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A weekly news update from The Alaska United Methodist Conference
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Conference Learning Event & Winter Rendezvous meetings this week
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The Leadership Team will hold a retreat for themselves February 15th from 10:30 am - 6 pm.
The Friday session of the Learning Event will be from 9 am - 5 pm.
Conference committee meetings will begin with dinner at 5:30 pm on February 16 and then break into committees at 6:30. If your committee needs more time than allotted on the 16th, they will continue meeting at 9 am on February 17.
The Saturday session of the Learning Event will be from 1 - 8 pm.
All events will be held at 1660 Patterson Street, Anchorage.
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Annual Conference due dates
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 Annual Conference 2018 will be held in Seward from June 1-2 with a pre-conference workshop day on May 31. Our office has set due dates for various things related to Annual Conference. Please find all the important dates below.
March
- 1: Workshop requests (if you want to hold a workshop, this is your opportunity. See article below.)
- 15-April 17: Earlybird Registration
April
- 17: Petitions, Policy Changes, Committee Reports, General Conference Delegate submissions (basically anything that needs to be in the Pre-Conference Handbook)
- 18-May 15: Regular Registration
May
- 1: Harry Denman Award nominations, Outstanding Lay Person of the Year award nominations, Display requests, Memorial lists, Worship packet
- 1: Conference office will email/mail Pre-Conference Handbooks to Annual Conference voting delegates
- 15: Housing, Transportation, and Child care requests
- 15-day of AC: Late Registration
More information will be shared about these items as they become available. |
Have a workshop you would like to present?
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 Are you the leader of a United Methodist related entity and have a desire to teach the Annual Conference delegates more about what your organization does? Do you have updated information that is important to relay to the members of the United Methodist Church and need more time than the floor of AC? Is there a learning event or training that you would like to share?
Well, if you would like to host a pre-conference workshop on Thursday, May 31st in Seward prior to Annual Conference, please submit this worksheet by March 1st and email it to alaskaumc@gmail.com to be considered. These pre-conference workshops can be great learning experiences for those that attend. We look forward to your submissions!
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Your UMFCU can help you refinance debt
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 The start of a new year is a good time to review your personal finances, monthly budget and any outstanding debt. Knowing interest rates on your debt will empower you to make key decisions for improving your financial future in 2018. Automobile refinancing, debt consolidation and transferring credit card balances to lower interest rates can save you money and reduce debt more efficiently. UMFCU also offers home equity line of credit and mortgage lending assistance. Call the UMFCU loan department at 800-245-0433 today to talk about how your credit union can improve your financial future. Not yet a UMFCU member? Email sandra@umfcu.org to request a membership packet.
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Alaska United Methodists featured in UMW videos
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This summer, Global Ministries Missionary Journalist and Photographer Paul Jeffrey came up to Alaska to visit some of our mission settings and interviewed folks on assignment for the United Methodist Women. Here are links to the videos of the four people he featured in his interviews:
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Clear Appointment Openings
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A list of churches that are open for appointment can be found on the Greater NW Area website. As appointments are announced and the appointment process unfolds, new clear openings will be added to the list. See the latest.
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Bishops urge Methodists to deny themselves for the sake of the Gospel
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 The Bishops of The United Methodist Church are calling on members of the denomination to deny themselves during the 2018 Lenten Season for the sake of the kingdom of Jesus Christ and to set aside self-interest so that others may have a more abundant life.
In a message sent on behalf of UMC bishops to United Methodists throughout the world, Council of Bishops President Bishop Bruce R. Ough challenged fellow Christians to reflect on the meaning of Jesus' words in Mark 8:34-35, where he said: "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it."
Bishop Ough said losing one's life for the sake of the gospel means that one has to live the same purposeful life Jesus lived. "It means to deny our preferences for the sake of Jesus' kingdom purposes. It means to set aside our self-interest so that others may have a more abundant life. It means we are saved in order to participate in the salvation of others. It means our hearts will break for the very situations that break the heart of God."
