May 18, 2020/Volume 19, No. 8
Conference News
Conference Leadership Releases Guidelines for Restarting In-person Worship
Under the leadership of Bishop David Graves, the COVID-19 task force has released updated guidelines for restarting in-person worship. Click here for guidelines. The bishop, cabinet and conference leadership continue to affirm the previous announcement recommending no in-person worship through June 1, 2020. An updated announcement will be released on May 21, 2020. More here.
In-person Worship Cancellations Extend into June for Alabama-West Florida Conference
Bishop David Graves, in conjunction with the Alabama-West Florida cabinet, is recommending the cancellation of all in-person worship and church meetings through June 1, 2020. “We continue to assess recommendations from health officials, government leaders and medical experts about our best plan to reopen churches,” stated Bishop David Graves. “This is a sensitive topic because as United Methodists, we are passionate about in-person worship and the way it shapes our faith journey. I share your deep desire to gather again and celebrate our risen savior, but we simply cannot make that recommendation with the information we currently have.” More here.
Alabama-West Florida Conference Announces Budget Reductions and Restructuring Plans
The Alabama-West Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church is undergoing budget reductions and staff restructuring to appropriately plan for financial implications as a result of COVID-19 and the upcoming session of the 2021 General Conference. Based upon recent trends and detailed predictions, the annual conference is seeking to decrease its overall operating budget by as much as 50% by January 1, 2021, in order to continue to be a sustainable and viable annual conference. More here.
AWF Pentecost Video to be Released Late May
We kicked off the Easter season with our virtual Easter Worship recording, and we thought what better way to wrap up the Easter season than with a Pentecost video. We have reached out to a number of clergy, laity, missionaries, and friends of the Alabama-West Florida Conference to assist us with this effort. The Pentecost video will include the reading of Acts 2:1-21 in various different languages – creating a true Pentecost experience. This video will be sent out and shared closer to May 31. We hope that you enjoy this video and that it will add to your 2020 Pentecost experience.
Around the Conference
AWF Lay Leadership Checkup Launched
Under the leadership of Celeste Eubanks, Beverly Maddox and Rev. Allison Posell, a three-week (two weeks remaining) online gathering has been launched to discuss personal health, church health and future planning. All district and local church lay leaders are invited to attend. Click here for more details and Zoom information.
Virtual Vacation Bible School
The Alabama-West Florida Conference would like to connect churches around the topic of 2020 Vacation Bible School (VBS). As many of you know, it has been recommended by Bishop David Graves that there be no in-person worship through June 1, 2020. Many churches have cancelled on-site VBS for the coming summer and are looking for ways to continue to engage children in local churches. We are also starting a children's ministry cohort. Please indicate your interest in partnering with another for virtual VBS or participating in the cohort in this link.
Interactive Meeting Offered with Tanzania Missionary
Join us on May 28 at 12 p.m. (central) for a virtual conversation with missionaries serving around the world. One missionary you will hear from that day will be Fernando Matsimbe, seen in this picture with Bishop Graves. Fernando serves in Tanzania as a church planter. You will be inspired as you listen to his story. Click on the link below to register to participate. Click here for Zoom information.
AWF Continues to Offer Online Giving Portal for Local Churches
The Alabama-West Florida Conference Fiscal Office is providing an online giving platform to local churches who do not have their own as a way for members to give to their churches during the COVID-19 period of isolation. Church members may access the giving form via this online link. Churches who wish to take advantage of this service should please complete an ACH/direct deposit form, print, sign and return to Suzanne Krejcar at suzanne@awfumc.org. The name, email and telephone number of the signer must be included and must be an established financial contact for the church. The fiscal office will contact the pastor as a secondary validation measure before any funds are sent. Once the ACH information is validated by the pastor, the funds will be transmitted electronically every second Tuesday to the local church along with an e-mail confirmation and donor file. This e-mail will be sent both to the financial contact and the pastor.
AWF Devotionals
The AWF daily devotional continues on Mondays and Wednesdays.
-The traditional devotional will continue to be held on Mondays at 10am.
-A lectio divina will be led by Rev. Julie Hare of Auburn UMC on Wednesdays at 10am.The Zoom link will remain the same.
At this time, the Monday afternoon clergy devotional will rcontinue as planned at 4:00pm. The frequency will most likely be reduced in the coming weeks. The Zoom link will remain the same.
Resources
AWF PPE Order Form
Need COVID-19 related supplies for your church? A link to the Alabama-West Florida PPE supply order form was included in the guidelines for re-opening sent out last week. The order link is www.awfumc.org/covidsupplies. Chris Ackerman, our Conference Disaster Response Coordinator, will make an order each week. Orders received by 10 a.m. each Friday will be included in the order for the week. Supplies will take several weeks to ship. Chris and a team of volunteers plan to put orders together and drop them off in each district for pick-up. The locations for pick-up in each district will be announced soon. These specific brands of supplies and prices will likely change as we go along but the link and general items offered will remain the same.
SBA Resumes Accepting Paycheck Protection Program Applications
The Small Business Administration resumed accepting Paycheck Protection Program applications from participating lenders on Monday, April 27, 2020. The Alabama-West Florida Conference encourages churches to actively pursue a PPP Loan if your church meets the certification requirements required for the loan. For churches that have received the loan, it is important to keep track of documentation to be eligible for loan forgiveness. If your church does not qualify, you may qualify for financial relief under the Employee Retention Credit and/or the FFCRA tax credit for paid sick/family leave. These are two separate credits and may both be available to you if you did not apply for the PPP loan. The Fiscal Office will continue to update https://www.awfumc.org/cares with resources and information on financial assistance available to you.
AWF COVID-19 Resources
COVID-19, commonly known as the coronavirus, continues to impact the world. Each day more cases are reported and closings are announced. Click here for resources to help you and your congregation navigate this unprecedented time.
Events
All in-person worship and meetings are cancelled in the Alabama-West Florida Conference through June 1, 2020. If your group is meeting remotely, please contact the coordinator for link information.
