February 6, 2024

Conference News

General Conference Meetings with Bishop Graves Begin This Week

Bishop David Graves, along with the Alabama-West Florida Conference Cabinet and Conference Leadership, has announced dates for pre- and post-General Conference clergy lunch gatherings as well as a post-General Conference informational webinar for laity. The pre-General Conference clergy lunch gatherings will be a time for Bishop Graves to visit with clergy, offer pastoral support, discuss the timeline for 2024 and provide General Conference and Jurisdictional updates. Registration is now open for these pre-conference gatherings. Post-conference gathering dates may be found here. More here. Click here to register.

Restore, Renew, Rejoice Registration Open

Our annual conference announced four priorities to guide our ministry as we live our mission together. With political, societal, and denominational turmoil on top of a pandemic, these last several years of ministry have required our clergy to lead through new levels of stress and strain. It has taken a toll on the bodies, minds, and spirits of our clergy. All clergy of the Alabama-West Florida Conference are invited to Dothan First UMC for a day of soul restoration and revival led by Bishops Lawson Bryan and Mike Watson on Monday, February 12, 2024. Click here for more.

Upcoming Annual Conference Deadlines Announced for 2024

Please be aware of upcoming deadlines specified in our Standing Rules. Any proposed changes to the Standing Rules should be received in writing by the chairperson of the Committee on Standing Rules no later than February 15, 2024. You may submit proposed changes by email to pastorkathy@bellsouth.net or by mail to Rev. Kathy Knight, 3004 Alexandria Court, Mobile, AL 36693. Resolutions shall be submitted to the Committee on Resolutions and Petitions by February 15, 2024, except in cases where it can be demonstrated by the author of a late petition that the situation which gave rise to making the petition was not apparent until after the deadline for petitions. The committee shall provide copies of all resolutions submitted by February 15 to all voting members present at the conference session. The maker of the late resolution shall supply these copies of his/her resolution if submitted after February 15. No resolution will be received on the last day of the session. The Chairperson of the Committee on Resolutions and Petitions is Rev. Christina Shaver. You may contact her at revchristinashaver@gmail.com. Materials and reports to be included in the Book of Reports shall be in the hands of the Journal editor no later than February 26, 2024. Please submit your report at this link here. Reports must be in narrative form (ideally 750 words or less). Also, please submit reports in either Word or PDF format. E-mail Sarah McWilliams, Journal Editor, (sarah@awfumc.org) with questions. More here.

Around the Conference

Point Washington UMC Sees Medical Clinic Dream Become Thriving Reality

(Rev. Kelli Hitchman-Craig for AWFUMC) - For many Floridians, access to healthcare is an increasingly inaccessible service. Issues like the increasing cost of care, access to affordable health insurance, and legal risks facing non-citizens who seek emergency care plague the health systems in Florida and beyond. However, thanks to the vision and hard work of one Florida community, access to safe and affordable healthcare has arrived for the people of Point Washington, Florida. In December of 2016, Dr. Patsy Vargo and Hillary Glenn, DNP, met for lunch, and by the end of their meal, a name, logo, and mission for a free clinic in Point Washington was born. Just three months later, on April 12, 2017, the Point Washington Medical Clinic saw their first patients on the campus of Point Washington United Methodist Church. Co-Founder and Executive Director, Hillary Glenn, reflected on the early days saying, “Things just fell into place—It had a mind of its own! We were gifted exam tables, clinic space, and serendipitous talent and introductions.” She continued, “We had no idea how large the need was. By 6 months in, we were seeing 20-30 patents every clinic day.” More here.

Take Time to Listen

(Rev. Dan Baughman for AWFUMC New Ministry Strategies) -
“Forget about what’s happened;
don’t keep going over old history.
Be alert, be present. I’m about to do something brand-new.

It’s bursting out! Don’t you see it?”—Isaiah 43:18-19, The Message
We want to be a part of the brand-new things God is doing. This requires being alert and aware and present. It means listening to God. Are you taking the time to listen? We invite you to make some space this Lent season to listen to God and begin to see the new things the Spirit wants to do in and through you. Your local new ministry cultivator would love to be a resource in helping you with this. To set up a meeting, please contact Pastor Dan by completing this form. More here.

