Beyond Weapons of War

Let all that you do be done in love.

I Corinthians 16:14

November 22, 2022

Friends in Christ, Thanksgiving is Thursday and Advent starts next Sunday.

My heart is anguished after the murders at Club Q in Colorado Springs last weekend. In “barely a minute,” five people died, 17 others were shot, and two others were injured. The 22-year-old shooter, carrying an AR-15-style semi-automatic rifle, stalked his prey in a place people came for sanctuary from anti-LGBTQIA+ hatred. They were unarmed in an enclosed space, like sitting ducks or fish in a barrel.

No one has the right to hunt and kill innocent people. No civilian should have the right to carry an assault weapon designed for war.

If you are a person who identifies as LGBTQIA+, I see you, I love you, I need you to survive. You should not be targeted for ridicule, bullying, or bodily harm by people who don’t understand you or hate you. I believe that Jesus calls every Christian to be a trustworthy ally as you seek to live the fullness of life God sets before you, but many are slow to respond to this call.

If you are a person who hates or fears LGBTQIA+ people, I’m sorry for you; you don’t have to remain where you are today. Each of us is held to account for our fear, our hatred, and our inaction. In the gospels, we have a front-row seat as Jesus meets all kinds of misunderstood and marginalized people – leper, blind, possessed, lame, tax collectors, women caught in adultery or with a flow of blood, robbers. He seeks them out, speaks with them, and invites them into his circle of friends. He saved his disdain for high priests and pious people he thought should know better – like us.

If you follow Jesus, he will introduce you to LGBTQIA+ people, and you will be given the opportunity to grow in your knowledge and love of Jesus by seeing what Jesus sees in them. We must love our way out of hate, or we will find ourselves on the side of Herod, slaughtering innocents in the pursuit of his rival, Jesus, instead of on the side of humble shepherds, tending their flocks and welcoming his arrival.

Regardless of political party, it is time for Christian people, striving to walk in the way of Jesus, to join with others of generous spirit, to rise up to stop the sale of assault weapons. Courageous citizens have the power to protect innocent victims from people who lack the intellectual, moral, emotional, or spiritual ability to resist an impulse to wholesale slaughter. It is blasphemous to pray for God to do what we have the power but not yet the will to do. We are our brother’s/sister’s/sibling’s keeper. We can act, and so we must, to save countless lives.

This Thanksgiving, I hope you will enjoy good food in the company of people you love, whether family, friends, or strangers. I hope you will pray for those on both ends of gun violence. And as we prepare for the birth of Jesus, learn more and work to ban private ownership of weapons designed for war. I urge you to see how our General Board of Church and Society is helping us get involved in resisting gun violence. I hope you will also consider writing a letter to your elected representatives, as Olympia First UMC encouraged us at our annual conference session in June. We can make it safer for innocent, vulnerable people to gather without fear for work, a concert, a drag show, a movie, a nightclub, school, church, for love.

Love is born at Christmas!

Bishop Elaine JW Stanovsky

Tom Wilson, Executive Director, to retire in June 2023

Tom Wilson, the Executive Director of Faith Foundation Northwest, shared his plans to retire at the end of June 2023 during its corporate board meeting in October 2022. He expressed his gratitude for the opportunities and experiences the Foundation has provided him over the years, particularly, the ability to work and learn with exceptionally faithful and generous people. He thanked those present for their gifts of time and experience to the success of the Foundation. He also communicated great appreciation for those staff who worked with him over the years and closed by saying, “I cannot thank you all enough for the excellent opportunity of representing you and this faith-filled organization.” Wilson has been the Executive Director for 32 years.

Read the entire announcement

Giving Tuesday is rapidly approaching!

Giving Tuesday is a global generosity movement unleashing the power of radical generosity. There are several United Methodist related projects that would love your gifts of generosity, including places within our own state, on Tuesday, November 29, 2022!

