Staff Contact

Rev. Dr Marsha Williams

Conference Minister
315-446-3073 | MWilliams@uccny.org

Serves as head of all administrative, search and call, and program staff.  Provides consultation to all staff working with Committees on Ministry. Search and call assistance to local church search committees.  Serves as the Ecumenical Officer of the New York Conference.  Spiritual and administrative oversight and direction of all ministries of the New York Conference.  Oversees financial development.  Liaison with national setting of the United Church of Christ.   

If you’d like to book a time with Rev Dr Williams- you can access her calendar by clicking Here

Rev. Dr. Marjorie Purnine

Associate Conference Minister for Leadership Development
315-446-3073 | mpurnine@uccny.org

Provides staff support for Committees on Ministry as well as search and call assistance to local church search committees based in North Country and Oneida Associations of the New York Conference. Leads the New York School of Ministry.  Liaison between the New York Conference and MESA (Ministerial Excellence, Support, and Authorization Ministry Team).  Identifies leadership training opportunities for laity.  

Rev Gary Ferner 

Associate Conference Minister for Search and Call
315-446-3073 | gferner@uccny.org

Reverend Gary Ferner has been called as our Associate Conference Minister for Search and Call. Reverend Ferner’s portfolio includes: staffing search committees of the Western Association; processing of candidate profiles for all searches state-wide; reading of all new candidate profiles that enter the New York profile system; recruitment of interim ministers, validating profiles for all clergy in the New York Conference, and staffing the Western Association Committee on Ministry. Rev. Ferner received his Masters of Divinity from Colgate Rochester Crozier Divinity School and a BA in Psychology from The College of Wooster (Wooster, Ohio). He has served UCC churches in Hilton and Livonia, New York and is currently the pastor of Fairmount Community Church. He will continue half time as the pastor of Farimount Community. Gary has served twice before on the conference staff as Conference Ministry Associate from 2012-2013 and as Search and Call Associate in 2019

Rev. Ryan W. Henderson

Associate Conference Minister for Communication and Online Community
315-446-3073 | rhenderson@uccny.org

Provides staff support for Committees on Ministry as well as search and call assistance to local church search committees based in the Genesee Valley Association of the New York Conference.  Development of youth ministry programming in the New York Conference.  Development of young adult networks and ministry.  Nurturing of UCC/Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) partnership.  Advancement of social networking and emerging technologies among New York Conference churches. Support for online education opportunities. If you would to schedule a meeting with Rev Henderson connect to his digital calendar Here

Rev. Barbara Toll

Associate Conference Minister for Clergy & Congregations

315-446-3073  |  btoll@uccny.org

Provides staff support for Committees on Ministry as well as search and call assistance to local church search committees based in Suffolk and Reformed Associations of the New York Conference.  Provides staff support to the Commission on Ministry and NY Conference Women.  Convenes and researches opportunities for spiritual nurture and continuing education for authorized ministers.  Works closely with NY congregations to assist them in engaging in conversations regarding healthy vital ministries.

Ms. Susan Frost

Coordinator of Wider Church Ministries
uccnywcm@gmail.com

Assist the conference staff with the coordination and tasks of the Commission for Global Ministries, Commission for Interfaith and Ecumenical Relations, and the Disaster Response Team.

Conference Registrar sfrost@uccny.org

Ms. Lisa Delgado

Finance Manager
315-446-3073 | lisadelgado@uccny.org

Ms. Aja Harris

Happenings Editor

communications@uccny.or