DVOCATE AADVOCATE Upper UpperNew NewYork York
A publication of the Upper New York Conference of The United Methodist Church A publication of the Upper New York Conference of The United Methodist Church
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ca r u o g livin
CALLED TO MINISTRY | BOLD CHURCHES | PERSERVERENCE
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CULTURE OF THE CALL
Callings come in many forms and at many different times. Learn what it takes to create a culture where people are able hear their invitation.
TABLE of CONTENTS
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CALLING ALL YOUNG PEOPLE
You don’t have to be an adult to be a leader. Read how one young person heard his calling and is boldy living it.
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RETIREMENT WON’T STOP ME
Even after retirement, they continue to live out their calling. Read what these retirees have planned for their next adventure.
26 TRANSFORMING CHURCH
Find out how this church and its congregation picked up the pieces after a disaster and used this adversity to bring the community closer together.
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UNITED METHODIST WOMEN’S HISTORY
Susan Angeline Collins was an early trailblazer for Methodist women. In the years following the U.S. Civil War, Collins went to college and became a successful business owner. All before answering her call to serve the Methodist Church in missions to Africa. Learn more about her remarkable work.
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The Brocton Tri- Church Parish continues to worship despite the obstacles. Photos by Robert Myers.
A DVOCATE Upper New York
Vol. 10, Issue 3
Boldly living our call FEATURE:
Meet Tommy... Tommy is an individual with special needs and works with a mentor several days of the week. When asking him about how he became the way he is, a young man with a traumatic brain injury, he said with innocence yet strength: “God made me this way.” Since meeting Tommy about a year ago, he’s been boldy living his call by helping the hungry in downtown Syracuse nearly every week. Read more on page 36.
On the cover
First United Methodist Church of East Greenbush guides young people to find a “place” in the church after confirmation. Read more on page 10. Photo by UMC of East Greenbush.
Follow us online: www.unyumc.org www.facebook.com/uppernewyork www.twitter.com/uppernewyork www.instagram.com/uppernewyork Disclaimer: All photos appearing in the Advocate, a publication of the Upper New York Conference, have been printed with permission.
Editor/Publisher
Social Media/Web
STEPHEN J. HUSTEDT
SHELBY WINCHELL
UNY Director of Communications (315) 898-2000 x2016 stevehustedt@unyumc.org
Social Media/Web Specialist (315) 898-2000 x2015 shelbywinchell@unyumc.org
Writer/Editor
Video/Design and Layout
SHANNON HODSON
MARY DALGLISH
Conference Writer/Editor (315) 898-2000 x2019 shannonhodson@unyumc.org
Video/Design Specialist (315) 898-2000 x2018 marydalglish@unyumc.org
Special thanks to this issue: the Rev. Bill Gottschalk-Fielding Director of Connectional Ministries & Assistant to the Bishop
Office: 7481 Henry Clay Blvd., Liverpool, NY 13088. Telephone: (855) 424-7878. The Upper New York United Methodist Advocate is a publication of the Upper New York Conference ofThe United Methodist Church, whose mission is to be God’s love with all our neighbors in all places. It is published four times a year. Materials in the Advocate may not be reproduced unless the item is accompanied by a copyright notation. Periodicals postage paid at Utica, NewYork 13504; USPS 14025. Postmaster: send address changes to Upper New York United Methodist Advocate, 7481 Henry Clay Blvd., Liverpool, NY 13088.We reserve the right to edit or decline any items submitted for publication.
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arah, Abraham, Miriam, Moses, Sarah, Ruth, Joshua, David, Esther, Hannah, Solomon, Jeremiah, Peter, John, Mary Magdalene, and Paul. What do these individuals all have in common? What do their lives offer to ours? These women and men are examples of individuals who placed their faith and trust in God and boldly lived the call of God within their lives. A call that led them into places and situations they would not have otherwise gone. A call that equipped them with gifts that were used to invite others into a choice of faith in God. A call that catapulted them into society and then through God’s power and grace they became agents of deep change and transformation. As United Methodists in Upper New York, we are called just as these men and women of the past were called. We are called to boldly live our identity as followers of Jesus Christ, to be shaped by who Jesus is, and offer with urgency and passion the truth of God through Jesus Christ to the world around us. We continue to remind ourselves that our purpose is clear. We are called to “make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.” We live out this calling by trusting Jesus who promises to produce transformation – individually, corporately, and systematically. Jesus came to serve – to offer light, truth, hope, peace, forgiveness, and life. He met sinners where they were and called them to sin no more. He touched the untouchable VISIT US ON THE WEB
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and loved the unlovable. He challenged the status quo of society and the Church with a call to righteousness, holiness, justice, and mercy. He depended upon the power of God’s Spirit always and in all things! Our opportunity is the same! The call as followers of Jesus Christ - as the Church of Jesus Christ - is to choose the way of Jesus! To die to self so that He may live – to decrease so that He may increase. To set aside our agendas, our desires, our solutions, so that we may lose our life to be found in the life and the way of Jesus Christ. Like those who have come before us, we must boldly live our call! We have much to celebrate as the Church of Jesus Christ in Upper New York. We are living the mission and striving for the fulfillment of our vision. Have we fallen short at times – of course. Have we missed the mark of being all that God desires us to be – absolutely. But God has called us. God is enough. Because of God we are enough and have everything we need for the journey! Jesus is the way and we are invited to follow that way! We are invited to believe and to proclaim that truth to others. We must boldly live our call! I hope you will take some time to look through the pages of this edition of the Advocate! Be inspired, challenged, convicted, and encouraged by the way brothers and sisters in Christ are boldly living the call! May the example of these modern day spiritual heroes, spur you on to find the ways in which God is calling you to offer the good news of Jesus Christ to the world!
WWW.UNYUMC.ORG
At the 2018 Annual Conference, the theme was the same as this issue of the Advocate: Boldly Living Our Call! Bishop Webb reminded attendees of the truth of Jesus through the following biblical passages:
To view Bishop Webb’s full sermon from Annual Conference, visit: https://vimeo.com/uppernewyork/openingworship2018
You can also browse our Annual Conference video library, where you’ll find full length videos of worship services, study sessions, recaps, and more. Visit: https://vimeo.com/channels/ac2018
Bishop Webb urged UNY members to acknowledge this identity of Christ. He said, “If we are to boldly live our call – if we are to be effective in the mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ – our identity must be grounded in the identity of Christ. We must acknowledge Christ! We must acknowledge who Christ is, not based on who the world says he is or based on our ideas, our definitions, our understandings, but on who Jesus said he was in word and in action. We must confess Jesus as our Savior and Lord.”
For more coverage of the Ninth Session of the Upper New York Annual Conference, visit: http://www.unyumc.org/events/2018-annual-conference-wrap-up unyumc.org 5
The
culture of
the call By the Rev. Dr. Aaron Bouwens, Director of Vital Congregations
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pend time in the life of the Church and sooner or later someone will use the language of calling. In recent history, the idea of calling is often thought of as something reserved for clergy. However, the experience of calling is not only for Rev. Dr. Aaron Bouwens clergy; every person is called by God. This was a part of the scandal the reformer Martin Luther offered the Church in what has come to be called the Priesthood of All Believers. Our 6 UNY ADVOCATE 2018, Issue 3
calling is the invitation of God to participate in the works of God. Both laity and clergy are called, and both are needed to fulfill the purposes of God in all creation. God is still in the business of calling people, the question is, are we creating a culture where people can hear the invitation? Cultures produce what they are designed to produce. This might seem like an obvious statement; however, congregations do not always think about themselves as having a culture. Every congregation has a series of cultures that converge to create an overarching culture. A congregation might have a missions culture, and as a result the congregation has multiple mission outlets and even see people move into full-time vocational missions. Another congregation might have a justice culture, and as a result, multiple opportunities for acts of justice are available. What would it look like for a congregation to have a culture where people repeatedly told of how they felt called by God? What might God be able to do with a church that has and celebrates a culture of call?
Having a culture of call is essential to helping people hear and fulfill their calling. Think for a moment about gardening. Often, it is the fruit or flowers of a garden that get the most attention; however, the most basic reason we enjoy the fruit or flowers can be found in the soil and environment in which the plants grow. Healthy soil, correct levels of sunlight and water, and careful weeding create an environment (or culture) plants can grow in. Having a culture of call in our churches is similar. The environment created by the life of the church will directly impact the ability of persons to hear and respond to their call. The Scriptures are filled with people that ended up in the right situations, or cultures, to be able to hear the invitation of God. Often, people point to Moses and the burning bush. There is also Esther, Deborah, Phillip, Ruth, and the list could go on. Each person had a unique calling that matched who God had made them to be, yet one thing was in common: All were in a situation where they could hear God’s call. Our congregations are invited to be places where people can be available in such a way a calling is heard. One account of God’s calling is helpful to understanding what goes into a culture of call, the call of Samuel. 1 Samuel 3 provides the full account of Samuel hearing the call of God, and what it meant to respond to the call. Samuel was in a culture where he was invited to: 1. Be as close to God as earthly possible 2. Recognize the voice of God calling to him 3. Respond to the calling of God A culture of call will emerge in congregations that create an environment where those three things are happening. Once the culture of call emerges, there will be an abundance of stories being told about people feeling called by God and responding to the call. unyumc.org 7
How baptism is related to your call By the Rev. Bill Gottschalk-Fielding, Director of Connectional Ministries & Assistant to the Bishop
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o you confess Jesus Christ as your Savior, put your whole trust in his grace, and promise to serve him as your Lord, in union with the Church which Christ has opened to people of all ages, nations, and races?
