In Worship This Week...

There is something remarkable about the way a church becomes part of our lives. We arrive for different reasons, at different stages of life, carrying different questions and experiences. Over time, relationships form, faith deepens, and a community of people becomes something more than a gathering on Sunday mornings. 

This Sunday, we begin our three-week stewardship worship series, reflecting on the life we share at Calvary and the future God is calling us toward.

In Ephesians 3, Paul offers a beautiful prayer for the church, asking that its people might be "rooted and grounded in love." He understands that the strength of a Christian community comes from something deeper than its programs, buildings, or activities. It comes from the love of Christ taking root in people's lives and shaping how they care for one another and their neighbors.

As we continue our year of Sabbath Keeping, this is an important reminder. Healthy roots require nourishment. They grow through seasons of activity and rest, through the care we receive and the care we offer. The same is true of our life together as a congregation.

This Sunday, we'll reflect on what it means to be rooted in God's love and how that love has shaped Calvary into the community we know today. We'll consider the people, experiences, and ministries that have helped our own faith take root, and what it means to nurture that same possibility for others.

I hope you'll join us as we begin this conversation together. There is much to celebrate in the life of our congregation, and much to look forward to as we continue growing in faith, sharing God's love, and discovering where God is leading us next.

SPIRITUAL GROWTH

Celebrating Kristen Rains

Please join us this Sunday, November 15th, as we celebrate and thank Kristin Rains for her years of dedication and service as our Family Ministries Coordinator! Although Kristin is stepping away from this role, we are happy that she will continue to be part of our church family and community. We hope you’ll join us in showing our appreciation for all she has done for our church and its families! 

PASSIONATE SERVICE

Find More Volunteer Opportunities

JOYFUL GIVING

OPEN TO ALL

Albany District Church Conference Day 

The Albany District Church Conference Day is on Saturday, November 14th. Your church will gather with others from the district at Latham: Calvary UMC (15 Ridge Place, Latham, NY) for this day of fellowship, worship, learning, and business.  Churches will be grouped together for their church conference meeting within the larger afternoon of activities.  We hope that you are able to attend the entire day's activities including workshops and lunch, but please do prioritize your church conference. 

Below you will find the breakdown of timing for the entire afternoon, beginning with check in. Our church is part of BLOCK 3 @ 1 pm. 

Schedule: 

8:30-9:00: Check in  

9:00: Worship 

9:45: BLOCK 1 

10:45: break 

11:00: BLOCK 2 

12:00: Lunch 

1:00: BLOCK 3 

2:00: break 

2:15-3:15: BLOCK 4 

3:30: Closing Worship 

Your church is part of BLOCK 3 @ 1pm

CHURCH CONFERENCE Grouping: Delmar, Latham: Calvary, Shenendehowa, Albany: McKownville

(presiding elder: DS Rev. Anna Blinn Cole)

The following workshops are offered at 9:45 am during BLOCK 1 and are available for you to attend, if you wish. 

WORKSHOP 3: Accountable Discipleship for Churches

with Bruce France, Adirondack District Lay Leader

As children of God, we are called to live in God’s household and grow as disciples of Jesus Christ. Accountable discipleship is a distinctly Methodist way of Christian formation and making sure discipleship happens. This session will cover the basics of accountable discipleship and how Covenant Discipleship Groups (CDG), based on the Wesley Class Meetings, provide mutual accountability for holy living and growth as disciples of Jesus Christ.

WORKSHOP 4: Exploring Ignatian Spirituality

with Rev. Nancy Dibelius

We will explore a form of meditation that was formalized by Ignatius of Loyola in the 16th century.  It is known as guided meditation or entering the narrative.  We will enter into a Biblical narrative to encounter and experience the holy.  For this time apart we will explore something familiar to most of us...the 23rd Psalm.  You will be invited to express your experience either through art or writing.  This is a great entry point into the world of spiritual practices.

WORKSHOP 2: Faith in Action: The Lay Servant Workshop

with Darlene Suto, Adirondack/Albany Director of Lay Servant Ministries

Have you ever wondered how to grow in your leadership as a lay person in the United Methodist Church? This workshop will answer questions about the Lay Servant and Lay Speaker ministries in our districts. It will be able to guide interested people toward the Certified Lay Minister track, as well.  Any laity interested in knowing more about these ministries should attend!

WORKSHOP 6: How to Connect with your Community 

with Abigal Browka, UNY Associate Director of Missional Excellence

This workshop brings together best practices from new faith communities and missional ministry to help a local church connect with their community.  Spend time learning together as a group with Abigail who strategizes around new and innovative faith formation in our conference. The workshop will also give you time to brainstorm about your specific church and community. What is your community like? Where are the places and ways for your church to be more present?  How can you meet neighbors where they are?

