Our Priority projects list for this year is being finalized, they fall  into Two categories: Liability avoidance  and Maintenance / Beautification

Liability avoidance:

Dead wood and overgrown trees; 

• Four mature trees in the rear of the parsonage have dead wood and some are shedding bark. They represent a liability. If they were to fall, they are large enough to hit either the parsonage or neighboring homes or garages, not to mention taking out utilities for the entire block. Maple Springs Tree Service will be taking those trees down.
• Several trees on the church property either have dead wood or are overgrown to the point that they are damaging the building, those trees will be trimmed by the church handyman using rented equipment.

Maintenance / Beautification:

• Stone cleaning and sealing: Two years ago a crew steam cleaned much of the building that was accessible with two sections of scaffold. That process made a tremendous difference in the appearance of the building. That left areas of the church that are only accessible via boom lift to be done. We will be renting a boom lift and the same crew will be continuing that work.
• The wheelchair ramp and handrail are in rough shape. The caulking needs to be completed and made presentable, and the handrail needs to be mechanically stripped of rust, and remaining rust neutralized. Then it needs to be painted with a paint designed to last more than a couple of years. The same stone cleaning crew will be   completing that work. 
• The parsonage driveway is in rough shape. It needs to be pressure washed and hot melt crack filled. Perhaps it can be made to pass another decade, similar to the efforts that have been ongoing at the church. If we were to do nothing it would have to be repaved in a year or two. More of the same work needs to be done at the church but much less than in the last two years.
• Lastly, we have zones in the church that are receiving heat beyond the thermostat set point. We have other zones that are not able to be adequately heated. We will be conducting a study of zone valves, and likely replacing or rebuilding some to accomplish better, more efficient, heat distribution.

 
 

 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