Remembering Our Heritage

Dr. Milton Loyer, Conference Archivist

September – 100 years ago. 

As reported in the 1924 Christian Advocate: “The Rev. Clarence R. Hickock, Dorranceton, reports an average attendance of 160 at prayer meetings. No spectacular methods are used. A committee is canvasing the parish for money to purchase ground for a new church on Wyoming Avenue.” The original 1897 building stood at West Dorrance Street and Schuyler Avenue. Properties were bought and sold, and building plans were drawn and redrawn, but it wasn’t until April 1963 that ground was broken at the present site on Wyoming Avenue. Dorranceton was once a separate borough. In 1921 it merged into Kingston, and in 1922 Dorranceton High School graduated its last class of 27 seniors.

October – 50 years ago

The Wyoming Conference United Methodist publication highlighted two very different October 1974 accomplishments. 

October 3, 1974, marked the conclusion of a five day celebration at the Ashley UMC building, which had been destroyed by fire in February, 1972, and was now rebuilt, equipped with new stained glass windows and other memorials, and rededicated by Bishop James Ault. In the face of declining membership in a changing neighborhood, the church closed December 31, 2018, and was sold to Mision Cristiana Juan 3:16. 

On October 7, 1974, Rev. Robert Harris, later the long-time conference historian, was a returning 3-day champion on the TV show Jeopardy — only to be defeated when he missed the final jeopardy question. In those days the host was Art Fleming and the highest dollar values were $100 and $200 in the single and double portions of the show.

VIM Coordinator Speaking Availability

  

Hello! I’m Michelle Schwartzman and I’m the Conference Volunteers in Mission Coordinator. There are amazing things happening in our conference with missions. I’ve been told by Global Ministries that the Susquehanna Conference is known for being strong in Mission! What a nice complement to be known to be in service with others.

I wanted to get the word out that I’m available for speaking engagements. There are range of ways I can do this: 5-minute mission moments, Sunday school classes, mission teams, mission committees and so forth. I’m also available to preach based around the purpose and call of Volunteers in Mission (VIM). This can be for Mission Sundays or to fill in while your pastor is away.

A lot of our local churches don’t know the ins and outs of VIM, if your church is in mission locally (outside of church property), in Pennsylvania, and across the US, your team is eligible for and asked to receive our free insurance. I can also connect international teams to UMVIM Inc. for low-cost insurance. In addition to the insurance, I provide training for team leaders and team participants...it’s great for all to be on board and delegation is a wonderful thing. I provide resources for teams including useful team forms. I can help your team connect to a place to serve and help you gather additional team members. One of my favorite things is that I can help celebrate the mission. 

You can submit an article, and it is posted on our website, published in the LINK, and on the VIM Facebook page. It not only lets the conference in on celebrating you, but it also gives the conference ideas on serving. We are a connectional church, and I love hearing what our local churches are up to!

Please contact me for the speaking events, insurance, training, and connection. I’m looking forward to it!

Michelle Schwartzman

VIM Coordinator

vim@susumc.org

Web: www.susmb.org/vim/

Facebook

Annual Conference Memorial Service: God’s Gleaners

Following is the sermon from the Memorial Service held at the 2024 Susquehanna Annual Conference on Thursday, May 30. You can view this service and sermon (at 36:33)  HERE. 

Ezekiel 37:1-6    Hebrews 12:1-3   John 8:29-32

Rev. Dr. Charles Salisbury

We are here again as the gathering of the family of God and the people called United Methodist. We share a common ministry as people of Jesus and claim our roles as Disciples to bear witness to the Gospel and to do everything in our power to live it out for as long as we have breath. And on this night, we remember those who in their time on earth walked with us as colleagues, served with us as holy laborers, journeyed with us, inspired us and helped to remind each of us of the true greatness of the God we serve.

Their titles may have differed: they were called elder, deacon, associate member, local pastor, CLM, or lay member; but they shared with us a common cause: to help change this world for the good and to testify to the unimaginable strength of God’s love. Now we who follow in that same path of ministry that they helped carve out pause to honor them and honor their families who lent them to us. To those family members gathered here, from the bottom of our hearts and souls, we say thank you!

