am)
Monday, August 18, 2008 = Appointment (11:00am)
Monday, August 18, 2008 = Appointment (2:30pm)
Monday, August 18, 2008 = Lay Speakers Meeting @ Bill
Gray’s (4:30pm)
Tuesday, August 19, 2008 = Appointment (10:30am)
Wednesday, August 20, 2008 = DCoM @ CRCDS in room #210
(9:00am)
Thursday, August 21, 2008 = District Leadership Council
Meeting @ Tom Wahl’s (6:30pm)
Friday, August 22, 2008 = Ted’s Sabbath
Saturday, August 23, 2008 – Friday August 29, 2008 =
DS Boot Camp @ Lake Junaluska, NC
Monday, September 2, 2008 = Office Closed for Holiday
*Please note: Whenever Ted is traveling or in
multiple day meetings you may call the District Office and Betsy will know how
to reach him.*
Prayers
are requested for Rev Tom Modd (Holley Disciples UMC) who is
experiencing health problems. Rev Modd is taking a much needed rest at his
cottage in Olcott for the next two weeks and he would greatly appreciate your
prayers for regaining his strength.
Prayers
are requested for Pastor Jean Griswold (North Gainesville UMC)
who has suffered a fall. Update: She is showing great improvement. She
will continue rehabilitation from her home. Your cards and prayers would be
greatly appreciated.
*****
If you have other
prayer concerns or joys that you would like listed on the e-news, please
contact the district office. We welcome all information.
September 11, 2008 = Fall Pastors
Meeting (Brockport UMC; 9:00am gather, 9:30am start, end by 1:00pm; new pastor
meeting from 1:00pm to 2:00pm) PLEASE wear comfortable
clothing!
September 28, 2008 = Service of Welcome for new Bishop @
Asbury First UMC
October 4, 2008 = Living Fully – Aging Well Conference
@ Rush UMC (8:30am – 3:15pm)
October 13 -15, 2008 = Bishops Convocation
October 19, 2008 = Service of
Welcome for Genesee Valley’s New DS @ Grace UMC (3:00pm – 7:00pm;
worship at 4:30pm)
November 3-6, 2008 = Licensing School
February 2-7, 2008 = Licensing School
(4) NEW! Sabbatical
Grants Available
Sermons.com would like to inform you of a Sabbatical Grant
opportunity hosted by The Louisville Institute.
The Louisville Institute offers pastoral leaders a chance to
step out and step back from the pace and pressures of ministry through its
Sabbatical Grant for Pastoral Leaders program. We believe that when clergy have
opportunity for learning, growth, and recreation they also learn the habits and
practices that sustain them in and for meaningful ministry.
During a season of personal renewal, study, and reflection
pastoral leaders embrace the gifts of time and Sabbath for their lives and
ministries. As they are renewed and strengthened so are their families, and so
is the Church.
Through its 2008 Sabbatical Grant for Pastoral Leaders grant
competition, The Louisville Institute will award up to forty grants for
eight-week ($10,000) and twelve-week ($15,000) sabbaticals. During this time
recipients will devote themselves to a season of prayer, study, renewal and
reflection on their vocations and ministries.
For more information, please visit their website at the link
below:
http://www.louisville-institute.org/Grants/programs/sgpldetail.aspx
We encourage you to take a look at this opportunity for
spiritual reflection and renewal.
Grace and Peace,
Brett Blair
(5) NEW! Order of Elders Date Set
Dear
Fellow Elder
The
Western New York Conference order of Elders will meet on Monday, October 6.
Current plans are to gather at the Fairport United Methodist Church at 10
am. We will adjourn around 3 pm. This gathering will be structured, in
part, around the Daily Office. This form of Christian prayer, associated
with the monastic tradition, has gained in use over the last few years.
Writers such as Phyllis Tickle have made the Daily office accessible to
all Christians. I know some of our colleagues have experienced this form
of prayer in other retreat settings, and I would be grateful for any who
would desire to help order the day.
We will also have an opportunity to greet
our new Episcopal Leader, Marcus Matthews. I shared in a workshop last
year with Bishop Matthews, "Spiritual Discernment in a Time of
Conflict" and found him to be a gentle and sensitive presence. For
those of you willing to share, I will be happy to organize a portfolio of
our Order. Please send me a brief biography as an introduction to yourself
and your passion for ministry. You may send these to me at:
Also, if you would, please indicate to me
your ability to be with us or not on October 6. I realize this is a week
before Convocation, but I am trying to avoid the winter snows. A spring
date will be offered later.
