A weekly news update from The Alaska United Methodist Conference
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Family of Faith in the Greater Northwest
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I am sharing the following Call to Action to relieve conditions for migrants on the U.S. southern border from our United Methodist Immigration Task Force.
No matter what your politics, Jesus teaches us to turn strangers into neighbors and to love those neighbors as ourselves. As you see men, women, and children being held in standing room only cells, without showers, soap or toothbrushes, without medical care or sufficient nourishing food, I know you want to reach out and speak out with tender mercy to relieve the suffering.
Please read and respond with love. In addition to the actions suggested below, you can find a list of organizations working to offer hospitality to our neighbors on the
Greater Northwest Area website
. Consider how you might partner with one. If you have others to suggest, email them to
communications@greaternw.org
.
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Elaine JW Stanovsky
Resident Bishop
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"Opening The Doors Together" | AK Child & Family
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AK Child & Family counts on the great cloud of witnesses that surround, support and uplift our students, families, staff and mission! Our work would not be possible without the prayers, gifts, service and financial contributions of our greater community.
Throughout the history of AK Child & Family, caring and the power of community has been front and center. Our mission was originally founded as the Jesse Lee Home in 1890 in Unalaska to care for and provide a home to children. In 1925, the Home moved to Seward until the 1964 earthquake caused another move due to extensive damage and cost prohibitive repairs. Through the power of community, determination and social responsibility, the United Methodist Women purchased 25 acres in south Anchorage to relocate the facility. Fast forward to 1970 when the directors of the Jesse Lee Home, the Lutheran Youth Center and the Anchorage Christian Children’s Home got together to problem solve challenges they were all facing and it was agreed that they could accomplish more together than apart. Building upon the vision of shared resources and the power of community, they merged missions to become Alaska Children’s Services. To this day, we are an ecumenical mission of the United Methodist Church, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the Disciples of Christ and American Baptist Churches USA. In 2013, our agency renamed to become AK Child & Family. Our founders and those who came before us understood that when a community comes together around something they deeply care about it creates synergy and action. This still holds true today as we offer a full continuum of behavioral health services from Residential, to Home-based to Therapeutic Foster Care.
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CrossOver to Life! • Week 31
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Graduating From Rules to Spacious Freedom
Rev. Jenny Smith
CrossOver reflection for
Week 30
• Beginning July 7, 2019
You’ve likely heard of the playground experiment. A team put a fence up around a playground. Children ran all over the playground and felt free to explore. When the fence was removed, researchers noticed children gathered around their teacher and were reluctant to explore.
Rules (and fences) can be helpful. They make us feel safe. They give us boundaries. Someone determined the rule was helpful and needed. This works. Until it doesn’t. We grow, change, ask new questions and the rules that previously gave us freedom now keep us trapped.
We’re ready for wisdom.
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The June apportionment report has been posted to the conference website. You can view it here if you are interested in where your church stands.
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Alaska Flag Day Celebration | TODAY
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The annual Alaska Flay Day Celebration will be held at AK Child & Family today, Tuesday, July 9 from 5:30-8:30 pm. The event includes food, live music, lawn games, ice cream, merchandise and more! Park at Service High School and take the free shuttle over. $5/individual or $20/family.
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Superintendent out on vacation in July
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Carlo will be on vacation from July 3-20 and July 26-31. Rev. Bob Smith will be covering July 3-10 for him if there is a need.
Bob can be reached at 907-330-7770.
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Fall and Winter meeting dates set
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Please mark your calendars now for the Fall and Winter Rendezvous meeting dates.
- Fall Rendezvous - October 3-5, 2019
- Winter Rendezvous - February 6-8, 2020
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Slavery anniversary leads to new discussions
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Three United Methodist agencies have assembled a collection of events and written material to help people study and commemorate the 400th anniversary of the first slaves brought to what is now the U.S. in 1619.
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Clergy embrace becoming foster parents
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West Virginia has one of the highest rates in the nation of children removed from homes due to drug abuse, and one of the lowest rates of new homes for them. UM News profiles two couples who felt called to respond. This is the seventh in an ongoing series about churches in West Virginia dealing with the opioid crisis.
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Cal-Nevada says no to withholding funds, disaffiliation
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The California-Nevada Conference Cabinet has released a statement that disaffiliation of the Western Jurisdiction from The United Methodist Church is not the answer. They said withholding apportionments is an expression of white privilege that could lead to lives being lost.
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GC2020 petitions submissions process opens
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United Methodists can now submit petitions for consideration by the 2020 General Conference to the petitions secretary. The deadline for submissions is Sept. 18.
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Historic church celebrates anniversary
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Parishioners at the 187-year-old Dexter United Methodist Church are celebrating a more modest but still significant anniversary. It’s been 25 years since they moved to a former Boy Scout camp on the edge of the Huron River.
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Summer interns serving communities across Greater NW
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This summer, the Greater NW Area Innovation Vitality team has expanded its summer internship program to different cities throughout the region.
Young leaders of color are getting the chance to develop leadership skills while exploring the intersection of faith and social justice in various community settings.
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3-20: Carlo on vacation
22-23: WJ Summit Design Team - Carlo attending
26-31: Carlo on vacation
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3: Leadership Team meeting
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Upcoming Clergy Birthdays
July 11 -
Bob Smith
Joe-d DowlingSoka
July 21 -
Lisa Talbott
August 13 -
Bennie Grace Nabua
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Conference Office
907-333-5050
Superintendent Carlo
907-854-8340
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The Conference Office hours are:
Monday - Thursday: 9:00 am - 3:00 pm
Friday: 9:00 am - 11:30 am
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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 Tuesday at 9:00 am for consideration.
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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 in God's preferred future.
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