Ministry is a journey of ups and downs, mountains and valleys…and sometimes in that journey we have watershed moments so profound that they help re-define our call and our purpose. For me it was a conversation that I was privy to 42 years ago when I was a staff member at the United Methodist Home for Children. A fourteen-year-old teenager had been adjudicated delinquent. His mother had made the decision to give up custody since she felt she could no longer deal with him. In a public courtroom, she looked at her son and uttered the words “I don’t love you anymore.” Those words cut through the air of that courtroom like a knife. I believe in the heart of that young man who already felt he had so little…he now believed he had nothing.

From that point forward, I came to strongly believe that the state of being unloved is the most unnatural state of humanity. We were not created to be unloved. We were not redeemed on a cross to be unloved. And I am convinced beyond the shadow of a doubt, we cannot thrive in any way unless we know we are loved by someone. And I believe it is our shared task as the people of Jesus Christ to do everything in our earthly power to be that someone who shows to those who are broken, those who are hurting, and those who feel alone…. that they are loved no matter what.

The prophet Ezekiel spoke to us about a vision of a Valley of Dry Bones. For many of us this never rises above the level of a metaphor, but there is some real truth surrounding Ezekiel’s words. In the history of war that extends much farther back than written history, there was a common tradition that once an army was defeated in battle, the victors gave the vanquished the opportunity to bury their dead, to have some dignity in defeat. But in that rare instance where the victor had nothing but contempt and disdain for their enemy, they did not allow this to happen. The bodies of the defeated remained on the battlefield to decay and yes, turn to dry bones. It was the ultimate insult and indignity.

Ezekiel’s vision depicts God bringing Ezekiel to such a valley where there were bones everywhere. God led Ezekiel through this valley to see the abundance of bones and that they were dry, which meant even after much time no one had given them the dignity of burial; no one said they mattered. In many ways no one could be more forgotten than the people whose bones filled that valley. Basically, It was the end of their story...but not quite.

God asks Ezekiel, “Can these bones live?” Ezekiel responds with an answer many of us have employed in ministry more often than we admit…. “I don’t know,” or what he probably was feeling, “Lord you know, ‘cause I sure don’t!”

Then God said, “Prophesy to these bones, these bones that the world has given up on…Prophesy! And prophesy like you believe something is going to happen! And as you tell those bones to hear the word of the Lord, I will put in your mouth the same breath that first filled Adam’s lungs and they will come to life…. the bones, the tendons, the flesh and the skin! These bones will live!” God still addresses that same question “Can these bones live?” to all of us who preach and witness for Jesus Christ. Can we have that same conviction in our answer to God when we face the valleys that our society and culture have created that say certain people don’t matter anymore. Can we love in places where others have given up on love?

It is 2024….and once again Pennsylvania is a purple state…a key electoral state in a bitterly divided nation. We will once again have the dubious honor of more money spent on political ads per capita than anywhere in this nation…. Every time we turn on the TV, listen to a radio, or connect with social media we will hear the negative voices. We will hear about valleys of dry bones…. But the question is: can we the people of Jesus Christ believe that even these bones can live? Can we believe in grace? Can we believe that in this time of constant confrontation, we can be the witness of true peace and love to all people? Are we the people of the resurrection or are we not?

Hebrews 12 speaks to us of a great cloud of witnesses …those who have walked before us…those who have set the example. We gather tonight to honor our colleagues who have become part of this cloud of witnesses. We honor them when we run the race for which they have blazed the trail. When we persevere and when we endure, we tell those colleagues that their dreams and visions are not forgotten but carried on in everything we claim to be as believers in Jesus Christ and witnesses of the Gospel.

And to the precious family members who gather with us tonight: You may not have a title before or after your name but you were called just the same. You prayed to God…You gave up a portion of your life for ministry…You loved your churches like you cherished your loved one. We can never thank you enough for the contributions you made—and most of those contributions we will never know. But in memory of your loved one, we will continue to run the race, we will continue to preach the Gospel, we will continue to honor Christ in all that we do. We shall never rest until every disciple is made and this world is transformed through faith, love, peace and justice. This is our pledge to you!

