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!

Update from the Albany Synod Executive Committee re: Synod Staff

April 14, 2025

Dear Members of the Churches and Classes of the Regional Synod of Albany,

Grace and peace to you in the name of Jesus Christ.

We, the Albany Synod Executive Committee (ASEC), wish to share an important update regarding our recent decisions about Synod staffing.

As many of you know, on March 13, ASEC voted to conclude all current staff positions as of September 30, 2025. That decision was made because of anticipated structural changes and a desire to provide clarity and a timeline for transition. However, after hearing from many of you—through letters, conversations, and expressions of concern—we recognize that we acted too quickly and without adequate discernment or consultation with the wider Synod community.

In response, ASEC called a special meeting held on April 10th for deeper reflection and renewed discernment. We took time to listen carefully to your feedback, to prayerfully reconsider each role individually, and to reflect on how best to honor both the needs of the Synod and the people faithfully serving in these positions. As a result, we have rescinded our original decision and adopted a revised plan that reflects both continuity and care.

The following positions will continue until, at least, May 31, 2026:

• Synod Administrator currently staffed by Robert Hoffman

• Synod Program Coordinator currently staffed by Lindsey De Kruif

• School of Ministry currently staffed by Sandy Cornwall

The following positions will continue through December 31, 2025, with possible special contract extension for continued work on key initiatives like Churches Learning Change:

• Ministries Coordinator currently staffed by Abby Norton-Levering

• Minster for Renewal currently staffed by Sherri Meyer-Veen

We acknowledge that our initial decision, though made with the intent to provide clarity for staff, caused confusion and pain. We regret the swiftness with which we acted and offer our sincere apologies for not pausing to listen more fully before making such a consequential decision. We are grateful for your feedback, your grace, and your ongoing engagement.

As we continue this season of transformation, we commit to clearer communication, collaborative discernment, and prayerful leadership. Thank you for walking with us. We welcome your continued input and questions as we seek to be faithful stewards of this unfolding journey together.

In Christ’s peace and hope,

The Albany Synod Executive Committee

A Gospel Invitation: Love Our Neighbors and Welcome Strangers in our Community

--Rev. Dr. Sherri Meyer-Veen, Minister for Renewal

I and the Rev. Liz Estes, author of Global Grace Cafe: a Love Story About Battles Lost and Won to Keep Families Together in America's War on Immigrants, have been facilitating a book discussion with a group of interested folks from the Regional Synods of Albany and New York. This group plans to continue networking and sharing resources and opportunities. Contact me renewalminister@albanysynod.org if you'd like to be added to this email list.

Rev. Estes' book is a powerful education about the convoluted challenges of our country's broken immigration system. It comes highly recommended to you if you want to learn more about how America got to this place of brokenness, or if you want to learn more about ways to get into action to serve and advocate for immigrants and refugees.

I've gathered some helpful apps, pages, and documents to share:

Immigrant’s Creed from the Book of Common Worship

slides from Rev. Liz Estes’ presentation on Feb. 3 in multiple file types including PPT that you can customize, use and share

New York Council of Churches Immigration Working Group Statement on Immigration Justice

Know Your Rights--a concise summary from the Columbia County Sanctuary Movement. --Important info about interacting with ICE, for immigrants and the people who love them.

Responding to ICE in Places of Worship: a resource page from World Relief for congregations that want to provide sanctuary for vulnerable folks

5 Calls App:  https://5calls.org/  Let’s you set your location to get info for your representatives, choose topics that are most important to you, gives you a suggested script, and helps you make the calls.  “The easiest and most effective way for US constituents to make a political impact.”

Email Advocacy:  Presbyterian Church USA Office of Public Witness Voter Voice network:  sign up to receive emails that allow you to join campaigns that send emails directly to your elected officials, adding your name to concerns.  You choose which campaigns you join and can edit/add before sending.  You do not need to be Presbyterian, just edit the provided script as you wish.   https://www.votervoice.net/mobile/PCUSA/home

Immigration Advocates Network National Immigration Legal Services Directory: https://www.immigrationadvocates.org/legaldirectory/ (great resources to find local legal help)

World Relief Immigrant Resource Hub webpage: https://worldrelief.org/immigrant-resource-hub/

And a Reformed Church in America historical tidbit from John Paarlberg:

In 2007 the Commission on Christian Action presented a report to the General Synod,” IMMIGRATION AND THE REFORMED CHURCH IN AMERICA.  The Synod voted:

R-65 To distribute the paper “Immigration and the Reformed Church in America” with a list of current immigration legislation via the RCA’s monthly combined resource mailing, as well as through the RCA website, encouraging members, churches, and staff to extend the welcome and love of Christ to the undocumented immigrant populations in the United States and Canada and advocate for legislation that will protect and serve them. (ADOPTED) MGS 2007, p. 253.

May we all remain engaged as we are able.  

Grace and peace to you all --Sherri