GNW MILE page launched!

The GNW communications team has launched the Going the M.I.L.E. website (and have created a logo). Please know that on this page is the summary video Bishop Cedrick recorded. It will be shared during your charge conference gatherings.

https://greaternw.org/mile/

Orange Shirt Day - Sept. 30

Orange Shirt Day, also called National Day for Truth and Reconciliation or National Day of Remembrance, is observed yearly on September 30 in Canada and the United States.

The annual Orange Shirt Day opens the door to global conversation on the devastating impact of Residential Schools.  It is an opportunity to create meaningful discussion about the effects of Residential Schools and the harmful legacy they left behind, the historic trauma that continues to this day.  A day for survivors to be reaffirmed that they matter, and so do those that have been affected through historic trauma. 

The orange shirt has since become a symbol of hope, reconciliation and a commitment to a better future. By wearing an orange shirt on September 30^th, you make a statement to support a movement towards reconciliation and commit to learning the truth about the cultural genocide that took place in the boarding school movement as well as embodying a commitment to the enduring truth that EVERY CHILD MATTERS.

This past weekend when the Pastoral Leaders gathered at APU, they did a one-mile MILE walk and had a vigil in support of truth and reconciliation.

Here is a link to the Orange Shirt Day site:  Orange Shirt Day - Orange Shirt Society.

Pastoral Letter from the WJ College of Bishops

Dear Beloved Members of The United Methodist Church in the West,

Grace and peace to you in the name of Jesus Christ.

[Friday], a jurisdictional trial concluded that involved our colleague, Bishop Minerva Carcaño, as respondent. Under the oversight of presiding officer Bishop Alfred Gwinn, the trial resulted in a dismissal of all four charges against Bishop Carcaño as the jury found her actions to be within the bounds of her episcopal authority.

Continue to read the letter from Friday, September 22

PFD missional giving

Each eligible Alaskan will soon be recieving $1,312 in their bank accounts from the Alaska Permanent Fund Dividend account. This is a great opportunity to tithe 10% of that amount back to your local church. Your churches missions and ministries aren't possibly without donations from their members.

Fall Market at Turnagain UMC

Turnagain UMC is inviting everyone to their 2nd Annual Fall Market on September 30, 2023, rain or shine!

They have over 20 vendors confirmed. Know what that means? Lots of great things for you to get your holiday shopping started or just to treat yourself!

They have 2 wonderful bakers who will be selling their delicious treats! They have hand painted gold pans, handmade jewelry, signs, clothing, and tumblers. They will also have a community garage sale that will be happening too!

This is free and open to the public!

St. John fall auction - save the date

St. John will be hosting their annual auction on Saturday, Nov. 11. Doors open at 5:00 p.m. Together, St. John and First UMC will be raising funds for kitchen updates, allowing for additional programming and services. The evening will include a silent auction, a live auction, dinner, and entertainment. Childcare will also be provided.

You can help support our mission and the event through two ways:

1) ATTEND! They hope you will join them on Nov. 11 and ask that you invite your friends and family. They also hope that you’ll bid high and bid often! They have begun selling tickets and they can be purchased via cash or check or online. You can pay with a check or cash at the church office. 

2) DONATE AUCTION ITEMS! They hope you’ll consider donating to the auction – either services or items. This year, they’re hoping to have a baked good section and lots of food themed items!

Who I am Called to Be

For laity in The United Methodist Church who feel called by God to make a lifetime commitment to full-time ministries of love, justice, and service, there is an opportunity to become part of a covenant community.

Join on September 28, 2023, at 8 p.m. ET to learn more about what it means to be a deaconess and home missioner.

Register here: https://tinyurl.com/DHMSept2023

If you would like to have more information, but can't attend the event, contact Deaconess Chivi at deaconesschivi@gmail.com

Using A.I. Tools in the Church: Nov. 6

Amazon bestselling author and consultant Jason Moore will guide a conversation about what AI (artificial intelligence) is and which tools are most useful for various aspects of ministry and will demonstrate how to use them. Best of all, most A.I. tools are free to use or are very affordable. Regardless of your church size, budget, and worship style, this AI primer will be helpful for you.

• The session is open to clergy and laity in the GNW Area
• It starts at 2:30 p.m AK, 3:30 p.m. PT, 4:30 p.m. MT

Register now!

'Housing God's Beloved' Nov. 4 event now open

Registration is now open to participate in the "Housing God's Beloved" hybrid event Nov. 4 at Parkrose UMC in Portland, Oregon, from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Pacific Time. The event is open to anyone in the GNW Area to attend in person or online. A planning team is hard at work putting together the programming for the seminar/workshop/conference. Bishop Cedrick Bridgeforth, who is championing the cause of going the M.I.L.E. through ministry that matters in the area of housing, will be one of the keynote speakers.

Register now!

Advanced Preaching class for Certified Lay Ministers and Lay Speakers

An Advanced Preaching Class is being offered for Certified Lay Ministers and Lay Speakers on Oct 21 & 28 via Zoom to provide students with advanced skills in preaching. Participants will receive feedback from experienced preachers on a sermon they prepare and deliver. This free course requires an Introductory Course in Preaching as a prerequisite. Do not delay in registering; space is limited to 9 students.

Learn more and register on the PNW Conference website.

