A weekly news update from The Alaska United Methodist Conference |
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MediaCollab for a Nuclear-Free Arctic - Opportunity for Youth
High school students across Alaska are invited to participate in a MediaCollab event featuring film creation about Point Hope Congress, Alaska’s Youth Congress for the Global Elimination of Nuclear Weapons. Project goals include cohort-building, movie skill-building, video creation, and education about anti-nuclear policy and strategies. More information can be found on their website: https://www.akhopecongress.org
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Shower trailer for homeless in Anchorage
What is your typical morning routine? Most of us think of these things: Breakfast, coffee, shower, get dressed, and start the day.
Do you ever think what would happen if you were not able to take a shower regularly? What if you didn't have access to basic hygiene facilities? After some praying, research, and more praying, a small group got together to try to find new solutions to help reach those in our community that are on the margins. We reached out to our connections in the conference to be able to use the VIM Team shower trailer this summer, as long as its not needed for VIM teams or emergencies, to provide mobile showers to those who are homeless.
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Register for Camp now!
CREATION SPEAKS! ARE WE LISTENING?
In the beginning, God created. God is still creating now. What do God and Creation have to teach us about how to live today?
Creation Speaks invites us to look to God’s Creation, including each other, as we listen for God’s voice in the world today. By looking anew at the Creation story, campers will imagine what each part might teach us about God and our place in the world. Light, water, earth, seasons, animals, humans, and even a day of rest will invite campers to listen for God, still speaking to them today.
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Annual Conference Session |
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Annual Conference Registration is OPEN!
The registration for clergy and lay members to Annual Conference is OPEN. If you are a voting member of the Alaska United Methodist Conference, please register to attend the virtual sessions. Guests do not need to register as they will just watch the live stream.
The Alaska United Methodist Conference will meet online at the following times:
- AK Clergy Gathering – June 3, 9:00 -11:00 am AKT
- GNW Laity session – June 9, 5:30 pm AKT
- GNW Opening Session – June 20, 5:30-7:00 pm AKT
- AK individual sessions – June 22, 9:00-11:00 am & 1:00-3:00 pm AKT
- PNW/AK shared session – June 23, 1:00-2:30 pm AKT
- GNW Closing Session – June 23, 5:30-7:00 pm AKT
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Pre-Conference Handbook available to download
All the reports for the pre-conference handbook have been compiled and are ready for download. You will find reports from committee chairs, conference related entities, proposed budget and apportionments, statistics, rules changes and petitions. This is an important document for voting members of the Annual Conference. Please make sure you read through it ahead of the Annual Conference Session.
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Our Annual Conference theme and logo
This year’s theme for annual conference sessions across the Greater Northwest Area is “Love Never Ends,” a short line from I Corinthians 13 that captures the essence of that beloved text.
While this chapter of I Corinthians is familiar to many because of its usage at wedding ceremonies, it speaks more broadly than this practice might suggest. As he writes to a community in conflict, the Apostle Paul casts a vision of love that selflessly seeks the good of others, resists arrogance as it aims to understand, and perseveres in hope through hardship and the lack of perfect knowledge.
This theme and its visual representation seek to call to mind the love Paul describes as present in the witness of so many GNW United Methodists over a challenging year. It visually centers love while also communicating forward movement, endurance and the hopeful promise of a new day.
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Zoom Webinar Training Sessions
GNTV will again be our tech hosts for this year’s virtual Annual Conference session. There are new and improved processes for voting and participation. To help us get familiar with the technology, training sessions have been scheduled. You need only to attend at least one session but may attend more if you need the extra practice.
- Tuesday, June 1, 6:30 pm AKST
- Saturday, June 5, 3:00 pm AKST
- Wednesday, June 16, 11:00 am AKST
- Monday, June 21, morning (TBA)
This is only a save the date announcement. More information about how to register for these sessions will be provided soon.
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Annual Conference related deadlines
Please mark your calendars with the following deadlines. It takes your participation to have a great Annual Conference! Get those award nominations in!
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GNW Area creates Circle of Indigenous Ministries
As friendships and ministries with Native American and Indigenous peoples grow, the Greater Northwest Episcopal Area of The United Methodist Church is creating the Circle of Indigenous Ministries. Developing mutual, healing, and life-affirming relationships with Native Americans and Indigenous peoples in and outside the church is part of the GNW Area’s ongoing efforts to heal historic trauma and dismantle racism.
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Western Jurisdiction to meet July 17 online
The Western Jurisdiction College of Bishops has called a special session of the jurisdictional conference to be held virtually July 17. The purpose is to approve bishops’ requests for retirement and to determine the number of bishops to be elected at the next regular jurisdictional conference, now scheduled for Nov. 2-5, 2022.