I think the same attitude is required of those of us who are baptized. Every baptized Christian – no matter what their age or talent level – is expected to perform, to “renounce the spiritual forces of wickedness” and “resist evil, injustice and oppression in whatever forms they present themselves” as it says in our service of baptism. Nobody gets to sit in the audience. Rev. Gottschalk-Fielding
A few years ago, I took violin lessons with my daughter Tasha. It was a blessing to share this experience with her. It was also terrifying! A 40-something just doesn’t learn as quickly as a 14-year old. As part of our training, Tasha and I, along with the other beginning violinists, had to perform on stage at Ithaca College’s Ford Hall. I knew that some of the finest violinists in the world had played on that stage. And there I was, standing under the stage lights clutching my rented violin, praying I’d not forget how to finger 8 UNY ADVOCATE 2018, Issue 3
the notes for “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.” I really wanted to be sitting in the audience. But if I wanted to learn violin, I had to be bold and play my part.
I remember one of my seminary professors reminding a classroom of us would-be clergy that baptism, not ordination, made us Christ’s ministers. Ordination would refine our calling, but baptism alone defined it. The partnership of laity and clergy in ministry is one of the essential marks of being a United Methodist. We are in this together. Baptism invites and equips us to be bold in living out our calling. It links us to Christ, to one another and to a mission of love and service to our church, neighborhood and world. So be bold. Play your part. Only you can.
QA &
Baptism
Q
What does United Methodism fundamentally believe about baptism?
A: Baptism is a sacrament. In a sacrament, God uses common elements – in this case, water – as means or vehicles of divine grace. Baptism is administered by the church as the Body of Christ. It is the act of God through the grace of Jesus Christ and the work of the Holy Spirit.
Q
Is sprinkling the only way that United Methodists baptize?
A: No, our Church has always offered to
people being baptized and to the parents of infants the choice of sprinkling, pouring, or immersion.
Q
May a person who has not been baptized participate in Holy Communion?
A: Yes, our Church does not seek to close
God's table, although the historic and normal Christian order of the sacraments is baptism first - as birth into the family - and Communion following, as continuing nurture at the family table. Pastors and congregations reach out and encourage those who partake at the Table to share fully in the life of God's people, including coming to the font after appropriate preparation.
Q
Should every baby be baptized?
A: No, the baptism of a baby assumes that the child will be nurtured and formed in the faith at home and at church.
Q
How do we express our own decisions to be Christian disciples if we have already been baptized as infants?
A: In services of profession of faith and con-
firmation before the congregation, we respond
to God's grace by repenting of our sins, declaring our faith in Jesus Christ, and becoming professing members of the Church.
Q
Does baptism mean that I am saved?
A: No, salvation is a lifelong process during
which we must continue to respond to God's grace. Baptism offers the promise that the Holy Spirit will always be working in our lives, but salvation requires our acceptance of that grace, trust in Christ, and ongoing growth in holiness as long as we live.
Q
Do I have to be baptized in order to be saved?
A: No, but baptism is a gift of God's grace to be received as part of the journey of salvation. To refuse to accept baptism is to reject one of the means of grace that God offers us.
Q
How can I recommit myself to Christ when I have had a powerful spiritual experience?
A: Confirmation and profession of faith are
only the first of our affirmations of faith. As we experience God's work in our ongoing lives of discipleship, we can express our commitment through participation in services of baptismal reaffirmation (Baptismal Covenant IV).
Q
Does baptism make me a member of the Church?
A: Yes, baptism is the act of initiation and incorporation into the universal church of Jesus Christ, The United Methodist Church, and the local congregation, as our ritual makes very clear. Editor’s Notes: These questions and answers about baptism and many more Q+As can be found on the UMC Discipleship Ministries’ website. unyumc.org 9
Becoming disciples through confirmation By Heidi Gran, Director of Christian Education, First United Methodist Church of East Greenbush
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ur church has tried several different models for our confirmation class. About three years ago, we tried the model that we are currently using, and it has been growing and expanding. We have classes during Sunday school time, using a United Methodist confirmation curriculum. The classes are taught by five different members of the congregation all varying in age and church experience. This year we had ten students in the confirmation class. The students also have class requirements to meet. The idea is to immerse the youth into the church life through music, service participation, youth events, and mission projects. It is our hope that in doing this, the students will not only learn about their church life, but also, will find a "place" in the church after confirmation. They may want to be in the church choir, or help with missions, or become more involved in youth group or in the services. It is a way to discover more about the life of our church. This year, along with confirmation classes each Sunday, the students had several service participation and mission requirements. They each served communion, made dinner at Interfaith Partnership for the Homeless, participated in a service at Riverside Nursing Home, attended youth events, and participated in a Christmas and an Easter service. They attended a service at Berith Shalom Temple in April, participated in Change the World Sunday in May, and traveled to to New York City to visit John Street United Methodist Church, the oldest Methodist congregation in the country. The class was joyously confirmed on June 3.
Students attending a confirmation class. Photo courtesy of First UMC of East Greenbush 10 UNY ADVOCATE 2018, Issue 3
First UMC of East Greenbush
Here are just a few thoughts from the students. Good things about being a church member: • “You get closer to God.” • “You feel welcomed and it gives you a sense of community.” • “It is a place where you share the same beliefs and you feel that you belong somewhere.” • “You can ask questions and be open with others who share the same thoughts.” Good things about First United Methodist Church of East Greenbush: • “Sunday School teachers are very interactive, people support the Sunday School, even if they don’t have kids in the Sunday School.” • “Our church is child-focused - we have special/fun days that are kid-friendly.” • “Everyone is friendly and kind. The Church is close, like a family.” Highlights of the confirmation class: • “Singing Christmas Carols to the Riverside Nursing Home residents.” • “The relay race in class.” • “The NYC trip.” • “Making dinner for the homeless shelter.” • “Interacting with each other in class.” On growing closer to God: • “I have seen myself grow in my understanding of God.” • “My relationship with God is strong.” • “My relationship with God is stronger now” • “I am closer to God in the sense that I can communicate with God and understand what He does for me.”
Called to Ministry . Called to Ministry
How God has been calling me into pastoral ministry By Gavin Hill, Eden United Methodist Church
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t’s important to know this when discerning God’s call—God whispers, he doesn’t shout. The way I was able to hear God call me to ministry was through his little hints and the gifts he has given me. I believe God’s hints and gifts started in English class, before I was a Christian. Hill. Photo by Thomas Schmidt. At one point, I wanted to be an author. My reasoning was because I was always good at making an essay or a story out of any topic. However, when I looked back one day, I realized God gave me that gift to use for sermon-making. No matter what my topic is, I will make a good sermon out of it.
Another gift God has given me, is the gift of fighting for justice. Ever since I was young, I have fought for justice. The only problem was I
didn’t know how to use it correctly at first. As I became more mature, I realized that justice can stem from God’s word … and that’s a tool that can be used as evidence for the importance of justice. Next, God gave me the opportunity to preach at my church. This made me close to finalizing my choice of going into pastoral ministries. The way God communicated with me this time, was through other people. When I heard I made people cry with happiness and that I made people rethink how they were living, I was 99 percent sure God was calling me to pastoral ministries. When discerning God’s call, listen to what others have to say also. My Mission of Peace trip to Cuba finalized my decision to go into pastoral ministries. The final step was “Experiencing.” In Cuba, I experienced the feeling of doing God’s work. You know the feeling of what God is calling you to do when your soul is still? The feeling you get when you are floating on water because; when you float on water everything is in balance. You are half in the water and half out creating the perfect balance. Another way to explain it is when you sing in perfect harmony with other people, and then you get that one feeling of perfect peace and stillness. When I was experiencing God in Cuba and helping others, I felt that stillness. Doing God’s work convinced me that I should do even more work for him as a pastor.
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Called to Ministry . Called to Ministry
Called into the healing ministries By Jessica Glaser, Commissioned for the work of Deacon Editor’s Note: This article was written in April 2018 before Glaser was commissioned.
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first felt the call to ministry close to 10 years ago, when I lived in Denver. I knew immediately that I wanted to be a deacon. I was inspired by one of the deacons at my church who also served as a labor organizer. I knew that compassion Glaser and justice were what I was called to do. My work at Asbury Amherst, my church home, has confirmed that I want to stay connected to ministry in the parish as well as working outside in the community. My work in Buffalo over the years has led me toward healing ministries in a variety of capacities. The clinics I serve treat patients with many complex conditions that are often exacerbated by mental illness, poverty, and/or substance abuse. Through this work, I have learned a great deal about the opportunities and challenges in transforming our health care system, and I have served for six years as a witness and an advocate for change within it. Now I am starting to consider what fosters healing in a spiritual sense, and the interface of spiritual and physical healing.
