e~Aurora
A weekly news update from The Alaska United Methodist Conference
Aurora
CONFERENCE NEWS
Register Now!
The first week of October will be filled with New Clergy Orientation (10/4), the Clergy & Professional Church Workers Retreat (10/5-10/6), and the Fall Rendezvous Meetings (10/6-10/7).  Information has been sent out to all of those that should be involved in these events.  Please make sure you register now for the Fall Rendezvous meetings so that those who are planning the events can have as accurate a number as possible.  We thank you!
Volunteer to Help Out!
Housing
If you are able to help house someone or provide transportation, please contact the conference office.  There is always a need for these services and we appreciate those that can help out.
Meals
The Conference is looking for one or two groups to provide meals during our meetings October 6 and 7.  If you are interested, please contact the conference office.
Birchwood Camp News
Winter Youth Break Away

Middle School and High School Students are invited to this year's Winter Youth Break Away camp which will be held January 2 - January 6, 2018.

Bring your sleds, skates, snowshoes, and helmets...play in the snow!!!  Excellent food, fun and fellowship! Join them for Water is Life!

Registration fee: $240
Registration Open: October 1, 2017
***NEW*** Extended Camp Hours!
Check-in/drop-off 11 AM, Tuesday, January 2
Pick-up at 11 AM, Saturday, January 6

Help Wanted: Volunteer Kitchen Assistant

Have you ever wondered how we serve 150 pancakes in the morning? Or wanted Berneita's tomato soup recipe?

Help Birchwood serve our weekend fall/winter guests.  They have a few weekends that the group sizes are 60+ and they need extra hands in the kitchen.  Help prepare food, wash dishes, and love their guests through food!

If you are interested in this unique volunteer experience, please contact Relena at director@birchwoodcamp.org or 907-688-2734.
Charge Conference Paperwork
Superintendent Carlo has scheduled most of the upcoming charge conferences.  As you prepare for your time together as a church with the superintendent, make sure you have ALL of our required paperwork filled out and ready to submit on or before your scheduled meeting date.  Forms can be found in PDF here.  If you need something in Word, please contact the conference office.
Historical Site Dedication
On Friday, October 6th at 1:15 PM, a plaque unveiling and historical site dedication will occur on the campus of Alaska Pacific University.   The Board of Trustees of APU will be present during this event.  A reception will be held after the unveiling. 
 
During Annual Conference in June, the body voted to approve APU becoming an official United Methodist Historical site.  APU began its history as Alaska Methodist University.  You can read more about the Methodist connection here in Larry Hayden's book.  
 
Please let the conference office know if you plan on attending. RSVP here by September 25! 
Mission u Registration Open for Chugiak & Juneau
Mission u events take place across every United Methodist Conference and are organized by conference United Methodist Women leadership. At our Mission u events in Alaska we will grow in our understanding of the mission of the church in the current world context. The studies give particular attention to the responsibilities of women in the fulfillment of the mission work of the church. Mission u events also include worship & singing, interest groups around current issues, audiovisual presentations, food and fellowship! Please join in embracing the opportunity to grow, share and advocate for others!

To learn more about the studies, leaders, dates for each location, and to register, click here.  
 
The southcentral event will occur this Friday and Saturday at UMC of Chugiak.  Don't miss it! 
Help Preserve Your Church's History
History It is strongly recommended in the Book of Discipline that at each church's charge conference they elect a church historian in order to preserve the history of each local church. Please add this position to your church leaders.

Larry Hayden
Conference Historian
ERT Training - October 21st & 22nd
If you are interested in volunteering to respond to Texas or other areas of disasters as part of an Early Response Team (ERT), this is an opportunity to get the necessary training.  Anyone wanting to be deployed from Alaska must have this training.  The full ERT training will be on October 21st from 9:00am-5:00pm, and then advanced courses specific for hurricane responses will be on the 22nd from 2:00pm-6:00pm.  Both will be held at Anchor Park UMC (2300 Oak Drive, Anchorage, 99508).  If you are interested in more information, please contact Conference Disaster Response Coordinator, Daniel Wilcox, at danielpwilcox@gmail.com, or 907.414.7078.
Time to Plan for 2018 VIM Teams!
UMVIM With summer coming to an end, it is already time to start talking about what VIM needs your church or ministry may have for 2018.  We already have teams that have shown interest in coming to Alaska, and are looking for locations.  Please be talking about what ministry or building needs your congregation may have.  Contact UMVIM coordinator, Rev. Daniel Wilcox, danielpwilcox@gmail.com, 907.414.7078, for more information, or if you know what your needs will be.
NATIONAL NEWS
UM's Helping those Devastated by Irma
Filling coolers with ice, loading trucks with diapers and chain saws and cooking community "cleaning-out-the-freezer" dinners are some of the ways United Methodists in Florida are responding to neighbors left devastated by Hurricane Irma. 
 
