News

February 13, 2019

A Video Message from Bishop Graves: General Conference 2019

We invite you to watch a video message from Bishop David Graves related to the upcoming special-called General Conference. Click here to view. Click here to read transcript.  There are many resources available related to this ...

February 07, 2019

Century Church project gaining ground

(Kari Barlow for AWFUMC) - Century Church is several steps closer to finalizing the design of its innovative new campus at The Oaks in Pike Road.   In mid-December, church members, community residents and local officials joined ...

February 07, 2019

Rev. Walter Cash to retire as Director of Alabama Course of Study School after 24 years of service

“I am where I am in ministry because of persons who have taken an interest in me – helping me and mentoring me and providing a way for me to be the best pastor I can be,” the Reverend Walter Cash reflects. “Because so many have ...

February 01, 2019

Seminar on Racial and Economic Justice Educates Conference on Past and Present Issues

The AWF Board of Church and Society held a Seminar on Racial and Economic Justice to bring awareness to current and past injustices. The seminar welcomed Gabrielle Daniel, a Racial Justice Fellow with Equal Justice Initiative ...

January 31, 2019

Think about it ... social media exposes whatever is in your heart

(Bishop David Graves for The Montgomery Advertiser) - My seminary professor of preaching was Dr. Fred Craddock who said, “The longest journey any of us will ever make is from the head to the heart.” Think about that for a moment. ...

January 24, 2019

Florida churches raise over $1.5 million for Michael relief

(Florida Conference UMC) - Inspired by a matching funds challenge of $500,000 from First UMC Ormond Beach, Florida Conference churches raised over $1 million for Hurricane Michael relief for the Alabama West Florida Conference. A ...

January 22, 2019

Conference Staff off to busy start in 2019

(Kari C. Barlow for AWFUMC) - The Alabama-West Florida Conference staff is ushering in the new year with a renewed focus on its 2018-2020 priorities.   Those four areas—growing discipleship, cultivating exceptional talent, ...

January 18, 2019

2019 Annual Conference Pre-conference Briefing Dates Announced

The Alabama-West Florida Conference will hold seven pre-annual conference briefings for clergy and lay members to annual conference. These meetings will be under the direction of Rev. Ashley Davis, AWF Director of Connectional ...

January 17, 2019

Prayers for the AWF Conference Appointment Process

Friends, Currently the Cabinet, Pastors, Staff-Parish Relations Committees (SPRC), and churches are working on the upcoming appointment year, which spans from July 2019 to June 2020. To inform you of our process, but most ...

January 15, 2019

AWF Announces Hurricane Michael Recovery Leaders

  The Alabama-West Florida Conference is pleased to announce two new leaders for the Hurricane Michael long-term recovery efforts.   Rev. Chris Ackerman will serve as the Hurricane Michael Recovery Director and Tammy Tisher will ...

January 14, 2019

A Video Message: 2019 is off to a great start!

We invite you to watch and share a video message from Bishop David Graves, staff and cabinet about several exciting things happening in 2019. Click here to view. Click here to read the transcript. Closed captioning is now ...

January 10, 2019

Deaf Prayer Service Held for those impacted by Hurricane Michael

Woodlawn United Methodist Church in Panama City hosted a Deaf Prayer Service for members of the local Deaf Community impacted by Hurricane Michael on November 24, 2018. Reverend Mark Ehrlichmann, pastor of Center Ridge United ...

December 17, 2018

Competency, Camaraderie and Creativity

New Bishop’s Clergy Learning Cohort focuses on pastoral support   (Kari C. Barlow for AWFUMC) - Bishop David Graves, in partnership with the Academy for Congregational Excellence (ACE),  has launched a new initiative—the Clergy ...

December 10, 2018

Hurricane Michael Disaster Response, December 10, 2018

The Alabama-West Florida Conference continues to serve those in need along the panhandle of Florida after Hurricane Michael.  Conference leaders and UMCOR consultants have assisted those who setup temporary shelter at Forest Park ...

December 07, 2018

Save the Date: Post General Conference Regional Meetings

Please save the date for a post 2019 general conference regional meeting in your area. Bishop David Graves and AWF conference leadership are inviting all clergy and laity to join them for an overview of the called session and a ...

December 05, 2018

Upcoming Annual Conference Deadlines

Members and friends of the Alabama-West Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church:   The Committee on Standing Rules has begun its work in preparation for the 2019 Annual Conference session, June 2-5, 2019, at Frazer ...

