Praise and thanks be to God! I have been blessed to be in ministry with the Mohawk District. I praise God for all the churches in the Mohawk District and their pastors and laity for their faithfulness and commitment to their ministry. I also would like to express district teams and committees and their leaders for their ministry in our midst. I am deeply grateful to Brian Ethington, District Lay Leader, and Rebecca Kohler, Associate District Lay Leader, for journeying together with me. Of course, my sincere thanks go to Cindy Muder, Administrative Assistant, and Libby Hughes, Finance Staff, for their ministry for the district.

Below is a highlight of activities and events that I have done in the past year:

Following is a list of events and programs that have been planned for the coming year

District Day with Bishop

Laity Banquet

Pastoral Transition Workshop

Annual Conference

We are in the process of birthing a new conference. The name of the new Episcopal area is Upper New York Area.

Important dates for the union of four conferences are:

The past year has been a year of blessing and exciting changes. Laity in this district is becoming more active and involved in the ministry and mission of their local churches and the connectional ministries of the district and conference.

I want to express thanks to Rev. Sung Ho Lee and Rebecca Kohler for all the support and help they have provided during the past year. Without them much of the work of the district lay leader would not be completed.

The year has been full of different opportunities to work with the lay and clergy of the district. The highlights of the past year that I have been involved with are listed below.

In May at annual conference we said farewell to Bishop Fisher. Her leadership strengthened the position of laity throughout the conference.

During the summer the district lay leaders worked on a lay leader’s handbook for local church lay leaders. The booklet will help lay leaders understand their role in the church and how to effectively carry out their ministry. At the 2009 annual conference the booklet will be distributed.

A team including Rebecca and myself conducted a gifts and graces workshop for the Delta United Methodist Church. This is an opportunity for the church members to see how God has blessed them with gifts and graces that can be used in the mission and ministry of the local church and beyond. Members can also see how they might function in different types of ministerial relationships and settings. This service is available to any church.

Bishop Matthews was welcomed to the New York West Area in September. This was the first installation service of a bishop that I have attended. It was an experience I will long remember. He will be providing leadership as we form one conference from the present four upstate conferences. He was very clear that this will be an extensive undertaking that needs to be undergirded by prayer.

Rebecca and I attended the church conferences during the fall. We are glad to have had the opportunity to meet and share with the clergy and laity in the district. By attending the conferences we gain a better understanding of the mission and ministry the local churches are undertaking. We had a chance to celebrate some of the successful tasks occurring in the churches as well as the frustrations faced. This helps the district and conference through our connectionalism to develop programs and events in support of the local church.

In December the Conference Council held one its meeting at Casowasco. We meet four times a year or when needed to make decisions between annual conference sessions.

Clergy-Lay Leader educational events were conducted during January, February and March. There were four educational events presented throughout the district. The partner relationship between the pastor and lay leader is essential if effective ministry is to occur. During each event different ways to promote and strengthen this relationship were illustrated.

The district superintendency committee also meets throughout the year. This committee assists our DS by acting as a PPRC on the district level.

The district council of ministries helps coordinate, assist and communicate information about the mission and ministry of various groups and organizations within the district.

District Lay Leader continued

Once a year we have a chance to celebrate the achievements of the laity throughout the district at the laity banquet. This year we will be celebrating the local missions and ministries of our churches.

Brian Ethington

District Lay Leader

Purpose: To support the DS on the oversight of the spiritual and temporal affairs of the Church

Responsibilities:

Membership: 11 people (7 lay, 4 clergy); Bishop is ex officio

Meetings: Quarterly (Discipline requires annually)

Mary Hartz, Chair

The District Committee on Ordained Ministry has completed 34 interviews this year with persons working toward becoming a CLM, a certified candidate or a licensed local pastor as well as those who are Certified Lay Ministers or Licensed Local Pastors who wish to be continued in the work to which God has called them. We are blessed as persons share the stories of the places, events and people who have shaped their growth.  We try to uphold and encourage these same persons in their journey as they seek to answer the call that God has placed on their lives.  It was a painful year as we mourned the death of our friend and registrar the Rev, James Darling. Yet it was also an encouraging year as several full time local pastors took the conference training and have been approved as candidacy mentors, and a grateful year as Annette Tongue agreed to serve as our registrar.  The faith, candor and humility of the committee are gifts from God.  I am grateful to be privileged to work among them.

