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A weekly news update from The Alaska United Methodist Conference
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This year Annual Conference will be held June 2-3 at UMC of Chugiak. The physical address is 16430 Old Glenn Highway, Chugiak, AK.
REGISTER NOW!
Registration cost goes up again on May 19 so make sure you register before then.
Read more about the theme and logo.
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Schedule
The conference secretary has completed the schedule for Annual Conference. However, it is subject to change.
View the schedule
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Pre-Conference Handbook
The pre-conference handbook has been posted on the conference website. For those that chose to download your copy, you can
find it here. Those that have requested that it be mailed to you, they should be sent out in the next day or two.
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Ministry Display Table Request
If you have a ministry within our conference that you would like to highlight with a table at Annual Conference, make sure you
fill out this form and get it to the conference office by
MAY 15! Submissions after that date will not be accepted.
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Award Nominations Deadline Extended!
The conference office has extended the deadline for the Harry Denman and Outstanding Lay Person of the Year Award nominations to
Tuesday, May 9. So it isn't too late to nominate that person you have been thinking of.
Harry Denman Award
Outstanding Lay Person
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Memorial Service Submissions
It has been tradition to say the names of those that have passed away in our congregations since the last Annual Conference. Feel free to make a submission if you would like. Pictures are always welcome!
Memorial Roll
Due date is
May 15!
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Thursday, June 1 the Alaska Conference will host two FREE workshops prior to the annual conference:
Intentional Discipleship which will be led by Jeff Campbell from Discipleship Ministries and
Clergy Benefits & Financial Wellness led by our own Conference Benefits Officer Bruce Galvin. Workshops are open to the public. Registration is required. There will be a dinner offered between the two workshops for $10. Please make sure you pay for your meal at the time of registering.
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Intentional Discipleship
Intentional Discipleship is designed for making disciples in the 21st century. This workshop covers the many facets for creating an intentional discipleship system including the "why" of discipleship and the understanding of "systems" thinking.
This workshop is being offered by Jeff Campbell of Discipleship Ministries
Register here
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Clergy Benefits & Financial Wellness
The HealthFlex Exchange program will be reviewed with a Q&A session. You will review the new auto election program for the United Methodist Personal Investment Plan. The last section will cover financial wellness.
This workshop is being offered by Bruce Galvin our Conference Benefits Officer
Register here
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Housing
If you need housing while attending Annual Conference, make sure you fill out the housing registration!
Register here
Deadline is May 18
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Transportation
If you need transportation while attending Annual Conference, make sure you fill out the transportation registration.
Register here
Deadline is May 18
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Child Care
If you need child care while attending Annual Conference, make sure you fill out the child care registration form. Child care is available to the voting delegates for children 10 years and younger.
Register your kid(s) here
Deadline is May 18
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***
If you registered for housing between April 5 and April 24, please contact the conference office ASAP. Some of the requests DO NOT have names associated with them so it will be very hard to find housing for you! It was our error and we have fixed it now. There are 3 unknowns that we are trying to match up. Thank you!
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April Apportionment Report
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The apportionment report for April has been posted to the conference website. Each church should have given 33.33% at this point in the year.
View the report
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Workshop: Make the Most of Retired Life - Together!
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Recently retired? Retiring soon? Join author and speaker Nora Hall on Saturday, May 6, for a workshop designed to help couples make the transition from work to retirement, peacefully!
From personal experience and research, Nora has identified the issues couples face when both retire-like sharing the home, privacy, creating an identity outside of work-and discovered positive solutions that not only keep the peace but actually enhance the relationship.
The workshop will be held at St. John UMC May 6th from 9:30 am-3:30 pm. The workshop is free of charge and open to anyone. A lunch will be available on site for purchase.
For more information or to register, phone Connie Quinley at 907-632-8045 or St. John UMC at 907-344-3025. View the updated flier here.
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Come Explore the Impact of Federal Changes to Our Faith Communities
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Nora Ortiz Fredrick and Laurie Wolf from The Foraker Group are hosting a breakfast discussion about
standing together against the repeal of The Johnson Amendment & harmful changes to charitable giving deductions.
Come explore the impact of these federal challenges to our faith communities.
President Trump has pledged to repeal the Johnson Amendment - the tax code that prohibits charitable nonprofits, including faith communities, from endorsing political candidates. While some faith leaders hail this effort as religious freedom, many others have raised serious concerns about congregational unity, mission focus, and the financial implications of channeling political funds.
The President and Congress are also looking to overhaul the tax code to include dramatic changes to the charitable giving incentives. Thirty-five percent of all US charitable giving goes to religious organizations like yours. It is critical that faith leaders take a stand to stop these changes. The Foraker Group, Alaska's state nonprofit association, has prioritized these issues at the federal level. Let's work together and raise our collective voice to stand up for Alaska communities.
