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 closed. If you are supposed to be registered and have missed the deadline, please contact the conference office immediately.
Download your Pre-Conference Handbook here prior to Annual Conference.
Dates to save on your calendar (links added when available):
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New Lay Member Orientation - June 7, 6:30-7:30 p.m. AKT
- GNW Laity session – June 14, 5:30 p.m. AKT
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Alaska Pre-Conference Informational Meeting - June 14, 6:30 - 8 p.m. AKT
- GNW Opening Session – June 19, 5 p.m. AKT
- Alaska Conference Plenary Session – June 20, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. AKT
- PNW Service of Commissioning & Ordination, June 22, 10 a.m. AKT
- Oregon-Idaho Service of Commissioning & Ordination, June 24, 10 a.m. AKT
- GNW Closing Session – June 25, 8 a.m. AKT
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Would you like to go on a mission trip in July?
The United Methodist Church of Chugiak is sending a small work team to Nome to install flooring at Nome Community UMC from July 11-16. They will be sleeping & cooking in the church and laying vinyl panels & carpet throughout the church.
Because of the scope of the work, we could use a few (3?) more workers for the week. If you are interested in doing some good work for the good people of Nome, please contact Pastor Jim Doepken (pastorjim@gmail.com).
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Anchor Park yard sale
Our biggest yard sale ever will be Sat., June 11, from 9am-4pm. We have a tremendous amount of misc. items including: kitchenware, material, crafting items, blankets & sheets ( lots of king size bedding), shoes & clothing for the whole family, games, toys & puzzles, & SO much more. Donations will be welcomed and proceeds will go to Mission and the Youth. You don't want to miss this one! Church address is 2300 Oak Drive, Anchorage.
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Church court modifies ruling on bishop elections
The United Methodist Church’s top court has modified an earlier ruling to say that newly elected U.S. bishops will take office on Jan. 1, 2023. The Judicial Council previously ruled that the Council of Bishops could call U.S. jurisdictional conferences this year to elect and assign new bishops.
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Church court releases 3 decisions
The United Methodist Church’s top court released the final rulings of its fall docket, including a decision raising constitutional issues with a longtime provision of church law. Looking ahead, the Judicial Council faces more questions related to disaffiliations.
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Campus ministry cutting ties with denomination
The Wesley Center at the University of Iowa has announced that it will not renew as a covenant organization with The United Methodist Church. “We have stood by our commitments to peace with justice, anti-racism and the sacred worth of queer and trans people in the face of opposition from our government and religious denomination. … Our values no longer align with those of the UMC.” A spokesperson for the Iowa Conference of The United Methodist Church said conference leaders had not received official notice of the campus ministry’s decision to cut denominational ties.
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Filipinos to elect new bishops
United Methodist bishops in the Philippines have called for a special session of the Philippines Central Conference in November to elect new bishops. All three current bishops plan to retire.
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Document aims to guide Methodism
More than 60 theologically conservative scholars and theologians have signed a six-part, 62-page document they hope will guide the trajectory of Methodism. "The Faith Once Delivered: A Wesleyan Witness" was first drafted at The Next Methodism Summit in January. Signers come from the theologically conservative wing of The United Methodist Church as well as Anglican, Holiness and Pentecostal denominations.
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'Fiesta Jubilosa' aids bilingual worship
Songs and prayers in Spanish and English to aid bilingual worship are offered in the new "Fiesta Jubilosa" ("Joyful Fiesta"). The resource is published by The United Methodist Publishing House, which is distributing 5,000 copies at no charge to bilingual churches in the denomination. The general editor of "Fiesta Jubilosa" is Raquel Mora Martinez.
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What church says about preventing gun violence
Ready to move from “thoughts and prayers” to movement and action? Ask The UMC, a ministry of United Methodist Communications, offers an overview of how people can get involved in the denomination’s work to address gun violence.
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Permissions extended for worship materials
As churches continue online worship, the United Methodist Publishing House is extending full permission to all churches for use of its copyrighted worship materials indefinitely. This permission does not extend to events other than worship services.
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Juneteenth: United Methodists reflect and celebrate
Enslaved people in Texas received word of their freedom on June 19, 1865. Learn more about Juneteenth and how lessons from the past offer hope for the future.
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Serving those often overlooked
Check out how a United Methodist church supports people who have been incarcerated as they transition back into the community.
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7: New Lay Member Orientation (6:30 p.m.)
14: GNW Laity session (5:30 p.m. AKT)
14: Alaska Pre-Conference Informational Meeting (6:30 p.m.)
19: Father's Day
19: Juneteenth
19: GNW Opening Session (5 p.m. AKT)
20: Alaska Conference Plenary Session (9 a.m. to 7 p.m.)
22: PNW Service of Commissioning & Ordination, (10 a.m. AKT)
24: Oregon-Idaho Service of Commissioning & Ordination (10 a.m. AKT)
25: GNW Closing Session (8 a.m. AKT)
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4: Independence Day - Office Closed |
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Upcoming Clergy Birthdays
June 8 - Jim Doepken
June 10 - Carlo Rapanut
June 15 - Matt Reinders
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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