May 14, 2018/Volume 17, No. 9

Conference News

A Word from the Bishop: Council of Bishops' Report

Friends, Nancy and I returned late Saturday night following the conclusion of the Council of Bishops meeting in Chicago, IL. We enjoyed yesterday as a day of Sabbath and worship and needed that renewal time as many of you understand. By now some of you have read the Council of Bishops’ press release and other commentary following the conclusion of our meeting. As I, too, read statements and interpretations I want to share with you how this annual conference will work going forward. First, let me take a moment to give thanks for those of you who reached out offering prayer and support to the council. We certainly felt it in our discussions and time of worship. To be clear, all three plans will be brought to General Conference 2019. The three plans are the One Church Plan; the Traditionalist Plan, and the Connectional-conference plan (formerly known as the Multi-branch model). The majority of the bishops supported the One Church plan but all plans have support. It is clear reading social media that people want more information. It is also necessary that everyone receive the information at once. Here is a brief timeline of the events to come. More here.

A letter to women clergy in the Alabama-West Florida Conference from Bishop David Graves

Dear Women Clergy of the Alabama-West Florida Conference, I write to you today saddened and disappointed that the two constitutional amendments related to the rights of girls, women, and vulnerable groups did not receive the necessary 2/3 aggregate vote of all the annual conferences in the United Methodist Church. What hurts my heart even deeper is that the Alabama-West Florida Conference is one of three, and the only annual conference in the Southeastern Jurisdiction, to vote Amendment #1 down. At 66.5% of the votes it was defeated and needed 66.7% to pass. As your Bishop, this is deeply hurtful and embarrassing to me. At the Council of Bishop’s meeting last week I had to sit and witness the pain of female bishops and know our conference was a part of this pain. Yet, I cannot even begin to know what hurt this brings to you and to all women of our conference. I want to simply say that I am sorry and apologize to you. Like you, I am tired of having to apologize for these injustices. I want to affirm to you that I am strongly committed to the equality of women and their full inclusion in our Church. Furthermore, I stand beside the active and retired women bishops’ statement released alongside the announcement that was released this morning. Full letter here.

Special Alabama Primary Voting and Poll Information

The 2018 Annual Conference session, June 3-6, 2018, falls during the Alabama Primary Elections. Election day is Tuesday, June 5, 2018. This is important for you to know for two reasons. First, if you are a member of the annual conference, spouse or visitor from the state of Alabama, we strongly encourage you to request an absentee ballot. More details about the absentee voting process, including deadlines, can be found in this document beginning on page nine. Complete voter information can be found here. This does not affect Florida voters as their primary is later this summer. Complete information here.

Around the Conference

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 or on the above image to view. Click here to read 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.

Connectionalism at Work: Dothan District Ready to Build Habitat House

(Kari C. Barlow for the AWF Conference) - The Dothan District of the Alabama-West Florida Conference is ready to build a house. After almost two years of fundraising, the district has raised the $40,000 needed to sponsor the construction of a Coffee County Habitat for Humanity house for Benita Smith, who lost her home in the 2015 Christmas Day floods in Elba. “Two years felt like a long time, but I knew we’d get there eventually,” District Superintendent Sara Shaver said. Smith, along with officials from Coffee County Habitat and the Dothan District, celebrated the project’s groundbreaking on April 22. Full feature here.

More 2018 Annual Conference Details Announced

Annual Conference 2018 will be held June 3-6 at Frazer Memorial UMC in Montgomery. Our theme is, “Imagine A Church That's the Hope of the World” based on Ephesians 1:18-19. The missional offering will go to Communities of Transformation, a ministry that was launched out of the Alabama-West Florida Conference in 2011. Bishop James Swanson will be our visiting bishop for the opening worship service and Julia Kuhn-Wallace will join us on Tuesday. Rev. June Jernigan will deliver the sermon for the Memorial Service. Rev. German Gomez, Rev. Sheila Bates and Rev. Olivia Poole will preach at the three morning worship services. New links have been added below and will provide you with more information. A comprehensive email with details can be found here.
Working Agenda
Book of Reports
Reservations
Missional Offering Bulletin Insert and Video
Display Table Application
Youth Page Application
Childcare Reservations
Special Meal & Room Request
Hotel Information
Mass Choir
Nominate someone for an Annual Conference Award
Clergy and Lay Member Preparation
Laity Banquet
UMCOR Kit Collection (new for 2018, district kit content assignments)
Alabama Primary Voting Information

Connectional News

Constitutional Amendment to be Revisited

(UMNS) - The Rev. Gary W. Graves, Secretary of the General Conference, announced today that an error was made in the text of a proposed Constitutional amendment as it was presented for voting, and which subsequently failed to pass. Amendment #1 of the five constitutional amendments that were approved by the 2016 General Conference–and which narrowly failed to be ratified–included a sentence which had been removed by the legislative body. More here.

United Methodist Bishops Recommend a Way Forward

(COB) - United Methodist bishops, meeting in Chicago, engaged in a prayerful process to discern a way forward. At the conclusion of the discernment process, the Council of Bishops strongly approved the following motion and rationale:
Having received and considered the extensive work of the Commission on a Way Forward, the Council of Bishops will submit a report to the Special Session of the General Conference in 2019. More here.

United Methodists encouraged to celebrate 50th anniversary of the denomination alongside Pentecost

(UMNS) - May 20 is being called a “once in a lifetime” event for United Methodists, offering an opportunity to commemorate the church’s history alongside the celebration of Pentecost. Numerous event-specific resources are available for congregations, including a video created to honor the church’s legacy since April 23, 1968, when leaders of the Evangelical United Brethren Church and The Methodist Church declared the creation of a new denomination, The United Methodist Church. More here.