November 28, 2018

Fund Pledges Additional Resources For Hurricane Michael Relief

Hurricane Michael caused severe damage to Port St. Joe, Florida, a community with deep ties to the Jessie Ball duPont Fund. According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, 57% of structures, (homes and businesses with ...

November 28, 2018

Shelter from the Storm

First UMC Opelika offers Lynn Haven UMC Youth Group respite from hurricane recovery   (Kari Barlow for AWFUMC) - About two weeks after Hurricane Michael devastated Panama City and much of the surrounding area, Lynn Haven UMC ...

November 27, 2018

Hurricane Michael Disaster Response, November 27, 2018

Giving Tuesday is today! There are many worthwhile ministries to consider. We invite you to consider giving to the Alabama-West Florida Conference for the Hurricane Michael relief efforts. This money continues to be distributed to...

November 15, 2018

A Video Message from Bishop David Graves and Rev. Ashley Davis

We invite you to watch and share a video message from Bishop David Graves and Rev. Ashley Davis related to our Hurricane Michael recovery efforts. Click here to view. Click here to read the transcript. Closed captioning is now ...

November 12, 2018

Hurricane Michael Disaster Response, November 12, 2018

As we continue to assess the needs in the Marianna, Port St. Joe, Panama City and surrounding areas, we will need as many ERT teams as possible. Badged out-of-conference teams are invited to the panhandle area. All teams must plan...

November 07, 2018

Hurricane Michael Disaster Response, November 7, 2018

Thank you for your continued generosity and desire to help those in the panhandle of Florida. The response from the Alabama-West Florida Conference will be a long-term effort. It is extremely important to remind local churches and...

October 30, 2018

Hurricane Michael Disaster Response, October 30, 2018

Thank you for the tremendous outpouring of love and support you continue to provide to those in the panhandle. There are a few important updates related to the AWF relief efforts.  If you did not see the release yesterday, we now ...

October 29, 2018

AWF Conference Announces New Hurricane Michael Volunteer Portal

The Alabama-West Florida Conference is announcing a new online portal that will register Hurricane Michael volunteer teams. The new portal was established through the Planning Center software, which many medium- and large-sized ...

October 25, 2018

Hurricane Michael Disaster Response, October 25, 2018

Port St. Joe and FUMC Panama City are in need of the traditional UMCOR cleaning kits (flood buckets) that we frequently encourage churches to assemble. They have received several shipments but need more due to the severe storm ...

October 23, 2018

Hurricane Michael Disaster Response, October 23, 2018

We continue to assess the needs in the Marianna-Panama City District. As previously stated, our greatest needs are prayer and monetary donations. We are most grateful for the outpouring of love we have received.  In relation to ...

October 19, 2018

Hurricane Michael Disaster Response, October 19, 2018

We would like to extend our deepest appreciation to Bishop Ken Carter, the Florida Annual Conference and FUMC Ormond Beach for their incredible matching challenge to raise one million dollars. Click here for article.  The ...

October 19, 2018

York Named Hurricane Michael Response Director

The Alabama-West Florida Conference is pleased to announce that Rev. Shawn York has been assigned to be the Hurricane Michael Response Director. York currently serves as the executive pastor at Gulf Breeze UMC. He will continue to...

October 18, 2018

AWF Disaster Response to Hurricane Michael: A Glance One Week After the Storm

On October 10, 2018, Hurricane Michael raged ashore making landfall in the Alabama-West Florida Conference. The catastrophic damage is far-reaching and the recovery process will be a long-term effort that the United Methodist ...

October 18, 2018

Gift will match up to $500,000 in Hurricane Michael donations

Sisters and Brothers in the Florida Conference, Thank you for your response thus far to the needs of our brothers and sisters in the United Methodist churches of the panhandle of Florida. Many of you began to receive offerings ...

October 17, 2018

Hurricane Michael Disaster Response, October 17, 2018

Many of you have expressed interest in how you can immediately help the survivors of Hurricane Michael. Prayer, monetary donations directly to the conference and supplies are ways you can help now. The United Methodist Church has ...

October 15, 2018

Hurricane Michael Disaster Response, October 15, 2018

You are receiving this email because you are subscribed to the conference newsletter. If you wish to unsubscribe from Hurricane Michael updates, you may do so by following the unsubscribe link. Please carefully select your options...

October 11, 2018

Hurricane Michael Aftermath Update

10.30.18 Updated at 10:31am to include update on Parker UMC 10.22.18 Updated at 7:46am to include Williams Memorial status 10.19.18 Updated at 7:55pm to include status of Shady Grove UMC, Grand Ridge UMC and Altha UMC.  Updated ...

