News

November 12, 2022

Alabama-West Florida Conference ratifies disaffiliations in special-called session

A special-called annual conference session was held on Saturday, November 12, 2022, in accordance with ¶603.5 of the 2016 Book of Discipline.  Thirty-five churches were ratified for disaffiliation by the Alabama-West Florida ...

November 09, 2022

A Word from Bishop Graves: Moving Forward after SEJ

Nancy and I are overjoyed to be reassigned to the Alabama-West Florida Conference. As your bishop, I am deeply honored that I am able to continue partnering with our clergy and laity on many ministry endeavors. In the past six ...

November 08, 2022

Alabama-West Florida Conference Prioritizes Prayer in Coming Year

The Alabama-West Florida Conference is centering its work around prayer in the coming liturgical year. Daily conference work, meetings and conferences will all have prayer as the focus.    “While it seems so obvious that prayer is...

November 08, 2022

United Methodists to Meet in Charlotte for Worldwide Conference

Commission on the General Conference The United Methodist Church FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 4, 2022 Nashville, Tenn.: The Commission on the General Conference announced today that the 2024 United Methodist General Conference ...

November 04, 2022

Graves to Return to Alabama-West Florida Conference as Episcopal Leader

(Lake Junaluska, NC) - On the final day of the 2022 Southeastern Jurisdictional Conference, it was confirmed that Bishop David W. Graves will continue as the Episcopal leader of the Alabama-West Florida Conference for another two ...

November 02, 2022

Southeastern Jurisdiction Conference Updates

The Southeastern Jurisdictional Conference is meeting November 2-4, 2022, at Lake Junaluska Conference Center. The theme is, "This I know."  The primary business of the session will be the election and assignment of bishops. ...

October 31, 2022

Southeastern Jurisdictional Conference to Meet Nov 2-4

The Southeastern Jurisdictional Conference will be November 2-4, 2022, at Lake Junaluska Conference Center. The theme is, "This I know."  The primary business of the session will be the election and assignment of bishops. There ...

October 27, 2022

Registration and Details for November Special Called Session of Annual Conference

Dear Lay and Clergy Members of the Annual Conference,  As a reminder, the upcoming called Annual Conference session will be held on Saturday, November 12, 2022. The purpose of the special session is to vote on matters related to ...

October 06, 2022

AWF Trustees Provide Update on Work Post Sunset Clause and Church Property

The Alabama-West Florida Conference Board of Trustees met on October 6, 2022. During this meeting, work continued on presenting a plan for the voting members of annual conference to ratify in June of 2023.   The plan will outline ...

October 04, 2022

Bishop Requests a Pause on Church Conferences During Holiday Season

Bishop David Graves, resident bishop of the Alabama-West Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church, has called for a pause on any special church conferences or town hall meetings related to local church disaffiliations ...

September 27, 2022

Hurricane Ian: How You Can Help

In preparation for Hurricane Ian making landfall on the Florida peninsula, our conference will begin collecting cleaning kits (previously known as flood buckets) to be sent to areas in the Alabama-West Florida, Florida, and South ...

September 22, 2022

All Eyes on the Tropics

Friends of the Alabama-West Florida Conference,   I bring you greetings from sunny Northwest Florida where it is technically fall but the temperatures tell a different story. Some of you have seen the weather forecasts that Invest...

September 21, 2022

A Word from Bishop Graves: Why I Remain a United Methodist

September 20, 2022 Friends of the Alabama-West Florida Conference, In my journey around the conference in August visiting with laity and clergy, it occurred to me that it could be helpful to share with you several reasons why I ...

September 13, 2022

A Living Hope: An Open Letter About the Future Of the Alabama-West Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church

Grace and Peace to you in our Lord Jesus Christ, We are leaders who love the Alabama-West Florida Conference of The United Methodist Church and are praying for its hope-filled future. We believe no institution or denomination is ...

September 08, 2022

A Word from Bishop Graves: Laity Meeting Recap and FAQ Resource

Dear Friends of the Alabama-West Florida Conference, What a joy to visit with over 2,500 laity across the Alabama-West Florida Conference in the month of August. The attendance surpassed my expectations which tells me people are ...

August 24, 2022

UMC bishops welcome Judicial Council’s clarification of church disaffiliation process

(COB) - The Council of Bishops expresses gratitude for the Judicial Council’s ruling that clarified that Paragraph 2548.2 of The Book of Discipline is not a process of church disaffiliation from The United Methodist Church but is ...

