A weekly news update from The Alaska United Methodist Conference
Conference News
Revolving Doors | Kenai UMC
Before we were Kenai United Methodist Church, we were simply the community church. And actually, we still are…
Right across the street from Wells Fargo
Next to the alternative school.
That church with the red cross out front.
Located on the main road, this ‘door’ of the Alaska Conference is visible and known by the whole community. People know what we look like, even if they don’t know our polity or our worship style.
Week 19 of our CrossOver Study coincides with Holy Week. This week you'll find links to four blog posts, each corresponding to a respective chapter in Brian McLaren's book which we are reading, and a key day in this most important of weeks in our Christian story.
Next week, we'll share Bishop Stanovsky's post for Easter, beginning Week 20 of our study together.
Annual Conference is coming up May 31 - June 1 at Christ First UMC in Wasilla. There will be workshops held on Thursday, May 30th at Christ First UMC as well. Please make sure these dates are on your calendar if you are the Lay Member to Annual Conference from your church. An email went out to all clergy and voting delegates. You can view that email here.
The Fact Sheet had an incorrect date: it should say May 30: Pre-Conference Workshops - not May 31.
If your ministry would like to have a table at Annual Conference, you will need to fill out a request form. Our space is limited so plan your display accordingly.
Requests are due by May 1.
Each year we ask for nominations for two awards. The first is the Outstanding Lay Person of the Year award. The second is the Harry Denman Evangelism Award (individual Lay, Clergy & Youth nominations). If you know a deserving person,
nominate them by May 1.
Bishop Ken Carter, the president of the Council of Bishops, has called on United Methodists to use the Holy Week to forgive one another and to seek forgiveness in return. Carter, who also leads the Florida Conference, noted that complications in life call people to walk closely with the Lord and each other.
United Methodist leaders are pressing ahead with an effort to create a new decision-making body for U.S. matters — despite concerns that it will become another battlefront in the homosexuality debate.
The Connectional Table in its April 3 vote gave the go-ahead to submit legislation to the 2020 General Conference that, if the legislative assembly approves, would offer two steps toward creating such a structure. The 64-member church leadership body acts as sort of a denominational church council coordinating the work of ministry and money.
During their spring meeting, directors of the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries expressed pain over the deep divide that has occurred since the special General Conference and concern about how that divide will affect mission work and mission giving.
From everywhere to everywhere: Stories of the spread of mission
For the past two centuries, many devoted individuals and families have helped Methodist mission grow and flourish all over the world. Four are profiled below, and we invite you to learn about dozens more. Consider exploring the packet below and sharing these mission stories with your congregation to celebrate the bicentennial year.
Once you’ve decided to be more intentional about
planned giving at your church, where should you start? The best way to help your church receive more major gifts and bequests is to give your congregation consistent, gentle reminders. You should aim to remind your members at least once per quarter. Here are eight easy ways to do that:
Add a footer to your letterhead that says “Please remember the church in your will.”
Ask the UMC: How do we understand the timing of the Great 3 Days?
If Jesus died on Friday and rose on Sunday, how do we understand those three days? Ask The UMC explains how the vast majority of the world’s Christians reckon the time of Holy Week.
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.
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 in God's preferred future.
