A weekly news update from The Alaska United Methodist Conference
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Annual Conference Update
Congratulations again to those that won awards: UMC of Chugiak for the One Matters Award, David & Ruby Nofziger for the Harry Denman Evangelism Award for laity, and Maria "Chivi" Capezio Crookes for the Outstanding Lay Person of the Year Award.
Rev. Jim Doepken compiled photos and messages of thanks to Rev. Carlo Rapanut for his 8 years as Conference Superintendent. Many of our churches participated. You can view the video here.
For those of you that missed any part of what occurred, find the links below to watch them at your leisure.
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Certified Lay Servant classes offered
Rev. Andy Bartel will be offering the Certified Lay Ministry BASIC and PREACHING courses again this fall on Wednesday evenings from 6-8 p.m., both in-person in Anchorage and via Zoom.
The Basic class will run Sept 14, 21, 28, Oct 5, and 12. The Preaching class will run Oct 19, 26, Nov 2, 9, 16. Space is limited, and is open to all Alaska United Methodists.
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GNW Area Conference members affirm statement on reproductive rights
As they gathered in a shared closing plenary session, a new statement was presented for consideration by Rev. Ruth Marston-Bihl (PNW), Rev. Nico Reijns (Alaska) and Rev. Eilidh Lowery (OR-ID). The statement asked members to support access to vital reproductive healthcare a day after the Supreme Court announced its overturning of Roe v. Wade. The court’s ruling allows states to restrict access to abortion, with at least one state in the GNW likely to do so within the month.
By an overwhelming margin, lay and clergy members of the Alaska, Oregon-Idaho and Pacific Northwest Conferences voted to affirm the following statement.
Responding quickly to the member's affirmation of this statement, an online giving page has been established to allow GNW Area members to support conference and area staff, clergy and their family members who may be impacted by this restriction of reproductive freedom. To give online, visit https://greaternw.org/choice or text the code “GNWCHOICE” to 44-321 on your mobile device.
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Alert: Be on the lookout for fraudulent emails
It has come to our attention that someone(s) has created bogus Gmail accounts posing as district superintendents. They are using these accounts to solicit people in a practice called phishing. Please do not respond to these emails in any way; they are all too frequent and difficult to avoid.
Most of the time, these phishing attacks are not the result of anyone’s account being hacked. The names and email addresses of conference and district staff, as well as those of local church leaders, are often available in publicly accessible locations like the conference website, local church websites, and the Find-A-Church database on UMC.org. Unfortunately, while it is important to provide contact information to people for legitimate reasons, it also provides an opportunity for unscrupulous criminals.
Here are a few protocols to follow to keep safe:
- If you receive something suspicious, please contact the sender using a trusted email or phone number to verify or alert them of the issue.
- Never open an attachment if you cannot verify the sender or feel confident in the source.
- Never click on a link when you cannot verify or trust the sender.
- Avoid responding to emails requesting personal or financial information from an unverifiable source.
- Report any fraudulent emails you receive to your internet/email provider.
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UMC bishops bemoan US Supreme Court's decision on abortion
The Council of Bishops of The United Methodist Church says the decision by the Supreme Court of the United States to overturn Roe v. Wade has denied the sacred worth of women who face “the tragic conflicts of life with life that may justify abortion.”
In a statement released today by COB President Bishop Thomas J. Bickerton, the bishops said the decision serves to create a further divide between persons of privilege who have the means to seek necessary health care and those who lack this privilege due to their current economic condition, their disproportionately affected lives, or the color of their skin.
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United Methodists react to end of Roe v. Wade
United Methodists on all sides of the abortion issue were alternately stunned and satisfied after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Roe v. Wade would no longer be the law of the land.
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Ecumenical group elects new top executive
At its June meeting, the central committee of the World Council of Churches elected the Rev. Jerry Pillay as the ecumenical body’s ninth general secretary. A theologian and member of the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa, he will be the ecumenical organization’s first general secretary from South Africa. The United Methodist Church is a member of the World Council of Churches.
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New era for church and Boy Scouts of America
The United Methodist Church will continue to partner with the Boy Scouts of America but in a new relationship that should lighten the load for local churches. The shift comes after a difficult two years that included the BSA’s child sex abuse-related bankruptcy proceeding and the pandemic.
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Leadership Institute 2022
Join us September 28-30, 2022, for an opportunity to refresh your mind and spirit alongside other ministry leaders from around the country. Learn applicable ways to strengthen how you lead and inspiration to move your ministry forward! Hear from leaders who have been where you are and want nothing more than to see both you and your ministry grow!
Register today and join us in-person or online! Super Early Bird pricing ends July 1. Register now for the lowest pricing.
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We are the church together
Each of us made a choice to be United Methodist. Watch this video to be reminded of why you chose to #BeUMC and to see how you are a vital part of The United Methodist Church’s continuing mission to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.
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Church leaders explore ways to help migrants in Mexico
A group of leaders from the Methodist Church of Mexico and The United Methodist Church traveled to southern Mexico in April to meet with groups working with immigrants crossing into the country. Though there is no Methodist presence in southern Mexico, the leaders are seeking ways to partner with other denominations and organizations in the area.
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Wespath joins clean investing network
The church agency that invests United Methodist pension fund money has joined a collaborative network that helps identify environmentally friendly investments within animal protein and factory farming concerns. “As a member we can participate in engagements across FAIRR’s core working themes, which include sustainable proteins, working conditions and meat sourcing,” said Ryan McQueeney, analyst, sustainable investment stewardship at Wespath.
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4: Independence Day - Office Closed
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Upcoming Clergy Birthdays
July 11 - Bob Smith
Joseph DowlingSoka
July 21 - Lisa Talbott
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Conference Office
907-333-5050
Superintendent - Christina DowlingSoka
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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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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