We know it won’t be easy…. I ‘m not sure it’s ever been easy…. but we have to do the hard work for the sake of the Gospel. As our Conference theme declares “The Harvest is Plentiful’, but we still need to put in the hard work. This is not one of those fishing shows on Discovery Channel where the fish just jump in the boat. We will need to work for the harvest; ….and when the circumstances are most difficult, we have to be willing to glean. When others observe the field and say there is nothing left, we say we are not finished yet! We are the children of Ruth, who demonstrated to us what perseverance really means…. We can’t quit when ministry becomes difficult…. we have to get on our knees and get our hands dirty for the sake of the Gospel….it is who God has called us to be! 

The Bible is full of moments when the people of faith were willing to glean, searching for holy sustenance when the rest of the world has given up. My friends, there are no dry bones in our valleys. Be strong and courageous! Believe in the Good News - the ever-present power of our God to change hearts, change lives and change the world. It’s still the truth that sets us free. It is an old story but it is still the greatest story ever told!

It is time to sing, my friends, but I need help… let’s celebrate our “Victory in Jesus!”

New Places - New People: Christ UMC, Mountain Top, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre District

Rev. Judy Walker, Conference Superintendent

Christ UMC in Mountain Top was formed by the union of two smaller churches in the Mountain Top area in 1960. The original building underwent an extensive expansion project in 1981 to support the growth of the congregation.

Their ancestor churches, the Mountaintop and Albert UMC congregations, were formed to offer Christ to the growing community on the mountain. Their union was strategic, focused on being better together at sharing Christ with their neighbors.

Today, Christ UMC continues to share the same calling in their community. 

Christ UMC offers several opportunities to connect with new people in new places:

Adventure Church gathers every Saturday morning for about an hour and a half hike in various locations across the area. They pause on the trail to read Scripture and pray together and continue in conversation as they hike. Four legged friends are invited to hike along as well! 

Pub Church meets the 3rd Wednesday of each month at the Mountaintop Pub and Eatery for fellowship and conversation and Scripture. 

Christ UMC also finds opportunities to intentionally connect with their online community through Living Room Church as those who attend live in the sanctuary and online are invited to interact with one another and the worship leader in the chat.

With a preference to see life unfold, Christ UMC is throwing away the molds and inviting each person to be the person they were meant to be...to be themselves.

In new places, new people come from all walks of life, and are drawn together in community by a new awareness of God’s love. New friends, new purpose, new life. 

The 2024 New Places/New People Award for the Scranton Wilkes-Barre District was presented to Rev. JP Bohanan and Christ United Methodist Church located in Mountain Top.

https://christonthemountaintop.org/

One Matters Award: Mehoopany UMC, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre District

Every year, Discipleship Ministries partners with annual conferences by offering the One Matters Award (OMA) to one eligible congregation at each annual conference. At the 2024 Susquehanna Annual Conference, the One Matters Award was given to one church in each of our districts.

This award has a strong focus on making disciples because, by integrating into the church body, the individual may experience the personal transformation to potentially engage in the church’s mission for the transformation of the world. While most Discipleship Ministries programs focus on existing members, OMA focuses on new members. After all, ONE Matters.

Rev. Judy Walker, Conference Superintendent

Mehoopany UMC is a three point charge along with Jenningsville and Forkston. After several years of receiving zero new members, Mehoopany UMC welcomed two new adult professing members, through baptism and profession of faith in 2024.

Pastor George Price had received an email from the Find-a-Church site (a good reason to keep information updated!) that informed him of a couple seeking information. He contacted them quickly to find out their needs. They told him they were very new in their faith. They were new to the area, and had made the decision to give their lives to Christ. They were very eager to learn about scripture and Jesus. 

Pastor George arranged a meeting with them to discuss the next steps. 

They shared that neither of them were from church-going families and they went only for special occasions. They were never baptized and they felt that it was essential for them to experience this since accepting Jesus Christ into their hearts. 

Their meeting was very informative and honest. In the past, they had experienced some people who went to churches who were not very Christ-like and they were unsure about going to church.

Pastor George spoke with them about baptism and acceptance into the family of God. 

He really wanted them to experience worship and expressed to them the need for a church family that could help them in their new found faith. He encouraged them to give it a try. 

