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April 18, 2023

Conference News

Alabama-West Florida Conference Announces New Ministry Strategy Team

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” -2 Corinthians 5:17

In this season of resurrection and new life, the Alabama-West Florida Conference proudly announces the launching of our new ministry strategy team. This team will lead our conference in planting new faith communities, as well as coaching churches to reach new people in new ways. Rev. Jean Tippit, current Marianna-Panama City and Pensacola District Superintendent, will serve as the director of this team while continuing her duties as a district superintendent. In addition to this director position, five new ministry cultivators have also been named. More here

Lifelong United Methodist Helps New Church Start

(Rev. Kelli Hitchman-Craig) - Billy and Rebecca Crews moved to Prattville, Alabama in 1970. Their first order of business? Finding a church. Quickly, the Crews found their home at Prattville First United Methodist Church. Little did they know, their time at First Methodist would be short. Around the time of the Crews’ arrival at First United Methodist, their congregation was in the process of starting a new faith community in an up-and-coming area of Prattville where neighborhoods were being developed. First Methodist’s mission was to be the church where the city was growing. Surrounded by a band of other young families, the Crews added their efforts to establish a new faith community across town. When asked why she wanted to help start this new church, Mrs. Crews said, “It was exciting to pledge to be a part of something new!” More here

Eastertide and Pentecost Prayer Calendar Now Available

The Alabama-West Florida Conference is centering its work around prayer in the coming liturgical year. Daily conference work, meetings and conferences will all have prayer as the focus. Click here for full press release. The next series of prayers is centered around Eastertide and Pentecost. Below you will find the date, scripture passage, prayer prompt and the verse or verses. Click here for pdf of the below graphic

2023 Annual Conference Registration Information

Registration is now open for BOTH the May 7, 2023, Special Called Session of Annual Conference to be held by Zoom Webinar AND the main session of Annual Conference to be held in-person June 11-14, 2023, in Mobile, AL. Complete registration information for both sessions may be found here

Around the Conference

2023 Annual Conference Delegate Elections

On March 20, 2023, The United Methodist Church’s top court (The Judicial Council) made a ruling that allows the election of new delegates to the postponed 2020 General Conference that will now take place in 2024. Decision 1472 states, “Annual conferences are permitted to hold elections to fill vacancies in the General Conference delegation due to death, resignations, or otherwise, up to the maximum number of allocated delegates, provided vacancies cannot be filled with reserve delegates.” As a result of this ruling, we will elect delegates to fill vacancies in the General Conference delegation at our 2023 Annual Conference session this June in Mobile. While we will not know exact numbers of vacancies for our delegation until after our May 7 special called session, we do know there will be vacancies for clergy and laity that must be filled. More here

Youth Pages Needed for 2023 AWF Annual Conference

Do you know of a youth between the ages of 12 and 18 who would like to serve as a Page for the 2023 Annual Conference? Serving as a page is a great way for youth to not only serve the conference but also get hands-on experience in what takes place each year at annual conference. Additionally, great bonds are made between those serving as pages. As was the case last year, the conference will not be able to provide housing and transportation for those serving as pages. Considering this, we are hoping to get pages who live in the Mobile and Baldwin County areas or youth who will be attending annual conference with their parent(s) who are clergy or lay members to Annual Conference. More here.  

Blue Lake Camp Launches Campaign

(BLC) - We are excited to announce the launch of the Be the Spark Campaign. Blue Lake’s financial health continues to improve, but we have one large hurdle to overcome on our path to sustainability. Our goal for the Be the Spark Campaign is to raise at least $450,000 to address two specific needs that we currently have. First, the first goal is to pay off our remaining mortgage which sat at $380,000 in January from its original amount of $1.8 million. The second is to use the additional $70,000 to begin facility updates throughout our site. Here is the great news! The Alabama-West Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church is supporting our efforts with an incredible gift. The Conference will match every dollar we raise in 2023 up to the first $223,000. Every gift we receive will be doubled! More here

Initial 2023 Annual Conference Details Announced

The Alabama-West Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church will hold its 2023 Annual Conference session Sunday, June 11-Wednesday, June 14 at the Mitchell Center on the campus of the University of South Alabama in Mobile, AL. The Service of Commissioning and Ordination will be held at Dauphin Way United Methodist Church. This year’s theme is, “When They Prayed” from Acts 4:31 with each day having a specific focus of how Biblical characters prayed. 
Sunday, June 11: like Naomi… When we pray blessings on others, God redeems, based on Ruth 1:8.
Monday, June 12: like Nehemiah… When we acknowledge our shortcomings, God rebuilds, based on Nehemiah 1:5.
Tuesday, June 13: like Mary… When we rejoice and give thanks, God reveals, based on Luke 1:46-56.
Wednesday, June 14: like Peter… When we pray boldly, God revives, based on Acts 9:40.
The clergy and laity session will be in person on Sunday, June 11 at 8pm. More here

Disaffiliation Numbers for May Special Session Available

As a notice to all churches, the standard disaffiliation figures for the May 7th Special Called Annual Session are now available on the church dashboard. 

Resources

Resources for Native American Ministries Sunday

Native American Ministries Sunday is April 23, and resources are available to mark the date. The Native American Ministries Pastor and Leader Kit includes posters; pre-written emails and other social media content; infographics; videos; and pew cards. Donations made on this Special Sunday help develop and strengthen Native American ministries in annual conferences and communities. More here

Is The United Methodist Church really... ? (Part 11)

Ask The UMC, a ministry of United Methodist Communications, continues to receive questions related to local church disaffiliations and the future of the church. In Part 11 of its “Is The United Methodist Church Really…?” series, the team addresses questions about the process of voting on disaffiliation in local churches. More here

Events

You’re invited to “Healing a Broken Heart: A Four-Day Academy for Spiritual Formation” on September 24-29, 2023. This is an ecumenical retreat for laity and clergy who desire to deepen their relationship with God through an intentional daily rhythm of prayer, worship, study, and reflection. Sponsored by the AWF and NAL conferences of the United Methodist Church, The Episcopal Diocese of AL, and the Upper Room, this Academy will be held at Camp McDowell just north of Birmingham. Click here for more information and to register.

Native American Ministries Sunday, April 23

The Art of Holy Listening: Discovering Belovedness, April 27-30

AWF Special Session, May 7

Church Management Conference, May 9, 16 and 23

2023 AWF Annual Conference, June 11-14

 

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