August 18, 2022

2023 Special Called Annual Conference Sessions

Bishop David Graves, episcopal leader of the Alabama-West Florida Conference, in accordance with ¶603.5 of the 2016 Book of Discipline, calls for two 2023 special sessions of the annual conference on Sunday, May 7, 2023, and ...

June 30, 2022

AWF August Regional Laity Meetings with Bishop Graves

June 30, 2022 Join Bishop David Graves and leadership from the Alabama-West Florida Conference at a regional meeting in August. Bishop Graves will bring a message to the laity of the conference and answer any questions they might ...

June 28, 2022

AWF Cohort Initiative Receives Equipping the Local Church Grant From the Foundation For Evangelism

The Alabama-West Florida Conference Cohort Initiative is the recipient of a $10,000 Equipping the Local Church Grant from The Foundation for Evangelism. Chosen from over 100 applications, this initiative was one of 31 grant ...

June 15, 2022

Annual Conference Day Four, June 15, 2022

In the News Full Recap coming this Thursday! Stay tuned to www.awfumc.org/ac2022 for an an overview of the conference. You may use any content from this review in your local churches.  Morning Worship: The final day of annual ...

June 14, 2022

Annual Conference Day Three, June 14, 2022

In the News Morning Worship: Day three of annual conference began with morning worship. Joscelyne Cutchens, a lay person from FUMC Montgomery, offered the call to worship and prayer. Rev. Grant Parker of Epworth UMC gave the ...

June 14, 2022

Annual Conference, Day Two, June 13, 2022

In the News Morning Worship: Each day of annual conference will begin with morning worship. Dr. Kitsy Dixon preached a challenging sermon titled, "I Remember When Christ Saw Me" based on 1 Corinthians 13:8-12. She noted several ...

June 12, 2022

Annual Conference Day One, June 12, 2022

In the News Opening Worship: After two years of virtual conference, clergy and lay members and their guests attended the Opening Worship Service of the 2022 Alabama-West Florida Annual Conference session in the Dunn-Oliver Acadome...

June 02, 2022

2022 Annual Conference Pre-conference Information

The Alabama-West Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church will hold its 2022 Annual Conference session Sunday, June 12-Wednesday, June 15 at the Dunn-Oliver Acadome on the campus of Alabama State University in Montgomery,...

May 16, 2022

Proposed Changes to the AWF Active and Retiree Health Plans

Dear Alabama-West Florida Conference Clergy and Lay Members, It continues to be the mission of the Conference Board of Pension and Health Benefits to provide quality health care coverage for our clergy and conference lay staff. ...

May 03, 2022

The NewsCONNECTION: Special Edition, May 3, 2022

Today's edition of the NewsCONNECTION is dedicated to initial information you may need to know about the 2022 session of Annual Conference.  Comprehensive AC Info Video Available The Alabama-West Florida Conference of the United ...

April 21, 2022

Bishop Calls AWF Special Session

Bishop David Graves, episcopal leader of the Alabama-West Florida Conference, in accordance with ¶603.5 of the 2016 Book of Discipline, calls for a special session of the annual conference on Saturday, November 12, 2022. The ...

April 05, 2022

Special Edition of the NewsCONNECTION: UMC Q&A with Bishop Graves

Bishop David Graves and Mary Catherine Phillips recently gathered to discuss several important topics related to the UMC. We strongly encourage you to watch this video and reach out to your pastor, district superintendent or ...

March 31, 2022

Judicial Council Memorandum Number 1433

IN RE: Clarification of Judicial Council Decision 1421 For the purpose of clarification, the Judicial Council on its own motion modifies its ruling in JCD 1421 as follows: The language of the Digest and Ruling of JCD 1421 is ...

March 17, 2022

2022 Annual Conference Registration Now Live

Registration for 2022 Annual Conference is now live. The clergy and laity sessions will be held on May 15, 2022, via Zoom and the main session is June 12-15, 2022, at the Alabama State University Acadome. Click the below links to ...

March 09, 2022

Conference Celebrates Faithful Missional Giving in 2021

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering; for he who promised is faithful. -Hebrews 10:23   As we approach two full years into the global pandemic, we pause to give thanks to the churches in the Alabama-West ...

March 07, 2022

A Word from Bishop Graves: The postponement of General Conference

Bishop David Graves, resident bishop of the Alabama-West Florida Conference, has responded to the news of General Conference being further postponed until 2024.  Click here to watch video. Click here for written transcript.  In ...

February 08, 2022

Bishop Announces AWF Staff Changes and Cabinet Update

Bishop David Graves, resident bishop of the Alabama-West Florida Conference, has announced two conference staff changes and an update to the cabinet.   Rev. Ashley Davis, current director of connectional ministries and conference ...