I am very interested in learning more about trauma-informed care and trauma-informed ministry, especially since some of the poorest and most vulnerable in our communities often struggle with past and/or ongoing trauma, and this negatively impacts their physical health. I have collaborated with a team at Asbury Amherst to create a monthly prayer and healing service. I have trained as a mercy doula with a team at Erie County Medical Center and plan to increase my time doing that work in the coming year. Finally, I was recently appointed as the Abundant Health Ambassador for Upper New York Annual Conference and look forward to exploring the health challenges throughout the Conference to discover the places where people are hurting and where they feel they need healing. Why should the church be involved in this kind of work? To quote Rev. Bobby Baker, the co-founder of the Congregational Health Network in Memphis, “Life is more than just spending our days beating back death.” The health care industry is interested in healing the body, but we are interested in the healing of the soul; after all, one of the offices of Christ is that of Physician. The healing of the body and soul are deeply intertwined, as demonstrated by Jesus’ work of healing in the gospels. If Jesus was moved by the suffering of others, including the sick, shouldn’t we be moved as well? Isn’t that, after all, why we as churches engage in chaplaincy in hospitals and nursing homes? Why we send cards to people in our congregations who are sick? I am hoping to explore and contribute to this level of healing integration, creating a stronger circle of care that sustains quality as well as quantity of life.
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Called to Ministry . Called to Ministry
Discerning my call into ministry By the Rev. Paul Winkelman, Ordained to the Order of Elder Editor’s Note: This article was written in April 2018 before Winkelman was ordained.
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y calling to pastoral ministry was not discerned by a specific moment or encounter with God - it occurred more gradually. Since I was very young, I began seeing and experiencing the grace of God through Jesus Christ, by the things that I saw in the world and in nature, through the Rev. Winkelman love of Christ that people showed me, and through seeing the need for living the gospel of Jesus Christ in a hurting and a broken world. During every stage of my development as a person and as a Christian, I had and still have loving and devoted parents, great church families, and great pastoral mentors like Rev. Donald Guiles, Rev. Bill Mudge, Rev. Bill Vallet, Rev. David Hays, Rev. Larry Baird, Rev. David Schlansker, Rev. Harold Wheat, Rev. Richelle Goff, and many more. My wife Melissa has also been a rock and a source or great love and continued inspiration in my life. After getting married in 2004, my wife Melissa and I joined Christ United Methodist Church of Locke and Moravia. During our eight years as members of that church, I continued to be
nurtured and encouraged in my faith in Christ, as did Melissa. I then attended a Walk to Emmaus spiritual retreat weekend in 2005 that changed my life. After this retreat weekend, I began Lay Leading, preaching, and soon filling in at nearby United Methodist Churches. All throughout this process and eventually beginning my seminary education in 2010, I saw people all around me that were suffering. In seeing many people brought to the saving grace of Jesus Christ, I began to see how these persons were then changed both personally and spiritually. Many of these persons then went out and served their local communities, and the world. It was during these eight years at the Christ United Methodist Church of Locke and Moravia that I began to unite the faith that I had in my head, with the faith that was continuing to develop in my heart. The desire to bring people to the saving grace of Jesus Christ, and then to help and equip them to pursue the mission of the United Methodist Church in the world was and is a major influence in my calling to ministry. It has been a joy to serve local churches and to see what God has done though me; through those I serve, through the communities that I have served, and in the world. Reaching the point of ordination reminds me of the “it takes a village” quote, as my next step towards ordination is one that has coalesced over years of love, encouragement, faith, education, and of course, lots and lots of coffee. I continue to look forward to boldly living into our mission of “Making disciples of Jesus Christ, for the transformation of the world”!
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Called to Ministry . Called to Ministry
How my past impacted my journey into pastoral ministry By Pastor Mike Kelly, Newfield UMC
those people were in trouble, facing the choice of recovery, prison, or death.
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I had often questioned why I was there, a Certified Executive Chef from the CIA, cooking simple meals for “those” people. I sat in my office one day after a contentious interaction with one client. I closed my office door and spoke to God asking, “Why have you put me in such a forsaken place?” and in the flash of a second, I received my answer in a vision of my life.
e all have interesting stories when it comes to answering our call to ministry. Like many, I was a sinner who God decided to use for His purpose. After college, I went into law enforcement for nearly 10 years. Although I loved law enforcement, because of many factors, I lost my zeal and passion for it.
Pastor Kelly
My life took an odd turn when I decided to change careers and attend the Culinary Institute of America (CIA). This led to a long and successful career, becoming a Certified Executive Chef, and finally finding myself employed by Cayuga Addiction Recovery, a 60-bed residential drug and alcohol rehab facility. Although I had remained active in church, as a District Lay Leader, Lay Leader, and Lay Speaker, this is where I found my ministry story may have truly begun. As their chef, I had a great deal of interaction with many clients in rehab: clients that had lost their children, their families, and in some cases had nearly lost their life; clients of all ages; male and female; from good families and from families that had dealt with addictions for generations; rich families and poor families; but common to all,
You see, when I was six months old, I was dying, I had been left in an apartment by my birth mother repeatedly, for two to three days at a time, alone, while she frequented the bars. She was a single, unmarried mother. My grandparents interceded; I was taken away, and after hospitalization and a bit of a legal battle was adopted by those same grandparents. God made it clear to me. I was a victim of addiction and I could make a difference. That was ministry at its best; I was touching people just like me. I continued on to pastoral ministry, now serving two churches (Newfield UMC and Reynoldsville UMC), and I remain a consultant for Cayuga Addiction Recovery, stopping in whenever I can. One other thing to add as the icing on the cake, my wife Pam and I adopted a child, Tiffany, 16 years ago, she too, a victim of addiction; her single birth mother, who was drug and alcohol addicted, gave her up. This year she will again attend the Annual Conference as a young adult equalization member. I never planned on becoming a pastor, and I fought it for many years, but God won out! I am glad that I gave in to His wishes.
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Called to Ministry . Called to Ministry
Here I am ... is it where you are? By Becky Priest, New-Faith-Community Planter & member of Fairport UMC
to think of it, to respond to God and follow the way of Jesus. For two years I have been practicing daily silence as Jesus taught and studying with a great centering prayer group at my church, Fairport UMC.
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et’s just start with this - I’ve been lucky in my life. No one has ever asked much of me. Most of what I had done up until this has been asked of me by the toughest expectant I’ve ever encountered, myself. I knew what I wanted to do, and why I wanted to do it, and let’s just say that few things could ever really slow me down … until something did.
Out of this unique and diverse group who shared silence weekly came a vision for providing space for people wherever they are to encounter silence. Silence? The same silence that peerreviewed science shows can decrease anxiety, depression, and increase compassion and self-confidence; the same silence that Harvard and Forbes profile for organizational innovation and employee productivity; the same silence (dare I say) that our Lord and Savior Jesus points us to through his life, words, and practices. Priest
I had a dream job. I call it a unicorn role; a well-compensated, well-respected, and creative executive leader. I was also the mom of two beautiful girls, and married to my best friend who I met when I was 15. By all worldly accounts, I was enjoying some success. But spiritually I was a child, like Samuel in the temple, like Jonah fleeing from his call, like Martha distracted in the presence of God. In January of 2018, for reasons outside of my control and understanding, I wasn’t physically able to continue. It seemed my world was constructed to run at 100 miles an hour and I could only go 45. After denial of this, distraction, running from, and responding in the wrong place, I accepted that all I could physically do was pray, sit, and listen. I left my unicorn role, shaking the “security” of my family’s world, to go to nothing. Or as I prefer
After prayer and consideration, the pastor who first taught me this practice, Chris Jewell and I decided to start a silence inspired ministry. We call it Into Silence. We have converted a trailer to create a studio that can go out into the community to provide space for anyone to encounter silence for little or no cost to the individuals. Imagine healthcare employees feeling compassion fatigue, festivalgoers seeking a respite from the chaos, bankers and sales teams for innovation and inspiration. These employers are hiring us because they know wellness (physical, spiritual, and emotional) is vital to their employees’ success, and conventional programs aren’t making a big enough impact. We are eager to see the organic communities of spiritual but not (yet) religious people that silence will spark. Some may even be looking for a congregation where they can share silence with a diverse group and discuss the deep spiritual truths that our faith tradition and others espouse. Visit www.into-silence.com to learn more.
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The Service of Blessing and Anointing recognized the clergy retirees for their years of service at the 2018 Annual Conference session. Photo by Matthew Williams.
Boldly living their call through retirement “Faithful servants never retire. You can retire from your career, but you will never retire from serving God.” – Rick Warren
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his year, over 30 individuals have made the bold decision to retire from Upper New York. Though they are retiring from their pastoral appointments, they will continue to serve God in other capacities. Here are what some of the UNY retirees are looking forward to in the coming years:
“I
n the next chapter in my journey of faith, I am taking a big leap. I am leaving all my friends, organizations I am part of, and routines here behind and moving to Amelia, Ohio (Cincinnati area). There, I will be within miles of my sister and her family and closer to my son and his family. I will be able to spend more time with all of them, including attending school activities of my grandchildren. I also will be part of the Ohio River Valley District 16 UNY ADVOCATE 2018, Issue 3
of the Western Ohio Conference as I find a new church home. How God will use me there has yet to be revealed. But I do know it will be exciting and challenging.” ~Pastor Elyse Skiles, Oswego: Journey of Faith UMC, Crossroads District
“T
he one thing that I have learned over the years is that plans often do not come to fruition. I would like to spend more time with my husband and family, which will result in our traveling a lot more. Family is scattered all over this country and the world. I would like to go to Germany in 2020 to the Passion Play once again (went in 2000). I would like to do more mission work near and far. I would like to visit some of our UM missions. But the reality of all my ‘would
likes’ will depend on the will of my Lord and savior. I want most to be available and listen to what it is that he has in store for me and that I ‘be still’ and hear what it is he has planned. I know whatever it is that he has in the works, even if it is a quiet time for a while, it will be his will that directs me.” ~Pastor Nancy Preston, Machias UMC, Cornerstone District
“M
y wife Donna, and I, will begin my retirement by moving to a house in the greater Buffalo area. This will put us much closer to where our daughter's families are, so we can spoil our grandchildren more, as well as to other extended family members. We'd like to do some traveling around our great country, and perhaps overseas too. We plan to participate in more Volunteers in Mission trips and Early Response Team projects. Haiti and Uganda are places I also plan to return to soon.”
