e~Aurora
A weekly news update from The Alaska United Methodist Conference
Aurora
CONFERENCE NEWS
Learning Event and AC Housing Surveys
Winter Rendezvous Learning Event Survey

The Alaska Conference will be hosting a Winter Learning Event on Faith-based Community Organizing led by Kelly Marciales at the AUMC Conference Center (1660 Patterson Street, Anchorage).  All clergy and laity are invited.

There are two time slots being planned and you need only to attend one.  The first is on Friday, February 16 from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.  To accommodate the request of many, primarily by lay people who work Monday-Friday, we are planning a second time slot on Saturday, February 17 from 1:00-8:00 pm at the same venue and are trying to gauge interest in it.  Whether you are planning to attend the first or second time slot, we request that you fill-out the survey below so that we know how many to expect for each.  We need at least ten (10) people to sign up for each session for it to happen.  Please also share with people in your congregation who may be interested in this topic.

Please complete the survey by January 15.

Annual Conference Housing Survey

We are pleased to announce that we will be traveling to Seward Memorial UMC in Seward, Alaska for Annual Conference this year.  It will be held June 1-2, 2018 with pre-conference workshops on May 31st.

Please fill out the following survey to help us and our local hosting committee plan for our housing needs.

The hotel rate is unknown at this time.  It will be based upon how many rooms are needed.

Please complete the survey by January 25.


Pastors/Churches: It is important that the conference office has accurate Lay Delegate information as we start preparing for Annual Conference.  If information has changed since your charge conference or the information you submitted was incomplete, please send the updates to the conference office ASAP.  We strive to make sure delegates are kept informed but we can't do that if we don't have accurate contact info.
Closure dates
The conference office will be closed January 22-25, 2017.  Crystal will be away on vacation and Carlo will be working remotely.  Crystal will be back in the office on January 26th.
2018 Youth Mission Immersion
Join us January 12-13, 2018 as we explore what it means to be a servant of God through service to others. This Mission Immersion Weekend will offer opportunities to grow in our faith as we serve our local community. We will gather in fellowship with youth from across Alaska for this Mission Immersion Experience. Some of the places we've served at in past Mission Immersions include Habitat Restore, FISH, Pioneer Home, Anchorage Rescue Mission, Beans Café & Habitat for Humanity. We'll meet on Friday night and have a time of worship & fellowship. We stay overnight at St. John UMC and then go out into Anchorage and serve all day Saturday! Cost is $30; scholarships are available!  All youth and their friends are invited to join us. We also need adults to help on Saturday as we go out into the community.  To find out more about this experience and to register, click here.
First UMC Foundation grants available
The First United Methodist Church Foundation is accepting applications for grants to be used as educational benefits, scholarships, out-reach to the community and the world, and capital projects.  Applications should be a concise request using the form provided by First United Methodist Church, Anchorage and can be found on the FUMC website or the church office.  Submissions must be received by January 31, 2018 at the street address given below.  Award recipients will be notified in March 2018.
 
FUMC Foundation - Grants
725 W 9th Ave
Anchorage, AK 99501
907-272-2112
NATIONAL NEWS
Human Relations Day is January 14
Turn on the news or drive around the outskirts of your town and you will find what Jesus called "the least of these." Those living in the margins of society, struggling to survive.

Over and over Jesus served people like this, embracing them. And that's what we want to model as the people of The United Methodist Church. To continue the ministry of Jesus we established Human Relations Day as a Special Sunday that calls all of our churches to participate in helping all God's children to realize their potential.
 
Will You Support the Ministry of Christ Among Those on the Margins?

Will you continue to support Human Relations Day? Will you continue nurturing at-risk youth, strengthening communities' self-improvement efforts and advocating for the oppressed?

Human Relations Day is this Sunday, January 14 and you can give in the offering plate.  You can also give now through electronic means.
Way Forward Commission tops 2017 news stories
The work of the commission addressing the denomination's debate over homosexuality topped a news poll for the second consecutive year. United Methodists' response to a wave of natural disasters, the church's witness against racism and its focus on global migration issues were also noted.  

Read the story
2017: The year in UMNS photos
United Methodist News Service staff traveled the globe last year to cover important events for the church. Take a look at some of the images they shot to sum up the year 2017 in the life of the denomination.

