Our Church Family

Join Us for Worship — in person, online, or over the phone

We have returned to the sanctuary for in-person worship on Sundays at 10:00am. The service is livestreamed on our public YouTube Channel, our Zoom room, and our website, and is also accessible on YouTube any time. Those who can’t access the worship videos online can call in on the phone to listen live on Sunday mornings, using the Zoom information listed below. So if you are not ready or able to come “in person”, you are welcome to participate as you are able.

If you’re joining us in person, here’s what you need to know:

  • We wear masks and keep social distance, and the pews are marked to help us sit safely. We keep the inside doors open throughout worship, and air filtration units are deployed throughout the sanctuary to enhance your safety.

  • Pastor Kimberly removes her mask while preaching and leading prayers, to accommodate those who rely on lip-reading to assist their auditory processing.

  • Printed worship guides are placed by each door for you to pick up on the way in, and the hymns are printed in the worship guide, so you do not need to use a hymnal to follow along.

  • Offering plates are placed by the doors of the sanctuary, but we do not pass them during the offertory. You are still invited and welcome to use the online giving options.

Everyone is welcome to join us as we pray, hear God’s word read and proclaimed, share our joys and concerns, and experience worshipful music. Our music is presented in person. All of our musicians are masked and fully vaccinated, and the singers at the front of the sanctuary are at least 15 feet away from the first row of pews.

Our worship guide is available for download from our website each week, and it can also be mailed to you if downloading is not an option.

If you have been missing the time of shared prayer, join us at 9:30 before worship — either in the Chapel at church, or on Zoom — for a time of sharing and praying for the needs of our community. After the prayer time, you can stay on Zoom or switch over to the YouTube channel.

To join the Zoom room online, go to https://upcbgm.org/zoom

To call in: Dial 1-646-558-8656, then enter Meeting ID: 865 274 8433 #, then press # again, and then enter passcode: 42456 #

It would be good to have you with us.

When The Lord Came Riding In…

This year on Palm Sunday, we had a coats-and-linens collection for the “starting over” ministries we support. Luke’s telling of Christ’s Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem does not include palm branches; he tells us that people were laying down their cloaks and garments to make a way for Jesus. So we invited everyone to bring gently-used or nearly-new coats & jackets, bed linens, and towels to “make a way”.

On the day that I first wrote the announcement of the special offering, a young woman came into the office with an assortment of donations — she has been helping her grandmother sort out her grandfather’s possessions after his death.

She came back during holy week with linens, dress clothing for men, belts, and coats — adding to our offering and expanding the gifts. So we are grateful to Gabrielle Bohn-Blodgett and Mary Bohn as well as to all of the generous folks in our congregation, that their memorial gifts for James Bohn came at a perfect time to enhance our understanding of the day!

The winter coats have been stored on hangers so that they will be ready for next year. The linens and blankets are in the former Care & Share closet, where the Relocation Assistance Program, Walk With Me, and other ministries have easy access. The lighter-weight coats were hung up in the hallway and most are now keeping others warm. And the clothing, belts, and shoes are in the Walk With Me closet to assist people returning from incarceration.

Thanks to everyone who contributed generously to “prepare the way of the Lord” by caring for God’s people!

Easter Sunday

Despite a chilly, windy Easter day, 11 children eagerly joined this year’s Easter egg hunt on the front lawn of the church. It didn’t take long for more than 200 eggs to be spotted and collected. (Perhaps moving quickly helped the participants stay warm!)

The eggs were returned for reuse next year in exchange for goodie bags filled with Easter-themed treats of hacky-sack balls, activity books, crayons, puzzles, and stickers. We’re happy that our egg hunt tradition could take place, as it was a fun time for all involved.

More Easter photos can be found in our Google Photos album.

Marian Palmer has moved!

After a couple of miserable years recovering from a health crisis and then staying in her house during the pandemic, Marian has moved to a Senior Living center in New Smyrna Beach, Florida. The weather is better and she is closer to family there, and she doesn’t have to go far to find someone to share a story or a meal with!

She had a small gathering in her home before she left, and Pastor Kimberly stopped in to join the fun. A couple of Marian’s closest neighbors came over to bid a fond farewell. Marian’s daughter Faith was helping with the moving details, and daughter Kristie zoomed in from Philadelphia!

Marian’s furniture & precious things were all moved in & ready for her when she got there, and she’s enjoying life and making new friends at Seashore Senior Living. She continues to join us for worship on YouTube, but it’s hard to visit in the Zoom coffee hour, so she hopes that her long-time friends will give her a call.

Her new address is in the most recently published church directory, but her new phone number is not. Contact the church office if you need the new information.

