Bring UMCOR Relief Supplies to Annual Conference 2020
Every year at annual conference we ask churches to engage in a mission project, and we’ll continue that in 2020. Bring UMCOR relief kits and supplies, and we’ll ship them to the Sager Brown Depot in Baldwin, Louisiana for you. Relief kits help provide care for the most vulnerable people during times of crisis. Kits help sustain everyday life for people who lack ready access to essential supplies when a disaster strikes.
The Alabama-West Florida Conference has received many kits after disasters, notably Hurricane Michael. This kit drive is now our opportunity to help others in their own time of need.
Find more details and specific items your district is asked to bring at https://www.awfumc.org/reliefkits
You can also help us make this supply collection process better. Give your input by participating in a brief survey, found here.
UMVIM (UM Volunteers in Mission) Resources Available
Videos
United Methodist Volunteers In Mission (UMVIM) has excellent video resources available for mission team leaders and others interested in mission work. These are videos you can show to your team members - "Why We Go", "How We Go" and "Carrying Our Baggage". Find them and a leader's guide all at https://umvim.org/resources/umvim-sej-movement-video-series.html
There is also a video for churches about local mission work. Find the video and leader's guide at https://umvim.org/resources/umvim-sej-movement-local-missions.html
Travel Medical Insurance
The mission of UMVIM, SEJ is to connect, resource, and empower volunteers to serve as the body of Christ. One resource they offer is travel medical insurance for our mission teams. This insurance protects you in the event of an illness or injury when traveling outside of your country of residence. It provides key medical benefits in case of an emergency, including: medical evacuation, emergency reunion, continuation of treatment (up to 6 months), and much more.
Whether you are traveling in the USA or internationally, the insurance is added protection for your mission team. Click here for more information.
In addition, two team leader training events are scheduled. See below in the "Upcoming Events" section.
Dumas Wesley's SAIL Participants Become Foster Grandparents to Local School Children
(Joni Hendee) Connie Knight has been a participant of the Senior Activities for Independent Living (SAIL) Program at the Dumas Wesley Community Center (DWCC) for three years. “I needed something to do during the day after recovering from a stroke,” said Knight. DWCC offers a variety of free activities to seniors like Knight, including: life skills classes, field trips, arts and crafts, and hot lunches. The DWCC serves an average of 65 low-income seniors daily.
“I love this program because I also get to help others,” said Knight. Knight, along with nine other seniors, are participating in a “Foster Grandparent” program at Forest Hill Elementary School in Mobile, Alabama. Under the guidance of Principal Sharon Smith and Guidance Counselor Tammy Halliday, ten students were selected to participate in this special mentorship program. “The Foster Grandparent Program fills a void for our students by providing a nurturing, loving grandparent relationship that the children are lacking,” said Smith. “The children are so excited on grandparent day and look forward to it. We are thankful for the caring senior adults who are willing to be a part of this wonderful program!"
Read more here
See these additional videos about the superb ministry happening at Dumas Wesley Community Center:
The Olivier Family - Sybil H. Smith Family Village
Meet our Neighbors!
A New Name, A Renewed Ministry
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In 2019, Pensacola United Methodist Community Ministries changed its name to to Bright Bridge Ministries. With this change, the ministry is propelled forward with a renewed sense of purpose, passionately serving men, women and children regardless of faith or circumstance.
In 2019, the ministry served hot meals to 22,685 veterans, senior citizens, men, women and children in the community who were in need. They provided safe, stable, supportive housing for 109 men as residents in His Place ministry with a 70.6% success rate of moving from crisis to stable housing and employment. Bright Bridge is growing in every aspect of its ministries and is grateful for your support and prayers.
Bright Bridge Ministries is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, faith-centered ministry dedicated to providing support and resources to those in need. Bright Bridge offers Escambia County’s most vulnerable and under-resourced residents a bridge to brighter days through food, basic needs support, recovery services, housing, education, and spiritual guidance.
To read more about their name change, click here.
To see a current brochure, click here.
Visit their Facebook page here.
Alabama Rural Ministry MLK Weekend
Serve with Alabama Rural Ministry during their annual MLK Weekend. Teams and individuals will serve in the Tuskegee, AL, area on Saturday, January 18 and Monday, January 20. You can serve through home repair, a children's ministry event, the Macon County food pantry, and a street cleanup team.
You're also invited to the community-wide worship service and gospel concert on Friday, January 17 at 6 PM at Tuskegee Methodist Church.
Read more about this important weekend and sign up to participate here.
