September 13, 2022

Conference News

A Word from Bishop Graves: Laity Meeting Recap and FAQ Resource

(Bishop Graves) - What a joy to visit with over 2,500 laity across the Alabama-West Florida Conference in the month of August. The attendance surpassed my expectations which tells me people are in need of accurate information. As expected, I fielded questions about many relevant denominational topics but my heart was warmed to know that a lot of people attended these sessions to better understand what the future United Methodist Church looks like and what laity can do to encourage their church to stay United Methodist. More here. Click here for FAQ.

A Living Hope: An Open Letter About the Future Of the Alabama-West Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church

Grace and Peace to you in our Lord Jesus Christ,
We are leaders who love the Alabama-West Florida Conference of The United Methodist Church and are praying for its hope-filled future. We believe no institution or denomination is perfect, including the United Methodist Church, but this Church has called us, nurtured us, and brought us into connection with God’s children of our conference and we will work to make it better each day.
United Methodists in southern Alabama and the panhandle of Florida have a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences, and each of us has found the grace of Jesus Christ in United Methodist Churches. For us, the UMC has been a lifeboat in a chaotic world. We are committed to preaching and teaching the faith that we proclaim weekly in the creeds of the church. We affirm the traditional Methodist view that scripture is the primary source and standard for Christian doctrine. Scripture is primary to our understanding of the Triune God, the world, and ourselves, and “contains all things necessary for salvation (Articles of Religion).” We are committed to “spreading scriptural holiness all over the land (John Wesley).” These doctrines are rooted deeply in our worship, our lives, and our Book of Discipline. These are not negotiable. Click here to read more and to sign the letter.

2023 Special Called Annual Conference Sessions

Bishop David Graves, episcopal leader of the Alabama-West Florida Conference, in accordance with ¶603.5 of the 2016 Book of Discipline, calls for two 2023 special sessions of the annual conference on Sunday, May 7, 2023, and Sunday, November 12, 2023. These meetings are in addition to the already-announced special session on Saturday, November 12, 2022. All special-called sessions will be held via Zoom. More here.

Pension and Benefit Hosts Information Meetings

Open enrollment for 2023 health insurance will begin August 15-October 31, 2022. There are two health enrollment options; the BCBS PPO Plan and the BCBS HDHP Plan coupled with health saving account. Enrollment is required this year in order to continue health insurance coverage in 2023. There will be four meeting opportunities for eligible clergy to hear the options and enroll. There will also be an online enrollment option. Online enrollment instructions will be sent via a separate email. The meetings will be held at the following locations:
Thursday, 9/15/2022, 2pm-5pm, Trinity UMC (Prattville)
Tuesday, 9/20/2022, 9am – 12pm, Trinity UMC (Ft. Walton Beach)
Thursday, 9/29/2022, 9am – 12pm, Enterprise FUMC
Please click this link to register for your meeting location. Suzanne Krejcar and BeLinda Carnegie will be on site at each meeting to assist with enrollments.

Around the Conference

Clergy Day Apart with Tod Bolsinger This Thursday

All clergy from the Alabama-West Florida and South Georgia Conferences are invited to join Bishop Graves for a virtual clergy time apart with speaker, Tod Bolsinger. Click the link to register via Zoom.

Charge Conference Forms

Charge Conference Forms are now available through your local church dashboard. All forms will again be completed completely online this year. Our conference staff and district superintendents have worked diligently to make the forms as clear, simple, and concise as possible. All completed forms will be due by October 7 (regardless of the date of your charge conference), and forms will not be accepted through mail. Click here for more. Questions should be directed to your regional administrative assistant.

Connectional News

United Methodists Respond to Jackson Water Crisis

About 180,000 residents of Mississippi's capital city are struggling to have clean drinking water, and some do not have water at all. United Methodists of Mississippi are rallying around their neighbors, and the United Methodist Committee on Relief has approved a $10,000 grant. The Rev. Vickie White writes about what the church is doing and how others can help. More here. Click here to give through the AWF Conference portal.

Celebrating the call of United Methodists

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Following God's call to transform the world might seem impossible, but it's a reality for United Methodists. The denomination's global connection provides and supports a wide variety of robust ministries — from health care to education to social justice — that change and save lives every day. A new, downloadable video from United Methodist Communications celebrates that call. Watch video.

Grant applications being accepted

(C&S) — Applications are being accepted for three grant programs operated by United Methodist Church and Society. The deadline is Sept. 16 to apply for Ethnic Local Church, Human Relations Day and Peace with Justice grants, which range from $2,000 to $5,000. Applicants must be a United Methodist church, district, conference or other affiliated organization, or an ecumenical group or organization with a formal partnership with The United Methodist Church. Read press release. To apply.

Resources

Is The United Methodist Church Really?.....Part Three

(Ask the UMC) - In the third installment of the new “Is The United Methodist Church Really…?” series, Ask The UMC addresses questions related to the future of the church and disaffiliation, including the recent Judicial Council ruling on what the Book of Discipline allows. These include recurring questions that reflect misperceptions or misinformation that some congregations are receiving as they discern their next steps.
Read story
Read Part 1 on theology and pensions
Read Part 2 on human sexuality

Moving Beyond a Congregational Identity Crisis

(Lewis Center) - It seems strange to ask the question, “Who are we?” Yet, this is precisely the question many congregations need to consider since what it means to be a church has so many different connotations today. Some see the church as a bunch of hypocrites telling others how to live, while not doing so well at living faithfully themselves. Some see the church as the place where they can get one hot meal a week. There are all kinds of differing perspectives between these two extremes. The question remains, “Who are we?” Let me highlight a few ways church leadership teams can begin to delve into this question. More here.

Clergy Housing Allowance Explained

(GCFA) - A pastor’s housing allowance (sometimes called a parsonage allowance or a rental allowance) is excludable from gross income for income tax purposes. This article will help you understand and make the most of the housing allowance. If you received a new church assignment at this year’s Annual Conference session, now is a great time to evaluate your housing expenses so that you can work with the church to designate an accurate housing allowance. More here.