Called to Preach: A Lay Servant Ministries advanced course

For those looking to take what they've learned in a Lay Servant Ministries basic course a little bit farther, this class is open to anyone in the GNW Area to attend. It runs on Thursday evenings, starting Oct. 19.

Learn more + register on the OR-ID Conference website.

Living Our United Methodist Beliefs - Advanced Lay Servant Ministries course offering on Zoom

Living Our United Methodist Beliefs (United Methodist Heritage) explores the special gifts of theology, witness, and organization that The United Methodist Church brings to the church universal, how we got where we are today, and how our distinctive emphases are still needed in the 21st-century church. This is an Advanced LSM course.

Learn more + register on the OR-ID Conference website.

Church court finds bishop not guilty

A church court found Bishop Minerva G. Carcaño not guilty on all charges. After the verdict was announced, Carcaño said she felt “great joy,” but she also acknowledged much healing will need to be done as she resumes her duties as bishop of the California-Nevada Conference.

Read the story

See more UM News photos

Read Day 1 report

Read Day 2 report

Read Day 3 report

Idalia cleanup continues

Eighteen South Carolina disaster missioners headed to South Georgia in early September in the aftermath of Hurricane Idalia. Torrential rains caused widespread flooding, uprooted trees and destroyed buildings in Valdosta, Georgia, prompting a call for assistance from the South Georgia Conference’s Disaster Response team. Among the team’s projects was disposing of a large oak tree in front of Holly Hill United Methodist Church.



Read the story

UM News: United Methodists begin Idalia recovery

Church rebounds after disaffiliation vote

Last December, First United Methodist Church of Archer City had a disaffiliation vote that failed. The church had under a dozen people in the pews the Sunday after the vote. But it’s averaging about 30 worshippers now and is seeing other signs of new life.



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Special Sunday helps students fulfill calling

World Communion Sunday in October helps finance scholarships and leadership development opportunities for international students and U.S. racial-ethnic students who are pursuing advanced degrees. United Methodists who have benefited include the Rev. Claudine Leary, who had to flee Rwanda because of genocide and lived in refugee camps for years. Today, Leary is involved with a nonprofit she co-founded to resource and advocate for the education of children living in refugee camps in sub-Saharan Africa.

Read the story

See World Communion Sunday resources

Joint Mission Consultation welcomes regionalization

The General Board of Missions of the Korean Methodist Church and the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries held their second Mission Consultation Aug. 30-31. The two groups agreed to collaborate on developing faith leaders in Asia and collaborating on ministries for peace and justice on the Korean Peninsula and worldwide.

Read the story

African bishops tackle regionalization

Conversations on regionalization, possible new episcopal areas and the Christian definition of marriage dominated the United Methodist Africa Colleges of Bishops learning retreat, held Sept. 2-7 in the Democratic Republic of Congo. After the meeting, most African bishops signed a statement affirming their intention to stay in The United Methodist Church.

Read the story

Survey: Clergy more liberal than congregants

Clergy in mainline Christian churches — including United Methodists — are more liberal than the people they lead, according to a recent survey by the Public Religion Research Institute. The survey showed that about half of the clergy polled identify with the Democratic Party, while 45% of mainline Protestant churchgoers are conservative politically. In The United Methodist Church, 44% of the pastors identified themselves as liberal.

Read the story

James Lawson day declared

The Rev. James Lawson Jr. was honored Sept. 22 in California by the Los Angeles Board of Supervisors, who declared it “Rev. James Lawson Jr. Day.” Lawson, a retired United Methodist pastor, trained students in nonviolent resistance in the 1960s as a colleague of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. The board said in a statement it was celebrating Lawson’s “remarkable achievements to advance his philosophy of nonviolence, end racial discrimination, strengthen workers’ rights and promote human dignity.”

Read the story

Help wanted for ministry to migrants

The California-Pacific Conference is making an urgent request for volunteers. The conference says local United Methodist churches need help as they minister to asylum seekers and refugees who have been approved for entry into the U.S. and dropped off at transit centers across San Diego.

Read the press release

Boggan affirmed at commission meeting

The board of the United Methodist Commission on Archives and History unanimously voted for Ashley Boggan D. to continue as top executive for another year during its virtual annual meeting Sept. 14-15. In her report to the board, Boggan spoke about her visits to United Methodist churches, leadership conferences and the Council of Bishops spring meeting. She also previewed the planned American Methodist Pilgrimage set to launch in 2025, which will visit historically relevant sites to Methodism in New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington, D.C.

Read the press release

Christmas Eve 2023 worship resources

With the Fourth Sunday of Advent and Christmas Eve falling on the same day, this year presents unique worship planning challenges and opportunities. Click below for planning and preaching notes, offertory prayers, downloadable graphics and more!

We hope these resources inspire and assist you as we begin the day at the close of Advent and end the day by celebrating the birth of Jesus, our wondrous Light!

Worship Resources!

Pastor works through tragedy

Pastor Christina Lee’s parents were tortured to death by the Khmer Rouge Regime in Cambodia, yet she is spending her life as “a beacon of unwavering faith and resilience.” Through her leadership, Dr. Lee is cultivating a community of faith at Long Beach Cambodian American United Methodist Church, where everybody has a home.

Read the story