I am so pleased that I can now focus more time and energy on some other aspects of ministry in the UMC. I am preparing to teach a lay servants’ course and will be serving as an advocate in the Imagine No Racism Conference initiative.” ~Rev. Ann Robinson, Nunda UMC
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hroughout my ministry I have heard God’s call clearly. I deliberated for a year about the timing of my retirement. When I finally heard God’s voice loud and clear, I was told to rest, really rest, and then wait with patience until my next step was revealed. So that is what I am doing! My husband Jim and I are planning to travel to Ireland, Scotland, and England in late summer. Then I think I will be ready for whatever comes next! I am staying tuned in.” ~Pastor Gail Conners, Chaplain, Clifton Springs Hospital, Albany District
~Rev. Ray Noell, Perry: First UMC, Genesee Valley District
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y life verse is Luke 9:2, which describes Jesus sending out the disciples to preach the Reign of God and heal the sick. As both a pastor and a chiropractor, I have lived out that verse. For over 25 years I have also been blessed to serve annually on short-term medical mission teams where I can utilize both skill sets. As I retire from the pastorate, I hope to be able to serve more frequently in medical missions. And, of course, spend more time with our grandchildren.” ~Brian K. Scharf, Orchard Park: Emmanuel UMC, Niagara Frontier District
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or most of my ministry, I have served as a quarter-time pastor in small churches and I have worked in my first career as a community and mental health nurse and nursing educator for 48 years concurrently. I retired from my nursing career a few months ago and I plan to continue as a retired pastor in my appointment at Nunda UMC. I have been praying and discerning my next steps.
Each year, our UNY Conference retirees are invited to record a short video to talk about their years of service and share their future plans. You can view these videos by visiting our Class of 2018 Clergy Retirees channel at: https://vimeo.com/channels/classof2018 unyumc.org 17
What is God inviting you to do? By the Rev. Nancy Dibelius, Associate Director, Spiritual Life for Vital Congregations
D
iscerning your call is a many-layered, challenging process for most of us. To discern means more than to understand or to make a decision. Discern comes from the Latin discernere; dis means apart, and cernere means to separate. With all the options before us, we “separate apart” those that seem uniquely suited to us. When we are discerning God’s “call” for our life, it requires careful, deep listening, by ourselves and by others who can help us listen. I have often found the word “call” somewhat intimidating in that it implies to me a clarity that I often find missing. According to Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary, the most common definitions of the word “call” are: to cry out in a loud voice, to command or request to come, to summon, to announce authoritatively. It would have been far more helpful if God had “summoned me authoritatively.” My own experience has been far more like that of Elijah; God comes as the still small voice in the sheer silence. And unlike the commanding voice, a still small voice is often easy to miss or to ignore; it requires silence, attentive18 UNY ADVOCATE 2018, Issue 3
Rev. Dibelius
ness, a deep desire to listen, and prayerful discernment. For these reasons, I often substitute the word “invitation;” what is God’s invitation for my life? I often find individuals do not believe that God has an invitation for their life because it didn’t come as a loud voice. For me, the first step is helping persons understand that God has an invitation for all of us. I believe that God rarely “commands” and although he has a desire “uniquely suited to us,” the choice is always ours to make. Part of that choice is that we choose to listen, hear, and allow God into our decisionmaking process.
So how do we practice discernment? If I am to hear God’s invitation for my life, that requires that I have a close, personal relationship with God and that I practice listening for God regularly. I cannot hope to go away for a weekend, meet God on the “mountaintop” and come home with total clarity about God’s desire for me. I need to learn spiritual disciplines and prayer practices; I need to practice them regularly so that I am making space for the silence and acquiring the ability to hear the still small voice. Part of that discipline is reading scripture; hearing what God is saying to me today in the words I read. Part of that discipline is allowing my faith community to listen with me, to help me understand and process what I believe I am hearing, to help me distinguish God’s desires from my own desires. The role and importance of a faithful community has always been part of the Christian process of listening to and for God. “God announces that He does not want the soul to believe only by itself the communications it thinks are of divine origin, or anyone to be assured or confirmed in them without the Church or her ministers. God will not bring clarification and confirmation of the truth to the heart of one who is alone.” 1 Our Wesleyan heritage offers us a clear framework for our discernment process. Does what I am hearing fit with a sound understanding
of scripture; does it fit with all that I know about the traditions of our faith; does it make sense in the context of all that I have experienced of God; and is it reasonable/rational within the context of a life of faith. If you and those you consider wise and experienced in your faith community can answer these questions in the affirmative, then you can be confident in what you believe God’s invitation to be for your life. Another test of your discernment over time is whether this invitation bears fruit; how has your response to God’s invitation fulfilled God’s deep desire for your life in the fruit that it produces? I believe that it is also important to remember what the Christian life is about; being transformed into the likeness of Christ. Transformation is a process; one that I believe never ends. And so we cannot assume that once we believe we have clarity about God’s invitation that that is the end of the story. As we continue to walk with God and respond to God, we must always be listening to God’s invitation for today, for “such a time as this,” and be open to the ways in which God’s invitation is transforming and inviting us to be transformed. “When we persevere and continue to follow the call we’ve heard with our heart, the light grows, and somewhere along the way, we find ourselves exactly where we are supposed to be, doing just what God has called us to do.” 2
Clergy and laity pray during the blessing of the space at the 2018 Annual Conference session. Photo by CMI. References: 1. John of the Cross, The Ascent of Mount Carmel 2. Farrington, Debra, Hearing with the Heart unyumc.org 19
Susan Hardy speaks to laity at the 2018 Annual Conference session. Photo by Mikaela Porter.
What Does it Mean to Laity to be Called into Ministry? By Susan Hollowell Hardy, UNY Conference Lay Leader
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sk any gathering of United Methodists about calls to ministry. You are probably going to hear words like: life-changing, compelling, terrifying, overwhelming, unbelievable, and the ever-popular ... “Who? Me?!” I have heard all of these at District Committee on Ordained Ministry, which is where we meet persons called specifically to pastor congregations. I also hear these at Lay Servant classes, where laity undertake training of many kinds to serve in ministries at local churches, District, and Conference-level teams. And I have heard them during my Walk to Emmaus experience. What have you heard? And how are you answering God’s invitation to you?
who were drawing water from a well, kneeling at his feet, touching his robe, ready to care for his body after burial. Whenever God enters the story that is creating someone’s life, look for change. Look for healing, look for dignity, look for challenge. One of the longest-serving members of our UNYAC Board of Laity is Deborah Clyde of the Genesee Valley District. She said, “I grew up in the military and moved a lot. The base chapel was a part of my life, no matter where we were stationed.” This is an experience of growing up in the faith of the adults and peers around us. How many of us share that background with Deb? But, as our Wesleyan roots remind us, we are called to mature in spiritual practices and continue our path to sanctification.
As a young mother, Deb joined a United Methodist church and claims, “Before I knew it, I Bible readers and listeners experience these was Lay Leader.” (Anyone else claim that expericalls and responses in every worship service. ence?!) Deb’s church encouraged her to attend Our scriptures have stories from the Old Testaa retreat at Camp Asbury, to experience the ment through the New Testament. Those stoLay Speaking class. “That weekend was a turning ries describe God and Jesus calling people of all point in my faith journey,” says Deb. “I became ages, genders, races, and social status: to listen, more involved in church committees and more to follow, and to lead. interested in district and conference opportuniI think of how our Creator invited Abraham, ties to serve. The Connection was one of the Joseph, Samuel, Daniel, and David to serve God’s major reasons I joined the United Methodist plans. I notice how Jesus spoke with women Church.” 20 UNY ADVOCATE 2018, Issue 3
Deb Clyde was growing in her service and her spirit. And sure enough, along came another invitation that took the form of a call. Deb said she was attending Annual Conference in the former Western New York (WNY) Conference when Bishop Violet Fisher Clyde introduced Scott Johnson, Conference Lay Leader. Bishop Fisher announced that they needed someone to help with this ministry. Deb recalled, “My pastor nudged me and said I should seriously consider that.” According to Deb, she just laughed and said, “No way ... ” Deb pondered those invitational words. “Well, her words kept speaking to me and I felt nudged by a powerful feeling that this is what I needed to be doing.” Later that same day, Deb found herself going forward to say that she would be interested in helping where she could. This led to a conversation with Scott. Deb says, “Along with a wonderful lady named Dawn, we became a team.” Deb served on that WNY Board of Laity, and she has continued to fulfill the role of at-large member of our Upper New York Conference from its beginning. Coming full circle, Deb now leads her Genesee Valley District Lay Servant Ministry Committee as District Director. This inspiring disciple of Christ offers this verse as her foundation for continuing to serve God: “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” 1 Peter 4:10 According to Deb Clyde, “ … life in the church has improved my whole life … my faith journey will always be open to opportunity and learning.” Jessica White, Niagara Frontier District Lay Leader since 2012, heard her call to serve in April of 2006. She was on a Western New York Conference Walk to Emmaus, and a talk by a
layperson led to “ … God opening my eyes, that we all, as Christians, are called into ministry with Christ.” The scriptures that worked powerfully on Jessica’s spirit were 1 Peter 2:5, “You, also, like living stones, are built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood” and 2 Corinthians 5:20, “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us.” After that Emmaus weekend, Jessica went on to become a Local Lay Servant and worked closely with her pastor, “ … to do more for Christ.” She attended District Leadership training days and joined the Niagara Frontier District Board of Laity. Jessica said, “This gift from God has helped me to better serve my local church: by leading bible studies, by being a better Sunday School teacher, by serving as a youth leader.” Again, the path from child in faith to maturing disciple of Christ may be seen through Jessica’s response to her call. She has stepped beyond her local church, without stepping away from its needs for her gifts. Jessica testifies to this view of her transformation: “Before that weekend in April 2006, I would consider myself a ‘lazy’ Christian, thinking my pastor had to do all the work. But when God opened my eyes, I realized that while we may be broken into the clergy and lay titles, we are all Christians first. All of us have the responsibility to live as Christ commanded: to go and make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.” Both Deborah Clyde and Jessica White make it clear that calls are experienced by laity, answered by laity through serving in all levels of our United Methodist Church, and that these calls lead to changes, challenges, and celebration. God is surely calling each of us. Do not be afraid to answer! Editor’s Note: For more amazing stories of Upper New York laity, be sure to see the Winter 2018 issue of the Advocate, which focuses on the ministry of the laity.
