News

March 09, 2020

AWF Disaster Response Director Releases Information about COVID-19

Friends of the Alabama-West Florida Conference,   By now, most of you are aware of COVID-19, commonly known as the coronavirus. At this time there is no need to panic as the threat remains low. We do have a responsibility to be ...

March 04, 2020

Emory’s Board of Trustees elects new members

(Emory University) - The Emory University Board of Trustees has elected three new members: Andrew W. (Drew) Evans of Atlanta, executive vice president and chief financial officer, Southern Company; Bishop David W. Graves of the ...

March 04, 2020

Public health awareness planned for General Conference

(Commission on the General Conference) - The Executive Committee of the Commission on the General Conference is monitoring developments in the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) and will collaborate with public health authorities ...

February 20, 2020

An Important Word from Bishop Graves: A Lenten Challenge Before General Conference

We invite you to watch an important video message update from Bishop David Graves. Click here to view. Click here to read transcript.  You may also listen to this message as an audio-only podcast by clicking here, by searching for...

February 19, 2020

MAC Track helping teenagers discern God’s call

(Kari Barlow for AWFUMC) - The Alabama-West Florida Conference has launched a new partnership with Huntingdon College to nurture high school students who are discerning a call to ministry.   The program, Ministry as Calling or MAC...

February 18, 2020

Special Collection for Mississippi Flooding

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. -Isaiah 43:2   ...

February 17, 2020

You are invited to the AWF Bishop's Discernment Task Force Listening Session

Let us consider how to spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not neglecting to come together but doing so as the opportunity arises! -Hebrews 10:24 Brothers and Sisters in Christ:   The Bishop’s Discernment Task Force on...

February 07, 2020

A Word from Bishop Graves: The Release of Protocol Legislation

Friends,   The next step related to General Conference 2020 is the release of the legislation from the Protocol of Grace and Separation team. That information was released today, February 7, 2020.   That information may be found ...

February 06, 2020

AWF Bishop's Task Force Continues Work Related to General Conference

The Alabama-West Florida Conference Bishop’s Discernment Task Force met February 3-4 in Pensacola, FL, to continue the vital work of processing information related to General Conference 2020. The members represent various ministry...

January 29, 2020

Statement from SEJ Heads of Delegation regarding Protocol

We, the undersigned SEJ Lay and Clergy Heads of Delegations, affirm the work done on the ‘Protocol of Grace & Reconciliation Through Separation’ and recommend the Protocol be among the first legislative items considered by General...

January 27, 2020

A Word from the Bishop: Prayers for the AWF Conference Appointment Process

Friends,  Currently the cabinet, pastors, staff-parish committees, and churches are working on the upcoming appointment year: July 2020 to June 2021. To inform you of our process, but most importantly to ask for your prayers, I ...

January 16, 2020

Southeastern Jurisdiction Leaders Collaborate in Montgomery

The 2020 Southeastern Jurisdiction (SEJ) Leadership Gathering was held in Montgomery, AL, January 7-9. SEJ Bishops, Directors of Connectional Ministries, Lay Leaders and the Committee on Episcopacy gathered from nine states and ...

January 13, 2020

Disaster Response Update

As we remember 2019 and move forward into 2020, we want to thank all of our churches and partners such as UMCOR, Volunteer Florida, and the Florida Annual Conference for supporting disaster response in Alabama-West Florida.  The ...

January 08, 2020

A Special Word from Bishop David Graves

Friends, Last week the United Methodist Church was in the national media headlines regarding a potential split in the denomination. A press release about a proposed agreement for separation sparked this media attention. Many of ...

January 03, 2020

United Methodist Traditionalists, Centrists, Progressives & Bishops sign agreement aimed at separation

(Washington, D.C.) - A diverse group of representatives from United Methodist advocacy groups with contrasting views and bishops from around the world has collaborated on a proposed agreement for the separation of The United ...

December 06, 2019

A Call for Prayer from Bishop Graves on The Pensacola Naval Air Station Shooting

We invite you to receive these words from Bishop David Graves about the act of violence at the Naval Air Station in Pensacola, FL, this morning. "Our thoughts and prayers extend to all those affected by the shooting that took ...

December 03, 2019

Next Steps ready for January relaunch

(Kara Witherow for the AWFUMC) - A couple of years ago, children in Calhoun County, Florida’s foster care system had to travel nearly 30 miles to have supervised visitation with their parents. Today, children and their parents ...

December 02, 2019

Standing Rules Deadline Announced for 2020 Annual Conference

Information to be publicized in preparation for the 2020 Annual Conference Session   Members and Friends of the Alabama-West Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church:   The Committee on Standing Rules has begun its work ...