For the Lenten Season that starts on Ash
Wednesday, February 14, 2018, the UMC bishops are asking Methodists to engage in spiritual disciplines that include praying, fasting and sharing their resources with others in their communities.
"During this Lenten season, let us continue to live out our mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. Together, let us lose our lives for the sake of the Gospel," Bishop Ough said in the message.
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Encounters with Christ: A Lenten Journey
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Explore how people in scripture experienced and responded to an encounter with Christ. Sign up for daily email devotionals with spiritual practices, ideal for individuals, small groups or churches. A PDF file for printing booklets is available.
Read more
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What churches can learn from the Olympics
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 The Olympic Games face a very specific challenge: They take sports that are only vaguely familiar, often filled with athletes that few people recognize, and try to make them the focus of the world. The situation is not unlike what local churches face: Engage and inspire a community while overcoming the challenge of simply communicating at times complicated information. Dan Wunderlich offers the four components of Olympic engagement.
Read his commentary |
Yellowstone Conference back on solid financial footing
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 The financial woes of 2017 are in the rearview mirror for the Yellowstone Conference. More than $100,000 was raised in a special Harvest Time Legacy campaign, and for the first time in a long time, the United Methodist conference is paying 100 percent of general church giving.
Read the story |
Former pastor turns in credentials, joins UCC
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Live Q&A: Social Media for Churches
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People are visiting your church on the web before they step foot in the door. Telling your church's story through captivating social media content offers connection to those seeking a community of faith. Join United Methodist Communications on Tuesday, February 27, at noon CST for a live learning session about social media and how your church can utilize it for meaningful ministry and effective outreach.
Register now
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20-minute Online Trainings?
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If you have 20 minutes, you have time to learn something new via UM Communications free micro-training courses. These "burst of knowledge" sessions will equip you with communication skills that you can start using right away, from Facebook Outreach to Sharing Your Church Through Video.
Learn more!
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In the wake of disasters, UMCOR is present among the devastation to provide relief and hope. All of us can make a difference in these times of need by participating in UMCOR Sunday (formerly One Great Hour of Sharing). Brand new resources are available to encourage generosity, from videos and bulletin inserts to social media graphics and posters.
Encourage Generosity
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2018 Scholarships offered
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The Council of Bishops is once again offering scholarships for young adult, first-time participants to attend the National Workshop on Christian Unity and UMEIT:USA (United Methodist Ecumenical and Interreligious Training in the United States.) Please let young adults, aged 21-35 know!
The National Workshop (NWCU) and UMEIT:USA occur parallel to each other once a year in a different area of the US. This year they will be held in Silver Spring, Maryland
April 16-19, 2018.
The NWCU is an opportunity for Christians who care about ecumenical and interreligious ministry to learn and network. UMEIT:USA is the annual training in the US for Methodists engaged in ecumenical and interreligious ministry through the church.
Thank you for continuing to care about the unity of Christ's church.
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February
14: Valentine's Day/Ash Wednesday
15-17: AUMC Winter Rendezvous & Learning Event
19: Presidents' Day
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
April
12-13: GNW Cabinet Meeting - Carlo attending
12-14: GBGM Board Meeting - Carlo attending
15: UMDF Board Meeting - Carlo attending
May
8-10: GNW Cabinet Meeting - Carlo attending
12: AUMC Leadership Team meeting
13: Mother's Day
28: Memorial Day - office closed
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The Conference Office hours are:
Monday - Thursday: 9:00 am - 3:00 pm
Friday: 9:00 am - 11:00 am
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Upcoming
February 19 -
Steve Fisher
March 21 -
Nico Romeijn-Stout
March 23 -
Bob Jones Jr.
March 25 -
Evelyn Erbele
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Conference Office
907-333-5050
Superintendent Carlo
907-854-8340
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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.
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 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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