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April 16, 2024

Conference News

Alabama-West Florida 2024 Annual Conference Registration Now Live

The Alabama-West Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church will hold its 2024 Annual Conference session Sunday, June 16-Tuesday, June 18 at First United Methodist Church, Montgomery. The conference will not meet on Wednesday, June 19. This year’s theme is, “Revive Us Again” from Isaiah 43:18-19. To see the working agenda, click here. Note that opening worship will begin at 8:30am on Monday, June 17. The clergy and laity sessions will be held in person on Sunday, June 16. Registration on Sunday, June 16 will be located in two separate places: clergy will register in the fellowship hall area and laity will register in the narthex of the sanctuary. Click here to register.

Prayer A Focus for AWF Delegates Heading to General Conference

With General Conference set to begin this month, the Alabama-West Florida Conference delegation has been meeting to pray, study, and discuss legislation as they continue to prepare for the global gathering, set for April 23-May 3 in Charlotte, North Carolina. This week delegate profiles will be featured on our conference Facebook page and prayers from the delegates will be published next week. As a way to help the delegation, the conference has asked clergy and laity to sign up for a date to pray for our delegation and bishop. There are a few slots left. Click here to sign up. Click here for more information on General Conference.

Around the Conference

Trauma Seminar Registration is Live for Clergy

Clergy are invited to a workshop focusing on trauma. "Tending Our Trauma: Touching Wounds & Healing Spaces" will be Thursday, May 9 via Zoom. Dr. Heidi A. Miller, director of doctor of ministry program and associate professor at McAfee School of Theology will lead this seminar. Click here to register.

Pike Road UMC Offers Firm Foundation in United Methodist Tradition of Worship

(New Ministry Strategies) Pike Road UMC is a relatively young church plant in Pike Road, Alabama. Worship, as outlined in the United Methodist liturgy and its hymns, is at the heart of what they do. Their pastor, Rev. Dr. Lane Davis, explains, “When our core group first started planning and praying for this church, one of the first things that we discerned was that we wanted an authentically United Methodist Church in the Pike Road community,” adding, “We hope that anyone that comes to Pike Road UMC will experience the rich tradition of our Wesleyan heritage in what they hear, sing, and witness.” Although they are up to the challenge of finding new ways to reach their community, they first aim to establish a firm foundation in the United Methodist tradition of worship. More here.

Registration Live for Post General Conference Briefings

Bishop David Graves, along with the Alabama-West Florida Conference Cabinet and Conference Leadership, has announced dates for post-General Conference clergy lunch gatherings as well as a webinar for laity. The post-General Conference clergy lunch gatherings will be held on the four dates. These gatherings will be a time for Bishop Graves to visit with clergy, offer pastoral support, and provide General Conference and Jurisdictional updates. Registration is now open for these post-conference gatherings. Visit www.awfumc.org/gcbriefings for more information and registration.

Save the Date! AWF and Montgomery FUMC Beach Retreat

The AWF Conference and Montgomery FUMC Youth Team invite your youth groups to a beach retreat on July 7-10, 2024. Mark your calendars and more information is forthcoming.

Connectional News

United Methodists urged to celebrate 50 days of Easter

(UMNS) - Council of Bishops President Thomas J. Bickerton encourages United Methodists to join in celebrating the resurrected Christ for the full 50 days of Easter. Easter faith “challenges us to believe that resurrection and new life in Christ is always available and always present for those who believe,” Bickerton writes. More here.

Resources

Five (50) Ways to Improve Pastoral Transitions

(Lewis Center) - Pastors moving from one church to the next need to focus on how they can effectively conclude their ministry in the church they are leaving, paving the way for their successor, and on how they can get off to a good start in their next church. More here.

General Conference Guide available

The new Guide to the Postponed 2020 General Conference is now available for download at umcgc.org. This UM News resource is packed with information on how General Conference works, its history and major legislative issues, along with background on The United Methodist Church. For those attending the April 23-May 3 event, the guide also includes information on the host city, Charlotte, North Carolina, and the convention center. Click here for guide.