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e~Aurora (a weekly news update)
The Alaska United Methodist ConferenceAugust 19, 2014
In This Issue
~Superintendent's Blog
~YAR 2014
~INM
~Food Drive
~ELCA Workshops
~Harriet Jane Olsen
~Free Calendars
~Christians for Equality


ACS Print  

20/20 Vision:
Leading to God's New Horizons


 

Upcoming  Clergy
 Birthdays!   







Contact Information

 

Supt. Carlo Rapanut 
cell 907-854-8340  





Ministry Quicklinks




Join Our Mailing List





2013 Conference Journal
 
 
The Conference Journal is posted on our website and you can access it anytime you would like.  Download it onto your computer desktop for easy research.


Reflections of a Running Reverend
My new blog for this week is Prayer Run.  If you ever miss a week, you can read my previous blogs here.
20s and 30s
Young Adult Retreat Coming October 24-25

All young adults in their 20s & 30s are invited out to Birchwood Camp in Chugiak for a retreat weekend. It's a good mix of downtime to relax and some scheduled time with fun things to do together. Pumpkin carving, bonfires, worship, discussions, great food, hot chocolate, a scavenger hunt, hiking and more. We're excited to welcome our Superintendent, Rev. Carlo A. Rapanut, to facilitate our worship & discussion on Saturday morning & evening! He'll work with us on themes in the book, "You Lost Me." It's a look at why many young adults don't connect with the church and where we go from here.


Childcare is provided during the worship & discussion portions. This year, we're offering a Saturday only option. Come out just for the day on Saturday if you'd prefer not to spend the night. More info at  www.facebook.com/Alaska20s&30s and registration at www.birchwoodcamp.org/camps

Imagine No Malaria Imagine No Malaria

Our Alaskan churches are busy raising funds for Imagine No Malaria (INM), with 100% of our churches engaged. But, there is still more work to be done, more money to be raised, and more lives to save.  As we move forward, our Conference Coordinators, Lonnie Brooks and Tori Hicks are requesting FIVE BITS OF INFORMATION:

 

1)  If you've named an INM Coordinator, tell us who that is.

2)  If you've set a goal for your church to raise by May 2016, tell us what it is.

3)  If you know how much you've raised toward your goal, tell us how much that is.

4)  If you've sent to the conference some or all of the money raised, tell us how much that is.

5)  If you've had some fund raising events, tell us about them and why you think they worked or didn't work.

We want stories.  We want ideas. We want to celebrate our successes and support those churches that want to try something new. We want to work together and glorify Christ through our efforts on behalf of others.

 

Please send information to Lonnie Brooks ([email protected]) and Tori Hicks ([email protected]).

Food for the Needy "Break the [Food] Bank" Food Drive - September 13

September is Hunger Awareness Month and the Interfaith Action Group is sponsoring a September 13 food drive and community BBQ event for all faith communities. The Interfaith Action Group emerged out of the Rasmuson Foundation faith leader gathering earlier this year. In addition to the Food Drive, they will also be doing advocacy work in support of Ballot Measure 2 to raise the minimum wage in Alaska. For more information about this group or to join the food drive, contact Nora at [email protected].

Living into God's Abundance with Daring Confidence!

Explore generosity and gratitude in your congregation and in your life with Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) stewardship director Keith Mundy here in Alaska in October. We can live, serve and grow into God's abundant life!

 

Workshops will be held in Juneau (October 18, during cluster meetings), Anchorage (October 20, 4pm-8pm), and Fairbanks (October 25, 9:30-2:30).

 

This event will include the following:

*Biblical work around giving and generosity

*Reflections on stewardship as a faith practice

*Year-round stewardship tips

*How to be a steward leader

*An introduction to an opportunity to join a congregational cohort for stewardship and generosity

*Free resources for stewardship (one packet per congregation)

 

Register Online by visiting www.elcaalaska.net/stewardship-workshop 

Those attending the Juneau workshop, please contact Resurrection Lutheran in Juneau to register, 907-586-2380.  Deadline is September 10.  For more information, contact Pastor Lisa Smith Fiegel, director for evangelical mission, at [email protected] or call the synod office at 907-272-8899.
You Are Invited!
You are invited to join the Alaska United Methodist Women for lunch on Saturday, September 27th where they will host special guest, Harriet Jane Olsen, CEO of UMW Inc.  Mrs. Olsen will be the special guest speaker during the Annual Gathering of UMW during that weekend.  If you can't make it for the entire weekend but would like to hear Harriet speak, please RSVP to [email protected] to attend the lunch.  The cost for the lunch is $15 and will be held at noon at St. John UMC.
GBOD Free Worship & Music Planning Calendars

Start the new school, music & church year right with a free planning calendar from GBOD for your leaders, choirs, committees and people. Includes seasons, special days, celebrations and observances of both the church and civil calendars, plus lectionary reading citations for the entire year.

 

2015 Worship & Music Planning Calendar

http://www.gbod.org/resources/2015-worship-music-planning-calendar

 

2014 Worship & Music Planning Calendar

http://www.gbod.org/resources/2014-worship-music-planning-calendar 

Christians for Equality

Christians for Equality is looking for an Anchorage-based advocate to help educate Alaskans about the minimum wage initiative on the November ballot. If you or someone you know is:

 
*passionate about helping move hard working Alaskans out of poverty
*available part-time to full-time until November
*comfortable speaking to congregations across denominations/traditions 

 

please contact Nora at [email protected].

 

Christians for Equality is a coalition of leaders, clergy and lay, who raise up a faithful voice for peace, justice and equality, rooted in the Hebrew Prophets and the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Upcoming Events


August

     18-20: Carlo in Galena assessing the VIM work being done with the flooding of last year
     23-28: Carlo attending the Superintendent training at Lake Junaluska

September
     8-10: Carlo attending the Greater Northwest Cabinet retreat in Portland
     11-13: Melissa Engle attending the United Methodist Global AIDS Fund Conference
     14: Carlo preaching at St. John UMC
     19-20: Lay School of Theology at St. John UMC
     26-28: United Methodist Women Annual Gathering at St. John UMC
     30-Oct 1: New Clergy Orientation

October
     1-3: Professional Church Workers Retreat at Birchwood Camp
     3-4: Fall Rendezvous meetings
     24-25: Young Adult Retreat at Birchwood Camp
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