November 18, 2019

Global Ministries to Commission New United Methodist EarthKeepers

Global Ministries will commission 67 new EarthKeepers from 23 annual conferences in an online service on November 19, 2019 at 8 pm at www.umcmission.org/live. Lavanda Paul, from Eight Mile, AL, is one of the new EarthKeepers from...

November 14, 2019

AWF Clergy Visit Bahamas to Offer Support

Several Gulf Coast pastors from the Alabama-West Florida Conference visited the Bahamas this week to show solidarity after experiencing a category five storm. Rev. Chris Ackerman, Dr. Nathan Attwood and Dr. Geoffrey Lentz visited ...

November 08, 2019

COB announces bishops' assignments to agencies, boards

(COB) - The Council of Bishops has announced the assignment of bishops to the boards and agencies of The United Methodist Church for 2020-2024 quadrennium. Bishop David Graves of the Alabama-West Florida Conference has been ...

October 31, 2019

Live in Peace Together

(Kari Barlow for AWFUMC) - Edith Brooks thought she was planning a simple trip to the National Memorial for Peace and Justice in Montgomery for a few of her fellow United Methodist Women members in the Bay Pines District.   Then ...

October 30, 2019

Open Enrollment for Conference Insurance for 2020

Are you eligible for the Conference health/dental insurance?  Interested?  Have questions?  Contact BeLinda Carnegie at Office (888-873-3127) for answers about eligibility. Become a church-plan sponsor the lay employees Health ...

October 28, 2019

Ordained Deacon Leads a Life of Service

(Kara Witherow for the AWFUMC) - Whether on the plains of Auburn, in the Black Belt of West Alabama, or the deserts of Iraq, there’s one thing in Rev. Lisa Pierce’s life that doesn’t change. Her passion to serve. For decades, ...

October 28, 2019

Veterans Day Reflection and Prayer from Bishop David Graves

This commentary and prayer was originally published on November 8, 2017. We offer it again as a way to honor our veterans.  As I travel around the Alabama-West Florida Conference, I meet those who are currently serving in the ...

October 21, 2019

New Alabama-West Florida Podcast Series Focuses on Preaching Excellence

The Alabama-West Florida Conference is pleased to announce a new clergy preaching resource. “Word on the Street” is a bi-weekly podcast that was designed to offer unique ways to explore the lectionary text and other relevant ...

October 17, 2019

Hurricane Michael Tour Exemplifies Strength of Connection

October 10, 2018, will be a day not easily forgotten for thousands of people along the Gulf Coast. As with any traumatic event, the first year can be the hardest. For Hurricane Michael survivors, the first anniversary was an ...

October 10, 2019

Alabama-West Florida Conference Awarded Grant for Hurricane Michael Recovery Efforts

On the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Michael, the Alabama-West Florida Conference was awarded a $1.125 million-dollar grant from Volunteer Florida Foundation dedicated to repair and rebuild at least 73 homes. "We are truly ...

October 02, 2019

New no-cost benefits for AWF eligible clergy and conference staff

The Alabama-West Florida Conference Board of Pension and Health Benefits is pleased to announce new benefits at no cost to you starting January 1, 2020, for eligible clergy and conference staff. Rev. Steve Reneau, Pension and ...

October 02, 2019

Conference Grant Helps Congregation Serve Local School

(Kara Witherow for the AWF Conference) - A few loads of laundry, dozens of bags of groceries, and a lot of love have helped revitalize and invigorate Metropolitan United Methodist Church. They’ve also helped meet some tangible ...

October 01, 2019

AWF Clergy Trained on Ways to Resist Racism

Racism. It’s a word many do not seek to learn more about. Whether it is how a person was raised, cultural influences or simply not having resources to properly ask the tough questions, these necessary conversations are not always ...

September 23, 2019

How You Can Celebrate Disability Awareness Sunday

In the Alabama-West Florida Conference, every year we designate a Sunday to celebrate the gifts and graces of persons with disabilities. Sunday, October 20, 2019 was the date selected for this year, but churches may choose to do ...

September 19, 2019

Phishing Scam Targets Congregations

We have heard from a number of Alabama-West Florida Conference clergy whose congregations have been the target of an e-mail scam. Church members have received fraudulent emails that appear to be from the pastor and ask for help ...

September 18, 2019

Local Church Turns Charge Conference Reports into Ministry Celebrations

Charge Conference season is in full force! Many pastors view this as a time of paperwork and a necessary meeting, but others have begun to see this as a time to celebrate ministry and the ways God is working in their local church....

