May 11, 2015/Volume 14, No. 9
Conference News
Mary Ellen's Hearth Names New Executive Director
(The Montgomery Advertiser) - Mary Ellen's Hearth, a homeless shelter for women with children, has named its new executive director. LaTeasa Hicks-Pauley, who has more than 20 years of experience in social work and organizational leadership, was named executive director this month. She replaced Debbie Dobbins, who now serves as the executive director of the Southern Christian Services for Children and Youth, Inc., in Jackson, MS. Full release here.
Annual Conference Voice and Vote
The 2015 Annual Conference Session is a voting year. The Alabama-West Florida Conference will elect five clergy and five laity delegates to represent us at General Conference 2016 in Portland, OR. An additional five clergy and five laity will be elected as jurisdictional delegates as well as four clergy and four laity reserve delegates. This pdf file explains who has a voice and/or vote at annual conference. Should you have questions after carefully reviewing this file, please contact Rev. June Jernigan in the Office of Ministerial Services.
Annual Conference Seeks Mass Choir Participants
For the 2015 Alabama-West Florida Conference Opening Worship Service on the evening of May 31, 2015, choir directors and singers from all over the conference are welcome to join the Frazer Memorial UMC choir to form a mass chorus. It has been a highlight of the conference to see a great choir from all of our churches singing together. More information here.
Around the Conference
Statement on Gambling from AWF Church & Society
With the legislators in Alabama considering changes in the state’s laws and regulations regarding gambling, the Conference Board of Church & Society reminds all United Methodists of our denomination-wide stand against gambling, as found in the UM Social Principles, ¶163.G: “Gambling is a menace to society, deadly to the best interests of moral, social, economic, and spiritual life, destructive of good government and good stewardship… The Church’s prophetic call is to promote standards of justice and advocacy that would make it unnecessary and undesirable to resort to commercial gambling… as recreation, as an escape, or as a means of producing public revenue or funds for support of charities or government.” (Click here to find the full text.) While a crisis in the Alabama financial situation is looming, gambling cannot be the answer. Please research this issue and contact your state legislator and let him or her know that we must find other options. Find your state legislator here.
More online resources are below:
http://umc-gbcs.org/issues/gambling
http://stoppredatorygambling.org/
ARM Completes 2015 Cycle of Service
Eight cyclists crossed Alabama to raise awareness about the housing needs in some of the poorest areas of our country, while raising money for home repairs in Lee, Macon and Sumter counties. Their ride covered 100 miles a day for three days and was a triple century challenge. The Sixth Annual Cycle of Service benefits Alabama Rural Ministry (ARM), a home-repair ministry based in Opelika. "Most of the households ARM serves are led by the elderly, disabled or single parents who live on limited or fixed incomes," said Lisa Pierce, ARM’s executive director. This year’s goal was to raise $25,000, which will be applied to the cost of purchasing the construction materials the organization uses in repairing homes for up to 10 families. Each rider was asked to raise $1,200 in sponsors. By Sunday's completion, the riders had raised over $11,000 and a large match gift from a church raised that total to $26,000. One of the highlights of the Selma ride on Saturday was crossing the Edmund Pettus Bridge. Also, the cyclists were offering encouragement to a 10 year old named Oliver, who is battling a brain tumor. The riders spelled his name on the backs of their jerseys as they crossed the bridge. Their dad, Chase, used to cycle with ARM before his son's illness.
Guest Commentary: Dr. Jeremy Pridgeon
As I watched the glorious full moon rise over Pensacola Bay while the last beams of sunlight fell below the horizon, I was reminded of the beautiful words of Psalm 8:3-4, "When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is humankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?" It is an awe-inspiring thought. Yet we know God's love for us, as experienced in and through Jesus Christ. Full commentary here.
Check Your Moral Compass on Payday Loans Then Call Your Legislators
(Dr. Neal Berte/al.com) - There are two main features about a compass: it always points in the right direction when you seem lost, and the needle doesn't care who is asking. From any position, and by any user, it shows the way. Granted, a compass is not always needed, but is reassuring to check every once in awhile just to be sure you are staying on course. For most of us, the search for moral direction is far easier to determine. We usually know what is right, and we also have a sense of what is wrong. And few issues clearly offend the conscience like the horrific predatory lending situation in our state. More here.
*For the first time ever, we have a six months repayment bill for those who take out these loans, versus having to start paying in fourteen days, and this would be paying 35% interest, versus as much as 456% possible now. The Senate Bill, SB 335, and the House Bill HB 531, are companion bills that are the same, and have been passed in appropriate committees and are now ready to be considered on the floor. What we need now, are contacts to the following individuals, asking them to get these bills on the floor with no amendments, and high enough on the agenda so they do not die without getting even considered since we only have several more days in the session. Please contact these persons.
