News

January 23, 2018

Bishop Graves Sends Greetings from the Holy Land

Bishop David Graves, Resident Bishop of the Alabama-West Florida Conference, offers a brief word from the Holy Land and shares his deep appreciation for setting a record of reaching 90.10% for 2017 missional giving. Click here to ...

January 22, 2018

Commission on a Way Forward prepares updated report to bishops

(Dallas) - The Commission on a Way Forward is nearing the completion of its task of making recommendations of possible ways forward for The United Methodist Church regarding the inclusion of LGBTQ persons in this global ...

January 12, 2018

United Methodist Bishops condemn President Trump’s “offensive” remarks against immigrants

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Bishop Bruce R. Ough, president of the United Methodist Council of Bishops, issued a statement today on behalf of the Council concerning remarks reported to have been made by President Donald Trump regarding ...

January 10, 2018

Saint Paul UMC Adds Soccer Field to Benefit Community

(Kari Barlow for AWFUMC) - Saint Paul United Methodist Church in Gulf Breeze wasn’t looking to add a soccer field to its property on U.S. Highway 98, but God apparently had other ideas. “How it started was I just answered the ...

January 07, 2018

Three AWF Local Church Council Training Videos Now Available

Three 2018 local church council training videos are now online and available. These videos were written and produced so that committee members in the conference may be properly trained in the new year. Whether you are a veteran ...

January 04, 2018

AWF "At the Table" Ministry Receives GCORR Grant

A vision that became a reality has been awarded a $15,000 grant from the General Commission on Religion and Race. "At the Table" is an event that was held in the spring and fall of 2017 and brought together those in the conference...

January 04, 2018

Disabilities Sunday Designated in the AWF Conference

Sunday, February 25, 2018, has been designated as Disability Awareness Sunday in the Alabama-West Florida Conference. As United Methodists, "We recognize that God made all creation and saw that it was good. As a diverse people of...

January 03, 2018

Interim Treasurer Named at Alabama-West Florida Conference

The Alabama-West Florida Conference is pleased to announce that Mr. Mickey Wilson has been named Interim Treasurer in the conference office. Wilson begins his service today, January 3, 2018.  Prior to coming to the Alabama-West ...

December 13, 2017

Advent Greetings from Bishop and Mrs. Graves

Bishop and Mrs. David Graves would like to share an Advent message with the Alabama-West Florida Conference. Click here to view the message.  You may also listen to this message as an audio-only podcast by clicking here, by ...

December 11, 2017

A Video Message from Bishop David Graves

We invite you to watch a video message from Bishop David Graves, Resident Bishop of the Alabama-West Florida Conference. Click here to view. Click here to read the written transcript. You may also listen to this message as an ...

December 01, 2017

Alabama-West Florida Grieves Blackwell, COT Co-founder

The Alabama-West Florida Conference was deeply saddened to learn of the death of Laurel Blackwell, co-founder of Communities of Transformation. Laurel bravely and successfully battled cancer but developed some recent health ...

November 27, 2017

Upcoming Annual Conference Deadlines Announced

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 2018 Annual Conference session, June 3-6, 2018, at Frazer ...

November 17, 2017

Bishops receive interim Way Forward report, elect new officers

WASHINGTON – The Council of Bishops (COB) met at Lake Junaluska in North Carolina last week to receive an interim report from the Commission on a Way Forward, elect new officers, and prepare for the 2019 Special Session of General...

November 16, 2017

Bishop Graves Announces New Staff Members

The Alabama-West Florida Conference, under the leadership of Bishop David Graves, is pleased to announce two new staff members.   Ms. Celeste Eubanks will be joining the connectional ministries staff as Director of Leadership ...

November 09, 2017

Bishops uphold values of mission, unity, space, contextuality in interim report on Way Forward’s work

(LAKE JUNALUSKA, NORTH CAROLINA) - Placing emphasis on the values of unity, space and contextuality - all for the sake of mission – the Council of Bishops (COB) is exploring sketches of three models as possible directions for a ...

November 08, 2017

Bishop Carter elected as president of Council of Bishops

(Lake Junaluska, NC) - Florida Area Bishop Kenneth H. Carter today was officially elected as the next president of the Council of Bishops of The United Methodist Church. Bishop Carter will take over from Dakotas-Minnesota Area ...