Grace to you all, and peace in the name of
Spirit of Christ Jesus.
Paul Womack
Dean
(6)
District Fall Pastors Meeting – PLEASE NOTE NEW
DATE
This
years Fall Pastors Meeting is scheduled for Thursday
September 11th at the Brockport UMC. The church is located
at 92 Main Street, Brockport NY 14420. The phone number is 585-637-4240. This
is the first gathering of all pastors appointed to this district for the
upcoming year and a great chance for everyone to catch up after the summer
months. We will be handing out two folders to each pastor – one for themselves
and one that they are to give to their SPRC Chair. The district directories
will also be available at this meeting.
Please
mark your calendars and plan on attending this event. We are asking that
this year all attendees wear comfortable clothing to the meeting.
The
agenda for the meeting is as follows:
9:00am
– 9:30am – gathering time
9:30am-10:30am
– workshop (wear comfortable clothing!)
10:30am
– 11:15am – worship
11:15am
– 12:15pm – meeting
12:15pm
– 1:00pm – lunch will be served (ALL are invited to attend, please let the office know
if you can NOT attend).
1:00pm
– 2:00pm – Meeting with NEW pastors. This is a time for the new pastors
to hear more detail on what was discussed at the meeting and for them to ask
any questions that they may have.
If
you are unable to make this meeting, please let the district office know and
then make plans to stop by the office after the date to pick up any materials
that were handed out.
(7)Ministry to
College Students
Last
year the Board of Higher Education and Campus Ministry made an effort to inform
our churches of the need for all of you to be involved in ministry to college
students. Churches near campuses can invite students to attend their services
and make sure to welcome them when they do. Churches which are not near a
college campus can keep connections with members away at college by sending
their church newsletter, greeting cards, Email, letters and small gifts and
making a point of inviting those members to events when they may be home on
vacation.
This
year we are going to send out monthly suggestions to help you in your ministry
to college students. These are not all original to us. Most of them come from
the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry. We may make minor additions
and revisions to fit our Conference program. We also welcome suggestions from
our churches, so you may communicate them to wnybhecm@att.net. If you would like
to see the suggestions for the entire year they are on our website at www.wnyumc.org/bhecm.
August
Gather
the names of students from your congregation who will be attending college and
university this year. Share these with the campus minister or chaplain at the
colleges where these students are enrolled. (See page http://www.wnyumc.org/page.asp?PKValue=1138 to get names of
campus ministers.
Contact
your annual conference United Methodist Student Movement adviser (Rev.
Robin Olson, rolson12@naz.edu, Protestant
Chaplain, Center for Spirituality, Nazareth College, 4245 East
Avenue, Rochester NY 14618, Phone: 585-389-2306.) to find out about
student retreats and events in your area.
Dedicate
a section of your bulletin board or Web site to the apportionments of The
United Methodist Church. Designate a time to emphasize the Black College Fund. Highlight any
colleges with which your church has a relationship and include information
about each of these schools, as well as the other United
Methodist-related higher education institutions.
Send
the brochure So . . . What About God Now That You’re Off to College? (in
English; in Spanish) along with a note
from you or your ministry team to all students from your church.
Send
first-year college students the Web address (www.gbhem.org/orientation) for Orientation
Online. Or, go to the Web site and order
printed copies of Orientation, along with a note about the Web site for
the online faith resource.
Blessings,
Peter
Crichton
For
the Board of Higher Education and Campus Ministry
If
you would like to opt out of this mailing, please write to us at wnybhecm@att.net.
(8) New! FOR STUDENTS ATTENDING SUNY COLLEGE AT
GENESEO
To
my Sisters and Brothers in Christ, those called to Pastor God’s people:
Over
the next few weeks the youth of your church will be leaving for college; some
will be returning and others will be going off for the first time. For all of
us who went away to college, many times to new cities/towns far from home, we
will recall not only the excitement but the concern about having a place to
“fit in,” that gives one a sense of belonging. As many of us will
recall this is a time for spiritual exploration and growth, and unfortunately
it can also be a time of falling away. I am writing to you as the pastor of
the Geneseo United Methodist Church, and on behalf of the Rev. Mary Anderson
the Campus Minister for the Wesley Foundation which our church operates. Mary
is an ordained Presbyterian pastor who has several years of campus ministry
experience and she has just joined us to work with the students of SUNY College
at Geneseo. However, we need your help; could you please send us the names of
any students from your church who will be attending SUNY Geneseo this year so
we can contact them to invite them to a Wesley Foundation orientation. Please,
just take a few minutes to send us an e-mail with their names, we can locate
them in the student directory and send them an e-mail when they arrive. Send
your e-mail to: GeneseoUMC@Frontiernet.net and in the subject line say:
Students.