Surprise Snowstorm on April 19

Many of our folks found themselves without power and looking at changed landscapes when the recent storm dumped about 10 inches of wet, heavy snow around the region. Two of the trees at 42 Chenango Street broke, but fortunately Dave Ruston had brought his chainsaw home for the week, so he was able to cut the fallen parts into pieces for easy clearing.

We’ll have to take the rest of this tree down, though, because it’s near the electrical wires and it’s pretty clear that the core of the tree is rotten!

Thanks for your help, Dave!

Perspectives trip to Israel

Congratulations to Victoria Barics, who was chosen to go on the Perspectives trip to Israel and the Palestinian territories from Hillel of Binghamton University! Victoria, who you see every week as our soprano section leader, will be going with other Binghamton University student leaders of various religious backgrounds on May 24 through June 3.

25 student leaders were chosen, who commit to learning about the complex issues of the area and have meaningful conversations with each other and with the people they meet there, as well as continuing the conversation once they are back on campus in the fall. Victoria is a junior at Binghamton University studying for her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Philosophy, Politics, and Law, so what she learns from this trip will have a significant impact on her future endeavors. Pastor Becky heard about this trip through her work with the Binghamton University Interfaith Council and encouraged Victoria to apply.

Some of the things they might see, learn, or do on the trip are:

  • Explore the multi-ethnic, religious, and national diversity of the Old City of Jerusalem.

  • Hear multiple narratives from a wide variety of speakers and guests, including religious, secular, Druze, Christian, Jewish-Israeli, Palestinian, and Muslim voices.

  • Learn about environmental issues in the Dead Sea Valley.

  • Walk the streets of Jaffa, near Tel Aviv, for a Palestinian and Israeli perspective on this old & new city.

  • Tour the separation barrier/security wall between Israel and the West Bank.

  • Visit the Gazan, Syrian, and Lebanese borders to understand the regional context.

  • Hear from Palestinian leaders and locals.

  • Enjoy delicious cuisine, hike in the beautiful desert, and build community with a diverse group of fellow Binghamton student leaders.

When the students return, they are asked to give presentations about what they learned. Victoria has already said that she will be happy to talk to us about her experience as well.

Have a wonderful trip, Victoria, and we can’t wait to see pictures and hear all about it!

Mystery solved!

Down in the vault of UPC, there are a whole set of sterling silver communion cups… minus one. We do not use them regularly, because they need to be polished and washed before use, then washed and polished before they are returned to the vault.

But everyone remembers that one was missing! It has been troubling hearts among legacy members of “Old First” for about 50 years.

So it is with joy that I am able to report that the lost communion cup has come home! It arrived in the mail with the note pictured here. Mac did not tell us his full name, or provide a return address, but I hope that wherever he is, he knows that we have forgiven him with our whole heart, and we are grateful to have one mystery solved!

Session Highlights

At recent meetings, Session took the following actions:

  • Agreed to continue our policy of wearing masks in worship, but to allow people to be unmasked during our weekday programs and operations. We continue to monitor the Broome County COVID situation and will adjust this policy when it seems appropriate.

  • Are working with the Community Meal to ease into indoor dining. This is a work-in-progress and will continue to be evaluated every month.

  • UPC is primarily living off endowment income plus occasional principal. Session is trying to determine how best to have congregational conversations regarding the future.

  • Committed to study the book Shelter Theology: The Religious Lives of People Without Homes by Susan J. Dunlap.

Our YouTube Channel

Did you know that you can “subscribe” to the UPC YouTube channel? Did you know that it won’t cost anything, and that when we have 100 or more subscribers, we get access to some special “perks” as a content creator?

Here’s how it’s done:

  • Open YouTube to one of the United Presbyterian Church recordings, by following this link (https://youtu.be/nn8ZBeTU0kw) or searching on YouTube.

  • Scroll down under the video until you see:

There’s a button over here that says “SUBSCRIBE”. Click on the button.

That’s it!

Supporting Our Mission and Ministry

Online Giving: We are able to receive tax-deductible contributions online through our website (upcbgm.org/giving/donate). Contributions can be made by E-check or credit card, and can also be set up as a recurring gift.

We encourage you to lift up in prayer how God will use you to bless UPC in fulfilling our mission to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with God.

Get Involved!

Our church teams are always welcoming new team members. If you’d like to help with or learn more about the workings of the church, talk to one of the pastors or the elders on Session: Card Committee: Suzie Raboy; Communications, Sally Hunt; Deacons, Allison Nyamuame; Finance, Lou McKeage or Andy Chadwick; Personnel, Lou McKeage; Property, Bill Sands; Spiritual Formation, Lou McKeage or Andy Chadwick; Worship & Music, Suzie Raboy or Andy Chadwick.