ADVOCATE Upper New York
A publication of the Upper New York Conference of The United Methodist Church
Ministr y of the lait y
LAITY GLOSSA
RY | CELEBRATE MINIST
RY | SPARKS OF HOPE
unyumc.org 21
Bold Churches and Communities of Faith
The Congregation at Earlville UMC celebrated the 202 years of ministry before closing its doors. Photo courtesy of Earlville UMC.
Supporting ministries by closing a church:
the story of Earlville UMC By Stephen J. Hustedt, Director of Communications & Shannon Hodson, UNY Conference Writer/Editor
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arlville United Methodist Church has spread the love of Jesus and changed lives in the church and around the Earlville community for 202 years. Like many small churches, Earlville UMC was in ministry to a community that was shrinking. The members of the Earlville UMC realized that the church was becoming unsustainable and in 2017, they decided to be proactive about the legacy of their church. As a part of their vote to close, the congregation voted to give resources to a variety of United Methodist Churches and ministries that would continue their mission. Their decision was based in scripture, specifically John 12:24 “Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.”
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Former Earlville UMC
It was further inspired by the Hymn of Promise, Hymn 707 in the United Methodist Hymnal: In the bulb there is a flower; In the seed, an apple tree; In cocoons, a hidden promise: Butterflies will soon be free! In the cold and snow of winter There’s a spring that waits to be, Unrevealed until its season, Something God alone can see. Earlville UMC gave an outdoor electronic sign to CenterPoint UMC that will help direct people from the highway to where there is the good news of Jesus. They donated $20,000 to the New Harvest, a New Faith Community to help in transporting members without vehicles to worship. They donated money and resources to Alders-
gate Camp & Retreat Center and many other churches in the Mohawk District. However, by far, the largest gifts were given to support the new Upper New York Conference Mission Central HUB. “Earlville has always been a very missionminded church, so this was a natural fit,” Mohawk District Superintendent Rev. Abel Roy said. “Conference leaders and I met with the leadership of Earlville in the spring of 2017 and shared the vision for the Mission Central HUB. Earlville was very excited about the potential of supporting a mission that would have such impact both locally and around the world.” From training the Conference’s Volunteers in Mission and Disaster Response teams to collecting and assembling flood buckets, health kits, and more, the UNY Mission Central HUB is the perfect answer to local churches who feel called to expand their outreach ministries. It is a resource for becoming the hands and feet of God in service. This vision is becoming a reality now, thanks in large part to the legacy of Earlville UMC. Their vote to discontinue included donating enough money to the Upper New York Mission Central HUB to allow it to start operations in December of 2017. Upper New York Area Resident Bishop Mark J. Webb who personally met with them said, “This church offered decades upon decades of rich ministry. Through these gifts their ministry will continue for many years to come.”
Volunteers build ramps at UNY Mission Central HUB.
Photo by Mary Dalglish.
The gift from Earlville UMC provides enough money to cover the salary of a Director for at least two years. They also gifted a 1.2-milliondollar trust to help with operations well into the future. The Conference hired Mike Block as Director of Missional Engagement in December of 2017. Mike oversees the planning, management, and evaluation of the mission and operations of the Upper New York Conference Missional Engagement ministry to include Mission Central HUB (MCH), UNY Volunteers in Mission, and UNY Disaster Response. To date, hundreds of UMCOR flood buckets, health kits, and school kits have been filled by volunteers in the UNY Mission Central HUB and thousands more will be filled in years to come. The Rev. Bill Gottschalk-Fielding was one of the Conference leaders who helped to cast the vision of the Mission Central HUB for Earlville UMC. He said, “Earlville UMC is an amazing example of what it means to leave a legacy in ministry.” Earlville UMC consulted with the Upper New York Conference Legacy Team in making its decision. To learn more about this ministry, visit http://www.unyumc.org/ministries/ legacy-ministry.
“Every church has a lifecycle,” Rev. Gottschalk-Fielding continued. “But what a church chooses to do when it has truly reached the end of its life, can leave an impact for generations to come. Earlville’s legacy will continue to change lives and spread the love of Jesus long after we Hygiene kits assembled at the UNY Mission Central HUB. Photo by Kathleen Christiansen. are all gone.” unyumc.org 23
Bold Churches and Communities of Faith
East Rochester UMC
Making Friends By the Rev. Todd R. Goddard, East Rochester UMC
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he East Rochester United Methodist Church was facing many challenges in 2013. The lease for the day care operating out of the basement needed to be renegotiated. I was appointed as the new half-time pastor. The average age of the congregation exceeded 70 and many had significant health concerns. Average attendance was between 20 and 30. The checkbook was empty. Experience had taught me building relationships and making an assessment is the best place to begin a new pastoral appointment. Asking key questions is essential. Are we viable? What are our strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats? The weaknesses and threats were made obvious at a leadership retreat. Where are the opportunities? What are our strengths? I asked. Where is God calling us in the future? The for-profit day care lease was not renewed when leadership could not see how it fit into the mission and ministry of the church. Many members and friends have family members or worked in the field of developmental disabilities. I have a son with autism. I serve on the Board of Wayne ARC
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and have many personal connections with Heritage Christian Services (HCS), a large Christian provider of services in the region. HCS was looking for a new location for a day program in the East Rochester area and the church now had room to spare. The small congregation was, and continues to be, very friendly. Before inquiring further, it was important to provide guidelines for developing a relationship. Collaboration could not be a landlord/tenant relationship. The church is not seeking a revenue stream. Our relationship must be consistent with the mission and vision of the church. The most important value moving forward is that we are seeking to make new friends. A leadership team from HCS met with us, including the Director of Faith Inclusion. They toured our fully accessible building and immediately warmed to our initiative. There would be no formal lease. We would be partners in ministry. Heritage agreed to provide the necessary remodeling and maintenance. A new ministry of the church was born. It’s a fact - many individuals with developmental disabilities and their families are frequently turned away from faith communities. We chose to embrace them, welcome
them, intentionally provide opportunities spiritual care, worship, and full inclusion in our missions and ministries. Initial challenges were met with a mutual commitment for congregational education. Ray would become our first friend. He owns his own townhome in the village and was looking for a church. I made his acquaintance at a Faith Community Inclusion Conference hosted by HCS and immediately invited him to church. His love for football and good-natured humor made him an immediate friend with many in the congregation. We welcomed him out for lunch after worship. Members began to offer him rides to appointments and over to their house for dinner. Ray had found a home. Members of the newly started day program offered to produce a Christmas pageant for the church. Participants from other day programs were invited to attend. The sanctuary was filled! We began a tradition of hosting lunches together at Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Mardi Gras. We go out to lunch to watch trains passing through town. We host an annual summer picnic at our cottage. Friends from the day program attend weekly community Bible study, help us sort through our textile collection ministry, and work with us to provide freshly baked bread for weekly communion. We partner with a neighboring credit union to host an annual Easter egg hunt for families with children with special needs, which receives a lot of kind media coverage. I make it a priority to eat lunch with my HCS friends twice a week, playing cards after lunch each Thursday. My friends are friends for life.
East Rochester UMC welcomes individuals with disabilities and their families with open arms.
The congregation embraced the new Spirit moving in our midst. An agreement with a local AA group now brings hundreds of people seeking health and wellness into our building. Together with HCS we are intentionally reaching out with friendship. Heritage is providing custodial services for both the AA room and our church. We make certain that invitations to take part in our life and vitality are extended to all our friends on a regular basis. We discovered that people with special needs and those seeking wellness attract others to our church; people who find value in making friends, and are willing to financially support our inclusion efforts. In the first four years, 46 percent of people attending worship are new, and about half of our new members and friends are people with special needs and their families. One woman is thrilled to be elected to the Board of Trustees! Last summer the congregation paid for Ray and I to attend an international conference on Theology and Developmental Disabilities in Los Angeles, and to make a keynote presentation.
