A weekly news update from The Alaska United Methodist Conference
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Annual Conference information
Registration for the 2022 Annual Conference Session is now open. If you are a Lay Member voted by your church to attend, are clergy, or hold another roll that allows you voice and or vote, then please register by May 31.
Dates to save on your calendar:
- Alaska Clergy Sessions – June 2, 10:00-12:00 p.m. AKT
- New Lay Member Orientation - June 7, 6:30-7:30 p.m. AKT
- GNW Laity session – June 14, 5:30 p.m. AKT
- Alaska Pre-Conference Informational Meeting - June 14, 6:30 - 8 p.m. AKT
- GNW Opening Session – June 19, evening
- Alaska Conference Plenary Session – June 20, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. AKT
- PNW Service of Commissioning & Ordination, June 22, daytime
- Oregon-Idaho Service of Commissioning & Ordination, June 24, daytime
- GNW Closing Session – June 25, daytime
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Lay Servant Ministry offerings this Fall
Pastors, do you have members of your congregation you’d like to invite to go deeper in their discipleship and develop as leaders in the church? If you are looking to develop worship leaders, liturgists, committee chairpersons, or even a lay preacher for your Sundays off, both the BASIC and PREACHING Lay Servant Ministry classes will be offered in the Alaska Conference this fall on Wednesday evenings from 6pm-8pm both in-person in Anchorage and on-line via ZOOM. Upon completion of both classes, lay persons will be eligible to be certified as Lay Servants. These classes have a capacity limit, so be sure to invite folks to register now.
Certified Lay Ministry BASIC Class:
Certified Lay Ministry Preaching Advanced Class (note: the BASIC class is a pre-requisite to Preaching):
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Deaconess Ann Janzen passes away
Deaconess Ann DeWolf Perry Janzen passed away on May 16 after a long and happy life. After graduating from Queens College, Charlotte, NC, she attended Union Theological Seminary in New York, where she met her husband, Harry Wallace Janzen. They were married immediately after graduation and raised three children together in West Virginia.
Ann helped reestablish the Methodist Church presence in Dutch Harbor, Alaska.
A memorial service will be held on June 2 at 3:00 at the Brooks Howell Home at 266 Merrimon Avenue in Asheville.
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Administrative Assistant sought for Anchor Park
Anchor Park United Methodist Church, located at 2300 Oak Drive (in Anchorage), will be looking to fill a part-time Administrative Assistant position near the end of July. Anyone who would like to learn more about the position can contact Pastor Ken at 907-277-0152 or leave a message with your name and phone number so that more information can be shared with you when more specific information is available in early summer.
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Western Jurisdiction Episcopacy Committee welcomes input from those discerning call to leadership
For those who may feel called to become an episcopal leader – or those who may know someone who feels called to leadership – the Western Jurisdiction of The United Methodist Church’s Committee on Episcopacy is ready to engage with those discerning individuals now. They anticipate that four new bishops may be elected when the WJ Conference is hopefully convened in November.
This is a new discernment process that the episcopacy committee has endorsed with support from first-elected delegates from the Western Jurisdiction and the WJ Leadership Team.
Please read the letter of invitation submitted by the Committee on Episcopacy on the Western Jurisdiction website and share it with those you know who might be interested in participating in the discernment process. As more details emerge on the next Western Jurisdiction Conference, information will be shared on this web page.
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GNW Webinar: Exploring and understanding changes afoot in The UMC
Join leadership from across the Greater Northwest Area on Tuesday, May 24 at 5 p.m. AK, 6 p.m. PT and 7 p.m. MT for a discussion on changes unfolding in the United Methodist Church. With a delayed General Conference until 2024, people from across the spectrum forming new denominations and leaving The UMC, work within the existing United Methodist Church to create positive change and build connections, and more, change is afoot. All of these changes could have an impact on local churches and clergy. That’s why leaders from across the Greater Northwest Area want to begin a dialogue with clergy and laity about what these changes might mean for all of us here who are committed to being Christ’s disciples for a transformative world. Join us for the first of what will hopefully be continued conversations on the changes ahead for the church.
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Bishops have authority to call jurisdictional conferences in 2022, top court says
The Council of Bishops (COB) is expressing its appreciation following the Judicial Council’s ruling today that the COB is authorized to set the date of regular jurisdictional conferences for the election and assignment of new bishops for the limited purpose of effectuating the continuance of the episcopacy in The United Methodist Church.
