Annual Conference
Special Offering
Imagine No Malaria - in the home stretch
We're almost there! We are 80% of the way to our goal of saving 100,000 lives through Imagine No Malaria. The offering at this year's Annual Conference will go toward that goal. Please bring any outstanding and new offerings you have to the opening worship service. Click here to see how close your church is to meeting its goal. With everyone's help, we can get to 100%!
Our goal of saving 100,000 lives is part of the broader denominational goal of ending a disease that is preventable, treatable and beatable. Click here to see how we are already making a difference through this incredible ministry.
UMCOR Kits Bring Hope
UMCOR Supply Kits help to care for the most vulnerable people during times of crisis. They also help to sustain everyday life by providing basic necessities to people who lack ready access to essential supplies.
Now is your opportunity to be a part of this ministry with a 75 year history. Send/bring your completed kits and bulk supplies to the truck at annual conference. All kits and kit contents will be welcome, however UMCOR has asked specifically for health and school kits.
The truck will be open these hours during annual conference at Frazer UMC in Montgomery, June 1-3:
Monday: 7:30 am to 12:30 pm
Tuesday: 7:30 am to 12:30 pm
Wednesday: 7:30 am to 11 am
For more details about the kits, click here.
This short video shows why these kits and the work of UMCOR is so important, and what impact we have throughout the world. Thank you for being hope!
Disaster Response
Pensacola Flood Recovery Volunteers Needed
The Florida Recovery Team of the AWF Conference is looking for volunteers during the summer months for the following types of jobs in the panhandle of Florida:
- sheetrock repairs
- flooring
- install cabinets
- trim and door installation
They are accepting week-long teams, as well as weekend volunteers. To sign up, please contact Volunteer Coordinator KJ Chafen at 850-736-7077 or kj.flrecovery@gmail.com.
Celebrating the volunteers
Even while additional volunteers are needed to respond to last April's flooding in Pensacola and Baldwin County, we can celebrate those who have already served and what they have accomplished so far.
Since the beginning of the UMC disaster response, for:
- Escambia County we have had 593 volunteers who have given 41,437 hours
- Santa Rosa County we have had 94 volunteers who have given 3,001 hours
- Walton & Washington Counties with 247 volunteers and 8,897 hours
- Alabama we have had 62 volunteers give 2,146 hours
This is a total of 996 volunteers giving 55,481 hours. That equates to over a million dollars of service. Thank you!
Missionary Itinerating
Francine Mufuk, June 5-11, 2015
Francine Ilunga Mpanga Mufuk is a missionary of the General Board of Global Ministries of the United Methodist Church. She is serving as coordinator for Young Girls Ministry in the Cote d'Ivoire Annual Conference in West Africa.
Francine is currently completing her missionary training and will be itinerating through Alabama-West Florida June 5-11. Your church has the opportunity to hear from her and about ministry in one of the fastest growing UM conferences in Africa.
Francine is available to speak to small churches, large churches, UMW gatherings (large or small), youth group events, Bible study groups, and many others.
Francine still has a few openings in her schedule. Contact Susan Hunt at susan@awfumc.org or 334-356-8014 to learn more.
Advocacy
Gambling
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.
Click here for a resource for small group study and more.
More online resources are below:
http://umc-gbcs.org/issues/gambling
http://stoppredatorygambling.org/
Predatory Lending
Many faith groups, including the Alabama-West Florida Conference, have taken a stand against predatory lending. The Alabama state legislators are considering bills that would reform the interest rates and the terms of title loans and "PayDay" loans.
Click here for news coverage from the Montgomery Advertiser.
Click here for a copy of the resolution regarding predatory lending approved at 2014 annual conference.
Please contact your legislator and let your voice be heard. Find your Alabama state legislator here.
Mission Opportunities
QuadW internship openings
There remain openings for the QuadW Missional Internship. This is an excellent opportunity for young people to experience life-transforming ministry. Summer internships are available in various cities throughout the US. Visit their website at this link - http://quadwmi.org/ for more details.
Young People in Mission
June 28-July 2, 2015, Lake Junaluska
Young People in Mission is a camp experience with hands-on mission opportunities for youth and young adults between the ages of 12 to 24 at Lake Junaluska, North Carolina.
Click here to learn more and register.
Ubuntu Journeys
Ubuntu Journeys are short-term mission opportunities for UMW members to meet and serve alongside sisters in mission around the world. Click here for a brochure with more details about the 2016 journeys to Ecuador, Texas/Mexico and Japan.
Milk and Honey Outreach Ministries
Milk and Honey is a ministry in the inner city of Pensacola for school aged kids. Their "SOAR" (Summer Opportunities and Recreation) Summer Camp will begin on June 8 and run through August 14. Your involvement would help the kids have a great summer.
Click here to see the brochure with more details. Or call Milk and Honey at 850-469-1194.
Job opportunity with Society of St. Andrew
The Society of St. Andrew is looking for an area gleaning coordinator. Click here to see the current job description.
See the SoSA spring 2015 newsletter here.
Resources
Special Mission Events
The General Board of Global Ministries, our denomination's mission agency, has many resources available for churches, preachers, musicians, teachers, and missionaries for Mission Celebrations, special events, and specialized training.
Click here to find more details on what Global Ministries offers. They can "tailor" personnel and resources to your event. Rev. Scott Parrish is available to work with your church to create a special mission experience. Contact Scott at missioncelebrationevents@umcmission.org.