The members and friends of the East Rochester United Methodist church are generous, friendly, and trusting that God is calling us to be a fully inclusive community of faith. Worship attendance is slowly growing. We are truly blessed. It is uncertain were these efforts to make friends are leading, but one thing is certain: Christmas Pageant at East Rochester UMC. we are committed to go where the Spirit is leadPhotos courtesy of East Rochester UMC. ing and fully trust in God’s call. unyumc.org 25
Bold Churches and Communities of Faith
Transforming the idea of church in the aftermath of an arsonist attack By Shannon Hodson, UNY Conference Writer/Editor
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magine being a member of a church your entire life and seeing it go up in flames. This is what happened to Robert Myers, a Lutheran who grew up at Brocton TriChurch Parish. From the age of four, Rob was a member of Brocton Salem Lutheran, which combined with Brocton Methodist and Portland Methodist Churches in 1985 to become Brocton: Tri-Church Parish. Robert was awakened by a phone call at 3 a.m. the fateful morning of Nov. 3, 2013. A fellow church member called to tell him the church was on fire. Robert ran outside his door, five blocks away from the church and could barely breathe nor believe what he saw: a massive blaze surrounding every wall of his church. Robert said, “It was one of the most traumatic experiences I’ve ever had, to see a place where we’ve had family baptisms,
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Brocton TriChurch Parish
communions, weddings, and funerals, … suddenly gone.” While Robert was standing in front of the church, photographing the flames, Pastor Barb Brewer, a Methodist pastor who has just finished seminary after a long career as a civil engineer, was watching the fire on television, gasping at the horrific event, deeply praying for the members of the congregation. Pastor Brewer said, “A news team flashed on the television with breaking news about a serious fire that was happening in Brocton. I didn’t even know where Brocton was. I saw the church on the news report and thought, ‘Wow, that looks like a United Methodist Church.’ They interviewed the pastor, Pastor (Rev.) Kevin Connolly, and he explained how the church was two United Methodist Churches and one Lutheran Church and how the three churches melded together and became one United Method-
ist/Evangelical Lutheran Church in what is now the Cornerstone District. I began praying for God to take care of the people affected by this fire … and I kept praying and praying.” Pastor Brewer was in the process of closing a church with a dwindling population in the Niagara Frontier District (Alden UMC) where she had a part-time pastoral appointment. She was unaware of what God had planned for her next. She said, “I was asking God, ‘What’s going on here? What are we doing? And where am I headed?’ because at that time, there was nothing out there and I had just finished up seminary and I was ready to go.” And then, God’s started revealing a plan for Pastor Brewer that made perfect sense. It began with a phone call from the Rev. Wayne Butler, the Niagara Frontier District Superintendent. He said, “I have a full-time appointment for you, but it’s out of the District and I think it’s perfect for you and the abilities you have. It’s not in the Niagara Frontier District … are you willing to at least look into it? It’s only an hour and a half drive from your home.” It had recently been decided that there would be a rebuild effort for Brocton: Tri-Church Parish. Pastor Brewer decided to check out this position. She said, “So I met with (Rev. Dr.) Sherri Rood (the Cornerstone District Superintendent) and we talked about it and she told me about the church. And I thought, ‘Oh my God, this is the church I’ve been praying about.’ I told her about how I saw the fire on TV and have been praying ever since. I came in for the intake interview at Brocton and I looked at the church building—it was a total loss. I left the intake interview in awe. The fact that I was a civil engineer…I was made for the position, but the one thing they didn’t realize is that I was Lutheran. I had grown up in a Lutheran church and I became a Methodist later in life. I had everything that God could provide for these people. And the congregation decided that they wanted me full-time.” Continued on page 28.
From top to bottom: Flames engulf the Brocton TriChurch Parish in 2013. A church member asesses the aftermath. The Sanctuary covered in rubble from the fire. Photos by Robert Myers. unyumc.org 27
Bold Churches and Communities of Faith
Susan Hardy, currently the Upper New York Conference Lay Leader, has been a member of Brocton: Tri-Church Parish for over 25 years. She said, “It seemed ‘providential’ to find a pastoral candidate in Barb Brewer with a former career as a civil engineer. No one expected the long process of negotiating with our insurance company that led to over four years of sharing space with our Roman Catholic sisters and brothers at St. Dominic in Brocton.” But Pastor Brewer did a lot more for the Brocton Tri-Church congregation and the Brocton community than helping rebuild The rebuild of the Brocton Tri-Church Parish began at the church building and leading one Luthe foundation. Photo courtesy of Brocton Tri-Church Parish. theran service and three Methodist services each month. outreach. We’ve had two people start comRev. Rood said, “Barb was courageous to ing to church as a result of that. accept an appointment to a congregation with no church facility. She was able to help the congregation work through their grief and offer forgiveness to the arsonist. Barb helped the congregation move into the community by hosting monthly gatherings at a local restaurant. Each month a speaker highlighted a ministry or outreach need in the community. “ Pastor Brewer said, “The first thing I did was I began frequenting the Green Arch Restaurant and getting to know people and then created a coffee group. I asked the congregation to meet once a month at the diner for breakfast and show people in the community that we’re still alive.
We also have a mission opportunity called Feed the Children, which stemmed from a speaker coming in … it provides weekend meals for kids who wouldn’t get them otherwise. We’re starting our third year of that and we expanded this program to include senior citizens … they’re God’s children too. We work with Meals on Wheels and their driver will deliver our bags of food to senior citizens, which gives them the ability to save $40 a month and that’s a lot for a senior citizen.”
Even though our services were being held at St. Dominic’s on Sundays, we needed to get out in the community and show people that we don’t just go to church, we are the Church, so we used that mantra ever since I came.” Those restaurant meetings resulted in amazing ministries. Pastor Brewer said, “Our little breakfast group grew from 8 to 18-20 and we have people who come and sit on the outskirts of our table listening to the speakers and what we have going on. We have quite an
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Contruction of the church. Photo courtesy of Brocton Tri-Church Parish.
The restaurant meetings have also resulted in ideas for more ministries. One is to create an art therapy group for sufferers of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Pastor Brewer said, “A speaker came in and told us that there are 22,000 documented cases of PTSD in New York State … 11,000 in Chautauqua County … so we’re gearing up to start an art therapy course for people with PTSD to come to and work out their aggressions.” On Christmas Eve 2017, Brocton Tri-Church Parish had its first service in its brand-new building located in the same spot that the original structure had been. Some items from the previous church were used to connect the old building to the new. Rev. Rood shares one example; she said, “Barb restored a stained-glass window from the old church. This window is now between the new sanctuary and gathering area and serves to connect the new facility to the old.” A cornerstone from the original church was also salvaged. Pastor Brewer said, “There are two cornerstones that mark the footprint of the former church (left side) and a cornerstone on the right for the new church building. While this is highly unusual, it lessens the congregation's sense of loss by remembering their former church along with their new church home.”
The breakfast group meets at the Green Arch Restaurant every month. Photo courtesy of Brocton Tri-Church Parish.
The dedication service for the newly built Brocton Tri-Church Parish. Photo courtesy of Brocton Tri-Church Parish.
In March of 2018, a dedication was held for Brocton Tri-Church Parish. Upper New York Area Resident Bishop Mark J. Webb and Lutheran Bishop Stanley John Macholz presided over the service. Rev. Rood who also helped with the dedication service said, “This congregation has a strong sense of John Wesley’s calling to share the Gospel and reach out to their neighbors. They are making a difference through their Feed the Children program and have plans to share the love and grace of Jesus Christ through healing ministries. They have learned the building is simply a tool to do ministry – the church is the people.” Susan Hardy feels positive about the future the Brocton community has in store because of the faithfulness of the Brocton: Tri-Church Parish under Pastor Brewer’s leadership. She said, “Now that we have a fully handicap accessible building, we are even more engaged in outreach to our community. Community members and friends from several UMC congregations attended our first service on Christmas Eve 2017. They returned to celebrate our dedication and consecration service on March 12. More community friends than church members now participate in our Feed the Children weekend meals ministry. We have neighbors joining us in vocal and bell choirs. And we are dreaming of many other ministries that will introduce people to the love of Jesus.” unyumc.org 29
Bold Churches and Communities of Faith
Fresh Start at Regal Cinemas. Photo by Mary Dalglish.
