A weekly news update from The Alaska United Methodist Conference | |
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Local church leadership training online
On Saturday, March 18, 9 a.m. to 11 AKT / 10 a.m. to 12 noon PT via Zoom, staff from across the Greater NW Area will offer trainings for local church leaders in the areas of SPRC, Trustees, Finance, and Administrative Board.
The trainings will cover basic responsibilities and best practices, as well as dive deeper into human resources issues, using property and assets for ministry, the single board model, and managing conflict.
Save the date and watch for more information and registration coming soon!
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Northwest Leadership Institute
Let’s gather at the Northwest Leadership Institute in April in Boise, Idaho to worship, dream and strategize the church on the other side. In the midst of quiet quitting, denominational splintering, and generations deconstructing their faith, it’s time to dream about the opportunities of the church on the other side.
Pastor Andy and at least 8 people from St. John UMC plan to attend this event. Are there more Alaskans who would like to join? If so, there is a specific Alaska discount! Use the code ALASKA for a reduced registration of $99.
Find out more information and register here.
Speak to Pastor Andy if you would like to join their group.
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Birchwood Camp registration now open!
It's time to register for summer camps!
Registration opened February 1st at www.birchwoodcamp.org.
Spaces are limited, so register early! Only 12 spaces for each session of outdoor camps and 40 spaces for age level camps.
Learn more about the camps, and how to register online.
Learn more about camps and how to register online here
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Snow Labyrinth at Alaska Pacific University
Recently 3 staff, with the guidance of Chaplain Brian Anderson, created a snow labyrinth in front of Grant Hall on the APU Campus.
Come and experience the power of stepping into sacred space. Bring a friend (or several) for this experience or come alone.
All are welcome to this space, day or night.
If you would like to learn more or have Brian assist with individual or group labyrinth experiences, please connect with him.
***The snow labyrinth path is uneven, so please be careful as you walk.
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Annual Conference related dates
We want to keep the preliminary dates announced for clergy sessions, annual conference sessions and special-called sessions to consider church disaffiliations in front of you. More details on each session will be forthcoming.
Alaska Specific information is:
- Service of Installation for Bishop Bridgeforth & GNW Opening Session, May 20, livestreamed from Aldersgate UMC in Juneau
- Alaska Clergy gathering, May 25, online only
- Alaska Conference Session, June 4-6, hybrid from First UMC Fairbanks in Fairbanks
- GNW Closing Session, June 15, livestreamed
- Alaska Special Called Session, May 6, online only
Read more of this story on the GNW News site.
Below are some tentative dates related to the Alaska Conference Session. Please note that some of the dates may shift a little:
- Send out Report Requests - February 14
- Send out Award Nominations Requests - March 14
- Registration Opens - April 4
- Reports Due - April 15
- Award Nominations Due - April 23
- Petitions Due - April 23
- Publish Pre-Conference Handbook - May 1
- Registration Closes - May 16
- Memorial Information Due - May 16
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Greater Northwest Area News | |
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GNW Abundant Health Ministries offers a Lenten Meditation
Rev. Linda Quanstrom is leading this special event "A Lenten Meditation" on Zoom Wednesday, Feb 15 from 6 to 7:15 pm PT. It's a wonderful opportunity to learn more about contemplative practices and Lent is a great time to follow this practice.
If you have questions, contact Emilie Kroen.
Register for this Virtual Educations Event
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Scholarship opportunities for United Methodist students in the Alaska and Pacific Northwest Conferences
Are you a United Methodist college student with membership in a church in the Alaska or Pacific Northwest Conference? If so, the Pacific Northwest Conference has a scholarship program available for students pursuing a degree through an accredited program, college or university. Applications must be completed by the end of the day, March 31st!
These scholarships are being offered to students who are members of a United Methodist ministry setting (church or campus ministry) in the Alaska or Pacific Northwest Conference. We will be offering a limited number of $1,500 scholarships.
Learn more
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UMCOR response to earthquakes in Turkey and Syria
UMCOR’s longstanding humanitarian partner, International Blue Crescent (IBC), has multiple offices and project sites in Turkey. In IBC offices, people fill the halls as they seek shelter, warmth, and a hot meal. With the devastating damage to roads, transportation and infrastructure, IBC has received hundreds of families in its Kilis Community Center for shelter, warm items, and hot meals since the first hours Monday morning. Kilis is serving as a major hub for coordination and relief efforts, including for cross-border response into Syria.
UMCOR released an initial solidarity grant to IBC to help provide tents, heaters, blankets, warm clothes, ready to eat meals and first aid kits to those who have been displaced. UMCOR staff members are also in touch with other partners in the region. Additional updates will be provided as more information becomes available.
Read more from UMCOR here.
Support relief and recovery efforts for this and other international disasters by donating to: Advance no. 982450
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California United Methodists join opposition to border wall
Bishop Dottie Escobedo-Frank of the California-Pacific Conference and several United Methodist clergy joined California faith and business leaders in a letter addressed to President Joe Biden, urging his administration to reconsider plans for two 30-foot walls to be built through Friendship Park. The park — where the border cities of San Diego and Tijuana, Mexico, meet — is a popular area where people visit with loved ones along the existing barrier.
