Conference News
One Great Hour of Sharing Hits Home
(Amelia Fletcher, AWF Disaster Response Coordinator) - A mantra of disaster work is that "all disasters are LOCAL." In that vein, UMCOR"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 and physical operations of UMCOR. One Great Hour of Sharing is the only request that asks for congregations to dedicate their funding to "keeping the lights on" in the UMCOR office. Without that office and the continuity of operations, the response arm of the church would wither and die. As United Methodists responders, we certainly have carved our presence worldwide and our caring for humanity on our behalf should not be hindered by lack of funding for operations. Click here for more.
Empty Nesters Follow God's Plan
Click here to read a feature article in the Montgomery Advertiser about Rev. Mark Osgood and his wife Beth and their journey of adopting two teenage children from the Ukraine. Mark is pastor at Eclectic United Methodist Church and expressed in the article that he, "felt God was preparing us to take care of a child or two. I knew enough to not say no."
February 2 is Alabama Gives Day
February 2nd is your opportunity to join thousands of Alabamians in being part of a history making event that aims to raise millions of dollars for hundreds of Alabama nonprofits in just 24 hours. Inspired by other Gives Days in the nation, Alabama Gives Day provides nonprofits an opportunity to showcase the impact of the incredible work they do that helps improve the quality of life for everyone in our state. To give to a United Methodist- or Christian-related group, click on their name: UMVIM, Alabama Rural Ministry, Urban Ministry, Methodist Homes for the Aging, United Methodist Children's Homes, Promise Homes, Dumas Wesley, Nellie Burge, Society of St. Andrew, SIFAT.
Winter Storm Update
At this time, damage from the January 23 storms was localized within our conference. Donations and teams are not needed within our area. The North Alabama Conference is only requesting ERT teams from within their own conference. Please continue to check our conference Facebook page for updates. If this status changes, we will post needs on that page.
The Best Advice I Ever Received
(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, "What are lay folks looking for in worship?" His reply was succinct and memorable. "Good preaching and good music." That's it. Click here for full article.
Connectional News
Briefing Previews General Conference Issues
(UMNS) - Diverse issues presented at a recent three-day briefing signaled the workload ahead for the lawmaking body of The United Methodist Church, which meets this spring. More than 300 delegates, communicators and others who will be part of the 2012 General Conference met Jan. 19-21 at the Tampa Convention Center, site of the legislative assembly, for a preview of some of the issues they will face April 24-May 4. For more, click here.
Group Proposes Alternative Restructure
(UMNS) - Uneasy with the Call to Action"s proposed restructuring, leaders of one special-interest group have submitted an alternative reorganization for The United Methodist Church"s top lawmaking body to consider. The Methodist Federation for Social Action, an unofficial progressive caucus, has submitted legislation for a proposal titled "A New UM Administrative Order." Click here for full article.
General Conference Petitions Online
(UMNS) - The Advance Edition of the Daily Christian Advocate, the official journal of General Conference, is now online and available for download at gc2012.umc.org/ADCA. The advance contains all the legislation submitted for consideration by the delegates. The edition is available in English, French and Portuguese.
Supreme Court Shields Church From Bias Laws
(UMNS) - A landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision this month establishes that The United Methodist Church and other religious groups are free to set their own rules for choosing and dismissing leaders without government interference. The high court on Jan. 11 for the first time recognized a "ministerial exception" to U.S. employment anti-discrimination laws, a rare unanimous decision many legal analysts are calling the most significant in many years regarding religious liberty. For more, click here.
Resources
One Great Hour of Sharing is March 18
One Great Hour of Sharing is just weeks away. Be sure to order your free offering resources for this offering that supports the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) so that it may respond immediately and effectively to emergencies around the world as they did in our conference this past spring. When you give to One Great Hour of Sharing, you help to build the strong foundation on which all other UMCOR ministries are built. Because One Great Hour of Sharing covers UMCOR"s administrative costs,100 percent of gifts designated for specific projects is used for those programs.
Have A High School Graduate This Year?
The Georgia Florida United Methodist Federal Credit Union is offering scholarships to recent high school graduates. Four $1,000 scholarships will be awarded to a recipient within each of their four conferences, including the AWF Conference. To apply you must be between the ages of 17-24, attend church in the conference and be a member of the credit union. For more click here. To download an application, click here.
Free Lenten Devotions Program
The Society of St. Andrew invites your congregation to participate in its 2012 Lenten devotion and giving program, "Living Proof." In keeping with the traditions of Lent, the Society of St. Andrew invites your congregation to participate in a program of spiritual reflection, prayer, and giving. SoSA"s Lenten devotion program challenges the reader to take seriously the scriptural injunctions to care for the poor, while also providing an opportunity to feed hungry neighbors. The Society of St. Andrew salvages fresh produce that cannot be sold and delivers it to agencies that feed hungry people in the United States. For questions, or to order SoSA"s free Lenten devotion materials and Good Friday Fast, go to http://www.endhunger.org/lent.htm or you can also contact The Rev. Jennifer Vestal Moore at church@endhunger.org or 800.333.4597.
Upcoming Events
Featured Event: Preaching Excellence: A Learning Community is offered by the Academy for Congregational Excellence and is designed to increase effectiveness in clergy and laity by sharpening skills and increasing competencies. The first session will be held at Frazer Memorial UMC on February 20 at 9am and will be led by Dr. Tim Thompson. Subsequent session dates will be decided by the learning community group. Apply now by contacting Sandy Gutting 850.430.4300 or sgutting@mchsi.com. For more, click here.
Ministry Security Training, February 2
Conference Confirmation Retreat, February 3-5
US-2 and Mission Intern Applications Due, February 5
Religious Arts Festival, February 5-12
Blue Lake Elementary Winter Retreat, February 10-12
Christian Vocation Scholarship Day at BSC, February 11
UMVIM Team Leader Training, February 18
VBS Training for Operation Overboard, February 19
Safe Sanctuaries Training with Rev. Joy Melton, February 21
Fair Labor Standards Act for Church Staffing Seminar, February 22
UMW Tapestry Retreat, February 24-25
Prayer and Mission Conference, February 24-25
Taize Sing-In, February 26
Creating Jazz Liturgy, February 27-29
Knit, Pray, Love, February 29-March 2
AWF Bishop's Day Apart, March 5
28th Holy Spirit Conference, March 9-10
Wesley Heirs Spring Meeting, March 13-14
Lay Speaking Training Academy, March 16-18
Ultimate Training Event (UTE) - Training in Youth Ministry, March 31
Inspirit: Hooray for the Red, White and Blue, April 12-14
United Methodist Men's Advance, April 20-21
Beginning, Renewing and Rescuing Marriage, April 20-22
Springtime by the Sea, May 21-24
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