A weekly news update from The Alaska United Methodist Conference |
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GNW AC sessions: Your feedback is needed
An email was sent out last Friday to those that were lay members and clergy for the Annual Conference Session. If you did not receive that email, you can find the information here:
Thank you so much for your participation in Greater Northwest Area Annual Conference sessions this past month! As clergy and lay members of the Alaska, Oregon-Idaho and Pacific Northwest Annual Conferences, your feedback is essential to analyzing our Greater Northwest Area sessions this year to prepare for a shared GNW Annual Conference session in 2022.
We've compiled a short survey to gather your opinions on the shared and individual sessions - everything from the use of technology to worship components. Please fill this out this survey as soon as you can!
With gratitude,
GNW Area AC sessions planning teams
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Do you have housing available for a VIM Team?
The Girdwood Chapel is looking for a cabin, condo or house and/or extra rooms in a home, for 17 folks from Lost Creek UMC in Oklahoma who will be working at the Chapel, in the community and helping with VBS. Family groups of two to four in each location. We also have the space for motor homes and trailers if you have that available. The dates needed are Saturday, July 24 through Monday, August 1.
Please contact:
Jody Clingenpeel:
907-229-9372
Loretta Daniel
907-227-4142
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Francis Asbury Award nominations open now!
The General Board of Higher Education and Ministry’s Office of Collegiate Ministry welcomes and encourages a nomination from each Annual Conference of one individual, lay or clergy, for the Francis Asbury Award. Named for early American Bishop Francis Asbury, who called for the building of schools in proximity to Methodist churches arising in small towns and villages, this award recognizes individuals who have made a significant contribution to United Methodist ministries in higher education at the local, district or annual conference level.
Honorees are nominated and chosen by each annual conference’s Board of Higher Education and Campus Ministry and reported to GBHEM. The application and criteria can be found here.
The Alaska Conference Leadership Team is asking for nominations of individuals to be submitted to Rev. Lisa Talbott by July 20.
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US bishops take on expanded assignments
United Methodist bishops across the United States will soon take on additional work in this interim time between some bishops' retirement and new elections. The Western Jurisdiction has announced that Bishop Grant Hagiya will lead both the Desert Southwest and California-Pacific conferences after Bishop Robert Hoshibata's retirement.
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Former Council of Bishops President Bishop Yeakel dies at 93
Former President of the Council of Bishops of The United Methodist Church Bishop Joseph H. Yeakel died on Sunday, July 4, 2021, with all his five children by his bedside.
Bishop Yeakel, 93, has been a resident in an assisted living facility in Wooster, Ohio.
He was elected to the episcopacy during the Northeastern Jurisdictional Conference in 1972. He served as resident bishop of the New York West Area from 1972 to 1984, and the Washington (DC) Area from 1984 to 1996. He retired on August 31,1996.
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Summer Read-Along Series through Church & Society
School’s out for the year, but now it’s time to settle in with some great summer reading!
Join Church and Society leaders every Wednesday in July on their YouTube channel for reading and discussion of a children’s book from their Sacred Worth Books database.
Each week, we’ll read a different book from our database, introduce how the book speaks to particular justice issues and connects with our faith. We will also share discussion questions to continue the conversation with the children in your life.
JULY 7 (We Are Water Protectors), 14 (Just Ask!), 21 (All Are Welcome), AND 28 (Dreamers) AT 2 PM EST
YouTube - no advance registration required.
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Battling burnout Wesley's way
Pastors and laypeople facing burnout can look to John Wesley for a road to recovery. The founder of Methodism wrote often about health habits, recommending exercise, eating nutritional food and going to bed and rising early.
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British Methodists allow same-sex marriage
The Methodist Church in Britain now allows same-sex marriage. By a vote of 254 to 46, the denomination's Methodist Conference on June 30 supported a change to its definition of marriage. The Methodist Church in Britain has a concordat relationship with The United Methodist Church and sends four official voting delegates to the United Methodist General Conference.
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Churches response to devastating condo collapse
United Methodists in Florida are stepping up to help however they can after the catastrophe at the Champlain Towers South in Surfside. Sometimes, help means taking action. Other times, it is offering an open ear to those trying to make sense of what just happened.
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WCA assembly meets online
The Global Legislative Assembly of the Wesleyan Covenant Association met online June 15 to consider agenda items left over from an April meeting in Montgomery, Alabama. The assembly passed resolutions endorsing reports on ministry with marginalized people and global missional partnerships. The WCA is a traditionalist group within The United Methodist Church and is planning for the creation of a traditionalist denomination.
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Explore a new death & resurrection series
A new eight-part series from Ask The UMC delves into United Methodist beliefs about death and resurrection. Share the resource with congregants when they ask questions such as, “What happens when we die?” or “What is our end goal as United Methodists? Is it just heaven?”
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Cooperative church efforts aid Congo volcano recovery
More than 3,500 homes were destroyed and more than 450,000 residents evacuated after the Mount Nyiragongo volcano erupted May 22. Serving in partnership, the United Methodist Committee on Relief and Connexio Switzerland responded to urgent needs after the disaster. Philippe Kituka Lolonga reports on the church's efforts to help displaced survivors.
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New ideas for rural ministries
The Dakotas Connection Initiative is studying ways to reinvigorate rural churches, financed by a nearly $1 million grant from the Lilly Endowment. Possibilities being looked at include having several "hub" churches linked to a larger church, online church models and coaching local church leaders instead of bringing in new leadership to transform churches.
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6-10: Carlo on vacation
17: Western Jurisdiction Special Called Session
27-August 1: Carlo on vacation
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Upcoming Clergy Birthdays
July 11 -
Bob Smith
Joseph 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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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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