April 2025 | Exciting News!

 The Staff Pastor/Parish Relations Committee (SPPRC) is happy to share with you that Bishop Héctor A. Burgos-Núñez has appointed Rev. Sherry Mahar as the new pastor of our congregation.     

Pastor Sherry will begin her new responsibilities on July 1st of this year. As a United Methodist congregation we are a part of an itinerant appointment system. The SPPRC committee has met with the District Superintendent to identify our congregation’s needs and the skills needed in a pastor for our context. We have also met with Pastor Sherry to get to know her and to ask questions. 

Sherry Mahar holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Theater Arts from Binghamton University and a Master of Divinity Degree from United theological Seminary. She began to live out her call to pastoral ministry as Associate Pastor at the Pendleton Center UMC, one of the largest congregations in our Conference. She currently serves as Pastor at both the   Delta and Rome UMC Churches in the    Mohawk  District.

Sherry and her husband Don have two adult children, one of whom resides in nearby Stockton. Just last weekend, Sherry was informed by the Board of  Ordained Ministry that she is to be ordained as an Elder in Full Connection at this year’s session of Annual Conference, to be held May 22nd—24th at the OnCenter in Syracuse, NY.

Our new pastor will work with us and the conference so that we continue to nurture disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. Bishop Burgos-Núñez, our District Superintendent Mary Kelly, and the Upper New York Conference leaders will work with us to continue growing as a congregation. I know you will join our Bishop, our new Pastor, and me in helping to make new disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.

Blessings,
Connie Pilato, SPPRC Chair