A weekly news update from The Alaska United Methodist Conference | |
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Special Session is Monday, Jan. 29
The Special Session Call Letter from Bishop Cedrick Bridgeforth was sent out to the 2023 Lay Members to Annual Conference. The new date for the Special Session is Monday, January 29 at 6 PM. It will be held via Zoom. If you didn't get this information and feel you should have, please contact the conference office. Please make sure you have this date on your calendar so you can participate. We plan to have a live stream available. The link should be available later this week.
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Reminder: Save the Date for Annual Conference 2024 in Anchorage
As a reminder in the new year, Annual Conference 2024 will be held in-person at St. John United Methodist Church in Anchorage, as well as online, June 27-30, 2024. We are so grateful for St. John UMC's tremendous hospitality already! Please save the dates on your calendar. More details to come!
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2024 School of Theology
The St. John UMC Care and Discipleship Team is excited to announce the 2024 School of Theology, which will be hosted at St. John UMC in conjunction with the 2024 Annual Conference in June.
Courses are scheduled for June 28 and 29 and will be led by the Rev. Dr. Jaime Clark-Soles, whose focus will be “Experiencing God.” Here’s what she has to say:
“A lot of us know about, talk about, think about, and study about God, all of which is vitally important to our faith. But what about experiencing God? What does that entail for us today? How do our Scriptures help to shape the conversation and set us up for such divine encounters? Grab your Bible and let’s explore!”
Clark-Soles is professor of New Testament and Altshuler Distinguished Teaching Professor at Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University. She is also Director of the Baptist House of Studies at Perkins. She earned her M.Div. from Yale Divinity School and her Ph.D. in New Testament from Yale University.
She is the author of numerous essays and books, including 1 Corinthians: Searching the Depths of God (2021), Women in the Bible (2020), Reading John for Dear Life: A Spiritual Walk with the Fourth Gospel (2016), Engaging the Word: The New Testament and the Christian Believer (2010); Death and the Afterlife in the New Testament (2006); and Scripture Cannot Be Broken: The Social Function of the Use of Scripture in the Fourth Gospel (2003).
Save the dates and look for information on course registration and continuing education credits in the coming months!
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GNW Five Day Academy for Spiritual Formation
Welcoming the Wilderness
Greater Northwest Five-Day Academy
April 21-26, 2024
Faculty presenters, Amy Oden and Daniel Wolpert will share wisdom on how to move beyond simple survival to welcome our wandering in the wilderness as God’s people.
Amy Oden – “Here Is Where We Begin: Practices for the Present Moment”
Daniel Wolpert – “Hanging Your Laundry on a Beam of Light: finding God when Things Fall Apart”
The Greater Northwest Five-Day Academy is a spiritual retreat available to anyone wanting transformative space for communion with God, self, others, and creation.
For more information: Flyer
Registration link: https://gnw-reg.brtapp.com/FiveDayAcademy2024
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Basic Lay Servant Ministries course being offered
Rev. Andy Bartel is offering the BASIC course for Lay Servant Ministries once again.
The schedule is Sunday afternoons February 11-March 10 from 2-4pm. Attendance at all five sessions is required for completion credit. This is a great class to encourage committee chairs and other lay leaders from your congregations to participate in.
Sign up link is here
Participants do not need to live in the Anchorage area to participate. This will be a hybrid course, both in person and on zoom.
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Spiritual Life Minister job opening at AK Child & Family
Have you ever been inspired by the mission of AK Child & Family and the work of its dynamic Spiritual Life Department? If so, you are invited to explore joining Kelli Williams & Chris Hawk in ministry as our Spiritual Life Minister. If you want to make a difference in a young person's life, AK Child & Family is the place for you.
As the only Sanctuary Certified agency in Alaska we champion the Sanctuary Model, fostering safety and resilience during recovery from adversity. Our employees play a pivotal role not only in providing services but also in shaping a trauma-informed community.
The Sanctuary model is a blueprint for change, which at its core, promotes safety and recovery from adversity through the active creation of a trauma-informed community. A recognition that trauma is pervasive in the experience of human beings forms the basis for the Sanctuary Model’s focus not only on the people who seek services, but equally on the people and systems who provide those services.
For details on our Spiritual Life Minister or any other job openings, please contact Human Resources by phone (907) 348-9256 or at HR@akchild.org.
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Connecting Neighbors Virtual Intro Workshop
UMCOR's CONNECTING NEIGHBORS
A “Disaster Ready Congregations” Curriculum of the United Methodist Church
Virtual Introduction to Connecting Neighbors Workshop
Monday, March 4th - 4:00-5:00(PT)
Hosted by the PNW Conference Crest to Coast District
Learn how to facilitate workshops and webinars with the goal of inspiring congregations and communities to be better able to minimize disaster-caused harm to people and property and to respond to our neighbors in helpful, cooperative and caring ways on behalf of the church and in the spirit of Jesus Christ.
This one-hour virtual session will introduce you to the purpose of Connecting Neighbors, the design of the curriculum and provide you with the next steps necessary for your journey to becoming a Connecting Neighbors Ambassador.
Registration is now open! Please visit: http://tiny.cc/cnpnw
Registration closes on February 26.
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Podcast adding General Conference episodes
“Un-Tied Methodism,” the podcast produced by the United Methodist Commission on Archives and History, will air two episodes per month through General Conference this April. Doubling the content will allow the show, hosted by the commission’s top executive, Ashley Boggan D., “to examine General Conference topics, including its history, legislation and what's coming at the 2024 event.” The latest episode is “Multiplying Love: The Wesleyan Vision for a Polarized World.” It features the Rev. Paul Chilcote, renowned John Wesley scholar.