He was very happy on Sunday morning to see them in worship. He met with them the next day to find out what they thought about their experience. 

They were very happy with how worship gave them a new opportunity to experience Christ. They were encouraged by the response of the congregation to welcome them, and it turns out that they knew a few people. “They told me that they felt like they found their home and were ready for baptism and wanted to join Mehoopany UMC,” recalled Price. Two weeks later they were baptized and became members. 

In his conversation about the church, they weren’t sure if they would commit to attending every Sunday. Pastor George and the congregation thank God that they have been faithfully attending every week and also helping at some events. Praise God for bringing them to Mehoopany. 

The 2024 One Matters Award for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre District was presented to Pastor George Price and Mehoopany United Methodist Church.

Rev. Ryan Gephart selected as Preaching Justice Fellow

The Center for Faith and Justice is thrilled to announce the inaugural cohort of Preaching Justice Fellows for 2024-25. In the coming year, 26 preachers from across North America, representing diverse Christian traditions, will work together to learn what it means to preach justice. 

There are three United Methodists among the 26 Fellows, including Rev. Ryan Gephart who serves Trinity UMC in Roaring Spring, Pa. Gephart is also the Susquehanna Conference Peace with Justice Coordinator.

We trust their work will enrich the Faith and Justice community and many more communities beyond.

View the full list of participants HERE.

Thank You Liz Lennox

Our shared SUSUMC/WPAUMC Director of Communications, Liz Lennox, accepted a new employment opportunity which began on August 26.

Her new position with an early childhood education advocacy organization will draw from and be enhanced by her previous experience as a preschool teacher.

Liz was in the communications team for the Western Pennsylvania Conference for seven years and her leadership was extended to the Susquehanna Conference for the past two years, as we worked cooperatively with Western Pennsylvania and West Virginia Conferences and shared their respective bishops, Bishop Cynthia Moore-Koikoi and Bishop Sandra Steiner Ball. 

Stacy Eckert and I would like to express our sincerest and heartfelt thanks to Liz for her leadership of our Susquehanna Conference communications team these past two years.

“My departure feels bittersweet,” Liz said. “While I am excited about beginning this new chapter, I will deeply miss the people of the Susquehanna Conference.”

We wish Liz all the best in her new job and ask that you pray for the Conference leaders as they discern the future leadership of the communications team.

Welcome Our New Disaster Response Coordinator

Deb Currinder (pictured at left) will serve as the new Disaster Response Coordinator for the Susquehanna Conference. 

She has a background in law enforcement, teaching, and Emergency Medical Services. 

Deb has been married to her husband Glenn for almost 35 years, and they have a daughter and two grandkids that live in the Roanoke, Virginia area. She has been a United Methodist for over 30 years and currently attends Clarkstown United Methodist Church in Muncy, PA. 

“When I saw the posting for this position, I was sure that the Lord was calling me to use my skills in the ministry for His purpose,” she shared. “I am looking forward to working with you all!”

Contact Deb at drc@susumc.org.

From the Bishop: Stewards of the Present

“Steep your life in God’s Reality, God’s Initiative, and God’s Provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find that all your everyday human concerns will be met. Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.” — Matthew 6:33b-34 (MSG)

Dear siblings in Christ, 

May the grace and peace of God be with you in this new season of ministry!

I thank God for the honor of serving the Susquehanna Conference of the United Methodist Church as your new episcopal leader. My family and I are grateful for the many expressions of hospitality from clergy, laity, and staff as we transition into a new missional assignment, shared housing situation, and community. We are hopeful and look forward to getting to know you better and doing life and ministry together in the coming years. You can learn more about our journey thus far here. You can also follow me on Facebook and Instagram @BishopHectorABurgos. 

In late August, I went through a formal onboarding process with the Susquehanna Conference staff and cabinet, which allowed me to get to know them (and you) better and provided invaluable insights about who you are and your hopes for our future together. In the coming weeks and months, I will collaborate with the cabinet to organize our ministry for the remainder of 2024 and beyond and prepare for the 2025 appointment season. 

The past 4-6 years have been filled with numerous blessings. These have also been years that required significant adaptations in how we go about our ministry, given the realities created by an unprecedented global pandemic, reduced financial resources, an extended season of disagreements and disaffiliation in our denomination, and the many challenges impacting our communities, nation, and the world. In all, I can proclaim with joy that God has been good. God has sustained us and provided for our needs.