November 08, 2017

Veterans Day Reflection and Prayer from Bishop David Graves

November 8, 2017 As I travel around the Alabama-West Florida Conference, I meet those who are currently serving in the military and many veterans who have previously served our country, including some who are combat wounded. Rev. ...

November 07, 2017

A Reflection from Dr. Darren McClellan

For out of Zion shall go forth instruction, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.  He shall judge between many peoples, and shall arbitrate between strong nations far away; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and ...

November 06, 2017

A Word from Bishop Graves: Church Shooting

This morning my heart is heavy as we read once again of another act of violence in a church where 26 people were killed and 10 injured. It leaves us with questions of, "Why? When will this stop? When will we lay down our ...

November 06, 2017

Alabama-West Florida Conference Announces Staff Changes

The Alabama-West Florida Conference announces two staff changes in the finance and connectional ministries offices. Mr. Frank Dunnewind, AWF Treasurer and Director of Administrative Services, has announced his retirement effective...

October 31, 2017

Commission on a Way Forward Working on Interim Report to Bishops

(COB) -  The Commission on a Way Forward, which is working to find unity for The United Methodist Church regarding human sexuality, began its sixth meeting on October 30, 2017, with a devotion that challenged the members to be as ...

October 30, 2017

New Service at Christ UMC Targets Millennials

(Kari C. Barlow) - Rev. Jeremy Steele didn’t need a think tank’s statistics to know millennials weren’t attending Christ United Methodist Church in Mobile.   All he had to do is look around the sanctuary.   Like so many churches ...

October 24, 2017

QuadW Missional Outreach Receives $2.6 Million Grant

(Rev. Jean Tippit, Board President, QuadW Missional Outreach)  - The QuadW Foundation of Dallas, TX has awarded up to $2,600,000 for the expansion of QuadW Missional Internship and Residency programs, as well as the launching of ...

October 16, 2017

Teams Needed from Texas to Florida

Alabama-West Florida has received requests for ERTs (Early Response Teams) and mission teams from Annual Conferences affected by recent storms. Coastal communities in Texas, Florida, and South Georgia can all use our help, as can ...

October 12, 2017

Gulf Breeze UMC Offers Up Safe-and-sober Homecoming Event

(Kari Barlow for the Alabama-West Florida Conference) - When high school homecoming dances end, most teenagers are nowhere near ready to call it a night. In Gulf Breeze, there’s a tradition of partying hard in beachfront houses ...

October 11, 2017

Foley UMC Unites Community with Path to Peace

(Kari C. Barlow for the Alabama-West Florida Conference) - Skeptics were proved wrong in a big way Sunday at Foley United Methodist Church. More than 500 people turned out for “Path to Peace: A Reconciliation Celebration” that ...

October 06, 2017

A Video Message from Bishop Graves

We invite you to watch a video message from Bishop David Graves, Resident Bishop of the Alabama-West Florida Conference. Click here to view. Click here to read the written transcript.  You may also listen to this message as an ...

October 05, 2017

Preparing for Tropical Storm Nate

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 Nate will eventually have an impact ...

October 04, 2017

RIOM Goes Digital

(Kari Barlow for the Alabama-West Florida Conference) - A shift toward digital resources in the Alabama-West Florida Conference is making it easier for newly commissioned ministers to navigate the challenging path to ordination.  ...

September 27, 2017

Friday Night Lights: UMC pastors, congregations show the love during football season

(Kari Barlow for the Alabama-West Florida Conference) On Friday afternoons during high school football season, the folks at First United Methodist Church of Marianna don’t have a lot of time to stand around and chat.   They’re too...

September 12, 2017

A Word from Bishop Graves: Hurricane Aftermath

Over the last several days, we have watched the destruction from Hurricane Irma as it traveled through the Caribbean, Cuba, up South Florida, and into Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, and Tennessee. Here in the Alabama-West ...

September 11, 2017

AWF Conference Participates in "Praying Our Way Forward"

The Alabama-West Florida Conference is participating in the "Praying Our Way Forward" initiative. The denomination-wide initiative launched on New Year’s Day 2017 with 75 weeks of focused prayer for The United Methodist Church. ...

September 05, 2017

A Word from the Bishop: DACA

To the People of the Alabama-West Florida Conference, As we enter the recovery phase of Hurricane Harvey and prepare for Hurricane Irma, along with Tropical Storm Jose forming in the Atlantic Ocean, we continue to navigate the ...

