NYAC Bishop Thomas J. Bickerton writes:    
    "The bishops of the Northeastern Jurisdiction have been in deep conversation, prayer, and mutual strategy in recent days regarding the deep and intentional ways that each of us can and should be responding to the depth of systemic racism that has been revealed in the murder of George Floyd."  

You will find their statement to the people and churches of the Northeastern Jurisdiction here.

Related articles:

• Four black pastors from the Florida Conference describe "The Threat of Blackness"
• David Brubaker writes about Leading in an Age of Political Polarization
• Anthony Hunt shares Why the Church's Mission Really Matters in this Time of Crisis

As of this writing, the video files for the Conference-produced worship service for June 14 are being uploaded to the NYAC website at www.nyac.com/sunday-of-rest-and-renewal-worship-service.   The video, transcript, and other supporting resources will be available for you to access this evening. Translations will be available Thursday morning, June 11.  At that web address you will also find information about “live” showings of the video on Facebook and a call-in option to share with your congregations.  Thank you for your patience, and for all that you do to share God's love and grace in our Conference.

• Bishop Bickerton offers words of encouragement to NYAC churches, and practical support in the form of "starter" cleaning kits.   Read his full Memorandum here.  The application for cleaning supplies may be found here
• Please continue to follow the NYAC COVID-19 Reopening Guidelines
• Once your church is certified to reopen, ministry in your physical building should not preclude the online presence you've established during the pandemic.  Tom Berlin invites us to commit to a Hybrid Model of Ministry
• Technology grants are available for our churches that have expanded their outreach beyond their regular in-pew attendees during the months of sheltering in place.  To help these churches maintain their online connections and presence moving forward, the Conference is offering grants/ reimbursements for technology that will enable churches to keep in contact with their virtual congregations.  Click here for more information and to apply.

NYAC Emergency Food Program
We are incredibly grateful for the support we have received in support of our work. Over $10,000 has been provided by local churches and individuals responding to the most recent appeal. We have received two UMCOR grants for COVID-related ministries and outreach. The United Methodist City Society and United Methodist Frontier Foundation have provided grants to 9 food ministries throughout our districts. In addition, the Conference Missions office has provided support to 6 programs. 
To donate, please click here.
Needed: Development/Fundraising/Grant Writing assistance
One of the needs expressed by several of our churches with emergency food, and other community-based programs, is for assistance with development, fundraising, and grant-writing. If you can provide assistance in any of these areas please contact Tom Vencuss at the Missions office (tvencuss@nyac.com).

General Board Grant: the NYAC has received funds in support of two specific COVID-19 related efforts. One is to provide hospitality stations for persons taking part in marches and demonstrations around the death of George Floyd. This would include providing water, snacks, “grab and go” lunches, and first aid supplies. A second is to assist local shop owners to repair businesses which may have been damaged as part of the protests; or, for business owners to purchase materials or supplies to mitigate possible future damage. For more information contact Tom Vencuss at the Missions office (tvencuss@nyac.com).  

The NEJ Volunteer in Mission Academy is on-line
Courses are free - $25 donation requested. Upcoming classes:
Thinking Theologically About Mission
Monday, June 15, 2020  2:00 PM  3:30 PM
https://www.umvim.org/training-schedule/thinking-theologically-about-mission
Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/thinking-theologically-about-mission-tickets-104686313582
UMVIM 101: The Ministry of United Methodist Volunteers in Mission
Wednesday, June 17, 2020   2:00 PM  - 3:30 PM
https://www.umvim.org/training-schedule/umvim-101-the-ministry-of-united-methodist-volunteers-in-mission
Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/umvim-101-the-ministry-of-united-methodist-volunteers-in-mission-tickets-104686929424
Forming Boundary Crossing Mission Partnerships
Friday, June 19, 2020  2:00 PM  - 3:30 PM
https://www.umvim.org/training-schedule/forming-boundary-crossing-mission-partnerships
Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/forming-boundary-crossing-mission-partnerships-tickets-105016202288
Abundant Health and FAN (Faith – Activity – Nutrition) Program
Saturday, June 20, 2020  9:00 AM  12:00 PM
https://www.umvim.org/training-schedule/abundant-health-and-the-faith-activity-nutrition-program-fan
Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/abundant-health-and-fan-tickets-105864979002