Read press release
Stream latest episode
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The pandemic and clergy discontentment
The Hartford Institute for Religion Research has released a study finding high levels of discontentment among Christian clergy in the U.S. The report, “I’m Exhausted All the Time: Exploring the Factors Contributing to Growing Clergy Discontentment,” includes survey data from about 1,700 religious leaders gathered in the fall of 2023 and is part of the larger Exploring the Pandemic Impact on Congregations project. United Methodist Communications is assisting the ongoing research.
Learn more
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Bishop aims big in short tenure at UM Men
Retired Bishop James Swanson wants United Methodist Men to go beyond pancake breakfasts and prioritize getting out into the community and committing to authentic Christian discipleship. He has a small window to impact the commission as the interim top executive after the resignation of Greg Arnold. Swanson plans to stay on through General Conference.
Read the story
UM News: UM Men is on the move
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Clergy lending programs created
Interfaith Federal Credit Union understands answering the call to serve as clergy comes with unique financial challenges. Debt burden can impact peace of mind, and in turn the capacity to serve. Two lending programs have been created to support clergy in managing debt and living a more empowered financial life. The Pastoral Signature Loan offers up to $3,000 for up to 24 months at a lower rate. It is designed to help clergy avoid high interest long-term debt for unexpected expenses. The Clergy Debt Relief Program, made possible in partnership with Wespath, offers up to $20,000 to refinance and alleviate high interest debt at a great low rate. For information and rates, go to www.InterfaithFCU.org/pastoral-loan-program, email lending@InterfaithFCU.org, or call 800-245-0433.
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Series highlights United Methodist Building history
On Jan. 10, 1924, the United Methodist Building officially opened on Capitol Hill. Each month in 2024, as part of its new “On This Day” series, the United Methodist Board of Church and Society will highlight notable days offering glimpses into the momentous 100-year history of the United Methodist Building and the people called Methodists often walking along side ecumenical partners living their faith through social witness.
Read the story
Watch the video
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Coming soon: 2024 Lenten Devotional from GCORR
General Commission On Religion and Race invites you to use the new 2024 Lenten devotional, "Transform Us: Journeying with Jesus Towards a New Church” for personal or congregational use. This devotional was inspired by themes from our Racial Justice Prayer and Action Challenge: lament, repentance, hope, liberation, healing, and reconciliation. The purpose of the devotional is three-fold:
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Help people of faith gain additional biblical and theological learning regarding how the practice of antiracism is part of our discipleship journey.
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Understand how (white) privilege can be used to benefit and harm others.
- Transform hearts and minds through each week’s devotional reading.
Sign up for more information
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Heartbreak, hope follow season of church exits
The Lewis Center for Church Leadership has released its final report documenting disaffiliations from The United Methodist Church. While a quarter of U.S. churches have left the denomination, new United Methodist faith communities are springing up out of the remnants.
Read story
Read sidebar on tracking the official disaffiliation data
Read Lewis Center report (PDF)
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29 ways you can participate in Black History Month
February is Black History Month. Whatever your heritage or background, Black history is part of everyone's history. The General Commission on Religion and Race has compiled 29 suggestions to help United Methodists celebrate Black History Month during this leap year.
View suggestions
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African delegates commit to unity, regionalization
Nearly 200 African delegates to the upcoming General Conference say they are committed to staying in The United Methodist Church and expressed their support for regionalization. The group gathered in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, for an orientation organized by the advocacy group United Methodist Africa Forum to prepare for the upcoming legislative assembly.
Read the story
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US House speech highlights church teachings
U.S. Rep. Delia Ramírez (D-Ill.), a member of Humboldt Park United Methodist Church in Chicago and the United Methodist caucus MARCHA, delivered a Jan. 18 speech to the U.S. House of Representatives calling for “the sacred treatment” of migrants, refugees and asylum-seekers. “Thank you to my United Methodist Church and MARCHA for allowing me to make this prayer part of our Congressional Record,” she posted on X, formerly Twitter.
Listen to the speech
UM News: First United Methodist Latina sworn into US Congress
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New stage, new look for historical collection
Out of sight for more than two years, the Methodist historical collection that had been at the World Methodist Museum in Lake Junaluska, North Carolina, is back on display and in a new home — Bridwell Library at Dallas' Perkins School of Theology. Sam Hodges reports that while John Wesley remains front and center, women and people of color who had a key role in Methodism’s growth are also highlighted by the exhibit.
Read the story
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Art ministry helps those in recovery
An art show at the Art Center of Battle Creek features works by students from the Men’s Life Recovery Program at The Haven of Rest Ministries and the Rev. Sue Trowbridge, a retired United Methodist pastor. Trowbridge teaches painting and other artistic media at the yearlong recovery program for persons with addictions. The paintings by Trowbridge and her students are on sale, and profits will benefit The Haven of Rest Ministries.
Read the story
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23-25: GNW Cabinet Meeting
25: Leadership Team meeting @ 5 PM via Zoom
29: Special Session @ 6 PM via Zoom
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1: First Day of Black History Month
2-6: Alaska Equity Training at Alaska Pacific University - Office will be closed because staff will be attending
14: Valentine's Day
19: President's Day - Office Closed
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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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