June 1, 2020/Volume 19, No. 9
Conference News
Alabama-West Florida to hold annual conference sessions in fall of 2020
Bishop David Graves, in collaboration with conference leadership and the annual conference planning team, is announcing that the 2020 AWF Annual Conference session will be held in two parts in the fall of 2020. Both sessions will be held at Frazer Memorial UMC in Montgomery, AL. The clergy session will be held on Sunday, September 13, 2020, and the half-day annual conference session will be held on Saturday, September 26, 2020. A non-voting live stream option will be available to those who are unable to attend on the 26th. All guests and families are asked to watch via live stream this year to reduce the number of persons in the building. More here.
Graves Issues Update on Worship in the Alabama-West Florida Conference
Bishop David Graves, in conjunction with the Alabama-West Florida cabinet, encourages churches to continue to hold online, outdoor and drive-in worship services through June 30, 2020. “Thus far, we have not seen the necessary 14-day steady decline in the number of COVID-19 cases in many areas of our conference,” stated Bishop Graves. “The health and safety of anyone potentially coming into our United Methodist church buildings is of utmost importance and remains a priority to conference leadership. We all have a deep longing to return to our church campuses and to find a sense of normalcy, but we are simply not able to recommend in-person worship at this time. Remember that churches are not closed, only buildings. The leaders in our local churches have shown how to continue ministry during a pandemic by hosting online, drive-in and outdoor worship services; feeding thousands of people through food delivery programs and reaching out to neighbors in creative and meaningful ways.” More here. Photo courtesy of Orange Beach UMC.
Federal Alliance for Safe Homes (FLASH) partners with Alabama-West Florida Conference to Provide Housing for Families Impacted by Hurricane Michael
The Federal Alliance for Safe Homes (FLASH), in partnership with the Alabama-West Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church (AWFUMC), has been awarded $645,000 in funding from the Florida Disaster Fund to rebuild six (6) Hurricane Michael-damaged homes in Bay and Gulf Counties. The six homes will be provided to families with unmet economic needs due to gaps in public and private insurance or other types of support. Currently, the six families are without the resources necessary to overcome the challenges that began when Hurricane Michael damaged their homes. AWFUMC is an active United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) partner and has assisted over 300 families. The project team continues daily work in the long-term recovery of Hurricane-Michael affected communities. Currently, the FLASH Strong Homes program supports the existing AWFUMC initiative by providing donated and discounted building materials, consulting, and engineering expertise. The support is ensuring that the new homes not only meet the Florida building code but provide the highest degree of safety and performance. More here.
AWF Office of Communications Receives Four UMAC Awards
For the first time ever, the United Methodist Association of Communicators held their annual awards gala in a virtual format on the evening of Thursday, May 21, 2020. Each year, UMAC recognizes excellence in communication through an awards program, the United Methodist Association of Communicators Awards Contest. The contest recognizes excellence in print publications, digital publications, writing, internet communications, video production, audio, photography, visual design, publicity/advertising and media presentations. The Alabama-West Florida Conference Office of Communications was honored with four awards. More here.
Around the Conference
AWF Music Directors Invited to Adaptive Leadership Zoom
The COVID-19 pandemic poses many challenges to our churches and leadership. Creativity in worship and the ability to adapt to ever-changing circumstances is essential for proclaiming the Gospel in our context today. Many of the tensions and challenges in worshipping in this season are resting on our music ministers and those who lead music in our churches. The Alabama-West Florida Conference would like to call all of our music ministers and leaders together for a zoom meeting on June 11th at 6 p.m. A panel of music leaders from various churches and diverse worship styles will share expertise, as well as creative ideas, resources, struggles, and concerns for worshipping in the time of COVID-19. There will be an open time of questions and answers at the end of the panel discussion. It is our hope that those who lead in music ministry can find strength and resiliency through increased connection with one another and that this group might continue to meet. The first session will be recorded for those who might need to access the information at a later date. Click here for more information and to register.
AWF Pentecost Video Released
We have concluded Easter season with a Pentecost video featuring a reading of Acts 2:1-21. The video is now available and was released yesterday. Highlighted in this piece are clergy, laity, missionaries, and friends of the Alabama-West Florida Conference reading scripture in various languages, creating a true Pentecost experience. Click here for video.
Payroll Protection Plan Survey and Updates
In an effort to provide better support to the Alabama-West Florida local churches as well as to gauge our conference’s participation in the CARES Act benefits, we would like to collect the following information. Please complete the brief survey below or forward this to the most appropriate person at your church. Once we gather the responses, we will summarize the results for the conference and publish on the Fiscal page of the AWF Conference website. Per our fiscal office, changes are coming to the PPP forgiveness guidelines. They encourage borrowers to wait until after the new legislation is passed before filing for forgiveness. Click here to complete survey.
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.
Connectional News
General and Jurisdictional Conference Revised Dates Announced
Within minutes of one another, both planning bodies of the General and Jurisdictional Conferences announced on May 26, 2020, new dates for the 2021 gatherings. Click here for more details. Photo courtesy of UMNS.
SEJ Episcopal Supervision Plan Announced
(SEJ) - The SEJ College of Bishops announces the plan for episcopal supervision for the Southeastern Jurisdiction until the 2020 postponed session of Jurisdictional Conference in November 2021. This plan was developed in consultation and dialogue with the SEJ Committee on Episcopacy, and the Council of Bishops has affirmed the actions of the SEJ College of Bishops to provide coverage in each episcopal area. More here.
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 weeks ago. 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.
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
Bishop David Graves, in conjunction with the Alabama-West Florida cabinet, encourages churches to continue to hold online, outdoor and drive-in worship services through June 30, 2020.
Blue Lake Camp 5K, summer
Game Changing Leadership: What's Ahead for the Next Generation?, June 9
Game Changing Leadership: SERVE-ival, June 11
Zoom Call for Music Leaders, June 11
Game Changing Leadership: Forward Focus Framework, June 15
Game Changing Leadership: Forward Focus Framework, June 16
Mission u, The Way of Peace: Our Longing for Community, July 14-25
