A weekly news update from The Alaska United Methodist Conference |
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Annual Conference Information
Bishop Elaine JW Stankovsky has asked clergy and lay members of the Alaska, Oregon-Idaho and Pacific Northwest Conferences to hold dates in June for online Annual Conference sessions. You can find more information on the Alaska Conference website.
Reports from Conference Board and Agency Chairs are due to the Conference Office by Friday, April 15, 2022. If you have any questions, please email the conference office.
Petitions for the 2022 Alaska Annual Conference Session must be submitted by Sunday, May 8, 2022.
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20-Day Reconciliation Community Challenge
Starting March 7 – April 1 (weekdays only), the initiative Reconciliation: Race, Justice, and the Gospel, a group of Pastors and Christian leaders in Anchorage, Alaska, will launch a 20-Day Reconciliation Community Challenge. This challenge will allow us to listen, learn, and understand the ways prejudice, preference, privilege, and presumptions appear in our lives every day. We believe positive change can occur in our community, state, and the world when we understand how race and discrimination shape our lived experiences. Through this challenge, we can continue to create the Beloved Community. We invite everyone to join us in promoting the 20-Day Reconciliation Community Challenge and registering at http://shiloh-anchorage.tv/registration-sign-up/. Contact Pastor Undra Parker at 20dayrcc@gmail.com if you have questions.
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Call for presentations for WJ Commission on Archives & History
The Desert Southwest Conference Commission on Archives and History invites you to attend the 2022 Meeting of the Western Jurisdiction Commission on Archives and History to be held virtually on Saturday, April 2, 2022. They invite submissions of presentation proposals focusing on the history of Methodism in the Western Jurisdiction or milestone anniversaries in the United Methodist Church or its predecessors. More information on the Meeting and the Call for Presentations can be found here.
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Updated: United Methodists respond to Ukraine invasion
Russia's invasion of Ukraine brought calls for prayer and statements of deep concern from United Methodists, as well as a first-hand account from a United Methodist in harm's way.
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Statement, resources on Ukraine crisis
The World Council of Churches, of which The United Methodist Church is part, has endorsed a statement by the primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, calling on Russian President Vladimir Putin to halt the military invasion of Ukraine. Also, David W. Scott of the UM & Global website has collected resources on the history and role of United Methodists in Ukraine.
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Board, Connectional Table approve budget allocations
The General Council on Finance and Administration board and Connectional Table each approved proposed new budget allocations for most general agencies, Africa University and other denomination-wide ministries. The 2023-24 allocations are part of the budget heading to the next General Conference. The two leadership bodies plan to revisit allocations again in May.
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Conference offers tools for welcoming the stranger
The upcoming Together We Welcome conference, a virtual national faith gathering to strengthen support for refugees, immigrants and migrants, will focus on advocacy, asylum, resettlement and climate change, among other topics. The United Methodist Committee on Relief is one of the sponsors of the March 4-6 event organized by Church World Service.
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Groups offer conflicting calls on General Conference
A letter signed by 170 General Conference delegates urges organizers to postpone the legislative assembly to 2024. The letter also asks for an investigation of a vaccine initiative launched by the Wesleyan Covenant Association. Meanwhile, an African advocacy group urges that General Conference go forward this year.
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General Conference organizers plan announcement
The Commission on the General Conference has been weighing whether General Conference can move forward as scheduled this year on Aug. 29-Sept. 6 in Minneapolis. The group met online Feb. 24, and after 3½ hours of closed session, the commission said it would announce the result of its deliberations within a week.
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Hybrid worship training course empowers churches
Creating Hybrid Worship Services, a newly released online training course, is designed to explore the best practices for offering worship services that engage participants both in-person and online. It is an open enrollment, self-paced course that allows students to register at any time. The complimentary course is offered by United Methodist Communications, the denomination’s global communication agency.
“Hybrid worship is becoming a norm for many churches” notes Director of Training and Development Jeremy Brown. “Our goal is to help churches identify effective hybrid techniques and highlight tools and skills needed to make hybrid worship accessible to them.”
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Making History for Women's History Month
They say the best way for women to commemorate Women’s History Month is to make history! That’s just what Faith Talks will do March 3, 2 pm ET in a special Women’s History Month celebration of United Methodist Women boldly turning a page to launch a new chapter of sisterhood, faith, and love in action!
Helping UMW celebrate their organization's next chapter will be guests from the National Office.
Check out this video on The Future of United Methodist Women to get ready for our Women’s History Month celebration!
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#StillInMission Episode 40
You are invited to join us for #StillInMission Episode 40 on March 3! In addition to the meetings with missionaries, there will be a joint devotion/centering experience led by the missionary presenters in the episode.
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Application deadline extended for summer internship program for college students of color
The General Board of Church and Society (GBCS) of the United Methodist Church (UMC) announced that applications for the Ethnic Young Adult Internship (EYA) 2022 program have been extended to March 20, 2022. EYA internships offer students of color experience working in Washington, D.C. with GBCS and partner organizations for social advocacy and justice.
This year, the EYA program is scheduled for June 5 through July 30, 2022.
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Miles with Missionaries Lenten Study
March 2 is Ash Wednesday and Lent will be here before you know it. The Miles with Missionaries program is an easy interactive way for you or a small group from your church to do this. Scripture Readings and short videos from United Methodist Missionaries are provided. And you get to choose how you do your miles - walk, run, bike, snowshoe, ski, dance. Pick a movement that brings you joy.
If you are interested in participating in this Lenten journey, please contact Courtney Randall at crandall@umcmission.org.
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Korean pastors call for repentance, unity
Ahead of Lent, more than 100 Korean United Methodist pastors released a statement urging repentance and unity amid challenging times. The "Confession and Covenant" statement was published before the church leaders gathered for the Charisma Revival at First United Methodist Church.
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13: Daylight Saving Time starts
14: Mission District Task Force meeting 6 pm
17: St. Patrick's Day
17: Leadership Team meeting 6pm
23-25: GNW Cabinet meeting - Carlo and Lisa attending
31: Mission District Task Force meeting 6 pm
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15: Annual Conference reports due
17: Easter Sunday
18: Tax Day
19-21: GNW Cabinet meeting - Carlo and Lisa attending
21: Mission District Task Force meeting 6 pm
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Upcoming Clergy Birthdays
March 21 - Nico Reijns
March 23 - Bob Jones Jr.
April 18 - Bertha Koweluk
April 21 - Lucas Boomsma
April 23 - Karen Martin Tichenor
April 30 - April Hall
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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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