Tanzania Partnership
Our conference has entered into a partnership with the UMC of Tanzania. Watch this video to learn more about this exciting ministry opportunity.
This 11-minute video can be shared in a Sunday school class or with your mission committee. Or contact Susan Hunt at susan@awfumc.org for her to speak to your church about this ministry and how your church can get involved.
A longer and more comprehensive video about the partnership can be found at www.teamingwithtanzania.org, along with much more information and numerous resources. Contact Susan Hunt for more information.
New Social Principles Website
Church and Society has a new website for the Social Principles at www.umcsocialprinciples2020.org. This features the revised Social Principles document in eight different languages (Tagalog and Korean will be coming soon!) and videos and educational resources. If you want to learn more about the proposed Social Principles, sign up at:
https://www.umcsocialprinciples2020.org/updates
Conference Advance
The Conference Advance exists to share the love of Jesus Christ by offering hope and alleviating human suffering. With integrity, transparency, and a commitment to The United Methodist Church’s connectional vision of the world, the Advance provides a means enabling persons and churches to support mission and ministry projects within the bounds of the Alabama-West Florida Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church.
The Advance is an accountable, designated arm of The Alabama-West Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church ensuring 100% of each gift is used for its intended mission or ministry. These gifts fulfill both physical and spiritual needs to make a life-changing and long-lasting impact.
Read more about and donate to any of the Advance ministries at www.awfumc.org/advance.
Click here for the 2019-2020 Advance brochure.
Upcoming Events
Mission Team Leader Training Opportunities
There's more to being a mission team leader than ordering some plane tickets and gathering a group of people to travel with you. Learn more about being an effective team leader at the upcoming UMVIM Team Leader Training sessions.
Click on a date below to find more details and register:
Cost of Poverty Experience Event
You are invited to participate in the next Cost of Poverty Experience (COPE) on Saturday, January 25, 2020, at the South Walton Boys and Girls Club in Santa Rosa Beach.
COPE is a poverty simulation role-playing game that offers a glimpse into the lives of low-income individuals and families living in your community.
Visit this link for more information and to register. Or read more here.
This event is sponsored by Communities of Transformation.
Annual COSROW Event
The 2020 COSROW event will be March 6 & 7, 2020, at Blue Lake Camp. Check-in begins at 4 PM on Friday, March 6.
Dawn Wiggins Hare, the General Secretary of the General Commission on the Status and Role of Women will monitor a panel of COSROW Representatives from the surrounding Conferences. Topics for discussion will be Issues for General Conference, what is happening in other SEJ conferences, how COSROW will function in AWF, Fresh ideas for growth and investigating new sources for learning together.
Click here for the registration form.
Connecting Neighbors Training
The Montgomery-Opelika District will host a Connecting Neighbors training on Saturday, February 1, 2020, at Woodland UMC in Pike Road from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. This is an opportunity for your church to better prepare for a disaster. This workshop will include information on getting your church members ready, getting your building(s) ready, and then thinking through how you will reach out to your neighbors after the disaster has hit your area or beyond.
This is a great training for all church leaders, including trustees, maintenance staff, clergy, lay leaders and other key decision-makers. It is open to others outside the district.
Click here for more information and to register.
Additional Mission and Ministry Opportunities
Request For Help For The Bahamas
The North Alabama Conference is working to provide construction materials and financial resources to the Methodist Church in the Grand Bahama Circuit to help them rebuild homes for survivors of Hurricane Dorian. Construction materials are in short supply on the islands and difficult to come by. The North Alabama Conference Disaster Response Team is inviting us to help them fill a shipping container that will be sent from a port in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Many tools and building supplies are needed. Read all the details and how you can help in these letters.
Request from The Methodist Church - Grand Bahama Circuit
Request from the North Alabama Conference
Letter from the North Alabama Conference
Contact Mike Vest at mike.vest@umcna.org for more details.
Mission Volunteer Placements
Mission Volunteers are individuals or couples (ages 18 and up), who seek long-term partnerships with communities around the world. Mission Volunteer opportunities are diverse and range from working with refugees, children and youth, serving as a teacher, pastor, camp director or health care professional. The length of service ranges from two months to more than two years.
Upcoming Training: April 22-25th, 2020 Carlinville, IL
To find more information and apply for these placement openings contact the Mission Volunteer Office directly at mv@umcmission.org. For a complete list of placement sites requesting long-term volunteers visit our website at https://www.umcmission.org/serve-with-us/mission-volunteers.