February 01, 2022

AWF Training Workshops to Strengthen the Work of the Local Church

The cabinet of the Alabama-West Florida Annual Conference is excited to announce 13 training workshops planned to strengthen the clergy and lay leadership of our local churches. These one-hour workshops will be held via zoom ...

January 27, 2022

A Word from Bishop Graves: Appointment Timeline

Colleagues and Friends,  Currently the cabinet, pastors, staff-parish committees, and churches are working on the upcoming appointment year: July 2022 to June 2023. I have found that cabinet transparency is vital in building ...

January 25, 2022

A Word from Bishop Graves: A New Year

January 25, 2022 Friends,   Greetings to you in this new year. I have hit the ground running in this conference and in the South Georgia Conference. Despite the Omicron variant, ministry continues in numerous ways.    There are ...

January 24, 2022

Alabama-West Florida 2022 Annual Conference Information

January 24, 2022 The Alabama-West Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church will hold its 2022 Annual Conference session Sunday, June 12-Wednesday, June 15 at the Dunn-Oliver Acadome on the campus of Alabama State ...

January 06, 2022

Upcoming Annual Conference Deadlines Announced for 2022

Information to be publicized in preparation for the 2022 Annual Conference Session   Please be aware of upcoming deadlines specified in our Standing Rules: Any proposed changes to the Standing Rules should be received in writing ...

December 21, 2021

United Methodists reach settlement in Boy Scouts' Bankruptcy Case

(UMNS) - United Methodist leaders have reached a settlement in the matter of the Boy Scouts of America’s (BSA) pending bankruptcy proceedings. Upon final court approval, the settlement would resolve any claims of sexual abuse that...

December 13, 2021

How You Can Respond to the Tornado Outbreak

December 13, 2021 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ...

November 29, 2021

'We are truly sorry': Wentworth family laments KKK past with Pensacola faith leaders

(Pensacola News Journal) - With the hot afternoon Florida November sun bearing down, a group of about 50 people gathered at the Hunter Amphitheater at Community Maritime Park on Sunday to participate in an "acknowledgment and ...

November 15, 2021

The Way UMC reaches out to community with soccer league

(Kara Witherow for the AWFUMC) - On sunny Saturday mornings in the fall, the parking lot at The Way United Methodist Church in Pace, Fla. is packed. Children run across the church’s 10 acres, parents cheer, and Rev. Jennifer ...

October 20, 2021

Service of Acknowledgement & Lament Announced

(Pensacola News-Journal) - Last year the public learned that the namesake of the now-former T.T. Wentworth Jr. Florida State Museum was a leader of the Ku Klux Klan during the 1920s. Now, Wentworth's family and the Wentworth ...

October 09, 2021

GBGM Announces 2021-2022 Multiethnic Ministries Grants

Below you will find information and deadlines on the various grants for 2021-2022 offered by the Multiethnic Ministries Unit at Global Ministries. 2021-2022 Global Ministries Multiethnic Ministries Unit Grants             ...

September 09, 2021

The Louisiana Conference Needs Our Help: Supply and Team Information

Friends in the AWF Conference, First I want to say thank you to all of the churches that have been patiently waiting to help the Louisiana Conference with supplies and teams. I can’t begin to express how much it means to me to ...

September 07, 2021

Alabama-West Florida Conference Gives $100,000 to Louisiana Conference for Ida Response

But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. -Isaiah 40:31   Bishop David Graves, resident bishop of the ...

August 30, 2021

Hurricane Ida Disaster Response

August 30, 2021 Friends of the Alabama West Florida Conference,   In light of Hurricane Ida making landfall in Louisiana and Mississippi over the weekend, I wanted to provide you with an update on what we know so far and make you ...

August 17, 2021

Eligibility Rules for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program

(Wespath) - Effective July 1, 2021, eligibility rules for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program have been changed. This change creates a new opportunity for clergy members and other employees of not-for-profit ...

August 16, 2021

2021 Charge Conference Information

Dear Pastors, Fall is near and yet again, we are faced with the challenges of COVID-19. Many of you are navigating how to best kickoff your fall programming in your local church. We are all longing for things that feel "normal" ...

August 16, 2021

2021 Hurricane Season Reminders

(Rev. Chris Ackerman) - To our friends, neighbors, and churches in the Alabama-West Florida Conference: As I’m sure you are aware, tropical storm Fred is headed into the Marianna Panama City District today and he’s bringing with ...
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