View slideshow
Scholarships offered for 2018 UMEIT and NWCU events
The Council of Bishops is offering scholarships for young adults (age 21-35) to attend the 2018 United Methodist Ecumenical and Interreligious Training (UMEIT:USA) and the National Workshop on Christian Unity (NWCU) this Spring.

UMEIT is the annual training in the United States for United Methodists engaged in ecumenical and inter-religious ministry through the church. The NWCU is an opportunity for Christians who care about ecumenical and inter-religious ministry to learn and network.

The 2018 sessions will be in Silver Spring, Maryland, from April 16-19, 2018.

18 Ways to be more United Methodist in '18
From riding a horse to studying the Bible, United Methodist Now offers 18 selfie-worthy things to do to connect with your United Methodist heritage in the New Year.

Read more
Spruce up your spiritual life
How might you make room for the Holy Spirit to do something new in you in 2018? Ideas from giving up "your pew" to trying a new class could help.

Get tips +
United Methodist scholarship applications open
The United Methodist Board of Higher Education and Ministry has opened scholarship applications for college, university and seminary studies in Fall 2018. You need only to submit one application per year. That application will be screened for all possible eligible programs. The applications are due by March 7.

Learn more
Liberia's president-elect is United Methodist
Liberia Area Bishop Samuel J. Quire Jr. is calling on all Liberians, especially United Methodists, to support President-elect George Manneh Weah. A United Methodist and former soccer star, Weah is expected to be sworn in Jan. 22, replacing President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, who also is a United Methodist.

Read the story
The African-American Methodist Heritage Center
2018 marks the 17th anniversary of the African-American Methodist Heritage Center in Madison, New Jersey. Delegates to the 2004 General Conference in Pittsburgh officially approved the creation of the center. The original location for the center was at Asbury United Methodist Church in Washington, D.C. The center holds around 32 cubic feet of artifacts, papers and other memorabilia. The United Methodist Interpreter ran a story about the Center in its January/February 2017 issue. More information can be found at their web site: www.aamhc-umc.org.  If you would like to support the center, their Advance Special number is #3020514.
United Methodist Federal Credit Union celebrates 70 years of service
UMFCU As the year of celebration begins, UMFCU is offering an 18-month certificate of deposit at 1.7% rate.  Read their winter newsletter for more details.   To learn more about the financial products and services offered by UMFCU go to www.umfcu.org.  Contact the California headquarters 800-245-0433 or the New England Branch 207-591-6449 to request a membership packet.
CONFERENCE CALENDAR
January
8-10: GNW Cabinet Meeting - Carlo attending
11: Charge Conference - Christ First UMC
14: Charge Conference - Turnagain UMC
15: Martin Luther King Jr. Day - Office Closed
16: Charge Conference - St. John UMC
18: Charge Conference - Anchor Park UMC
19-25: Crystal on vacation
24-28: WJ Leadership meetings in San Diego - Carlo attending
26-28: UMW Leadership Team meetings at Conference Center
29-31: ADCM meeting in Atlanta - Carlo attending

February
15-17: AUMC Winter Rendezvous
20-22: GNW Cabinet Meeting - Carlo attending

March
2-3: GNW "Table Talks" Facilitator Training event - Carlo attending
8-11: GNW Cabinet Meeting - Carlo attending
24: AUMC Leadership Team meeting
New Office Hours
Office Hours
The Conference Office has new hours!
 
Monday - Thursday: 9:00 am - 3:00 pm
Friday: 9:00 am - 11:00 am 
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Upcoming
Clergy Birthdays
 
Karen Dammann -
January 18

February 19 -
Steve Fisher



Conference Office
907-333-5050

Superintendent Carlo
907-854-8340
Submissions - If you have an article or event that you would like to share with the rest of the conference, submit it to the conference office by Monday evening for consideration.
AUMC Logo Mission Statement:
The mission of the United Methodist Church is to make disciples of Jesus Christ.  Held and supported by the transforming relationship with God through Christ, we of the Alaska United Methodist Conference seek to be a community that creates a home for all peoples, finds our hope through grace and journeys together into God's preferred future.
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