Over the past 18 months, as I have engaged with different constituencies in my newer role as a bishop, I have noticed that one of the most significant challenges these days for most of us, as servant leaders in the church, given all that’s going on in the world and the church, is staying focused on the present—fully being present to one another in the NOW. 

Questions, concerns, and uncertainties about the future of our congregations, communities, and beloved denomination are becoming a heavy burden for many, especially those called to leadership in the church, even in this new season post-general conference, which is pregnant with hope and new possibilities and opportunities. Given these realities and challenges, we can draw encouragement from the wisdom found in Matthew 6:33-34. This wisdom can guide us in our roles as leaders in the church today and into the future. 

According to the “experts” on organizational leadership, one of the core functions of influential leaders is to carry the burden of tomorrow with us—to carry the weight of future uncertainties, strategize, and plan for what may lie ahead. We all know what this looks like; perhaps you are working on an important project right now or dealing with a personal situation that is important and urgent in the now, while at the same time, in the back of your mind, you are also preoccupied with the future. We carry the burden of tomorrow with us because that’s what we are told we should do. 

However, Matthew 6:34 exposes us to the gospel’s countercultural message. While the world’s wisdom tells us that we need to carry the burdens of the future, Jesus calls us to release the burden of tomorrow, trust God, and fully engage in every season of our lives and ministries. 

By saying this, I am not suggesting that we should not consider the future and reflect on the best ways to take the next faithful steps toward it. I am not suggesting that we should not project into the future or use data and trends to inform what future possibilities and probabilities might be. I am not suggesting that we should not do scenario planning or cast vision. All this is important and necessary as we seek to be good stewards of God’s mission in the world and our local context here in central and northeastern Pennsylvania. 

However, as leaders and, most importantly, as followers of Christ, we constantly need to remind ourselves that there is a big difference between considering the future and being burdened by the future.  We can’t allow the “what ifs” of tomorrow to prevent us from doing what God is calling us to do today. 

This is essential stuff. Mission critical—many leaders, congregations, and institutions are not fully engaging in their God-given mission TODAY because they are overburdened with the “what ifs” of TOMORROW! These “what ifs,” when they are articulated/ verbalized, become debilitating burdens that, when we dig deeper, are a symptom of a dangerous scarcity mindset that’s contrary to the principles of the reign of God and that glorify challenges, obstacles, and pessimistic scenarios about what could happen in the future —and even worse, in light of verse 33, possibly an unseen sign of a debilitated faith.

We cannot live abundantly (John 10:10) or lead effectively if we are constantly overburdened by these “what ifs.” We must release our anxieties about the future and surrender them to God. We must fully engage the present with all its beauty and ugliness, trusting that God’s provision for today (and tomorrow) is enough to live into God’s dream for our lives and ministries.

Another challenge we face as leaders when considering the future is the fear of the unknown. The things we don’t know or can’t anticipate. Fear of the unknown can cripple effective discipleship and leadership. If we allow it, it can paralyze and rob us of the joy of following and serving Christ – especially during these challenging and uncertain times. 

In Matthew 6:34, Jesus encourages us as leaders to replace fear of the unknown with FAITH. I know it is easier said than done. However, the Holy Spirit reminds us today that we can replace fear with faith because, as I mentioned before, God’s provision is abundant and because while the future might be unknown to us, it is not to God. 

God knows about our future. Not only does God know, but Scripture also proclaims that God has a plan for our future, and it’s good! (Even if everything around us tells us otherwise). The prophet Jeremiah, speaking from God, once said. “I know (meaning God) the plans I have for you. Plans for peace, not evil, to give you a future and hope—never forget that.” — Jeremiah 29:11 AVB

When we release the burden of the future that we often carry with us, a burden that is frequently self-imposed and heavier than God intended it to be, when we let go of our anxieties, when we replace our fears with faith, then we can be better stewards of the present. We can entirely give ourselves to the opportunities and responsibilities in the present. We can engage in the challenges we face with our hearts at peace.  We can fully live the gospel of Christ today and strive to embody God’s love with our neighbors. 