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Former Alaskan pastor, Boone White, passes away
Boone White died Monday, May 10, 2021, in Auburn, Washington. White was a member of the Oregon-Idaho Annual Conference.
He served in Alaska from 1972-1976 and was appointed to First UMC, Anchorage. Mountain climbing and painting were among his avocations.
The family has requested that gifts to honor the memory of Boone be given to the Camp & Retreat Ministries of the OR-ID United Methodist Conference. Donations can be made on-line at gocamping.org/donate or checks made out to “BCRM” can be mailed to: Camping Office, 1505 SW 18th Ave., Portland, OR 97201.
For more information and to offer condolences, friends may contact Kristyn (White) Rock at 23399 SE 248th St., Maple Valley, WA 98038, Kristyn.rock@comcast.net or at (206) 276-4000.
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Former Alaskan Pastor, Howard DeVore, passes away
Howard DeVore died the morning of May 5 after a couple falls left him bruised and bedridden. Although dementia and a couple heart conditions weakened him, he was cheerfully present and himself. His body simply stopped eating or drinking. He didn’t quite make his 94th birthday, next Thursday.
In lieu of flowers, people can make a donation to their local church or to the Cascade Manor Employee Appreciation Fund (65 W. 30th, Eugene, Or 97405). The staff (who can’t ever be tipped) get a year-end holiday bonus from the fund. Both Howard and his late wife Betty spent the last couple years on the skilled nursing floor. The staff are wonderful caregivers.
Both Howard and Betty's remains will be interred August 7 during a small family gathering at the Eugene Masonic Cemetery.
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Celebrate Peace with Justice Sunday
Peace with Justice Sunday is May 30. This Special Sunday offering helps the church strengthen its capacity to advocate publicly in communities and nations throughout the world. The United Methodist Board of Church and Society administers the offering, which supports grants benefiting peace with justice ministries in conferences and around the world.
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Racism workbook release for Heritage Sunday
A workbook on racism in The United Methodist Church is available for Heritage Sunday on May 23, published by United Methodist Archives and History. Heritage Sunday is a day for United Methodists to reflect on church history and commit themselves to the continuing call of God.
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Europeans make plans for separation
United Methodists in Europe are beginning to make plans for what happens under a proposal to separate the denomination. Ultimately, the continent's four bishops expect the church's map to look very different.
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Five reasons why smaller numbers may be better
COVID-19 has left many churches worrying about how to increase attendance. Could smaller in-person worship lead to more engaged members and a more inviting environment for visitors? Tricia K. Brown writes about five reasons bigger isn’t always better.
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Jerusalem church leaders denounce violence
In a statement, the Patriarchs and Heads of Churches of Jerusalem expressed their profound concern over the recent violence in East Jerusalem. "These concerning developments, whether at the Al Aqsa Mosque or in Sheikh Jarrah, violate the sanctity of the people of Jerusalem and of Jerusalem as the City of Peace," the group said.
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May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
The General Commission on Race and Religion (GCORR) has produced two infographics to help us all learn more about Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.
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#StillInMission Episode 31
You are invited to join us for #StillInMission Episode 31. If you want to learn more about these missionaries before the call, click on their names to be taken to their missionary bio or visit www.umcmission.org.
May 27, 2021 | 12:00 PM EDT
Featuring…
Helen Roberts-Evans is serving as the Associate Director for Supervision with the Department of General Education & Ministry with the Liberian Annual Conference.
John Elmore is serving as the Mission Volunteer Coordinator with the Methodist Church of Chile.
Mozart Makafui Adevu is serving as the Africa Regional Coordinator for Sustainable Agriculture & Development Programs with the United Methodist Church in Ghana.
Dmytro Ishler is serving as the Children Development Officer with Adziwa CBO Orphans Care in Malawi.
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Faith Talks: Asian American/Pacific Islander Heritage Month
Join United Methodist Women's live recording of the Faith Talks podcast on May 20, 2 pm ET, when they’ll commemorate Asian American/Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Faith Talks host Jennifer Farmer will interview Sophia K. R. Agtarap, Director of Communications at Vanderbilt Divinity School and United Methodist Women Board President Ainise Isama’u.
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18: AC Award nomination deadline
18-20: GNW Cabinet meeting - Carlo attending virtually
28: AC Registration CLOSES
31: Memorial Day - Office Closed
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1: Memorial roll names DUE
14: GNW Cabinet
19: Juneteenth
20: Father's Day
20-24: Greater Northwest Annual Conference Sessions
28-29: GNW Cabinet Retreat
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Upcoming Clergy Birthdays
June 8 -
Jim Doepken
June 10 -
Carlo Rapanut
June 15 -
Matt Reinders
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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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