October 10, 2018

Hurricane Michael Recovery

The Alabama-West Florida Conference continues to collect reports from our churches, clergy and families and is preparing the best ways to help in the immediate and long-term aftermath. Churches should report damage to their ...

October 08, 2018

AWF Hurricane Michael Update

Hurricane Michael continues to gain strength in the Gulf of Mexico and is expected to make landfall in or near the bounds of the Alabama-West Florida Conference. Our Conference Disaster Response Ministry is active in preparations ...

October 02, 2018

A Video Message from Bishop Graves: Conference Staff Priorities

October 2, 2018 We invite you to watch a video message from Bishop David Graves related to conference staff priorities. Click here to view. Click here to read transcript.  You may also listen to this message as an audio-only ...

September 18, 2018

A Second-year Reflection Interview with Bishop Graves

September 18, 2018 We celebrate the two-year anniversary of Bishop David W. Graves being assigned and installed to the Alabama-West Florida Conference. Hear more from him in this interview with Mary Catherine Phillips, AWF ...

September 17, 2018

Alabama-West Florida Conference announces top priorities

September 17, 2018 In an effort to better align the work and focus of the Alabama-West Florida Conference, Bishop David Graves, the extended cabinet, and the Compass leadership team (ministry area directors) have released four ...

September 16, 2018

Hurricane Florence update

Thank you for your prayers for those who have been affected by the winds, storms, and floods brought by Hurricane Florence in South Carolina, North Carolina, and its continued path up the east coast. ERT Teams: Our AWF conference ...

September 12, 2018

Conference Seeks Event Input

September 12, 2018 In an attempt to study and obtain data on conference-sponsored events, we invite you to take a brief survey. One of our goals at the Alabama-West Florida Conference office is to make the best use of our clergy ...

August 29, 2018

Winners and Losers

(Bishop David Graves for The Montgomery Advertiser) - Football season has kicked off for high school and college with the pro ranks soon to follow. Each week until the Super Bowl, which will take place the first Sunday of ...

August 28, 2018

Commission on the General Conference determines petition process

Nashville, Tenn.: The Commission on the General Conference has outlined a process for determining if petitions submitted to the 2019 Special Session of the General Conference are in harmony with the Council of Bishops’ amended ...

August 24, 2018

Foundation Celebrates Milestone: $10 Million Goal Realized!

(SSSEF) - On Thursday, August 9, 2018, the Stegall Seminary Scholarship Endowment Foundation celebrated its 11th year in ministry at the annual Dinner of Celebration. The banquet, held at the Renaissance Hotel in downtown ...

August 01, 2018

New Director Named for Communities of Transformation

The Alabama-West Florida Conference and Communities of Transformation (COT) are excited to announce the hiring of a new Conference Director of COT, Ms. Katy Wrona. A leadership team from the conference and COT interviewed several ...

August 01, 2018

A Statement from Bishop David Graves

To complete the process of the complaints against Attorney General Jeff Sessions, the following decision has been made:  The judicial process of The United Methodist Church cannot be used in the matter of United States Attorney ...

July 31, 2018

Way Forward report released in all four official languages of General Conference

(COB) – The final report of the Commission on a Way Forward has been released in all four official languages of the General Conference: English, French, Portuguese and Swahili.  The report will be presented to the 2019 Special ...

July 27, 2018

The Montgomery Advertiser Column: Revive Us Again

(Bishop David Graves) - In the middle of the Civil War between the North and South, William Parton (W.P.) Mackay wrote a song entitled, “Revive Us Again.” His song appeared in many church hymnals over the next two centuries and is...

July 26, 2018

Join Bishop Graves at a Town Hall Meeting Near You

July 26, 2018 Friends,  I hope you are enjoying your summer with friends and family. This conference is home to some of the most beautiful beaches in the world! If you were in attendance at the 2018 session of the AWF Annual ...

July 24, 2018

Land donation to help with Casa de Dios expansion

(Kari C. Barlow for the AWF Conference) - One year after Casa de Dios Gateway of Heaven Church found a permanent home in Pensacola, it’s celebrating another major milestone.   The growing congregation was recently presented with ...

July 19, 2018

A Word From Bishop Graves: Judicial Council Docket and Church Plan Models

July 18, 2018 Clergy and Lay Members of the Alabama-West Florida Annual Conference, Greetings! On July 9th, I shared with the AWF Conference about the delay in the release of the Commission on A Way Forward Report. Originally, I ...
Page 5 of 15 previous 1 ... 3 4 5 6 7 ... 15 next