Elizabeth Mowry, chair

 The District Board of Church Location & Building met on May 27^th, 2008,
to consider those projects that are as follows:

(1)The sale of the Frankfort Church Parsonage

     (2)The sale of the Rome Calvary Church building 

     (3)The insurance reduction from 90% of full value to 30% of full value on the Oneida

church building.

Items one and two above were approved. Item three was tabled until the
D.S. obtained more information.

The Board met with Rev. William Mudge and a number of church members to evaluate two building locations for a new church starting in February 2009. The buildings are located in Barneveld on Rt. 12. A portion of the Jet Sew Building was approved to be used for a new church.                                                                        
                                                                     
Respectfully submitted,

Robert Lindsay
Chairman

Sharon Rankins-Burd, Convener (not chairperson!!)

Team members: Sung Ho Lee, Sam Pellman, Randy Barber, Helen Tracy, Laurie Percival Pauley, Inell Claypool, Karen Marshall

The Mohawk District Worship Team formed in spring 2008 with a three-fold purpose. We clarified and published the purpose and goals for our team as follows:

1- To provide worship opportunities for clergy and laity in our District at least three times each year. Such worship opportunities may also serve as testing ground for clergy and laity seeking to hone new skills in worship leadership.

2- To provide workshops in a group setting where ideas and suggestions are shared and critiqued, with the goal of growing as worship leaders.

3- To provide one-on-one conversation and mentoring in areas of worship leadership.

Our first event was held on November 2, 2008 at Trinity UMC, Whitesboro. Our theme was "The Unexpected Miracle" and we used music, drama, a spoken message and a covenant opportunity to offer clergy and laity some fresh ideas for a Christmas Eve service.

District Worship Team continued

We provided worship support for the District Superintendent’s day with clergy on January 15, 2009 at Stittville UMC. Our theme for the morning was "Finding Hope in Your Call." Our celebration included a variety of music, extended prayer time, and Communion.

The Team offered an Ash Wednesday service for clergy and laity on February 8, 2009 at Clinton UMC. Our theme was "Wood and Ashes," and included both Communion and Imposition of Ashes. A labyrinth walk was available after the service.

Plans are underway for a Tent Revival Worship Service in August at St Paul’s UMC in Oneida, and for a worship workshop in the fall.

"BE YE DOERS OF GOD’S WORD AND NOT HEARERS ONLY"

* The men of the Mohawk District UMM completed construction on the district’s first handicap ramp. The ramp was 39’ long and was constructed in the town of Ilion. The work took approximately 5 weeks and 6 men were involved.

* New Charter Added: Boonville UMM

* Completed construction on the handicap ramp at Camp Aldersgate to make the chapel handicap accessible.

* New website went on line: www.mohawkdistrictumm.org

Our thanks to (VP) Dave Evans and his willingness to serve God. Each UMM-chartered men’s group has been assigned their own web page to post mission news pictures, etc. any ministry or mission of which the men of that church are a part.

* The UMM of the Mohawk District hosted the 4^th annual UMM gathering at Camp Aldersgate. The theme for the men’s (2) 1/2 day retreat was "Heart–to-Heart part two." The men were taken on a spiritual journey by Pastor David Dunbar. Pastor Dave led a spirit filled weekend using the parable of the Good Samaritan as his guide. We drew posters acted out skits and enjoyed each other’s fellowship. Thirty-nine men attended representing 11 churches. We had plenty of live music and all who attended were blessed.

UMM cont.

* Laity Banquet: The UMM was honored and a DVD of 100 years of UMM was presented at the event. District UMM President Mark Jones spoke at the event and discussed the current/future mission and ministry of the Mohawk District UMM

New Charters added: Newport, Middleville, and Ohio UMM

UMM men participated in activity at annual conference. They worked at the information booth and took calls through the Upper Room Intercessory (nation wide) prayer line.

The UMM men participated in the 61^st UMM gathering at Camp Casowasco three-day men’s retreat. Some of the Mohawk District Men participated in emergency response training, choir practice, camp projects, etc. UMM National Secretary, David Adams, came to us from Nashville, Tennessee, as a keynote speaker. Also speaking was Rev. Lloyd Sajain Senior, pastor at United Methodist Church Santa Barbara, in California. Rev. Sajain retold the parable of the Prodigal son with a Middle Eastern perspective. Everyone had an enjoyable weekend.

