November 21, 2016/Volume 15, No. 19

Conference News

A Word from Bishop Graves: November 10

We invite you to hear a word from Bishop David Graves about the upcoming special called general conference session and the AWF district town hall meetings. Click here to watch video. Click here to read written transcript. You may also listen to this message as an audio-only podcast by clicking here, by searching for "AWFUMC Podcasts" on iTunes or in your preferred podcast player. We invite you to subscribe to these podcasts.

2016 AWF Journal Available for Purchase and Download

The 2016 Alabama-West Florida Conference Journal is now published. Hard copies are available for purchase through amazon.com. You may also download a pdf copy for free at this link.

AWF Churches Hold Prayer and Communion Services on Election Day

On a day when the American population is certainly divided, several churches in the Alabama-West Florida Conference are using this opportunity to offer a sense of unity as Christians worshipping one God. Aldersgate UMC in Montgomery, AL, offered communion services at 7am and Noon and another will be this evening at 7pm in their chapel. This was a staff project where they imagined what it would look like to welcome poll workers and voters. "Aldersgate loves to host polling on Election Day," said Dr. Brian Miller, pastor. "It’s one of the ways that we actively serve our community. Opening up the chapel and offering communion at our open table seemed the most helpful and meaningful." Full story here.

Around the Conference

AWF Safe Sanctuaries Video Update Released

The updated AWF Safe Sanctuaries video has been released and is online for viewing and download. An audio-only option is also available as a podcast. You may search "AWFUMC Podcasts" on iTunes or through your preferred podcast player. Click here to see video. Click here for iTunes podcast link.

2016 Guardian of the Bell Winners Announced

(UMCH) - The Guardian of the Bell Winners for the Alabama-West Florida Conference have been selected for 2016. The United Methodist Children’s Home presents an overall church winner with “Windy,” one of the original bells which rang at our first home in Selma. Additional winners are recognized for outstanding giving over several years for the benefit of kids, teens, young adults, and families. This year’s overall winner is Christ United Methodist Church in Mobile, AL. Our hope is that “Windy” will serve as a constant reminder of the church’s great generosity and most importantly, the children and families we currently are in ministry with at UMCH. Click here to see other churches recognized. Pictured above is the 2015 award winner, Dothan FUMC. Robert Powell is shown presenting the award to Dr. Jim Sanders.

Conference Churches Respond to Louisiana Flooding

Mulder Memorial UMC has been one of many AWFC churches that have gone to Louisiana to serve in response to the flooding there in August. Their team of six stayed and worked in conjunction with First UMC of Baton Rouge October 12-14. They worked on at least two different homes to remove sheet rock and wiring that had been damaged beyond repair so that restoration work could begin. The people in Louisiana will need help for months to come. Your church can put together a team, too. Thank you to Mulder Memorial UMC and the numerous other AWF churches who have sent teams to Louisiana to respond to the flooding disaster. Contact Susan Hunt, AWF Director of Misson & Advocacy for more information on how your church can help. Photo courtesy of Mulder Memorial UMC.

Missional Giving Year-end Deadline Information

The last day apportionment payments can be applied for the 2016 year is Monday, January 9, 2017. Payments must be received in the conference office by 3pm so they can be deposited before the close of business. Payments can also be deposited directly into the conference bank account at Regions Bank no later than 4pm on January 9, 2017. If a church wishes to do so, they need to call or e-mail the district offices of fiscal office staff so that they can provide you with the account information.

Connectional News

So That: Two Powerful Words for Mission Results

(Lewis Center) - Lovett H. Weems, Jr., says that churches often invest a great deal of energy in activities without ever asking how they relate to what God is calling the church to accomplish. He says that one of the simplest ways a congregation can stay focused on the ends it seeks to achieve, rather than becoming preoccupied with the means, is to formulate a “so that” statement. Full feature here.

Giving Tuesday is Coming

(UMNS) - Giving Tuesday, a charitable response to “Black Friday” post-Thanksgiving sales, will be Nov. 29. Once again, United Methodist Global Ministries welcomes contributions through The Advance, the denomination’s designated giving program that allows donors to support various kinds of ministries around the globe. Browse Advance projects.

Upcoming Clergy Benefits Academy Announced

Wespath Benefits & Investments has announced their upcoming Clergy Benefits Academy for all active clergy members of the United Methodist Church. The event is scheduled for February 6-8, 2017, in Pensacola, Florida. The Alabama-West Florida Conference Board of Pension & Health Benefits will not host the 2017 February Pre-retirement seminar so that the conference clergy members will be able to attend this event. Additional information on the event can be found on the Wespath website here. The Conference Board is encouraging all active members to attend.

Resources

Local Church Report Webinar Archived for Viewing

Would you like to better understand how to complete your local church report? Frank Dunnewind, AWF Treasurer, led an online Webinar showing you step-by-step instructions. It is archived here.

Easy Ways to Share Gratitude This Thanksgiving

(UMNS) - Thanksgiving Day elicits a bounty of wonderful memories for many people in the U.S. The crisp air. The smell of a turkey roasting and a pumpkin pie baking. The sound of a cheering crowd at a football game. All these can create warm feelings during this special time of year. While the Thanksgiving holiday is celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November in the U.S., thanking God for our blessings is a spiritual discipline that should not be limited to a single day. Along with expanding our waistlines, our preparation for and celebration of the holiday can be the impetus toward growing an attitude of gratitude that will carry over into the rest of the year. In his commentary on 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, John Wesley writes, “Thanksgiving is inseparable from true prayer; it is almost essentially connected with it.” Giving thanks is as essential to our spiritual growth as prayer, which 1 Thessalonians calls us to do continually. These creative ideas will help us get started this Thanksgiving. Full story here.

GBHEM Collaborates with Campus Ministers to Develop Relevant and Practical Resource

(GBHEM) - Starting in 2016, each fall and spring semester the Collegiate Ministry office of the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry (GBHEM) teams up with collegiate ministers from across the United Methodist connection to develop a professional journal focused on liturgical, academic and social issues relevant to college campuses. The journal, titled, “The Term: A Word for the Campus by the Campus,” is one of many practical resources developed by GBHEM, in collaboration with Discipleship Ministries and The Upper Room, to equip collegiate ministers with reflective, timely and germane tools to aid in their work. “The Term” features contributors from a range of collegiate ministry settings, weaving together the personal experiences of and reflections by campus ministers on topics appropriate to each academic term using those collegiate ministers’ own prayers, sermons, songs, reflective essays and real-world advice. More here.

United Methodist Student Day Pastor and Leader's Kit

(Connectional Giving) - We have assembled a collection of resources that you can download to promote this Special Sunday in your church. This kit contains social media images, PowerPoints, bulletin inserts, infographics, videos and more — everything you need to empower your congregation to give generously on November 27. Details here.

White Christmas Offering Materials Available

The White Christmas offering, collected on behalf of the United Methodist Children’s Home, is a heart-felt tradition dating back to the 1930s. During the Advent season Methodist Congregations across both the North Alabama and Alabama-West Florida Conferences gather generous offerings in support of UMCH’s transformational ministries. Click here to order your supplies. Click here to see how your giving has made impacts on young persons' lives.