February 10, 2020/Volume 19, No. 2

Conference News

AWF Bishop's Task Force Continues Work Related to General Conference

The Alabama-West Florida Conference Bishop’s Discernment Task Force met February 3-4 in Pensacola, FL, to continue the vital work of processing information related to General Conference 2020. The members represent various ministry areas of the conference and bring a collective set of gifts to the table. After several meetings in the fall of 2019, the group invited a professional facilitator who is familiar with the conference, Julia Kuhn Sharp, to lead the remaining meetings. More here.

A Word from the Bishop: Prayers for the AWF Conference Appointment Process

(Bishop David Graves) - Currently the cabinet, pastors, staff-parish committees, and churches are working on the upcoming appointment year: July 2020 to June 2021. To inform you of our process, but most importantly to ask for your prayers, I want to share the following: The cabinet, consisting of the eight district superintendents, Rev. June Jernigan, and myself will be working to make over 575 appointments between now and annual conference, scheduled for June 7-9. There will be times when we ask Rev. John Brooks, director of multicultural ministries, and Rev. Bill Kierce, director of congregational development, to meet with us as we seek to become more aware of diversity while also being mindful of church starts. Yet it is only the cabinet who will be projecting the appointments. It is a vital process that involves thousands of lives and is why I seek your prayers. More here.

2020 Annual Conference Logo and Theme Announced

The 2020 session of the Alabama-West Florida Conference will be held June 7-9, 2020, at Frazer Memorial United Methodist Church. Our theme is, "Come to the Table" based on Luke 24:35. Click the below links for more information.
Hotel Information
Standing Rules Deadline
UMCOR Collection Kits
Nominate someone for an Annual Conference award

Around the Conference

Facebook Tips Video Released

Mary Catherine Phillips, AWF director of communications, and Rev. Macon Armistead, Huntingdon Leadership Academy Director, walk us through helpful tips related to administering a local church Facebook page. Click here for more or on the above image.

Vital Conversations: Meaningful Conversations on Race Continue in early 2020

As a follow up to the Alabama-West Florida Conference fall clergy "Resisting Racism" Diversity Training and the first series of conversations, additional Vital Conversations are being held in four locations in February and March of 2020. These conversations will be open to all laity and clergy and will be focused on race, culture and justice. Celeste Eubanks, AWF Director of Leadership Strategies, will facilitate relevant questions to help people have fruitful and meaningful conversations on race. Registration is strongly encouraged but not required and all are welcome. Individual date links to register are below under events. Previous attendees are welcome to attend, but please be aware that table talks at this set of gatherings will be based on the same video and questions used in the first series. A new Vital Conversations series will be introduced at the gatherings in Fall 2020.

Blue Lake Seeks Summer Camp Staff

Blue Lake Camp is hiring summer staff. Please help them spread the word. They are looking for college-age adults who can commit 10 weeks of their summer to living at and working for Blue Lake. This is best for individuals who are passionate, excited, and willing to get their hands dirty. An ideal summer counselor is someone who can roll with the punches of summer camp (no two days are the same!) and is a team player. Contact Blue Lake here.

Connectional News

Protocol Legislation Released

(Bishop David Graves) - The next step related to General Conference 2020 is the release of the legislation from the Protocol of Grace and Separation team. That information was released February 7, 2020. That information may be found here. At this point, this is legislation that will be presented to the voting body of General Conference to be held May 5-15, 2020, in Minneapolis, MN. There are still several steps that this legislation will undergo; such as approval from one annual conference and approval of the Judicial Council in April. I invite you review this information. However, please remember only General Conference speaks for the United Methodist Church. Let us all continue to pray for our delegates, our conference, our churches, our pastors and our laity during this uncertain time.

Statement from SEJ Heads of Delegation regarding Protocol

(SEJ) - We, the undersigned SEJ Lay and Clergy Heads of Delegations, affirm the work done on the ‘Protocol of Grace & Reconciliation Through Separation’ and recommend the Protocol be among the first legislative items considered by General Conference 2020. We look forward to seeing the related legislation and give thanks to those who did this work on our behalf. More here.

Foretaste of what's on the table at GC2020

Several leaders from the Alabama-West Florida Conference participated at the quadrennial pre-conference briefing to prepare for General Conference 2020. Although most of the discussions centered around legislation and logistics, perhaps one of the most spirit-filled moments was when Rev. Ashley Davis, AWF director of connectional ministries, was invited to pray over the Committee on General Conference. The sending forth was a highlight of the gathering. Click here for more. Photo by Mike Dubose.

UMCOR names new executive director

The United Methodist Committee on Relief, the humanitarian relief and development agency of The United Methodist Church, will enter its ninth decade led by a new executive director who brings a strong background in international disaster response, public health and child welfare. Lara S. Martin comes to the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR), effective February 3, from a top post at the Center for Humanitarian Emergencies of Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia. She was formerly with Save the Children in Washington, D.C. More here.

Resources

Revised Social Principles on new website

(Church and Society) - A new website to introduce the revised Social Principles to The United Methodist Church has been created by the United Methodist Board of Church and Society. The site includes an introductory video, translations of the document in eight languages and additional resources. The revised Social Principles will be considered by delegates at the 2020 General Conference in May. Visit website.

Group offers 10 scholarships to GC2020

(UMNS) - The group United Methodist Rural Advocates is offering 10 scholarships to cover housing and some meals of people attending the 2020 General Conference. People meeting the group's criteria can apply by Feb. 28. The scholarships are made possible by a grant from the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries. Learn more.

Lent Resources

Lent is a season of forty days, not counting Sundays, which begins on Ash Wednesday (February 26, 2020) and ends on Holy Saturday (April 11, 2020). Lent comes from the Anglo Saxon word lencten, which means "spring." The forty days represents the time Jesus spent in the wilderness, enduring the temptation of Satan and preparing to begin his ministry. More here.