New Charter Added: Vienna UMM

The UMM of the Mohawk District participated in Squash Hunger II. A group of men gathered at Tripple’s produce in Schuyler and worked together to load squash and cabbage into trucks and vans to be transported to local food banks. They loaded 7400 pounds of squash and 1500 pounds of cabbage. The produce was given to Frankfort, Ilion, Schuyler food pantry, Hope House of Utica, Utica Rescue Mission, Angel food Ministries food distribution in Newport, Ohio and Middleville, West Schuyler UMC, Asbury UMC as well as Vienna UMC. Our special thanks to Tripple’s produce in Schuyler and their gift of produce!

New Charters added: VanHornesville UMM, Dolgeville UMM

Respectfully submitted

Mark Jones, Mohawk District President United Methodist Men

We have been trying to schedule a few different events in the district; however we have run into complications with dates that work with those involved. We are now currently working at getting a District Youth Council organized of adults and youth from our District. We have paired up with the Northern Flow District to host a Youth Retreat at Aldersgate the summer of 2010. We have already been in conversation with Aldersgate and the planning is already beginning. Our marketing focus will be the Mohawk District and the Northern Flow District; however the event will be open to any youth from the four conferences. We are also working to try to do some events, hopefully every other month at the least, for youth groups to bring their youth to throughout the Mohawk District. We are hoping to kick off these series of events no later than fall of 2009. We want to do them right and get some of the larger youth groups in our area to attend, so that there is momentum from the beginning. Stay tuned to the District e-mail and the Conference e-mail for information on upcoming events.

Respectively submitted by

Rev. Rebecca and Mr. Peter Laird

The efforts of the Child Advocacy Team have consisted of supporting the North Central New York Conference-Wide efforts to provide Safe Sanctuary training for all the churches. The conference mandate for churches to develop and hand in their Safe Sanctuaries Policies was fall of 2008 at Church Conferences. About two-thirds of our District’s churches have done so. Coming up April 24, 25 and 26, there is a follow-up Safe Sanctuary training for those who are willing to become Safe Sanctuary trainers. Find out more about Safe Sanctuaries or register for Train the Trainer events at: http://www.ncnyumc.org/SafeSanctuaries/index.html

Cindy Muder

Rev. Madeline McDonald, Convener

Libby Hughes, Treasurer

Pastor David and Kathy Dunbar, Joan Boucher, Joan Murphy (R.C.), Prison Volunteers

Rev. Lamar Claypool, Protestant Chaplain, Walsh and Mohawk Prisons

The Dunbars, Kuyahoora Parish (Middleville, Newport and Ohio UMC)

Led ACT retreats at Mohawk Medium Security Prison

Led weekly Protestant worship and Bible study at Walsh Maximum Security Hospital

Raised money for and provided study Bibles (English and Spanish) for men at Walsh

District Committee on Restorative Justice and Prison Ministry cont.

Joan Boucher, Clark Mills UMC

Led weekly Bible study at Midstate and Oneida Medium Security Prisons

Volunteered secretarial assistance to two Department of Corrections Directors of

Volunteer Services

Visited men at Walsh Hospital often

Joan Murphy, Roman Catholic

Led weekly discussions for men at Walsh regarding their medical issues

Raised money from Roman Catholic churches and did major shopping for

Walsh Christmas Bags as well as special pizza and wings meals provided

Libby Hughes

Along with other financial responsibilities for the District, kept track of all of our finances

as well. Thank you Libby!

Madeline McDonald

Wrote articles for Connections on issues of justice and prison ministry

Served as chief money raiser for our volunteer efforts (i.e. special meals and gifts for

the men at Walsh at Christmas

Maintained table for Prison Ministry materials at Dunham Library, Whitesboro

Spoke to seniors of Rome UMC on Prison Ministry

NOTE: Madeline is available to speak to any church group who would like a

presentation on Justice and Peace issues!!! Call her at (315)736-4317.

TO BE A PRISON VOLUNTEER…CALL (315) 339-6880

"Remember those who are in prison as though you were one of them"

                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Hebrews 13:3