Join for a breakfast discussion
When: May 9 from 8:30 - 10:30 am
Where: The Foraker Group
Mountain View Service Center
161 Klevin Street - Suite 101
RSVP to Maura at mwharton@forakergroup.org
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WJ Commission on Archives & History Event
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Alaska Conference Historian and Archivist, Larry Hayden, would like to invite everyone to attend the Western Jurisdiction on Archives and History Bi-Annual Meeting and the Historical Society of The United Methodist Church. The event will take place June 26-29, 2017. You can view the letter of invitation, program agenda, and the registration form
on the conference website. If you have any questions, please contact Larry at 222-1938 or
lhaydennjuno@gmail.com.
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Bishop Oliveto and the Judicial Council
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Bishop Ough Challenges UMC Bishops to be Prophetic
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Council of Bishops president Bishop Bruce R. Ough has challenged fellow leaders in The United Methodist Church to find a common moral and prophetic voice to attend to the household of God.
Delivering the president's address at the Council of Bishops yesterday in Dallas, Texas, Bishop Ough implored fellow bishops to be "diligent and prayerful in attending to the fear in our own household, but let us not forget that Jesus calls us to attend to the fear that grips the entire household of God."
"Colleagues, if there was ever a time for this Council to speak to the nations with clarion voice, with righteous judgment, with a call to repent and give one's heart to God, it is now," Bishop Ough declared.
Bishop Ough addressed United Methodist bishops from Africa, Europe, Asia and the U.S. and others gathered for the Council of Bishops' spring meeting in the wake of a complex Judicial Council ruling that the consecration of a gay bishop violates church law.
He acknowledged that the church is "rightly watching" how the bishops will lead in this moment and as we go forward, and urged them to remember and affirm that ministry and life in the church continues.
"From the beginning of the Methodist movement, we have gone to every corner of the globe to proclaim the promise of Easter: In Christ, the stones of your life can be rolled away and you can be set free ...," said Ough, referring to the narrative of the first Easter (Mark 16-1:4).
"Thousands of congregations, on four continents, and scores of annual and central conferences are daily rolling the stone away for individuals and communities to experience the hope and joy of new, abundant resurrected life," said Ough
Watch the video of the presidential address
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Offering Electronic Giving: What Are You Waiting For?
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Discipleship Ministries is offering a webinar for local church leaders in Finance and Stewardship. The webinar is on Thursday, May 11 at 6:30 PM CDT. For many of your church members, the only check they write any more is the one to the church -- unless your church is offering the convenient option of giving electronically! Churches that are open and supportive of this giving option are seeing a great increase in the consistency of people's giving! As this tool of generosity grows in popularity, there are more and more options from which to choose.
Join us for this webinar as Ken Sloane hosts Jan Jasmine of Vanco Payment Solutions to explore an exciting offer this UMC partner is providing local churches.
We will explore the options technology offers and highlight the things you should consider when making a decision for a company to manage electronic donations for your congregation.
Click here to register!
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Heritage Sunday is May 21
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This year's theme is: "MILESTONES - Calling Local Churches to Discover and Celebrate Their History." Resources to guide and assist planning your local church Heritage Sunday celebration are available on the GCAH website. Heritage Sunday (para. 262, 264.1) calls every congregation to remember United Methodist heritage as a source of inspiration for ministry in the present and shaping vision for the future.
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Religion & Race Announces 2017 CORR Action Fund Grant
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The General Commission on Religion and Race (GCORR), The United Methodist Church's racial justice agency, announced that the CORR Action Fund (CAF) will be releasing the United States Program Grants for 2017-2020 with $750,000 in available funding. Applications will be accepted starting May of 2017 with a deadline of August 2017.
GCORR is seeking to fund innovative and bold initiatives that will support vital conversations about race, cultural diversity, xenophobia, and systemic equity.
UMC churches and other UMC entities in the United States are invited to apply for funding to disrupt racism and xenophobia by working with a community partner or alliance to:
- Identify and change at least one racist and/or xenophobic system, policy, or practice in the wider community.
- Engage UMC people with diverse community partners in frequent vital conversations about racism and xenophobia.
- Build understanding and trusting relationships among diverse people in the wider community.
Learn more about the CORR Action Fund grant here.
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May
6: Leadership Team meeting
14: Mother's Day
21: Heritage Sunday
21-25: GNW Cabinet meeting in Seattle - Carlo attending
29: Memorial Day - Office Closed
June
1: Pre-Conference Workshops
2-3: Annual Conference session at UMC of Chugiak
15-17: PNW-OI Joint Annual Conference in Oregon - Carlo attending
26-29: Western Jurisdiction Commission on Archives & History/Historical Society of the United Methodist Church meeting at Alaska Pacific University
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Conference Office Email Address has Changed
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We have changed the conference office email from
umc@gci.net to
alaskaumc@gmail.com. For workflow ease, we are consolidating everything to the Google platform (email, calendar, etc.). Please update your address books/contacts lists and start using
alaskaumc@gmail.com for your emails to the conference. Carlo's email (
carlorapanut@gmail.com) will remain the same.
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Upcoming
No May birthdays
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Conference Office
907-333-5050
Superintendent Carlo
907-854-8340
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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 Monday evening for consideration.
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 Mission Statement:
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 into God's preferred future.
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