In decision 1445 released May 20, the UMC’s top court noted that the bishops’ authority may be exercised under paragraphs 26, 27.2, and 45 of the Constitution even though the General Conference has not convened since the last election of bishops in the jurisdictional conferences. The last election of bishops at jurisdictional conferences took place in 2016.
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Police make arrest in slaying of Atlanta pastor
Many are mourning the Rev. Marita Y. Harrell, a 57-year-old United Methodist pastor in Atlanta who was stabbed to death earlier this week. Police in DeKalb County, part of the Metro Atlanta area, said they have arrested a suspect and obtained warrants for murder and arson. A TV station reported that Harrell had been mentoring and counseling the suspect. Harrell, a lifelong Methodist, turned to ministry in midlife and most recently had been leading Atlanta's Connections at Metropolitan United Methodist Church.
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Women's Assembly attendees serve Orlando community
Three hundred women came to Assembly 2022 a day early to participate in an Ubuntu Day of Service, a day of volunteer work supporting outreach organizations in Florida, site of this year's United Women in Faith event, May 20-22. Participants put together meal, hygiene and community garden packets to benefit three local hunger and children's organizations.
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Asking the hard questions about race
The Rev. Giovanni Arroyo poses a difficult question to white United Methodists who say they want an end to racism. "Do you want racial justice enough to voluntarily relinquish some of your power?" A native of Puerto Rico, he knows firsthand what it’s like to be a minority in America, and that experience informs the way he pursues his mission as The United Methodist Church’s point person on inclusion.
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Bishop Carcaño remains under suspension
The Western Jurisdiction College of Bishops and the Western Jurisdiction Committee on the Episcopacy announced that a response to complaints filed against Bishop Minerva Carcaño continues. The bishop remains under suspension as the process continues. "Suspension is not a punitive matter and does not indicate guilt or innocence," Western Jurisdiction leaders said in a statement. Interim Bishop Sally Dyck, who is now serving the California-Nevada Conference, also shared a pastoral letter about the situation.
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Webinar examines migration and racism
United Methodists will discuss the topics of migration, immigration and racism as part of the “Raise Up Your Voice Against Racism” webinar at 8 p.m. U.S. Eastern time May 24. The webinar is part of a series that seeks to dispel the notion that racism just affects Black people. Organizers include the Asian American Language Ministry, the National Federation of Asian American United Methodists and the United Methodist Board of Church and Society.
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#StillInMission
United Methodist Missionaries are #stillinmission and we hope that you will join us to learn more! The next conversation will be on June 2 at 12 p.m. (ET).
As always, if you have any questions at all or if you want promotional materials for your church or small group, please let us know!
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In ministry with migrants
As record numbers of migrants continue to cross Mexico's southern border, the Methodist Church of Mexico is seeking new ways to be in ministry with immigrant families on the move. A UM News team accompanied Mexican church leaders and longtime partners from The United Methodist Church in April on visits with migrants, other faith communities and charitable and civic leaders in southern Mexico as they sought ways to help.
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A heart 'strangely warmed'
Aldersgate is May 24, marking the date when John Wesley was assured his sins were forgiven.
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Mental health and the church: A UMC pastor speaks out
In a powerful new podcast episode of “Get Your Spirit in Shape,” a retired United Methodist pastor tells his story of living with mental health challenges, a 38-year struggle he chose to keep secret — until now.
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26: Leadership Team meeting (6 pm)
30: Memorial Day - Office Closed
31: Memorial information due for Annual Conference
31: Registration closes for Annual Conference
31: Combined Mission District Task Force and Leadership Team meeting (6 pm)
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2: Alaska Clergy Session (10 a.m - 12 p.m.)
7: New Lay Member Orientation (6:30 p.m.)
14: GNW Laity session (5:30 p.m.)
14: Alaska Pre-Conference Informational Meeting (6:30 p.m.)
19: Father's Day
19: Juneteenth
19: GNW Opening Session (evening)
20: Alaska Conference Plenary Session (9 a.m. to 7 p.m.)
22: PNW Service of Commissioning & Ordination, (daytime)
24: Oregon-Idaho Service of Commissioning & Ordination (daytime)
25: GNW Closing Session (daytime)
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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 Rapanut
Director of Connectional Ministries - Lisa Talbott
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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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