New Advent Outreach Resources Available
UM Communications New resources that support local church Advent outreach efforts are now available. The resources carry the theme "Unwrap the true meaning of Christmas" and complement The United Methodist Church's national Advent advertising campaign, which will feature children sharing about their faith and what Christmas means to them.
Identity Protection Offered by UMFCU
UMFCU System breaches at Equifax and Anthem are a major concern as information has been obtained for millions of people.  There is much more at stake than criminals gaining access to your existing financial accounts, which can be closed or changed if necessary.  Because social security numbers do not change these breaches mean individuals and families can be vulnerable to fraud for years to come.  UMFCU is pleased to announce that identity protection, credit monitoring and social security monitoring are now available through Secure Checking services for $5.99 per month.  An added bonus is these protections are also available to the joint account holder at no additional fee.  To learn more go to https://umfcu.org/checking-and-savings-information/checking-and-savings-accounts/.  For those who have their identity protection needs managed elsewhere Simpli Checking is an option with no monthly maintenance fee when members go paperless with electronic statements.  Call your California headquarters for membership information at 800-245-0433.
Church Reserve Funds Under a Microscope
How much should United Methodist agencies save for a rainy day? A new Reserves Task Force is looking at that question. Heather Hahn reports on how the church handles a practice at least as old as Genesis.

Read the story
Free Resource for Leaders of Youth and Young Adult Ministries
Youth Ministry with Young People: Strategies and Methods for Leaders is a free resource from Young People's Ministries. The pamphlet's five brief sections include reflection questions for leaders to assess how their ministry involves diversity, multiple generations, service opportunities, social media use and the ability to welcome, connect and engage.

View the free resource here
Vandals Damage Native American Church
An act of vandalism has stunned the congregation at Lawrence Indian United Methodist Church in Kansas. Someone climbed the church's roof and sawed off its Cross-and-Flame logo. As it fell, the cross punctured the church's roof and severely damaged its gutters. Todd Seifert reports for the Great Plains Conference.  

Read the story
2017 Sexual Harassment Survey
Sexual misconduct has been a problem in all religions and denominations. Fortunately, The United Methodist Church has been addressing the problem for about three decades, but there is more to do. In our efforts to hear from those who work and worship in UM churches and offices, and to better understand the extent, nature and trends of this problem among both clergy and laity, we are inviting everyone in The United Methodist Church to participate in the "2017 Sexual Harassment Survey." 
 
The survey will take between 5 and 20 minutes depending on your experience with sexual harassment in the Church.  Since this survey is about sensitive information, it is totally voluntary and you are invited to skip over any questions that are uncomfortable.  However, the more complete your survey, the more we can understand from the data.
 
All of the responses from this survey are anonymous.  We have no means of tracking any individual respondent, and all of the data will be reported in the aggregate.  
The results of this study will provide important feedback about the frequency and response to sexual misconduct within The United Methodist Church and help the Church address abuse.  We hope to publish the findings later this year.
 
Here is the link to the survey:  UMC Sexual Harassment Survey.  The deadline for submitting surveys is October 3.
CONFERENCE CALENDAR
September
26: Charge Conference - Community UMC

October
4-7: New Clergy Orientation, Clergy Retreat, Fall Rendezvous Committee Meetings
6-8: United Methodist Women Annual Gathering at First UMC Anchorage
9-11: GNW Cabinet Meeting - Carlo attending
12-14: GBGM Board Meeting - Carlo attending
13-14: Mission u Southeast at Aldersgate UMC
21: Charge Conference - Ola Toe Fuataina UM Samoan Fellowship
22: Charge Conference - Girdwood Chapel UMC
25: Charge Conference - Turnagain UMC
28: Charge Conference - Homer UMC
28: Charge Conference - St. Peter the Fisherman UMC
29: Charge Conference - Soldotna UMC

November
4: Charge Conference - North Star UMC
4: Charge Conference - Kenai UMC
5: Charge Conference - Seward Memorial UMC
5: Charge Conference - Moose Pass UMC
8: Charge Conference - Willow UMC
9: Charge Conference - Christ First UMC
12: Charge Conference - UMC of Sitka
13: Charge Conference - Aldersgate UMC
13: Charge Conference - Douglas Community UMC
16: Charge Conference - UMC of Chugiak
19-20: UMDF Board Meeting - Carlo attending
26: Charge Conference - Anchorage Korean UMC
27: Charge Conference - First UMC Fairbanks
28: Charge Conference - Palmer UM Fellowship
30: Charge Conference - First UMC Anchorage/First Samoan UMC of Anchorage
New Office Hours
Office Hours
The Conference Office has new hours!
 
Monday - Thursday: 9:00 am - 3:00 pm
Friday: 9:00 am - 11:30 am 
happy_birthday_candles.jpg
Upcoming
Clergy Birthdays
 
September 22 -
Won Jea Keum

September 23 -
Bob Jones Jr.

September 28 -
Darla Bradley

October 8 -
Andy Bartel

October 10 -
Luke Jones

October 18 -
Dan Wilcox



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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