Thank
you for your time and consideration in this; if you have questions don’t
hesitate to write me or Mary at the above address.
God’s
grace & peace to you,
Keith
E. Griswold
Pastor, Geneseo UMC
Dr.
Richard Blackburn, Executive Director of Lombard Mennonite Peace Center will
present a workshop on becoming a Healthy Congregation. While looking at how
congregations function, teams will learn how the leadership of a congregation
can lower the anxiety levels, influence healthy patterns and overcome
destructive ones.
The
design of this event is to encourage teams from local congregations to take
this training so that they may be able to use what they have learned in their
home congregations. Individuals are welcome but a team is able to more effectively
incorporate the learning at home.
Final Registration Deadline
October 15, 2008
Workshop Schedule and Topics:
Friday, October 31:
6:30-9:30
Registration
What is Systems Thinking?; Video Case Study:
"The Anxious
Congregation/The Responsible Congregation”
Saturday, November 1:
9:00-12:00 Healthy Congregations Respond to
Anxiety;
Healthy Congregations Invite Differentiation of Self
Healthy Congregations Focus on Strength
Healthy Congregations Manage Conflict
12:00-1:00 Lunch (on-site-included in registration)
1:00-4:30 In Healthy Congregations, Leaders Challenge
People;
In Healthy Congregations, Leaders
Focus on
Mission
In Healthy Congregations, Leaders Promote Health Through Their Presence and Functioning
Planning For a Healthier Congregation
For More Information contact: Tim
Mordaunt716-773-9433 email: mediator@timmordaunt.com
or Ron Isaman 716-397-9993 email: ronisaman@wnyumc.org
Limited Scholarships and Hospitality
Housing will be available.
Registration Costs:
Church teams
up to 6 people - $150
7 and up each
additional person - $10
Individual
Registration - $30
Non-United
Methodist Registrants - $89
Each
participant will also need a manual - $18
After
September 1st, add late fee - $25
SAVE by
registering before September 1, 2008
(10) Training Opportunity for SPSARV/Faith Partners Team Ministry
Congregations can turn pain and
suffering into hope, healing and health. They can prepare parents to provide
important guidance and assist young people to make responsible decisions. All
congregations have the capacity to be a part of the solution to alcohol and
other drug problems and addiction.
The Special Program on
Substance Abuse and Related Violence (SPSARV) of the General Board of
Global Ministries has teamed up with the Rush Center of Johnson Institute to
offer congregations Faith Partners training to start an alcohol and drug
ministry. This ministry consists of a small group of trained lay people who
work together to provide alcohol and other drug awareness, prevention,
education, early intervention, referral assistance, recovery support and
advocacy. The team works closely with the pastor to develop a plan of action to
meet the needs of the congregation. Over the past two years thirty-four United
Methodist congregations have started this ministry.
You are invited to attend the
SPSARV/Faith Partners leadership training at First United Methodist Church in
North Andover, MA on Thursday November 13, 2008. Clergy are urged to
bring one or two lay people to this 9:00am – 4:00pm workshop. Those
attending will learn about the team approach, the scope of the ministry and
potential barriers. They will also receive tools and strategies to build in the
two-day SPSARV/Faith Partners team training in April.
Cost per congregation for both
the leadership and the team training is $180.00. Register your congregation for
the November training for $80.00 plus $15.00 per person for lunch (remaining
balance of $100.00 will be due at team training). At time of registration
congregations will receive a free Call to Action kit, a guide to early
support including a video with testimonies from active teams.
Register online at www.umspsarv.org or call toll free
866.944.3330 for information or contact Philip McClintock, at 508.432.5318 or philipmcclintock@aol.com.
Audits
are required (see 2004 Book of Discipline ¶259.4.c) from each church every year.
If you have not all ready done so, please send a copy of your audit to Genesee
Valley District Office, 1100 South Goodman Street, Rochester NY 14620.
Churches that receive funding from the Annual Conference
could be at risk at loosing that funding if the conference office has not
received the audits.
