Membership

Mission: Relating the resources of the congregations to the needs of the community.

The Membership Document – how to join, what it means – can be found below. You can also download the Membership document.

Sycamore Collaborative is now an interfaith collaborative.

Sycamore Collaborative is a membership organization for and with congregations. The steps involved are:

  1. Gain approval from the congregation’s governing body to join Sycamore Collaborative and to endorse the Sycamore Collaborative Covenant. Congregational governance varies; approval is by the appropriate governing process in the congregation.

  2. Submit a letter to Sycamore Collaborative to indicate that the church has requested membership and that it adopts Sycamore Collaborative’s Mission and Covenant.

  3. Submit one or two names from the congregation to become Sycamore Collaborative delegates. A Sycamore Collaborative orientation for new delegates is provided periodically. The congregation leader is also a delegate and welcome, and the Assembly meetings are open to all. Sycamore Collaborative will officially welcome you at an upcoming Assembly soon, or as arranged when congregational members are available.

  4. We have a brief Covenanting Liturgy.

Information on the current Sycamore Collaborative members, and the Sycamore Collaborative Covenant is located on the Sycamore Collaborative website.

  • As a Sycamore Collaborative Partner or Member, we ask that congregations prayerfully consider:

    Regularly naming Sycamore Collaborative delegates and encouraging their reporting back to the congregation;

    Encouraging congregational members to volunteer in Sycamore Collaborative ministries;

    Promoting Sycamore Collaborative endeavors and events; and

    Supporting Sycamore Collaborative financially.

    There is no assessed financial membership obligation, e.g. no formula. However, Sycamore Collaborative members do financially support Sycamore Collaborative either in general or with a specific emphasis. An annual donation is in addition to other funds raised throughout the year that support Sycamore Collaborative programs, e.g. the CROP Walk, Harvest for the Pantry, Empty Bowls, and other opportunities. Sycamore Collaborative members can also support Sycamore Collaborative through other in-kind services such as food or health product drives, spring bag donations, and children’s book collections, for example.

  • We strive to “do together what we can best do together and do separately what we best do separately.” This specifically means that Sycamore Collaborative is a non-sectarian organization whose services are open to all. For example, congregations conduct regular worship, seek members, etc. We encourage all we serve to utilize the resources and services of member congregations.

    We seek to identify concerns for joint mission and service and encourage congregations to take part.

    We seek to identify meaningful opportunities for voluntary service within Sycamore Collaborative ministries and in the community and provide linkages to congregational members.

    We seek through the Sycamore Collaborative Assembly to provide educational and strategic resources to and with congregations.

    We seek to respond to concerns and issues brought by members and identify ways for action as appropriate.

    We provide an effective and meaningful way to address social justice concerns in our communities.

    We strive to both

  • We of Sycamore Collaborative, in the hope and expectation of serving God’s purposes, covenant to relate the resources of the churches to the human needs of the city and to demonstrate the essential unity of the church. Sycamore Collaborative shall challenge individuals and churches consciously to renew or extend their involvement in the larger community and to experience the excitement and joy of service in the spirit of Christ. We encourage and welcome the full participation in our ministry of those individuals and religious organizations whose concern for human needs proceeds from different orientations, and through the ministry, Sycamore Collaborative shall strive to develop increasing understanding.

  • New Sycamore Collaborative members are to provide the name of one or two individuals to serve in the role of Sycamore Collaborative delegate. A Sycamore Collaborative delegate is an individual who will represent the congregation at the Sycamore Collaborative Assembly and other Sycamore Collaborative events, whenever possible. The delegate(s) will receive immediate information on important work being done by Sycamore Collaborative in the City and the County though various means, including Assembly meetings, newsletters, and email communications. The delegates are expected to regularly attend the Assembly meetings to learn of and inform their congregation and Pastor of local ministries and services.

    The role of the delegates is defined further in the Sycamore Collaborative Constitution, available to all delegates. Sycamore Collaborative delegates vote on major actions on policy/procedural changes that may come before the Assembly as well as receiving timely updates on Sycamore Collaborative ministries.

  • Sycamore Collaborative hosts a delegate meeting which is called the Sycamore Collaborative Assembly. These meetings are held on the 1st Tuesday evening of the month at 6:45 p.m. at Mt. Olivet Missionary Baptist Church, 1055 Wendell Ave., Schenectady, NY 12308; the same building where Sycamore Collaborative’s Administrative Office is located. The meetings are held from September through December, and February through May; the Assembly does not meet in January, July or August. The December Holiday meeting is a pot-luck supper, long on fellowship and celebration and short on business. The May meeting is the Sycamore Collaborative Annual Meeting at which delegates elect the Sycamore Collaborative Officers, the members of Sycamore Collaborative’s Steering Committee, and approve the Sycamore Collaborative’s budgets. It is also a good time to recruit or introduce new delegates from congregations. The Sycamore Collaborative Steering Committee frames the agenda for the Assembly and acts for the Assembly between meetings.