Quad W Seeks Summer Missional Interns

QuadW is again looking for highly qualified candidates for their summer missional internship program. The QuadW Missional Internship places teams of Christian young adults in under-resourced communities where they partner with churches and faith-based nonprofits to serve their neighbors. There are five sites in the U.S. and one on the border in Mexico. Most of the interns' time is spent in meaningful, relational service. Interns will also practice spiritual disciplines - prayer, worship, reading and journaling through Scripture, and accountability/encouragement groups. Additionally, interns will work through a curriculum designed to help them understand their faith and the Church in terms of God's mission. The focus is transformation for the young adult. QuadW believes they are most transformed when faithfully participating in God's transforming work in the world around us. The difference interns make in the lives of others is enormous. They also help their partnering churches and faith-based nonprofits deepen their impact, building new relationships with their neighbors. For some partners, this has led to new life and significant growth. More here.

Connectional News

A beginner’s guide to General Conference

The United Methodist Church has no pope. But it does have a General Conference — the only body that can set official policy and speak for the international denomination. General Conference brings together lay and clergy delegates from four continents whose decisions will affect how millions of United Methodists do church for years to come. Think of the two-week gathering as a combination of a United Nations General Assembly, a U.S. congressional session and a time of rousing Christian worship. The coming General Conference, now scheduled for April 23-May 3 in Charlotte, North Carolina, comes at a particularly momentous time. More here.

GBHEM Awards Scholarships to AWF Students

The General Board of Higher Education & Ministry (GBHEM) Scholarships offers financial aid to United Methodist students pursuing undergraduate and graduate degrees. Every year, they award an average of $5.5 million to help students in the United States and abroad pursue their dreams through higher education. With this financial aid, GBHEM is opening pathways for students of all backgrounds to earn their degrees and serve as the next generation of leaders for the church and the world. Congratulations to thirteen students in the Alabama-West Florida Conference who received a collective total of $27,1800. These are our connectional dollars at work. Nine students made their name available to the conference to use. They are Madison Bailey, Maria Bodiford, Philip Brooks, Jacob Bures, Jennifer Knox, Rhianna Lumpkin, Clara Pass, Wayne Richardson and Grace Sill.

Supplemental ADCA now available online

(UM News) - The supplemental Advance edition of the Daily Christian Advocate is now available online at DailyChristianAdvocate.org. The Advance Daily Christian Advocate (ADCA) contains the agenda, rules, petitions, reports from the general agencies/commissions and study committees, information for delegates and codes of conduct for the General Conference. More here.

Resources

29 Ways You Can Participate in Black History Month

(Religion & Race) - No matter your heritage, culture, or racial background, Black history is EVERYONE’s story. Here are 29 ways you, your family, and your congregation can celebrate and participate in Black History Month. More here.

Foundation for Evangelism Launches Grant Application

(Foundation for Evangelism) - Each year the Foundation for Evangelism awards grants for $5,000 or $10,000 to small and medium-sized congregations, or clusters of churches working together. The grant is intended to help launch an experiment or initiative to share the Gospel in word and deed, build relationships, and invite others into a discipleship journey with Jesus. Any church or group of churches fitting the criteria may apply. Up to 50 possible grants will be awarded in the summer of 2024. The Foundation for Evangelism Equipping the Local Church grant initiative intends to empower pastors, laity, and smaller local congregations to dream, take risks, and partner with God in the transformation of lives and communities. The application is open now through February 29, 2024, at https://foundationforevangelism.org/grant-seekers/

UMCOR Sunday is March 10

The UMCOR Sunday Special church-wide offering underwrites UMCOR’s administrative costs, allowing 100% of all funds given to humanitarian response and recovery efforts to be used directly for communities in need. View promotional resources here.

Five Reasons Churches Suffer Management Chaos

(Lewis Center) - Churches correctly give priority to ministry to their members and their communities. However, if they don’t also give priority to how they are managed and to the systems needed in any organization to function efficiently and effectively, they will not be able to meet their ministry goals and they will be consumed by confusion, chaos, and conflict. Here are five of the top management problems churches ignore at their peril. More here.