September 05, 2017

Alabama-West Florida Congregations Are Becoming More of What God Calls Them to Be

Throughout all of church history, there has never been a time when a healthy, faithful, effective congregation has been more needed and necessary. It is clear that the leadership of the AWFUMC believe to the core of their being ...

August 31, 2017

A One-year Reflection with Bishop David Graves

We celebrate the one-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 Director of ...

August 30, 2017

A Word from the Bishop: Praying our Way Forward

The denomination-wide "Praying Our Way Forward" initiative launched on New Year’s Day 2017 with 75 weeks of focused prayer for The United Methodist Church. Each annual conference will take one week to have intentional prayer for ...

August 29, 2017

A Request from Bishop Graves: Special Harvey Relief Collection this Sunday

Friends,  It is hard to believe the news coverage coming out of Texas and the ongoing catastrophic flooding from Hurricane Harvey. My heart breaks as the stories continue to be reported about how lives are changing as a result of ...

August 18, 2017

Bishop Forms New Team to Help Congregations in Crisis

(Kari Barlow for the AWF Conference) - A new 19-member Bishop’s Response Team now stands ready to support congregations across the Alabama-West Florida Conference in times of crisis.     Bishop David Graves, along with his cabinet...

August 18, 2017

SEJ College of Bishops Grieves the Violence in Charlottesville

Witness and Invitation from the Southeastern Jurisdiction College of Bishops meeting in Atlanta, Georgia, August 17, 2017  "The things, good Lord, that we pray for, give us grace to labor for." - Thomas More, UMH, 408 Serving ...

August 16, 2017

The Charlottesville Violence Aftermath

A message from Bishop David Graves regarding Charlottesville (posted on social media on 8/13/17) As I read social media posts from around the Alabama-West Florida Conference, I am so thankful that many are joining together in ...

August 15, 2017

Foundation Celebrates Past, Imagines Future at 10th Anniversary “Dinner of Celebration”

(Montgomery, Ala.) – Imagination. The ability to imagine the future often fuels creativity, drive, and determination. On Thursday, August 10, 2017, the Stegall Seminary Scholarship Endowment Foundation asked supporters during its ...

July 27, 2017

Commission on a Way Forward Offers Status Report

The Commission on a Way Forward has released a status report to the Council of Bishops and the entire United Methodist Church, updating the church and the leaders on the faithful work of the Commission after four meetings. The ...

July 24, 2017

‘God is at work': Casa de Dios gets permanent home in Pensacola

(Kari Barlow for the Alabama-West Florida Conference) - The ceremony on June 29 was simple, but for Pastor Andres Doimeadios, the small gathering marked the start of something huge. It was the day the Pensacola District Board of ...

July 20, 2017

AWF Conference Launches Resource Page

"Where do I click?" "I can't find the forms." "Can the conference office help me with this?" These are common questions the staff of the Alabama-West Florida Conference hears often. As a result of feedback from clergy and laity, a...

July 18, 2017

UMICM Receives Grant From Children's Trust Fund of AL

The United Methodist Inner City Mission (UMICM) is proud to announce that they are a recipient of a $90,000 grant from the Alabama Department of Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention. The $90,000 grant is for two years of program ...

July 14, 2017

A Word from Bishop David Graves

We invite you to watch a video message from Bishop David Graves, Resident Bishop of the Alabama-West Florida Conference. Click here to view. Click here to read the written transcript.  You may also listen to this message as an ...

June 23, 2017

A Word from Bishop Graves: Health Care for All People!

As we prepare for the July 4th remembrance holiday, there is a great debate going on in our country around health care. It seems that we have been in a standoff around this issue for many years. In my opinion, the spiral began ...

June 22, 2017

'It was always important'

Alabama Chief Justice Lyn Stuart makes church family a top priority   (Kari C. Barlow for the Alabama-West Florida Conference) - Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Lyn Stuart loves the view from her office window, which overlooks...

June 22, 2017

Milton First Celebrates 150 Years of Ministry

For 150 years, the people called Methodists have connected people to God and people to people through Jesus Christ in Milton, Florida! A celebration of this ministry and mission of First United Methodist Church was held on ...

June 22, 2017

Safe Sanctuaries Training Video Release by AWF Trustees

As the Chair of the Alabama-West Florida UMC Conference Safe Sanctuaries Committee and a former juvenile judge, I am reaching out to you because of your position of leadership at your United Methodist Church. As a member of the ...
Page 7 of 14 previous 1 ... 5 6 7 8 9 ... 14 next