http://www.awfumc.org/news_find.aspnothing provideden-usSat, 4 Feb 2012 06:00:00 ESTSat, 4 Feb 2012 06:00:00 ESThttp://www.awfumc.org/news_detail.asp?PKValue=731http://www.awfumc.org/news_detail.asp?PKValue=731(Dr. Herb Sadler) -The best advice I ever got in my ministry came from the father of Bishop Mike Watson. I was a 25 year old recent seminary graduate and had just been appointed as Associate Pastor of First UMC, Dothan. Excell Watson was a wise man and great church leader (Mike was still in high school!). I asked Mr. Watson, quot;What are lay folks looking for in worshipquot; His reply was succinct and memorable. quot;Good preaching and good music.quot; Thats it. I heard that advice 45 Fri, 27 Jan 2012 12:00:00 ESThttp://www.awfumc.org/news_detail.asp?PKValue=730http://www.awfumc.org/news_detail.asp?PKValue=730(Amelia Fletcher, AWF Disaster Response Coordinator) - A mantra of disaster work is that ldquo; All disasters are LOCAL.rdquo; In that vein, UMCORrsquo;s funding is unique to each disaster and it depends on the assessment and willingness of the grassroots communities to manage their own disaster. The contributions sent to UMCOR advances are dedicated 100% to the cause of that advance. No overhead is ever taken out of those funds. Once a year the church is asked to support the office staff anWed, 25 Jan 2012 12:00:00 ESThttp://www.awfumc.org/news_detail.asp?PKValue=729http://www.awfumc.org/news_detail.asp?PKValue=729Seminar To Help Develop Policies And Procedures For Reducing Risk Of Abuse In Churches And Organizations On February 21, 2012, First United Methodist Church of Pensacola will host Rev. Joy Melton, author of the United Methodist Churchrsquo;s Safe Sanctuary Policy on protection of children, youth and vulnerable adults. Rev. Melton has worked with hundreds of congregations and organizations to help develop comprehensive abuse prevention policies and procedures for implementation in ministries Wed, 25 Jan 2012 12:00:00 ESThttp://www.awfumc.org/news_detail.asp?PKValue=728http://www.awfumc.org/news_detail.asp?PKValue=728(Dr. Jeremy Pridgeon) - TheCabinet of the Alabama-West Florida Annual Conference met last week in a regularly scheduled session in Montgomery. We continue to celebrate the work of local congregations in quot;Living the Missionquot; of the church as we seek to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. A significant part of our time together was spent in conversation about the state of the church. We shared stories of where God is at work in our districts, evidenced byTue, 17 Jan 2012 12:00:00 ESThttp://www.awfumc.org/news_detail.asp?PKValue=727http://www.awfumc.org/news_detail.asp?PKValue=727(Lisa Pierce) -1) Bring a mission team 2) Help us recruit summer staff 3) Come ride or support the Cycle of Service Bike Ride Across Alabama in May The New Year has come and once again, Alabama Rural Ministry (ARM) is off to the races! We are rapidly setting up spring and summer work teams, planning for the Cycle of Service bike ride across Alabama, and praying for our summer staff to run our mission camps. Next month we will be setting up our day camps and getting our sponsorships ready. We reFri, 13 Jan 2012 12:00:00 ESThttp://www.awfumc.org/news_detail.asp?PKValue=726http://www.awfumc.org/news_detail.asp?PKValue=726Below is a letter from a clergy spouse, Carmen McCullough, to Rev. Brian Miller in response to a Catapult missional grant written December 30, 2011. The Church at 301 Dexter received this grant to implement a brown bag ministry to inner city children. Brian, Thank you so much for the generous missional grant through Catapult that we received last week. I wanted to let you know the funds have already been put to work to reach the underpriveldged children in our community and to help fight chThu, 12 Jan 2012 12:00:00 ESThttp://www.awfumc.org/news_detail.asp?PKValue=725http://www.awfumc.org/news_detail.asp?PKValue=725I write this on Tuesday, December 13, after Tim Tebow has led the Denver Broncos to yet another come from behind, overtime winndash;the third win in overtime and the fifth 4th quarter comeback win in the last two months. Tebow took over the Broncos as quarterback when their record was 1-4; since then the record is 7-1. The entire nation is fascinated with Tebow. Experts insist he cant throw well enough to be a pro quarterback and others are offended by his clear and open expression of his Wed, 14 Dec 2011 12:00:00 ESThttp://www.awfumc.org/news_detail.asp?PKValue=724http://www.awfumc.org/news_detail.asp?PKValue=724GOD WITH US ldquo;Joy to the world, the Lord is come! Let earth receive her King; Let every heart prepare Him room, And heaven and nature sing, And heaven and nature sing, And heaven, and heaven, and nature sing.rdquo; (UMH 246) The JOY of Godrsquo;s Presence is overwhelming when a great light shines in our darkness. Our dark thoughts are so easily pulled toward worry and fear. Our attention is on the frailty and limitations of life rather than on the One who gives life, the One Fri, 9 Dec 2011 12:00:00 ESThttp://www.awfumc.org/news_detail.asp?PKValue=722http://www.awfumc.org/news_detail.asp?PKValue=722 (Dr. Steve Furr) - The Alabama-West Florida delegation to the 2012 General Conference, as voted on by the 2011 Annual Conference, contains a good mix of veterans and newcomers. Its a group that seriously understands the enormity of the task ahead of them. This General Conference will probably see more proposals for radical change and restructuring than at any time in the past. The delegation is carefully looking at all of these proposals in trying to see which parts of these will truly help toFri, 2 Dec 2011 12:00:00 ESThttp://www.awfumc.org/news_detail.asp?PKValue=723http://www.awfumc.org/news_detail.asp?PKValue=723(Dr. Herb Sadler) -Thanks to the more than 170 of you--clergy and laity--who responded to the Academy for Congregational Excellence (ACE) survey! You indicated your interest in becoming a better leader and you listed areas in which you would like to become more effective. There were many different responses and helpful suggestions about possible learning opportunities. Five areas were the most requested and the Academy for Congregational Excellence is in process of tailoring opportunities tFri, 2 Dec 2011 12:00:00 EST