Senator Jabo Waggoner: 334-242-7892
Senator Del Marsh: 334-242-7877
House Speaker Mike Hubbard: 334-242-7668
Senator Slade Blackwell: 334-242-7851
Connectional News
Council of Bishops Affirms Missional Direction for Next Quadrennium
(UMNS/Berlin) - The Council of Bishops, meeting in Berlin, affirmed a vision for a missional direction for the next quadrennium which includes partnering with schools to help end poverty, starting new faith communities, building a culture of call, reaching children with life-saving interventions, and equipping congregations with disciple-making processes to continue making new disciples and increasing the number of vital congregations. “Your leadership has led to great success and has changed the denomination in a positive way. We can measure the success, in part, through the growing number of vital congregations we see across the church,” said Bishop Bruce R. Ough, chairperson of the Connectional Table. Full press release here.
Rebuilding Hope in Baltimore
(UMNS) — After an emotional roller coaster of a week, members and others at Ames United Methodist Church in the Sandtown-Winchester neighborhood of Baltimore — near where recent riots took place — packed hygiene items and food provided by the United Methodist Committee on Relief to give to local residents. The Baltimore-Washington Conference has the story.
Bishops: Work to End Racism and Welcome the Stranger
(UMNS) — The United Methodist Council of Bishops unanimously adopted a pastoral letter on racism affirming that "all lives are sacred and that a world free of racism and xenophobia is not only conceivable, but worthy of our pursuit." Heather Hahn reports from the council's meeting in Berlin. Read story and post a comment.
UMCOR Grant Will Bring Aid to 1,000 Nepalese Families
(UMNS) — To help provide relief supplies for earthquake survivors in Nepal, the United Methodist Committee on Relief has approved a grant of $85,066 to Church Auxiliary for Social Action in India, which will purchase and transport the supplies. United Mission to Nepal, another United Methodist partner, will distribute the items to 1,000 families. A Nepal church bulletin also is available for United Methodist congregations to download.
United Mission to Nepal helps fight hunger
To donate
Nepal church bulletin
Imagine No Malaria Impact at a Glance
Unlike many other diseases that are awaiting a cure, malaria was eliminated in the U.S. in the 1950s. However, in Sub-Saharan Africa, malaria continues to kill a person every 60 seconds. But there is hope! Imagine No Malaria is part of a global partnership and together with our partners, our generation can beat malaria once and for all. This document allows you to see the direct impact the efforts of the people of the United Methodist Church are having on many lives. Click here to see document.
Technology Will Bridge Languages at 2016 General Conference
(UMNS) - A "Bring Your Own Device" system that allows the use of a smart-phone app in connection with a dedicated wireless network to stream audio might be the way to ensure that language differences are dealt with as fairly as possible at General Conference 2016. Greg Nelson, director of communications in the Oregon-Idaho Conference, reports. Read story and post comment.
Resources
New Resource for Spanish-speaking UMs Responding to God's Call
(GBHEM) - Spanish-speaking members of The United Methodist Church who are considering God’s call to ministry now have an updated, in-language edition of The Christian as Minister: An Exploration into the Meaning of God’s Call, required reading for ministry candidates. El Cristiano como Ministro: Explora el significado del Ilamado de Dios al ministerio is a direct translation of the revised and edited eighth edition of the book, published in 2013 by the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry (GBHEM). More here.
Five Guidelines for Doing Good Well
(Lewis Center) - A few years ago, I ran into Tony Campolo, prominent leader in missional evangelism. He had been at the Clinton Global Initiatives meeting. We sat down for lunch, and he was fuming. “David, do you know how many Christian organizations are at work in Haiti today? There are 900. And after 40 years of all that mission work, Haiti is no better off today.” “Why do you think that is?” I asked. He said: “Because they aren’t there to do good. They’re there to feel good.” Complete article here.
Student Loan Application Open For Fall Semester
(UMNS) — The United Methodist Loan application opened May 1 for students seeking loans for fall 2015. The mother of loan recipient Mikala Mayhugh credits the United Methodist student loan with helping her daughter pay for school when the family faced financial difficulties. Read story or learn more about loans.
Resources Available for Aldersgate Day
(UMNS) — United Methodist Discipleship Ministries has worship materials and articles reflecting on John Wesley's conversion moment for churches to use in observing Aldersgate Day on May 24. Get resources.
Events
Featured Event: revitup!
New to ministry? Or have you been around a while? Looking for new ideas? Trying to figure out the best approach? Want to be energized? Inspired? Informed? Put yourself at the top of your list! Plan to attend revitup!...For a Lifetime of Ministry! October 5-7, 2015. Click here for more.
Baypines District Clergy & Lay Delegate Orientation for AC, May 14
Montgomery Joint Districts Annual Conference Meetings, May 17
Demopolis District Lay Delegate Orientation, May 17
The Right Start, May 21
Peace with Justice Sunday, May 31
Annual Conference, May 31-June 3
Last Sunday for Current Appointments, June 21
Music and Worship Arts Week, June 21-26
Moving Day, June 23
Grand Camp at Epworth by the Sea, June 26-29
Transition Sunday, June 28
