News (The 20 most recent)
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The Best Advice I Ever Received
Written: 1/27/2012
(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 ...
Safe Sanctuaries Training Presented By Author Joy Melton
Written: 1/25/2012
Seminar 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 Church’s Safe Sanctuary Policy on protection of children, youth...
One Great Hour of Sharing Hits Home
Written: 1/25/2012
(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...
AWF Cabinet January Meeting Summary
Written: 1/17/2012
(Dr. Jeremy Pridgeon) - The Cabinet 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 "Living the Mission" of the church as we seek to make disciples of Jesus Christ f...
Alabama Rural Ministry Anticipates Helping Many in New Year
Written: 1/13/2012
(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, p...
Catapult Missional Grant Makes Immediate Impact
Written: 1/12/2012
Below 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 gener...
Guest Commentary: Dr. Herb Sadler
Written: 12/14/2011
I write this on Tuesday, December 13, after Tim Tebow has led the Denver Broncos to yet another come from behind, overtime win–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 t...
Advent Greetings from Bishop Leeland: God With Us
Written: 12/9/2011
GOD WITH US
“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...
AWF Delegation Continues Preparation for 2012 Conferences
Written: 12/2/2011
(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. It's a group that seriously understands the enormity of the task ahead of them. This General Conference will probably see...
Survey Responses Help Shape Future of ACE
Written: 12/2/2011
(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 d...
Blue Lake Launches 20 in 12 Campaign
Written: 11/17/2011
Dear Pastors and Leaders of the Alabama-West Florida Conference,
Blue Lake United Methodist Assembly’s 2012 Annual Fund campaign is keyed on your support and action communicating directly to your local membership. Blue Lake’s "20 for 12 in 2012" theme depends on reaching ...
AWF Cabinet November Meeting Summary
Written: 11/16/2011
(Dr. Jeremy Pridgeon) - The Cabinet of the Alabama-West Florida Conference met in a regularly scheduled session in Montgomery on November 14-16. We participated in the Incubator process, continuing to explore ways of creating alignment in our ministry teams across the conference. There are many grou...
Council of Bishops Summary Report for November, 2011
Written: 11/8/2011
To our sisters and brothers, disciples of Jesus Christ and members of The United Methodist Church around the world: Grace and peace to you, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ!
More than 110 active and retired members of the Council of Bishops gathered at Lake Junaluska, North Carolina from Sunday...
Academy for Congregational Excellence Offers Leadership Opportunities
Written: 11/7/2011
(Dr. Herb Sadler) - The Academy for Congregational Excellence, Alabama-West Florida's newest ministry, is founded on two verifiable assumptions:
1. Effective leadership leads to vital, fruitful churches.
2. Leadership can be learned.
In January 2012, the Academy for Congregational Excellence ...
Know Your DS, Rev. John Bonner
Written: 11/4/2011
This is the final article featuring a district superintendent. This edition's spotlight is on Rev. John Bonner, Demopolis District Superintendent.
What brought you into the ministry?
My minister, Fred Toland (Oakdale UMC and Inner City Mission) invited me to go with him to see people in &ldq...
Who Is My Neighbor?
Written: 11/4/2011
(Susan Hunt) - I recently saw a picture of a t-shirt. It said this: “Love Thy Neighbor.” Well, that’s easy enough, because that’s what Jesus told us to do, right? The story of the “Good Samaritan” in Luke 10:25-37, was about just that. But the t-shirt doesn...
The "SEND" Missional Plan
Written: 10/28/2011
(Dr. Philip McVay) - The Alabama-West Florida Conference is inviting every church and pastor to form teams using the "SEND" model missional plan, as a guide. What is the SEND model? "SEND" is an acronym for SEEK, ENGAGE, NURTURE, and DEPLOY. This simple word helps us stay focu...
Know Your DS: Rev. Tonya Elmore
Written: 10/21/2011
The next two editions of the NewsCONNECTION will feature a district superintendent. This edition's spotlight is on Rev. Tonya Elmore, Mobile District Superintendent.
What brought you to the ministry:
The young adult bowling team of the Mary Esther United Methodist Church helped me come to know an...
Alabama Rural Ministry Director Goes in the Shack
Written: 10/20/2011
Lisa Pierce, with Alabama Rural Ministry, goes in the “Shack” on October 27! Help ARM raise $20K to get her out and serve 39 families!
As we all continue to trudge through our economy and tough financial choices, we are ever mindful of families isolated in rural communities who also str...
The Journey continues in Crestview, FL
Written: 10/20/2011
(Rev. Sean Peters) - There are several exciting things happening that I wanted to update you on. We are a little over three months in to this great adventure of starting a new church in Crestview, and we can report that the Lord is good all the time. I wrote in August about our mission outpost/coffe...