Peace by Piece Tour: Churches for Middle East Peace

Want to learn more about peace-building in the holy land?

Destiny Magnett from Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) and Suzan Sahori from Bethlehem Fair Trade Artisans will be in the Albany area November 2 and 3. These two will be presenting on topics related to peacebuilding and economic justice, with particular focus on the current tensions in Israel-Palestine. With handmade crafts available for purchase, the night will offer a unique opportunity to support Christian-led Palestinian craftspeople while fostering dialogue about shared paths toward peace and justice in the Holy Land.

You are invited to join us at one or more of the following events:

Sunday, Nov. 2: 5:30 PM

Delmar Reformed Church 383 Delaware Ave. Delmar NY. All are invited to gather and contribute to an "appetizer" themed potluck at 5:30 pm, or simply join the presentation from 6:15-7:00 pm.

Monday, Nov. 3 7-8:30 PM

Niskayuna Reformed Church. 3041 Troy Schenectady Rd., Niskayuna NY. Refreshments provided.

These presentations and discussions will help us:

• Gain deeper understanding of life in the Holy Land beyond headlines

• Learn about the critical situation of decline facing Christian communities in Holy Land

• Discover how supporting artisans creates sustainable livelihoods in marginalized communities

• Support local artisans through economic empowerment and storytelling

• Connect personal faith journeys with the pursuit of justice and reconciliation

• Learn approaches for peacebuilding in your own context and community

  
  

About the presenters:

Destiny Magnett is the Programs and Outreach Manager at Churches for Middle East Peace where she serves as the primary liaison for church partners. She will be leading a CMEP trip to the West Bank for the Christ at the Checkpoint conference in May 2026. 

Suzan Sahori is a Palestinian Christian from Bethlehem who serves as the executive director of the Bethlehem Fair Trade Artisans (BFTA).

Learn more about the Peace by Piece tour at this link.

RSA Middle Assembly Transition Teams: Update!

The Transition Teams working to create Middle Assemblies which will best serve the churches in our region are up and running.  The Transition Team of the Upstate NY Middle Assembly (UNYMA) met for an in-person meeting on Saturday, August 9.  See photos below!  And the second Transition Team initiated by Montgomery Classis will be meeting in-person next week.

These initial meetings are focused directly on discussing and discerning the identity, vision, and values of their respective Middle Assemblies.  By having these in-person meetings, members are able to get to know each other, seek the Lord together, and combine their different experiences and outlooks as they begin to craft the way all congregations of the RSA can move forward in ministry within the new structure. 

Each team will be working diligently over the coming months.  We have an aggressive, but doable, timeline.  You can read more about the work assigned to the teams and the timeline in a letter from Albany Synod president, Dirk Gieser, published in our July Newsletter. The first public output from each team will occur at the October meeting of the Regional Synod of Albany.  

The Upstate team members are: Nancy Landrigan, Trey Tirpak, Patti Varga, Amy Katt, Randy Karcher, Steve Meyer, Amy Burdett, David Vander Wal, David Walsh, Richard Dykstra, David Patterson, Noreen Fargione, and Immanuel van Tonder.

The second team is made up of: Jeff McIlrath, Brian Engel, Matt Draffen, Jeff Kelley, Marian Engells, and Dirk Gieser.

Lindsey De Kruif and Bob Hoffman are staff to both Transition Teams, and Sherri Meyer-Veen is serving as an additional resource person.

If you have feedback or questions for either Transition Team, please contact Lindsey De Kruif, Albany Synod Program Coordinator.

The UNYMA Transition Team meeting at Fonda Reformed Church

Now Available! Handbook for Collaborative Ministry!

The CMLC on retreat at Camp Fowler: Greg Town, Paige Convis, Becky Town, Sherri Meyer-Veen (RSA staff), and Jennifer Legg. Not pictured: Chuck Wiessner, who participated in the retreat by zoom.

Over the past year, Albany Synod's Collaborative Ministry Learning Community (CMLC) has been meeting, studying, researching, interviewing, and writing about all they've learned as they have explored many of the paths that Collaborative ministry can take. You can read the benefits of their work by exploring the Handbook for Collaborative Ministry they produced. Any church that is considering how to work together with another church or agency in ministry would benefit from studying this terrific handbook.

Here are some excerpts from the introduction to the Handbook:

The CMLC emerged from the recommendations of the Adaptive Change Task Force of the Regional Synod of Albany, recognizing the need for new approaches to ministry in an ever-changing landscape. We are committed to exploring innovative models of shared ministry—reimagining what has been done before and discovering what has yet to be tried.

We see ourselves as pioneers and practitioners in collaboration, embracing both the successes and setbacks that come with experimentation. Our role is not just to implement what is already known, but to test, adapt, and refine models of ministry that respond to the needs of today’s church. We believe that collaboration is not merely a practical necessity for churches and ministers, but a theological and missional calling - a way of being the body of Christ together.

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Through this handbook and the ongoing learning of many who are involved in collaborations of various kinds, we aim to equip and encourage congregations, pastors, and church leaders as they step into collaborative ministry. We believe that when churches work together—sharing leadership, resources, and mission - they become stronger, more resilient, and better able to serve their communities.

Whether you are just beginning to explore shared ministry or are looking to strengthen an existing partnership, our goal is to walk alongside you, offering insights, encouragement, and practical tools to navigate the journey ahead.

Are you feeling intrigued? What are you waiting for, go check out the Handbook! Bring it to your consistory, read it together, and then let us know how your discernment process progresses! The CMLC will be continuing to work together for the foreseeable future, and they'd love to hear from you how you make use of the Handbook.

To offer an edit, add a story of your own, offer the addition of a resource you’ve found useful, or just give your feedback, please email Greg Town at gnbtown@gmail.com This handbook will be continually edited and added to, in order to build on and deepen our shared learning in the collaborative work to which we’re all called to enter.  Peace!