Thanks
The 2008 Bishops Convocation will be held on October 13-15,
2008 at the Holiday Inn in Auburn NY. Brochures can be found on the WNY (www.wnyumc.org) and NCNY (www.ncnyumc.org) conference websites.
Registration deadline is September 15, 2008.
(13) 63rd Annual
Retreat for Men and Boys of all Ages
The WNY UMM retreat is scheduled for September 19-20, 2008
at Camp Asbury, Silver Lake NY. The theme this year is Men Under
Construction. Brochures can be found on the conference website (www.wnyumc.org) left hand side of the home
page. Registration is requested by September 5, 2008. Make checks payable to Mountain
View District UMM and mail to Richard Kephart, 2998 Eastside Avenue,
Wellsville, NY 114895. Phone number is 585-593-5475.
(14) Items free to a good home
In moving the district offices we have come across a few
items that are no longer needed and would like to give them to a church that
could use them. Please call the district office for more information if you
are interested in an item. These will be given away on a first come first
serve basis.
Dukane 500 slide/film projector
Sharp EL-1801P adding machine with 3 rolls of paper
FreshWater 3 gallon easy carry water bottle
2 Cork Bulletin Boards: 30”w x 20”h; 3ft w x
2ft h
(15) NEW! Upcoming Branch
Meetings
Branch #1 Northwest –
Branch #2 Home – A "Meet and Greet" the new DS Rev.
Ted Anderson, hosted by the HOME Branch for the Home branch churches, will be
held on October 26, at 4:00pm for worship, fellowship and refreshments at
the LeRoy United Methodist Church. The Bergen Youth Band will meet
at 2:00pm with an invitation to area youth to come, bring an instrument and
join in. Details will be forth coming.
Branch #3 Letchworth – Sept 18th at Perry First
UMC. 12 noon start. Future Dates: 10/16; 11/20; 12/18. Lunch can be brown
bagged or ordered from the Restaurant (Rocker’s Delights) across the
street ahead of time (585-237-0010). PLEASE REMEMBER that Ted Anderson
will be joining us for our October 16th meeting (Noon at Perry
First).
Branch #4 Kudzu –
Branch #5 South –
Branch #6 Rts 5 & 20 –
Branch #7 Eastside –
Branch #8 “The Ranch” –
Branch #10 METRO – September 18th at
Margaret Scott’s house. The meeting starts at 11:30am. Please bring a
dish to pass.
The
Genesee Valley Lay Speaking Committee meets at 4:30 pm on Third Monday’s
of the month at Bill Grey’s in Henrietta. All lay
speakers are invited and encouraged to attend when they are able
Everyone’s input is valued.
District
Committee on Ministry meeting is scheduled for Wednesday August 20th
at CRCDS in room #210. The meeting starts at 9:00am.
District
Leadership Council meeting is scheduled for Thursday August 21st at
the Tom Wahl’s in Avon. The meeting starts at 6:30pm.
District
Youth Leaders/Advisors Gathering is scheduled for Tuesday September 16th
at Asbury First UMC. Meeting is from 6:30pm – 8:30pm.
District
Superintendency meeting is scheduled for Thursday September 18th at
CRCDS in room #312. The meeting starts at 7:00pm.
District
Union meeting is scheduled for Tuesday September 30th at Avon UMC.
The meeting starts at 7:00pm.
District
Trustees meeting is scheduled for Monday October 6th at CRCDS in room #312.
The meeting starts at 7:00pm.
Please note: the
district office is available to send out reminder cards for your meetings if
you notify us in advance that you wish this done.
The district directories
are in the process of being printed. If you haven’t returned your
changes to the district office and need some please CALL the district office
ASAP..
Local Church Events
and Announcements
(18) NEW! Ionia UMC Fall Festival & Tractor Parade"Fall Festival & Tractor Parade will be held on Saturday, September 20th at the Ionia Fire Hall Grounds on County Road #14 and is sponsored by the Ionia United Methodist Church.
Come spend a day in the country! Tractor Parade at 1:00pm, Antique Tractors and Implements on display all day long; Pancake Breakfast at 7:30-10am; 1K Fun Run at 10am; Child Safety/Fingerprinting at 10-11am; Chicken BBQ noon-6pm ; Historical Tour Hayrides and Self-Guided Historical Tours.
All day long are: Food Stand; Dessert Wheel; Children's Activities & Games; Hayrides; Pony Rides at 2-4pm, Music; Displays, Vendors, Booths and much, much more fun for all ages in Ionia!
Call 657-6984 for more information."
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