Read the letter
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Breaking down the latest edition of "Is The UMC really ...?"
Many legislative changes were made at the 2019 Special Session of the General Conference, including the process of disaffiliation described in Paragraph 2553. The delay of the 2020 General Conference has caused some confusion about the timelines surrounding these legislative changes and how they apply to different areas of the church. Dive into the most recent edition of Ask The UMC’s “Is The UMC really …?” series to learn more.
Learn more
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Audio-visual interns sought
College students wanting to learn about the audio-video world are encouraged to apply for a summer internship with GNTV, a United Methodist-related ministry. Applicants should have a background in audio production, sound reinforcement, video image magnification, video capture, video editing or presentation graphics. Summer interns should expect a significant amount of travel. Deadline to apply is March 13.
Learn more and apply
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COSROW invites churches to celebrate March as Women in the Pulpit Month
Our friends at the North Alabama conference encourage churches who have not yet had the gift of hearing a woman preach, do so in March! They say, “What better time than Women’s History Month to celebrate the tradition of women being called and equipped as preachers of the Gospel of Christ?
To share and celebrate your experience of Women in the Pulpit Month, we hope you will post pictures and stories on social media using the hashtag #WomenInThePulpit.” Follow them on Facebook and stay tuned to this project.
Learn more
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Heritage Sunday 2023 theme celebrates local church histories
Dr. Ashley Boggan D., general secretary of the General Commission on Archives and History, has announced the theme for Heritage Sunday 2023: “Local Church Histories: The Cornerstone of our Faith.” The United Methodist Church celebrates Heritage Sunday annually on Aldersgate Sunday when it falls on May 24 or the Sunday preceding the 24th; this year’s date is May 21.
“Each congregation has a story, one rich with history and details of ministry to its community and one another,” Boggan explains. “We want to recognize that our shared stories undergird our denomination and serve as the foundation of our connectionalsim."
To celebrate the 2023 theme, the General Commission on Archives and History is asking local churches to submit their histories to GCAH for consideration to be chosen as one of a dozen histories to be highlighted on the agency website, social media channels and in Heritage Sunday resources.
Learn how to submit here
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Cooperative parish relationship makes churches stronger
The five United Methodist congregations that make up the New Room Cooperative Parish say that pooling their resources and integrating their ministries makes them stronger together. It's not uncommon to see members of one church at the Bible study or worship service of another, and there are future plans to integrate administratively to having only one staff parish and finance committee between the group.
Read the story
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Conference sees record 50 clergy candidates
The Great Plains Conference Board of Ordained Ministry — or BoOM for short — has seen a boom of its own this year. A record 50 candidates interviewed with the board from Jan. 31 to Feb. 2 at Topeka First United Methodist Church as part of the credentialing process that will lead to ordination.
Read the story
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New coloring cards from Interfaith FCU
A new batch of Cultivating Hope coloring sheets from Interfaith FCU: Light, Grace, and Prayer. The invitation is to color, display, and gift these out into your community as a way to spread smiles and joy.
Free Downloads at https://interfaithfcu.org/coloring-pages
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Church brings health services to rural community
Over 300 villagers were able to access a variety of free health services near their homes thanks to Runyange United Methodist Church. The outreach included medical and dental services, counseling and a spiritual revival program to nurture the soul.
Read the story
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14: Valentine's Day
15-21: Superintendent on vacation
20: Presidents' Day - Office Closed
21: Mission District Task Force meeting
22: Ash Wednesday
23: Mission District Task Force meeting
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1: Women's History Month
2: Leadership Team meeting
9: MIssion District Task Force meeting
12: Daylight Saving Time starts
17: St. Patrick's Day
18: Area Wide Lay Leadership Training
19: Ola Toe Fuataina UM Samoan Fellowship Chartering service
23: Mission District Task Force meeting
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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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We acknowledge that the Methodist Church is complicit with and rooted in the colonization of Alaska and recognize that we live in that ongoing legacy. We lament the harm and trauma that our faith community causes. John Wesley, founder of the Methodist Movement, summarized God’s directives with three Rules: do no harm, do good, and attend to the ordinances of God. We also celebrate the grace, the love, and the good that our church does that calls us to re-imagine mission through intentional discipleship with one another.
We will live into the transition to a Mission District committed to:
Alaska Conference Values
- The love of God, neighbor, and self, demonstrated by the deliberate embracing and valuing of differences, the leveling of imbalances between people and systems, and the intentional dismantling of inequities in whatever forms they present themselves.
- Healing, grace-filled mission with communities and churches that prioritizes local experiences and shares resources across time and distance through equitable relationships.
- Living into connectionalism by belonging to and trusting in one another to nurture relationships that celebrate the gifts each of our communities bring, allowing us to move forward in a decolonized way.
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