Do you know what else happens when we release our anxieties and fears about the future, seek God, and fully engage in the present? We pave the way for a future that aligns with God’s vision and purposes. 

Let’s be clear: there is no such thing as being faithful to God “tomorrow” (so why worry so much about it)—God calls and needs us to be faithful TODAY!

The invitation for us as disciples and leaders at the Susquehanna Conference is simple yet life-changing: release your anxieties and fears about the future, focus on the tasks at hand with faith, trust that God’s plan is unfolding and that God’s provision is more than enough.

In this news season, let’s be good stewards of the present. Let’s give ourselves entirely to today’s realities, challenges, and opportunities and release our anxieties about tomorrow, knowing we are not alone. God is with us. We have everything needed to live into God’s vision for the church and the world. 

Our future is in good hands—because it is in God’s hands. 

Paz,

Bishop Héctor A. Burgos Núñez
Resident Bishop

Welcome Bishop Héctor A. Burgos-Núñez

It was announced the morning of July 12, 2024, that Bishop Héctor A. Burgos-Núñez will be assigned to the Susquehanna Conference of the United Methodist Church.

Bishop Héctor Antonio Burgos-Núñez was elected to the episcopacy by the Northeastern Jurisdictional Conference on November 4, 2022. Bishop Burgos-Núñez is the first Hispanic-Latino bishop in the Northeastern Jurisdiction.

Bishop Héctor (as he likes to be addressed in person) has been the Resident Bishop of the Upper New York Area since January 1, 2023. He will be shared with the Upper New York Annual Conference as part of the new episcopal area configuration in the Northeastern Jurisdiction.

He holds an M. Div. from the School of Theology at Drew University in Madison, NJ, a bachelor’s in business administration with a concentration in Management and Strategic Marketing from the University of Puerto Rico, and a graduate certificate in Information Systems Technology. At the time of his election to the episcopacy, Bishop Burgos-Núñez served as District Superintendent of the Central District of the Greater New Jersey Conference.

Bishop Burgos-Núñez served pastorates at West Creek United Methodist Church 2004-2005, First United Methodist Church, Iglesia Casa de Esperanza 2005-2009, and Oasis United Methodist Church 2009-2014. He also served as Director of Worship and Urban Ministries 2014, Executive Director of NextGen Ministries of GNJ 2016-2018, and Director of Connectional Ministries 2015-2019 for the Greater New Jersey Conference.

A Community Leadership Fellow from the Lewis Center for Church Leadership, a certified ICA coach, and an Outward Mindset facilitator, Bishop Burgos-Núñez also served as Director of Communications for MARCHA, the National Hispanic/Latino caucus within The United Methodist Church, 2010-2022.

Bishop Burgos-Núñez envisions the United Methodist Church being a Holy Spirit-led global movement that is:

Thriving and united in the mission of transforming the world by nurturing disciples of Jesus Christ who share faith, hope, and justice

Spiritually alive and culturally relevant

Committed to personal and social holiness, celebrating its rich diversity as a gift from God

A multi-generational network of faith communities that embrace all people as beloved children of God and allow them to live to their full God-given potential.

An organization that is agile, innovative, and creative, and while global in its nature and impact, it is local and contextual in its ministry so that it can reach as many people as possible with the good news of Jesus Christ.

Bishop Héctor’s interests include racial and organizational equity, leadership development, contextual evangelism and worship, and strategic communications in a digital era. He finds joy in playing piano, singing, and writing music, and also in cooking for his family and friends. He claims an obsession with reading and in his free time he likes to play ping pong, disc golf, and pickleball, or go on nature walks with his wife. The bishop also has a blog, Mensajes de Esperanza with more than 150,000 followers throughout Latin America. 

Bishop Héctor shares life with his spouse, Jazelis Adorno, and their children, Fabián, Joel, Marcos, and Valeria.

Please join us in welcoming Bishop Héctor and pray for him and his family in this time of transition and expanded ministry.

Click HERE to view a video introduction and greeting from Bishop Héctor.

Susquehanna LINK, September 2024

A PDF of the September 2024 issue of Susquehanna LINK can be viewed and downloaded at susumc.org/link