Alaska Churches - Advance #931027

Birchwood Camp - Advance #931068

Downtown Ministries, First Ketchikan - Advance #3020487

Girdwood Chapel - Advance # 931007

Unalaska Outreach and Community Ministry - Advance #931855

Willow UMC - Advance #931511

Willow Church & Community Ministry - Advance #931520

Donate here on Giving Tuesday

You're invited to support women, children, and youth

Anchor Park's Annual Holiday Auction, organized by the United Women In Faith, is scheduled for Saturday, December 3rd, at 2300 Oak Drive, Anchorage. Mark your calendars and plan to come with a friend! It is great fun. The event will begin at 10:45 am and go to 2:15. $20 will get you a hearty lunch of soup, lasagna, salad, rolls, and dessert. Contact Jo Anne Hayden or Susan Williams to make a reservation.

Reach out if you would like to donate an item for the auction as well! This is a great way to have fun and support mission projects focused on women, children, and youth in Alaska, the United States, as well as the world.

Administrative Assistant/ Bookkeeper position open at Anchor Park UMC

Anchor Park is looking for the right person to fill our Administrative Assistant/Bookkeeper, part-time position of support. If you or someone you know might be interested in learning more about this position, please contact Pastor Ken Hagler at 907-277- 0152 or Jo Anne Hayden at 907-903-5025. Please help us share this opportunity with those who might possess the needed skills to be a match for us. Thanks for helping spread the word!

Church and Clergy Profile forms due Dec.1

With the transition to retirement for our Bishop and the start of our new Bishop, all Clergy and Churches are being asked to update their profiles. Several weeks ago, a follow up email went out to clergy with instructions on how to access the People Portal. Once you have successfully logged into your personal People Portal, you will find your Clergy Profile form to the left. If you have problems, please contact the conference office and I can assist you. In addition to the Clergy Profile, this Biographical Information form needs to be filled out and returned. | PDF | Word

Each Church Profile also needs to be updated and that will be done through the Church Dashboard. Once you are on your church dashboard, you will find the Church Profile link to the left. 

Both of these profiles need to be completed online through these means. They are to be completed by December 1, 2022. Both the Church Dashboard and the People Portal can be accessed from the Conference website at the bottom of the page.

If you need assistance, please reach out to Crystal. She can help you with login information if needed.

Come bake cookies and register for Youth camp

Winter Youth Break-Away Camp

Registration for Winter Youth Break-Away is now open. January 4th-7th. For 6th through 12th graders. Register here.

Annual Community Cookie Baking Party

Birchwood Camp's Annual Community Cookie Baking Party is December 11th, 2022

Click here to register your family or here for more information

Bishop Oliveto offers message after shooting

Bishop Karen Oliveto reacted to a mass shooting at a gay bar in Colorado Springs on Nov. 19 that left five dead and at least 25 wounded. She also acknowledged the weekend’s disaffiliation votes by churches that wish to leave The United Methodist Church over disagreement about the full acceptance of gay people: “I mourn with my LGBTQ+ siblings as we continue to be under attack in church and society.” She thanked pastors and laity of Colorado Springs churches for providing pastoral support and a healing presence for those impacted by the shooting.

Read the statement

Complaint filed against gay bishop's consecration

Western Jurisdiction bishops are facing an unusual public complaint following the consecration of the denomination's second bishop who is openly gay and married to someone of the same gender. The complaint, which is online and open to others to sign, comes after each of the five U.S. jurisdictions passed a resolution urging The United Methodist Church to affirm LGBTQ people.

Read the story

Help for celebrating Student Day

United Methodist Student Day, one of the denomination's special Sundays, is Nov. 27. Special offerings on this day support scholarships and loans for students attending United Methodist-related and other accredited colleges and universities. United Methodist Communications has resources to help pastors and leaders celebrate the day, which this year coincides with the first Sunday of Advent.

See the resources

Amid church exits, work starts on record-low budget

The board of the denomination’s finance agency is moving forward with developing The United Methodist Church’s lowest budget in decades. Leaders agree that big changes are coming as the denomination grapples with rising church disaffiliations. But disagreements remain on how best to balance financial uncertainty with missional commitments.



Read the story

Read General Council on Finance and Administration press release 

Clearing up misperceptions about disaffiliation

Ask The UMC, a ministry of United Methodist Communications, continues to receive questions related to local church disaffiliations. In Part 6 of its "Is The United Methodist Church Really …?" series, the team tackles inquiries related to multi-point charges, legal counsel, United Methodist-related foundations and credit unions and student scholarships.