Multi-Site Welcomes “Not Yet” Christians By the Rev. Bill Valet, Pennsylvania Avenue UMC
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e added two new ministries to the Pennsylvania Avenue United Methodist Church in the fall of 2009. We began Celebrate Recovery and introduced a Saturday evening service that September to reach people outside the “walls” of our two Sunday morning services. At that time, we adopted the name, “Fresh Start” to convey the concept that we wanted to encourage people who acknowledge their need for a new beginning in their lives and faith. As 1 Corinthians 6:11 in The Message states, “You’ve been cleaned up and given a fresh start by Jesus … ” We have since applied the concept of such a fresh start as part of our church name. We are now unofficially Fresh Start Pennsylvania Avenue UMC. A couple of years later, we felt compelled to take what God was doing in our ministry to another location. Rather than require people from the greater Elmira/Chemung County area to find their way to our Pine City locations, we wanted to go to where other people were. After several months of searching for a possible location, we ended up at Arnot Mall, a regional shopping area which draws people from all points of the compass because of its proximity to the existing network of highways. In September 2012, we established an additional worship service in an auditorium
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Fresh Start
at Regal Cinemas in the mall and rented a storefront space there which we call Fresh Start Corner. This “corner” is staffed by volunteers six days a week and offers passersby complimentary coffee and conversation. We added a video dimension to this service by including my video-recorded sermon with the live worship led by a contemporary praise team and worship leader. The Holy Spirit opened the doors two years ago for us to establish yet another site in the village of Watkins Glen, NY. The congregation of the Watkins Glen UMC had aged and dwindled in numbers to the point that they were ready to close the church. Rather than just close their doors, the Watkins church members donated their former parsonage to PAUMC and left a legacy for us to move to Watkins and establish yet another thriving site of our PAUMC: One Church, Many Locations. We have Sunday worship in the Watkins Glen Theater with a video format like our service at Regal Cinemas and also offer several weekday ministries in the church house/parsonage. This multi-site approach to ministry has touched the lives of many people who have developed a living, vibrant personal faith in Jesus Christ. And there are more services and sites to come!
Bold Churches and Communities of Faith
Ministering to college students By Pastor Meg Morin, Brockport UMC
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UNY Brockport campus is a five-minute walk from the corner of Main Street and Erie where the Brockport UMC fills the corner—its front doors open to the Main Street. Also, within a very few minutes' walk down Main are eight bars if walking north. The Main Street and all surrounding streets ending on Main have dozens of offcampus apartments for students. Over two years ago, we supervised an event with our youth called "Shanty Town.” The kids built shelters out of cardboard
Brockport UMC set up snacks and beverages for students passing by from midnight to 2:30 a.m. Photos Courtesy of Pastor Morin.
Brockport UMC
boxes, and slept outside next to the church to experience homelessness. During the night, the supervising leaders and the pastor had to steer several intoxicated college students away from the teen experience. We had long discussed ways to connect with the students attending SUNY Brockport, and that “homeless” night, the idea of the "Corner B.U.M.'s" (Brockport United Methodist) was conceived by one of the youth leaders, Mrs. Jean Rowley. We needed to go to them. At least one night each month and frequently on weekends when students might be celebrating, we are on the sidewalk of Main Street with our front doors flung open. Two banquet tables offer a variety of beverages, cookies, brownies, snacks, and hot dogs donated by the congregation and a very large dose of unconditional care for students going to and from the establishments from midnight to 2:30 a.m. Students are now bringing their friends to us, friends who might have been “overserved.” Many times we are asked who we are and why are we doing what we do. Primarily we just say, "We are the church and we love you." unyumc.org 31
Bold Churches and Communities of Faith
Park UMC’s Cassadaga Campus. Photo courtesy of Earlville UMC.
Park UMC reaches the Heart of Cassadaga through the Heart of Christ By Kathleen Christiansen, UNY Conference Guest Writer
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he Catholic church in Cassadaga had closed. As had the Protestant and Lutheran churches. The village in Chautauqua County – south of Lily Dale (known for having the world’s largest spiritualist community) – was at risk of having no Christian church. That is until Park United Methodist Church decided to open its Cassadaga campus. An iconic building in Cassadaga played home to several denominations. Each denomination tried to keep the church alive, but each attempt ended with a closed church. “It was dying rapidly, but the spiritual community in Cassadaga was thriving,” said Pastor Joe Pascoe, of Park UMC. Pastor Pascoe and the congregation at Park UMC in Sinclairville had been praying for years about helping the greater Cassadaga community. In 2001, a former member of Park UMC’s leadership had even predicted that there would one day be a church under Park UMC’s direction in Cassadaga.
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“We were just listening to what God was asking of us and seeing the pieces that God lined up,” he said. “And the Lord opened a door.” After fallouts, the Gerry Free Methodist Church decided to close at the iconic building. They asked Park UMC to take over ministry at that location. “So, I felt like God was really saying, ‘Now’s the time; go,’” Pastor Pascoe said. “The time was right for Park Church, and we just said ‘Yeah, we’re going to do this.’” Pastor Pascoe said that God has been at work at this specific location for a long time. He viewed one of his roles in this undertaking as helping extract and clearly navigate the mission God has given that church. “I was just the guy that … helped with the leadership of making it tangibly possible,” he said.
Sinclairville: Park UMC
The transition in Cassadaga has been a multiyear process, with initial talks beginning in November 2016 and the Cassadaga campus’ launch in September 2017. Park UMC in Sinclairville had 230 members, four worship teams, and pastors rising up in 2016. It had also been helping congregants find and hone their gifts to use in ministry for The Church – largely through School of the Arts (SOTA), which focuses on musical skills. This left the Sinclairville campus with ample “people ready to go” to serve their call in Cassadaga. The Sinclairville campus’ leadership team served as the governing body of the church plant. In addition, about 35 people from the Sinclairville campus were asked to answer their call to ministry at the new campus; about 22 answered that call and are still there. Before the Cassadaga church could open, the building needed some updates. The previous church had plans to convert the building into a coffee shop, but that never transpired. Park UMC decided to transform the space into a more traditional structure, with a sanctuary and worship stage, but also made improvements, such as making the building handicap accessible. Since its launch, Park UMC’s Cassadaga campus has grown to 64 members. It currently offers Sunday worship, Bible study, and dinner once a month. It also has two small groups and a food pantry.
Church members make structural updates to the building. Photos courtesy of Park UMC.
“So, we restored to a community what God wanted there in the first place, and it just brought life back into that which was dead,” Pastor Pascoe said. The Cassadaga campus has also begun community outreach by partnering with local organizations – including “Citizens for a Better Cassadaga,” an advocacy group – to leverage local feedback and work on local connections. The church is hoping to launch more outreach efforts in the future, as the church’s mission is, “Reaching the Heart of the community with the Heart of Christ” according to Pastor Pascoe. “That’s our model. We just want to love the hell out of our community,” he said. “We do it one person at a time, so we just really focus on bringing Christ wherever we go.”
The Congragation at Park UMC’s Cassadaga Campus. unyumc.org 33
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Clergy and laity gather for the Imagine No Racism launch dayat the United Methodist Center in Liverpool. Photo Shannon Hodson.
Ways United Methodists can take a stand against racism Adapted from a UMC.org feature by Joe Iovino
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hose living in the United States exist in a culture permeated with racial bias. We may not be able to avoid racism, but we don’t have to accept it. If God’s kingdom is to come, and God’s will is to be done on earth as it is in heaven, things need to change. We United Methodists can be agents of that transformation by changing our beliefs, changing our actions, and working to change the world.** Changing beliefs about race Becoming an agent of transformation includes focusing within ourselves. We need to allow God to shape our inner thoughts and attitudes toward race. Three steps that can help include: 1. Pray – Changing our beliefs begins with prayer, which “is foundational to everything we do as Christians,” writes Katelin Hansen, Director of Strategic Initiatives and Training, at the United Methodist Church and Community Development for All People. In addition to prayers for events of racial injustice in the news and your life, pray for God to change your heart and attitudes. Hansen offers a sample prayer: “God, help us be ever faithful to your example: affirming of our unique identities, while remaining unified as one body in you. Help us seek out the 34 UNY ADVOCATE 2018, Issue 3
voices that are missing, and empower the marginalized. Let our witness of repentance, justice, and reconciliation bring glory to You, O Lord.” 2. Broaden your education – It is important to include more voices in your learning. The internet is a great resource to find authors and thinkers whose racial and cultural backgrounds differ from your own. In a video produced by the General Commission on Religion and Race (GCORR) Hansen shares, “I turned to the digital world to continue my racial education, to serve as the professors of justice and theology that I never had.” 3. Seek new relationships – There is no substitute for sharing consistent, ongoing, authentic relationships with people of color. Developing those relationships may mean moving out of your comfort zone. Hansen and her husband became members of a multi-race and multi-class church. “We joined out of a belief that isolating ourselves among believers of similar backgrounds just deprives our own souls of God’s majesty,” she says in the GCORR video Forming authentic relationships takes time. Don’t rush it.