  • Attending Assembly Meetings Regularly

    The Assembly meetings provide opportunities for the delegates to meet the delegates from the other 50+ Sycamore Collaborative churches, and hear speakers on important social and human service needs, enjoy light refreshments, and support each other

    Providing a communication link with your church and pastor

    Utilize whatever means you have in your congregation (newsletter, committees, bulletins, bulletin boards, minutes for mission, e-mail, Facebook, etc.) to share what is happening at Sycamore Collaborative. Please tell us the best ways to communicate with your congregation.

    Locating resources of people, staff, and money

    The Assembly will keep you apprised of current volunteer and program needs. Contact people you know who might be the right person for the job, or have other resources. Help recruit for the CROP Walk, sell tickets for the annual Harvest for the Pantry Dinner, arrange for volunteers to work at the Summer Meals Program, and find new ways to help support all of Sycamore Collaborative’s programs and services.

    Providing ideas and feedback on the work of Sycamore Collaborative

    What we do depends on our churches; speak up about Sycamore Collaborative needs, or give feedback on our current ministry. Share “best practices” in which your congregation has helped Sycamore Collaborative in a particular way — these can be shared at Assembly meetings and in Sycamore Collaborative newsletters so that others may benefit from your success. Your involvement creates a more effective Sycamore Collaborative for our community.

    Sharing the good news about Sycamore Collaborative

    To the extent possible, engage in Sycamore Collaborative’s social media outlets: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. “Like” and “share” our posts, retweet our messages and mention Sycamore Collaborative in posts. We strongly urge members to invite a Sycamore Collaborative representative (staff, Sycamore Collaborative Speakers’ Bureau volunteer) to “talk story” with your congregation at a forum, seminar, parish council meeting, worship service, etc.

  • Be part of the collective. When faith communities work together, we effect change.

    Members receive up-to-date information about the many ministries of Sycamore Collaborative from those engaged in direct service and have the opportunity to ask questions and to share in conversations.

    Members learn about a wide variety of social issues (poverty, food insecurity, diversity and racism, etc.) and resources from various service providers and experts.

    Members are encouraged and supported to actively volunteer in a wide variety of Sycamore Collaborative services and programs (designed to support high-need populations and/or to become advocates for change within our community) throughout Schenectady County.

    Sycamore Collaborative can provide a speaker to come to a church at any time to provide information to your congregation. Sycamore Collaborative can provide flyers and the Sycamore Collaborative brochure when requested. Information is also available on the Sycamore Collaborative website.

    Links to the Sycamore Collaborative member churches are located on the Sycamore Collaborative website, www.Sycamore Collaborative.us, under Member Congregations.

  • Alplaus United Methodist

    Altamont Reformed

    Bellevue Reformed

    Bethel AME

    Burnt Hills United Methodist Church

    Christ Church Episcopal

    Christ Community Reformed Church

    Church of St. Adalbert

    Congregation Agudat Achim

    Congregation Gates of Heaven

    Duryee Memorial AME Zion

    Eastern Parkway United Methodist

    Emmanuel Friedens Church

    Faith United Methodist

    First Reformed, Schenectady

    First Reformed, Scotia

    First United Methodist

    Friendship Baptist

    Good Shepherd Lutheran

    Holy Name of Jesus, PNCC

    Immaculate Conception, Glenville

    Immanuel Lutheran

    Lisha Kill Reformed

    Lynnwood Reformed

    Messiah Lutheran

    Mount Olivet Missionary Baptist

    Niskayuna Reformed

    Our Lady of Grace

    Our Lady of Mount Carmel

    Our Lady Queen of Peace

    Our Redeemer Lutheran

    Nemeton of the Ways

    Refreshing Spring

    Rotterdam United Methodist

    St. Anthony’s

    St. George’s Episcopal

    St. John of God Parish CACINA

    St. John the Evangelist

    St. Joseph’s, Schenectady

    St. Joseph’s, Scotia

    St. Kateri Tekakwitha

    St. Paul the Apostle

    St. Paul’s Episcopal

    St. Stephen’s Episcopal

    Scotia United Methodist

    Society of Friends (Quakers)

    State Street Presbyterian

    Tabernacle Baptist

    Trinity Presbyterian

    Trinity Reformed

    Unitarian Universalist Society of Schenectady

    Zion Lutheran