A weekly news update from The Alaska United Methodist Conference
|
|
|
The Alaska, Oregon-Idaho, & Pacific Northwest Conferences meet together in June!
|
The Alaska, Oregon-Idaho, and Pacific Northwest Conferences of The United Methodist Church will meet together in a Shared Annual Conference Session June 11-14, 2020 at the Showplex Center on the Washington State Fairgrounds in Puyallup, Wash.
The Greater Northwest Shared Annual Conference Session (GNWAC2020) is expected to begin formally at 2:30 PM on Thursday, June 11
th
and conclude with a service of commissioning and ordination starting at 10:30 AM on Sunday, June 14
th
. As we learn of pre-conference meetings for different groups, we’ll work to add them to the preliminary schedule.
|
|
Home Stays - respond by March 31
|
There is someone in the host district working on providing home stays for Alaskans who need it. If you are interested in doing a home stay, please notify the Alaska Conference office ASAP.
We need to know by March 31st how many people will be needing a home stay.
Email or call (907-333-5050) now.
If you would rather stay in a hotel, please visit the
accomodations page of the GNWAC2020 website. Please bear in mind that the cost of your hotel room will be at your personal or local church expense. The conference will not reimburse hotel stays.
|
|
|
Annual Conference reports
|
As you may know, the Annual Conference collects reports from the various committees, councils, institutions, groups, and boards that relate to Alaska. Now is the time to start writing those reports and sending them into the conference office. Alaska will still have a Pre-Conference Handbook so these reports are pertinent. The deadline for reports is April 28.
|
|
Annual Conference Petitions
|
If you would like to send a petition to be voted on at Annual Conference, this is the form you need to use. Please make sure it is submitted by April 28.
|
|
|
Each year, the conference awards several deserving people for what they do within our Annual Conference. If you would like to nominate someone for one of the 2020 awards, please fill out the nomination forms below and submit them to the conference office by April 28.
Harry Denman Award - There are three awards to be given, one each for youth, lay person, and clergy.
|
|
As has been our practice, we will appropriately recognize members and constituents who have died since last year’s Annual Conference (June 1, 2019) during the separate conference times at the Shared Session. Due to limited time this recognition may not be within a memorial service. It is our intention to be as inclusive as possible. Churches, please fill out the Memorial Roll form and send it back to the conference office by April 28.
|
|
|
Certified Lay Ministry classes coming to Anchorage
|
Have you felt God nudging you to a deeper discipleship? Have you wanted to serve the church and community in a more focused way that uses your talents and God-given gifts? The United Methodist Church has a certified leadership program that equips church members to use their gifts in service to others through the church and in the world.
Two classes that cannot be taken online are BASIC and PREACHING. We will be offering the BASIC coursework as a one-day seminar at St John UMC in Anchorage on
Saturday May 2 from 9am – 5pm.
We will offer the PREACHING course as a two-part class at St John UMC on successive
Saturdays May 16 and 23 from 9am – 3pm. Participation in both days is required to complete the preaching course.
An important note: One does not need to preach to become a Certified Lay Servant. There are so many great advanced courses to choose from to help grow in your discipleship and develop you as a Christian leader. For a complete list of course offerings, visit the Certified Lay Ministries catalog
here.
To register for the PREACHING class visit
CLICK HERE.
|
|
Your UMFCU can save your church costly bank fees
|
Has your church finance committee recently reviewed bank fees? Many financial institutions continue to increase monthly maintenance fees and minimum balance requirements. Money going to fees could be supporting important church programming instead.
At UMFCU church checking accounts have no monthly maintenance fees or minimum balance requirements. Any UM-affiliated organization is eligible for credit union membership to include special ministries, youth groups, altar guilds, mission teams, UMW units and more.
|
|
|
Keep communities healthy during Lent
|
The news of the spread of the coronavirus is occurring as the Lenten season begins, meaning people will gather in churches, sit close, join hands in prayer and give hugs. In her "Bishop's Blog," Greater Northwest Area Bishop Elaine Stanovsky encourages everyone to observe advice on how to prevent the spread of the virus.
|
|
Funds for General Conference, Episcopal Fund
|
The finance agency board voted to recommend to the United Methodist General Conference that part of the Permanent Fund could be used to provide funding for General Conference-related expenses and any emergency needs of the Episcopal Fund. The General Council on Finance and Administration Board took the action during a meeting by conference call on Feb. 28.
|
|
|
Key African group supports protocol plan
|
The Africa Initiative, a United Methodist advocacy group, has given a qualified endorsement to the Protocol of Reconciliation & Grace Through Separation — potentially easing its way for passage at General Conference. The group also is urging some amendments to the proposal.
|
|
Churches call for peace on the Korean Peninsula
|
This year marks the 70th anniversary of the start of the Korean War. The United and Korean Methodist churches will join Christians throughout the world to take action for peace and reconciliation on the Korean Peninsula by holding various programs and events.
|
|
|
9-13: Carlo on vacation
7: Leadership Team meeting
8: Daylight Savings Time begins
15-17: GNW Cabinet - Carlo attending
17: St. Patrick's Day
19-21: GBGM Board Meeting - Carlo attending
26-27: WJ Mission Cabinet - Carlo attending
|
|
12: Easter
15: Tax Day
15-17: GNW Cabinet - Carlo attending
|
|
Upcoming Clergy Birthdays
March 23 -
Bob Jones
|
|
|
Conference Office
907-333-5050
Superintendent Carlo
907-854-8340
|
|
The NEW Conference Office hours are:
Monday - Friday: 10:00 am - 3:00 pm
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