Changing behavior We live out our changing beliefs through changes in behavior. Through some bigger steps we begin to act on what we believe about race. Five actions that can help include: 1. Empower leaders – Use resources to promote and equip leaders of color. Then, be willing to follow. Listen and act on opinions, activities, and points of view different from your own. 2. Show up – “At the guidance and invitation of leaders of color,” Hansen writes, “show up when called upon.” As we come together for conversations and demonstrations, we build a culture of justice in our community and model multi-cultural love and understanding. 3. Spend responsibly – Support racial equality through your shopping and donations. Shop at local markets owned by people of color. Donate to charities and ministries led by and supporting those of diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds. 4. Examine your media intake – Expand your social media follows and news sites to include voices and opinions different from your own. For big stories, be sure to consult multiple sources from a variety of points of view. Don’t rely on just one when you form an opinion. 5. Consider your entertainment choices – Be aware of the movies, music, and television shows you consume that promote equality, and those that present a bias. Listen to more voices and remain aware of how they are shaping you. Changing society Author and professor Robin DiAngelo reminds us in a Vital Conversations video from GCORR, racism is “group prejudice backed up by institutional power.” Therefore, to take a stand against racism we cannot simply change our own beliefs and behaviors. We must also work to change the world. Three ways to do so include:
Advocate – Written and unwritten policies in our neighborhoods, workplaces, churches, schools, and nation disadvantage certain ethnicities. Learn from the people of color in your neighborhood about the ways they feel disadvantaged and find ways to participate in changing those systems. Sponsor – People of color sometimes struggle to access public services, opportunities, and more. Use your money, gifts, and sphere of influence to make a difference. Sponsor friends and coworkers who need assistance to attend a career seminar. Encourage and lead your congregation toward creating programs like a Freedom School. Invest in people and programs that work toward racial justice. Take a risk – Meaningful change requires risk. Sometimes we will put our reputations, money, and leadership opportunities on the line. Shaping our society and institutions to reflect more fully the kingdom of God will not always be appreciated. We must be willing to risk the loss. Changing beliefs, changing behavior, and changing society are long processes that may never be complete. We must continue, however, to work for change in all three areas as God calls us. To find resources about how The United Methodist Church is working toward racial justice visit umc.org/EmbraceLove. Also consider joining Upper New York’s initiative, Imagine No Racism, by contacting your District Advocate, through your District Office. Editor’s note: This story was first published on August 15, 2017 and edited on April 18, 2018. *Joe Iovino works for UMC.org at United Methodist Communications. Contact him by email at jiovino@ umcom.org or at 615-312-3733. **Special thanks to Katelin Hansen for this framework from her blog By Their Strange Fruit. Used with her permission. Hansen is the Director of Strategic Initiatives and Training, at the United Methodist Church and Community Development for All People, a multiracial congregation in Columbus, Ohio. unyumc.org 35
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Tommy boldly living his way forward By Erin Patrick, Church Planter
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he ROAD is a New Faith Community that reaches people by creating a place and sense of belonging through being relational community that is open to all levels of faiths that affirms, loves, and accepts everyone; no matter how diverse. We seek to provide opportunities for people to build relationships with themselves, with us, with others, and with God. Through one of our ministries, we met two friends named Tommy and his mentor Suzanne who were looking for a place
Tommy.
of belonging on Fridays. They checked out our Open Street Communion where we offer free lunches, waters, communion, and prayer. Tommy is an individual with special needs and works with a mentor several days of the week. When asking him about how he became the way he is, a young man with a traumatic brain injury, he said with innocence yet strength; “God made me this way.” Since “I feel proud of myself. I feel good we met about a year ago, Tommy and Suabout myself because my mom, zanne have been joining us downtown nearly dad, and sister are proud of me every week. and they are happy for me.” He began coming down, learning what our community was like, and how he fit into it. -Tommy Once he felt comfortable saying “hi” to peo-
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“Tommy has benefited in so many ways from his being involved in handing out lunches for Open Street Communion on Fridays. It has helped him to work on social skills. He has an increased sense of pride, self-worth and accomplishment because of his ‘job.’” -Suzanne, Tommy’s mentor ple and worked on how to do so, he started handing out the free lunches to others, and offering awesome words of encouragements such as, “Welcome to Tommy’s diner, please have a free lunch, thank you, and have a great day and MANY MANY MORE!” In the beginning he loved offering hugs to everyone, but he and Suzanne worked hard on finding alternative ways to positively interact, bringing us to a new tradition of fist bumps! In the past few months, Tommy and Suzanne began taking some time during their week to decorate the bags that we put the lunches in! Since then, they have inspired others to do the same, and today there are at least 20 individuals and mentors in the special needs
Tommy and Suzanne hand out lunch for Open Street Communion on Fridays. Photo by Mary Dalglish.
The special needs community decorate bags for bagged lunches which Tommy enjoys handing out every Friday. Photo by Mary Dalglish.
community that decorate the bags we pack. Unknowingly, Tommy’s passion for helping people created more opportunities for others to help people! Tommy has an amazing gift of being able to catch on to what emotions you are feeling. One time, a lady was passing by and instead of saying his normal, “Welcome to Tommy’s diner - would you like a free lunch today,” Tommy simply asked, “Ma’am, what is wrong, do you need a hug?” As mentioned, we normally try to fist bump instead of hugging, but at that moment - the lady broke into tears and mentioned that she needed a hug for sure! She proceeded to tell Tommy about her struggles and before leaving mentioned that she was not sure how she would have made it through the rest of her day if he had not been there for her. The rest of us had not noticed the pain behind this woman’s eyes, but Tommy just knew, and he was not afraid to love a stranger. Suzanne and I teared up. Tommy has become a smile and source of encouragement that others on the street look for now.
“I like being able to express myself and communicate with Erin.” -Tommy unyumc.org 37
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African-American Woman’s Incredible Life as a Methodist Missionary By United Methodist Communications
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usan Angeline Collins was an early trailblazer for Methodist women. In the years following the U.S. Civil War, Collins went to college and became a successful business owner. All before answering her call to serve the Methodist Church in missions to Africa.
Carolyn Johnson: “So here’s someone who has worked as an owner and she’s hoping to transition into a life where she owns nothing and she gets no money because that not the purpose. How can the message of Jesus that she wants to help bring witness to, how can she do that?”
UMC.org recently produced a video about Susan Angeline Collins. Here is the transcript:
That desire drove Collins to leave for Africa in 1887, at the age of 36. She worked 13 years for no pay under what was known as a self-supporting mission. Serving under this model made it difficult to afford necessities like shoes, but care packages from Rev. Paine’s family back home in Iowa sustained Collins’ work.
(Voice of Carolyn Johnson, Director of Diversity for Purdue University) “To really make long-lasting, impactful, transformative change, generally it takes about a generation. And she gave a generation of her life.” Carolyn Johnson loves to tell the story of Susan Angeline Collins who was a Methodist missionary for more than 30 years. Collins founded a school for girls in Angola in the early 1900s. Carolyn Johnson: “She owns her own laundry. This is a woman entrepreneur at this time.” Collins was a remarkable woman before she ever entered the mission field. Born in Illinois in 1851, the daughter of an indentured servant, she was the first African American student to attend Upper Iowa University. Collins worked in the home of the Rev. Jason Paine, a Methodist pastor in Iowa. She went on to own her own laundry business in Huron, Dakota.
Despite hardships, Collins established a boarding school which housed over 50 girls. In 1900, Collins returned to Iowa and was told, at age 50, she was too old to continue as a missionary. She immediately began raising funds for a return passage to Africa. The Pacific branch of the Methodist Woman’s Foreign Missionary Society helped Collins resume her work in Angola, this time with pay. She served 18 more years. Carolyn Johnson: “There are all kinds of women whose stories and narratives we had no idea existed to us but, yet they impacted the life of the Church.”
Carolyn Johnson: “Someone brings in their laundry in, then it wasn’t uncommon for people to use old newspaper to wrap their things in. She unfolds this newspaper scrap and in there is an advertisement, a notice about the Chicago Training School.”
Collins was able to purchase a home in Iowa where she retired and became a beloved member of the community and her local Methodist Episcopal church. Collins passed away in 1940, weeks shy of her 89th birthday.
Collins sold the laundry to follow a call to attend that school for home and foreign missions.
View this video at http://bit.ly/Methodistfemaletrailblazer.
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Resources Recommended by Nancy Dibelius, UNY Associate Director of Spiritual Life for Vital Congregations Hearing with the Heart By Debra K. Farrington Do you wonder what God’s deep desire is for your life? Are you uncertain how to listen carefully for God’s guidance during your everyday life? Do you wonder if the voice you are hearing is coming from God or from your own ego? This book leads you through a gentle process for discovering God’s presence in every aspect of your life. It offers exercises, guidelines, and tools for the challenging task of discerning God’s voice and God’s deep desire for your life. Let Your Life Speak By Parker J. Palmer This book invites us into a deep place of listening to the voice of God that lies deep within each of us. It seeks to guide the reader in discovering your true calling; that which enables us to live authentically as God imagines us to be. Palmer believes that a true calling is not something we choose, but something that chooses us if we are willing to listen and accept God’s invitation. Weeds Among the Wheat By Thomas H. Green This book focuses on the practice of discernment and the belief that deep discernment occurs only when we are living into a deep personal relationship with God; a relationship based on regular, intentional prayer. Basing his guidance on the scriptures and the ‘saints’ of the Church, he explores what it means to truly discern God’s deep desire and offers practical tools for developing the spiritual discipline of discernment. Streams of Living Water By Richard J. Foster The author explores six streams of faith and practice that he believes defines the Christian tradition. These streams are explored in
the context of the history and development of the Church and they offer insights into how we understand our own ministry in the world. He explores the unique contributions of each of these streams/traditions and offers the reader a guide to living a balanced spiritual life. This book focuses on how to fully live into God’s invitation for your life. Contemporary Images of Christian Ministry By Donald E. Messer This book explores several contemporary images of ministry and invites the reader to reimagine their understanding of ministry and what it means to be in ministry. The book leads the reader through historical images of ministry and how those images have shifted throughout the years. It explores how one might move beyond the historical stereotypes to live into faithful and effectiveness ministry for our time and place. Callings: Twenty Centuries of Christian Wisdom on Vocation By William C. Placher, ed. This book is an anthology of passages on work and vocation from some of the greatest writers in Christian history who seek to answer the question, what am I going to do with my life? As we seek to understand God’s deep desire for our lives, this book offers the distilled wisdom of saints, preachers, theologians, and teachers and their insights on vocation and calling. unyumc.org 39
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