Read the story

Read previous installments

Request for Bishop Dyck to stay as interim

The Western Jurisdiction College of Bishops has recommended to the Council of Bishops that Bishop Sally Dyck continue as interim bishop of the California-Nevada Conference until the complaints against Bishop Minerva Carcaño are resolved or until Aug. 31, 2024, whichever comes first. Dyck, who is also the Council of Bishops ecumenical officer, has served as the conference's interim leader since March, after Carcaño was suspended while the denomination's complaint process moves forward. In a letter to the conference, Dyck said she has agreed to remain as interim bishop.

Read the announcement

Read letter from Bishop Dyck

New advent series for clergy available

God's Unimaginable Surprises is a free, four-week Advent resource for clergy, produced by the United Methodist Commission on Religion and Race. The series includes sermon starters and children's sermons based on the Isaiah lectionary texts.

View the resource

'Ghosts' actress is a lifelong United Methodist

One of the stars of the hit CBS sitcom "Ghosts" credits her upbringing in The United Methodist Church with helping her develop "an empathetic ear" that helps her succeed as an actress. Sheila Carrasco, daughter of retired pastor and superintendent the Rev. Oscar Carrasco, plays the ghost of a hippie named Flower on the show.

Read the story

NOMADS are on a mission

NOMADS have been "on the road" in service for 35 years and there's room for more to join their numbers. The mission outreach group assists United Methodist churches, children's homes, colleges and camps, and works with outreach ministries and disaster recovery projects across the United States.

Read the story

What does it mean to be a United Methodist?

United Methodist Communications’ research team wants to hear from you about what it means to be a United Methodist. The denomination’s communications agency is looking for feedback on a variety of topics in an effort to listen and learn from church members to inform UMCom’s work. The survey will take about 10 minutes and all of the information provided will be kept strictly confidential. Questions can be directed to Teresa Faust at tfaust@umcom.org.

Take the survey

Sing along and feel grateful

In this season of thanksgiving, we remember this popular 1897 hymn with lyrics that remain true today: “Count your blessings. Name them one by one. And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.”

Live a life of gratitude

Finding 'God's next' for United Methodism

Pandemic and schism have combined to challenge The United Methodist Church in a big way. But there's opportunity in crisis, according to speakers at a recent event titled "Space at the Table: Conversations of Hope for the UMC Future." In his keynote address, the Rev. Mike Slaughter said, "What a time to reimagine what God's next is for The United Methodist Church."

Read the story

Advent Missionary Study 2022

This six-part Advent Study with 7 UM Missionaries begins with readings for Christ the King Sunday and concludes with the Christmas Eve lectionary reading. Each week includes missionaries reading from the Old Testament and Gospel texts, interviews with them in their context of their lives and work as United Methodist Missionaries; a Psalm based breath prayer; and study questions based up on the texts and interviews.

Visit the site to learn more

Hand drawn Advent Calendar

Yearly, Thomas Mousin and Merry Watters put together a hand drawn Advent Calendar. Like previous years, this calendar follows the liturgical season of Advent, beginning this year on Sunday, November 27. Each day offers a scripture reading and a suggested devotion. Book titles of the scriptures are abbreviated, and most bibles include a list of abbreviations in their table of contents.

Read more and download the calendar here

24: Thanksgiving - Office Closed

25: Office Closed

27: Charge Conference - Anchor Park UMC

28: Charge Conference - Anchorage Korean UMC

29: Charge Conference - UMC of Sitka

1: Professional Ministries Unit meeting

1: Charge Conference - Homer UMC

4: Charge Conference - First UMC Fairbanks

4: Charge Conference - Every Nation UMC

5-8: Cabinet Meeting

11: Charge Conference - UMC of Chugiak

13: Charge Conference - St. John UMC & First UMC Anchorage

15: Charge Conference - First UMC Ketchikan

24: Office Closed

24: Christmas Eve

25: Christmas Day

26: Office Closed

31: New Year's Eve

Upcoming Clergy Birthdays

November 27 - Laura Krauss

December 23 - Christina DowlingSoka