UMCOR Hygiene Kits
    Every year the New York Conference provides more than 4,000 hygiene kits to UMCOR for disaster response efforts. This year, given that the NYAC Annual Conference has been rescheduled as a streamlined event in September, we will not be receiving hygiene kits. However, you can still support this important ministry. The parts of an UMCOR Hygiene Kit total about $12. We are asking that churches collect funds which will then be “converted” into the equivalent number of hygiene kits and sent to UMCOR for the purchase of health kits supplies. OR, churches may ship their hygiene kits directly to UMCOR (at a cost greater than the value of the kits).  Here is the link for shipping labels and instructions: https://www.umcmission.org/umcor/serve/relief-supply-network/hygiene-kit
    Thank you in advance for participating in this vital mission.  Our Conference has always had a great response to this request and we would like to keep this support going. 

Would you like to visit with missionaries? You can! You are invited to join a virtual itineration! We were expecting several missionaries in our conference this year, but, as you can imagine, itinerations have had to morph into another format!  Below you will see several opportunities. So if you were expecting  an in person visit you can use this opportunity to meet with and hear stories from these amazing missionaries that are #stillinmission even in the midst of this crisis. You are all invited  to ‘meet’ them without leaving your chair! Be sure to register for the sessions that interest  you. In Mission together, Jill Wilson, Conference Secretary of Global Ministries   Virtual Itineration Schedule and Registration Links:  June 18 9:00am EDT Event Description--  #StillInMission Episode 4 Registration Link:    https://gbgm.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJAsc-2pqTwpHdES6NV88XqdGZg081GJTycH Join us as we connect with missionaries serving all over the world. This week we feature missionaries that are directly working with Higher Education, Education with Children, and Training Opportunities with Adults. Participants will have the opportunity to explore the work of Christina Young Kim, Jane Kies, Connie Wieck, and Jonathan McCurley. Missionaries are #stillinmission and we hope that you'll join us to learn more! Registration is limited. You will get a confirmation email once your registration is accepted. If the limit is reached, you will get priority for future events.   June 25 9:00PM EDT Episode Description:  #StillInMission  Episode 5 Registration Link:    https://gbgm.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJMqfuuhrjMvGtZPz5siCx6i_g This week we feature missionaries that are directly working with issues of Social Justice. Participants will have the opportunity to explore the work of Alma & Richard Navarro, Adam Shaw, and Jin Kim. Registration is limited. You will get a confirmation email once your registration is accepted. If the limit is reached, you will get priority for future events   JULY 2; 9:00 PM EDT Registration Link:    https://gbgm.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJEpf-irpz8qGtRa88gi0OnStvVdWsy2fNwK Episode 6:  #StillInMission  Episode 6 This week we feature missionaries that are directly working with Youth Engagement, Empowerment, and Education. Participants will have the opportunity to explore the work of Joy Eva Bohol, Sandra Raasch, Innocent Afful, and Ellyn Dubberly. Registration is limited. You will get a confirmation email once your registration is accepted. If the limit is reached, you will get priority for future events.

• National Day of Prayer - Saturday, June 13, 1-4 PM (EST).  Presented by the Northeast Jurisdiction United Methodist Men and the Baltimore-Washington Conference of the United Methodist Church.  NYAC's UMM President, Ben Nelson, is among the prayer warriors who will participate.  
• BeADisciple.com offers courses for Lay Servant Ministries, Certified Lay Ministry, and CEU credit.  There is also a course on how to start a Christian podcast 
• Online Summer 2020 Courses for Academic and CEU Credit from Wesley Theological Seminary.  Summer courses from Wesley include Ministry & Self-Care; Solution-based Pastoral Care; Howard Thurman: Mystic, Prophetic, Theologian; and many more. See the full list of online summer and fall courses and register now.