September 18, 2019

Panama City Church Gives Generously to Hurricane Dorian Survivors

Lynn Haven UMC (LHUMC), located in the heart of the Hurricane Michael devastation, knows the pain and heartache of losing everything. On October 10, 2018, Michael was relentless with its power. Many members of Lynn Haven UMC lost ...

September 17, 2019

Potential AWF Called Annual Conference Session Announced for 2020

Under the leadership and direction of Bishop David Graves, the Alabama-West Florida Conference has announced a potential special called annual conference session related to General Conference 2020 legislation. This is in addition ...

September 16, 2019

Hurricane Michael Remembrance Resources Now Available

As previously announced, the Alabama-West Florida Conference is planning intentional time to remember the devastation caused by Hurricane Michael, which made landfall on October 10, 2018.  Multiple resources are now available to ...

September 10, 2019

Hurricane Dorian: How You Can Help

Although the impact on the United States from Hurricane Dorian was less than predicted, we know other areas were not as fortunate. Our prayers continue for our neighbors in the Bahamas and others impacted by the storm. Our ...

September 08, 2019

Preaching Event Equips Clergy for Upcoming Advent Season

Under the leadership of Dr. Sam Parkes and Rev. Jeremy Steele, clergy from around the Alabama-West Florida Conference gathered on Thursday, September 5, 2019, at Montgomery FUMC to collectively explore sermon preparation around ...

September 05, 2019

Oldest Conference Clergy Member Turns 100

(Kari Barlow for AWFUMC) - On a summer evening in Grove Hill, Alabama, in the early 1930s, a 12-year-old Ray Whatley answered the call to pastoral ministry and never looked back.   He and his younger brother, Billy, had walked ...

August 28, 2019

Alabama-West Florida Conference Task Force Reviews Initial Denominational Plans

The Alabama-West Florida Conference Discernment Task Force met on Tuesday, August 27, 2019, at Greenville FUMC. This group had its inaugural meeting on July 16, 2019.   Since the first gathering in July, several denominational ...

August 26, 2019

A Word from Bishop Graves

We invite you to watch a video message update from Bishop David Graves. Click here to view. Click here to read transcript.  You may also listen to this message as an audio-only podcast by clicking here, by searching for "AWFUMC ...

August 16, 2019

Fascinating Discussion Leads to General Conference 2020 Theme

General Conference organizers chose “…and know I am God” as the theme of the 2020 United Methodist General Conference, but not before discovering the Psalm’s words and even its verse numbers vary by translation depending on the ...

August 14, 2019

Alabama-West Florida Conference to Remember Hurricane Michael

October 10, 2018, changed the lives of thousands as well as the landscape of the beautiful states of Florida and Georgia. The Alabama-West Florida Conference is home to numerous churches that received significant damage in ...

August 08, 2019

Rovira Announces Retirement for Fall 2019

Ms. Marth Rovira, Coordinator of Hispanic and Latino Ministries, has announced her retirement, effective November 1, 2019. Rovira has faithfully served in this role for twelve years and has been a dedicated advocate for this ...

August 05, 2019

Longtime FUMC Port St. Joe Member Celebrates Home Restoration

Mrs. Mary Belin, 94 of Port St Joe. FL, is celebrating her home restoration after Hurricane Michael severely damaged the residence. She started working at age 14 so she could put herself through school and moved into this house ...

August 01, 2019

Resisting Racism Training Announced for AWF Clergy

It is oftentimes an eye-opening, embarrassing, and/or troubling moment when a person realizes they have offended someone with a racist comment or action. Situations like this are often the result of a lack of awareness. In an ...

July 16, 2019

Alabama-West Florida Conference Establishes Discernment Task Force

Under the direction of Bishop David W. Graves, a task force of conference leaders assembled on Thursday, July 11, 2019, at Aldersgate UMC in Montgomery, AL.   In its initial meeting on Thursday, the group began by establishing a ...

July 11, 2019

A Word from Bishop Graves and Rev. Chris Ackerman: Tropical Storm Barry and the 2019 Hurricane Season

To our friends, neighbors, and churches in the Alabama-West Florida Conference:   Based on the most recent forecasts from the National Weather Service, it appears that Tropical Storm/Hurricane Barry will eventually have some ...

July 08, 2019

General Conference 2020 Petition Submission Process Opens

Nashville, Tenn.: Petitions for consideration by the 2020 General Conference may be submitted to the Petitions Secretary now through September 18, 2019. According to church law, "Any organization, clergy member, or lay member of ...
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