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Conference Journal

Dave's Dibble

I am currently in Portland at the Area Cabinet meeting. I don't have a new blog this week but you can always read previous blog posts here.

Grace Always,

Dave

Vacation Hours Have Begun

Both Dave and Crystal are traveling this week so the office hours have changed. Dave is in Portland for an Area Cabinet meeting until March 5 and then will be on vacation until March 16. Crystal is on vacation from March 4-11. Therefore, Rev. Karen Dammann will be filling in from 9 AM - Noon March 4-6 and again March 10-11. She will be here to answer phone calls and respond to emails. For Conference Emergencies contact Rev. Bob Smith at 334-9606 or Rev. Carlo Rapanut at 696-6299. Next week's e~Aurora will be sent out on Wednesday. Thank you for your patience with these changes.

Prayer Request

Claudette Curtis, lay member at Douglas Community UMC, went to Seattle for some medical tests. It has been found that she will need an aortic valve replacement and the surgery will take place later this week at Virginia Mason Hospital.

Please pray to comfort and protect Claudette as she undergoes this heart surgery. Claudette is grateful for your thoughts and prayers. She may be reached:

Claudette Curtis

C/O Sue McPherson

4931 44th Ave South

South Seattle, WA 98118

If you have questions, please contact Pastor Cindy Roberts at (907)364-2110 or (907)500-8058.

Conference Journals Up for Grabs
Rev. John Shaffer, former pastor in the Alaska Conference, is downsizing and is interested in handing down his Alaska Journals. If anyone is interested, he has journals from 1962 to present available. Contact John at Jjsshaffer@aol.com, if interested.

Scholarship Application

Tomorrow, March 5, is the last day for UM students enrolled in a degree program in the 2014-2015 academic year at an accredited college/university to complete a single on-line scholarship application at www.gbhem.org/scholarshipapplication to be considered for a variety of scholarships available through the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry. Check out what our church is doing to support students' pursuit of postsecondary education!

Limitless Retreat
Young women in Alaska are invited to attend the Limitless retreat, March 21-23, 2014 at Kings Lake Camp in Wasilla. If you are between the ages of 20 and 35, this is for you! Come discover your power as a young woman, experience the meaning of service to others, take a break to recharge and refocus, celebrate your individual unique abilities, and meet other young United Methodist Women. Learn more about the weekend and register here.

Registration deadline is quickly approaching: March 7, 2014! There is a discount if you register with a friend! There has been a lot of talk about people going but they haven't filled out the registration form yet. Please make sure you get the form sent in!

SPRC Online Training Dates

Dave is offering two online trainings for SPRC chairs and committee members. Included will be a discussion of the purpose of SPRC, best practices, and how to give feedback to your pastor. Dates are March 19 or 20 from 6:30 - 7:30 PM. Both nights contain the same content. The platform will be FUZE. Contact Crystal at umc@gci.net to register your attendance.

Eco-Palms

Watch this informational video about Eco-Palm harvesting. It explains all you need to know about Eco-Palms-why we purchase them, the benefits of Eco-Palm premiums for small-farmer communities in Guatemala and Mexico, and the socially responsible harvesting techniques that protect the environment and the health of the palm.

Palm Sunday is April 13. Place your order for Eco-Palms by the March 21, 2014 deadline. Visit www.ecopalms.org to learn more.

Early Response Team Training Opportunity

First United Methodist Church in Fairbanks will be hosting its first Early Response Team (ERT) training workshop from March 28, 29 & 30, 2014 and conducted by a certified UMCOR trainer. This workshop is open to anyone, statewide, interested in providing a caring Christian presence in the aftermath of disaster. Make your plans now to attend this wonderful opportunity.

Registration cost is $35.00, which will cover training materials, background check fees and other costs involved in hosting the workshop. Tuition assistance may be available upon request. Childcare will, also, be provided upon request. Assistance for those flying to Fairbanks is available for three (3) participants from remote towns/villages as well as transportation to and from the airport.

For further information and/or registration please contact Debbie Ervin (akdrc99708@gmail.com) or First United Methodist Church (office@fairbanksfirst.org)

One Great Hour of Sharing, March 30

One Great Hour of Sharing helps underwrite UMCOR's cost of doing business every day. It ensures that 100% of all other contributions you make go directly to the projects you specify, instead of covering administrative or fundraising costs.

Watch this promotional video to learn more, and click here for additional resources such as sermon starters, bulletin inserts, and posters.

One Great Hour of Sharing is March 30, but contributions to this offering can be made all year around.

Mission U Events

Information is now out for you to register for the upcoming Mission U Event in Wasilla. All are welcome to attend. Learn about the Roma of Europe, The Call, and Leaving Home Finding Home. Three events have already occured and have been enjoyed. Don't miss out on the opportunity if you are able to attend!

N Information Flyer
N Registration Form
N Poster

UMM to Study Jonah at Annual Retreat

United Methodist Men (UMM) from South Central Alaska will gather at the Hope Retreat Center on Saturday, April 5^th for their annual retreat. The theme of the retreat will be "Jonah: Dealing with Life's Interruptions" The retreat leader will be Bob Smith, pastor of Turnagain UMC.

The retreat is scheduled from 10AM to 5PM at the Hope Retreat Center. Men will meet at St. John to carpool @ 8:30 AM. The cost will be $35.00 and will include two meals, snacks and study materials. -Men should pre-register by contacting Jim LaBau, co-president of the AK Conf UMM @ jimlabu6@cs.com Payment can be made at the retreat.

Upcoming Events

March

     3-5: Area Cabinet Meeting in Portland
     4-11: Crystal on vacation
     8-16: Dave on vacation
     21-23: UMW Limitless Retreat
     27-29: AMW Retreat and Coaching
     31-April 2: Cabinet Meeting in Seattle

April

     4-5: Mission u Event in Wasilla
     5: UMM Retreat at Hope Retreat Center
     5: Leadership Team meeting
     24-29: Crystal attending UMW Assembly

May

     14-18: Dave on vacation
     19-21: Cabinet Meeting in Seattle
     26: Memorial Day - Office Closed
     30-31: Annual Conference at Anchor Park UMC

Submissions

If you have an article or event that you would like the rest of the conference to know about and participate in, feel free to submit them to me each week by Monday evening. I ask that you type up what you want included and let me know how many weeks you want it published for. Thank you!

Contact Info

Crystal Feaster

Administrative Assistant

907-333-5050 phone

907-333-2304 fax

www.alaskaumc.org

umc@gci.net