The following workshops are offered at 11 am during BLOCK 2 and are available for you to attend, if you wish

WORKSHOP 1: Dismantling Racism: From Imagination to Action

with Georgia Whitney and Charles Syms, Conference Commission on Religion and Race

The Conference Commission on Religion and Race (CCORR) is relaunching their anti-racism curriculum this fall under a new name: Dismantling Racism: From Imagination to Action (DRIA), formerly known as Imagine No Racism, or INR.  This workshop will go over the new curriculum including why the name has changed and why you might want to teach this in your local church.

WORKSHOP 5: Sky Farm Camp – What’s new!

with Robyn Vernon

Hear news and exciting updates about Skye Farm Camp and Retreat Center.  Learn about how your church can send campers or even hold a retreat at this beautiful Upper New York United Methodist camp located in Warrensburg.  

WORKSHOP 7: Do You Think You Have Too Many Committees? Let’s Discuss Single Governance/Single Leadership Board Model

with Rev. Susan Ranous, UNY Christian Stewardship Specialist and a trained coach in the SAS leadership model

This workshop will have as its base of The Simplified Accountability Structure (SAS), a church leadership model that consolidates multiple administrative committees into a single Leadership Board to improve decision making, accountability, and missional focus. It merges the traditional four administrative committees — Trustees, Finance, Staff/Pastor Parish Relations, and Church Council — into one cohesive Leadership Board. This board holds all responsibilities and authority previously split among those committees, in compliance with the UMC Book of Discipline (Paragraph 247.2). This model is not created just to lessen the number of meetings and the number of people that have to be nominated for positions. It is designed to simplify governance by reducing layers and meeting complexity; allow leadership to have a clear decision-making process, and align the church’s mission, vision, and stewardship in one place. We will discuss the concept of this structure, how it works, the steps to create it, and how this structure helps a church to allow mission and ministry to be the focus of a local church.

WORKSHOP 8: Using and Experiencing the Labyrinth

with Rev. Nancy Dibelius

Explore a labyrinth set up in Calvary UMC’s church.  Rev. Nancy will teach about this sacred and ancient tool for spirituality and give you time to walk it yourself.  

The following workshops are offered at 2:15pm during BLOCK 4 and are available for you to attend, if you wish

WORKSHOP 1: Dismantling Racism: From Imagination to Action 

with Georgia Whitney and Charles Syms, Conference Commission on Religion and Race 

The Conference Commission on Religion and Race (CCORR) is relaunching their anti-racism curriculum this fall under a new name: Dismantling Racism: From Imagination to Action (DRIA), formerly known as Imagine No Racism, or INR.  This workshop will go over the new curriculum including why the name has changed and why you might want to teach this in your local church.  

WORKSHOP 2: Faith in Action: The Lay Servant Workshop

with Darlene Suto, Adirondack/Albany Director of Lay Servant Ministries

Have you ever wondered how to grow in your leadership as a lay person in the United Methodist Church? This workshop will answer questions about the Lay Servant and Lay Speaker ministries in our districts. It will be able to guide interested people toward the Certified Lay Minister track, as well.  Any laity interested in knowing more about these ministries should attend!  

WORKSHOP 7: Do You Think You Have Too Many Committees? Let’s Discuss Single Governance/Single Leadership Board Model

with Rev. Susan Ranous, UNY Christian Stewardship Specialist and a trained coach in the SAS leadership model 

This workshop will have as its base of The Simplified Accountability Structure (SAS), a church leadership model that consolidates multiple administrative committees into a single Leadership Board to improve decision making, accountability, and missional focus.

It merges the traditional four administrative committees — Trustees, Finance, Staff/Pastor Parish Relations, and Church Council — into one cohesive Leadership Board. This board holds all responsibilities and authority previously split among those committees, in compliance with the UMC Book of Discipline. (Paragraph 247.2). This model is not created just to lessen the number of meetings and the number of people that have to be nominated for positions. It is designed to simplify governance by reducing layers and  meeting complexity; allow leadership to have a clear decision-making processes, and align the church’s mission, vision, and stewardship in one place. We will discuss the concept of this structure, how it works, the steps to create it, and how this structure helps a church to allow mission and ministry to be the focus of a local church.  

**************************************************

Please contact the District Office at 518-795-4301, if you need clarification on any of the above or if you run into issues registering. And please invite any members from your church that you think may be interested in attending! All are welcome.

Tellers Schedule

The Tellers for this Sunday, November 8th, 2026

Kathy Whisett and Dottie Norvik

Click here to see the full Teller Schedule.