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e~Aurora (a weekly news update)
The Alaska United Methodist ConferenceApril 7, 2015
In This Issue
~Superintendent's Blog
~Deadline Looming
~Office Will be Open
~Show You Love Kids
~UMM Retreat
~Creating a Culture of Call
~Volunteers for GC
~Lent Quiz
~New Leader Named
~Eagle River Camp
~Birchwood Camp
~Annual Conference Info
~FREE Webinars


ACS Print  

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


 

Upcoming  Clergy
 Birthdays!   


April 12 -
Robert Hicks

April 16 -
Julie Wasser

April 23 -
Karen Martin Tichenor

May 9 -
Ron Myers

May 18 -
Cindy Roberts


Contact Information

 

Supt. Carlo Rapanut 
cell 907-854-8340  





Ministry Quicklinks




Join Our Mailing List





2014 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
There is no new blog this week.  Carlo is traveling.

To catch-up on previous blog posts you may have missed, click here.


Have a great week!
Deadlines Deadline Looming
The deadline for submitting your desire to be a delegate to General Conference is this Monday, April 13th.  If you are interested in being a nominee, make sure you follow the guidelines and get them to the office by Monday.

Petitions and committee reports are also due by Monday, April 13th as well.  If you have any questions, please contact the conference office at umc@gci.net.

You can see more Annual Conference info in the other article below.
Open sign Crystal is Out of the Office Next Week

While I am on vacation, from Thursday April 9 to April 19, the office will still be open.  Carlo will be in the office and will be checking messages.  Please be aware that Carlo will not be giving the same amount of time to my job as his own so even though messages will be checked, you may not receive a speedy answer.  I will try to respond to things Carlo is unable to as quickly as I can upon my return.  We both appreciate your patience during the next few weeks.  In my absence there will not be an e~Aurora next week, April 14. 

Show You Love Kids
April is Child Abuse Prevention Month, a time to raise awareness and provide resources about ways in which communities can ensure children are safe.  The faith based community plays a key role in our communities across the state.  They help strengthen families and build safe, stable and nurturing environments for our children.

Will you help raise awareness by selecting one Sunday in the month of April to host a day of worship focused on the importance of strengthening families to ensure our children are safe?

To help raise awareness of Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Month, please Go Blue!  Wear Blue on April 10th.  To find out more information, please go to www.alaskachildrenstrust.org.  You can also email tstorrs@alaskachildrenstrust.org if you have any questions.
UMM Yearly Retreat at Hope Retreat Center
The Alaska Conference United Methodist Men will hold their annual retreat in Hope on April 18th.  You can find the details about the retreat here.  The theme of this year's retreat is "Decisions that will change your Life."  Reverend John Campbell will be facilitating the Retreat.  The cost is $45 and will include Lunch and Dinner.
Creating a Culture of Call
Are you a young adult, aged 18 to 25, considering a call to ordained ministry who is also available to serve in a ministry setting this summer?  If so, we have a great opportunity for you to consider.

Click here to learn more about this opportunity! 
Music Contemporary Music Ministry Position Available

Saint John UMC in Anchorage is currently hiring a new worship leader for their 11:15 contemporary worship service. Visit www.stjohneagle.com for more info.

Volunteer Marshals and Pages Needed for General Conference

Volunteers can  apply online to serve as marshals or pages during The United Methodist Church's 2016 General Conference. The denomination's top legislative assembly will meet in Portland, Oregon, May 10-20, 2016.

 

Approximately 150 volunteers are needed to serve as marshals and pages during General Conference. Preference will be given to applicants who can serve throughout the entire conference.

 

Marshals are responsible for assisting visitors and special guests in the visitor and reserved seating galleries, checking credentials to make sure that only authorized persons are admitted to the bar of the conference or that of legislative committees, and other duties as assigned.

 

Pages assist delegates, secretarial staff, bishops, members of the Judicial Council and official visitors. They distribute approved materials and deliver printed information.

 

Volunteers are responsible for their own travel and expenses. Those interested should submit an online application before the deadline of July 31. If you have additional questions, contact Dick Hooton at revshoot@gmail.com.

 

The Local Host Committee will be looking for hundreds of volunteers to work full or part day shifts as greeters, registration assistants, airport guides, and other welcoming ambassadors to the Northwest. You can learn more and sign up at www.gc2016pdx.org.  If you are interested in going as a volunteer from the Alaska Conference, please contact the conference office at umc@gci.net

Lent Quiz
Lent is complete and the season of Easter has begun! Do you know how long this season of celebration called Eastertide actually is? Take the final quiz.
UM Communications New Top Leader Named for Communications Agency
Daniel Krause, a former corporate communications executive who is a candidate for ordination, will take the helm of United Methodist Communications on June 8. He has served in management at Frontier Airlines and is currently a seminary student at United Methodist Iliff School of Theology in Denver.
Read story here 

ERUMC Eagle River United Methodist Camp

Eagle River United Methodist Camp located in Juneau, Alaska will be having Discovery Camp for kids going into 3rd thru 8th grade. The dates for camp are July 12th - July 16th. This year's theme is "Get Real". To sign-up please contact the Sitka United Methodist Church at 907-747-8775 for a registration form. Children from other communities in Southeast Alaska and beyond are welcome to participate.   Let's get together for camp!!!

Birchwood Camp Birchwood Camp

Register for Summer Camp at Birchwood Camp

Online registration is now open for Birchwood Camp's Summer Programs. These camp programs provide safe spaces for spiritual formation, genuine community, and character development at Birchwood Camp's beautiful site in Chugiak. Online registration & detailed information is available at  www.birchwoodcamp.org/camps.

AUMC Logo Annual Conference Information

Annual Conference will be held at St. John UMC in Anchorage on June 5th & 6th with workshops on June 4th.

 

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN

The registration process is now open.  You can register and pay online through this link.  If you would like to download a paper copy, you can do it here.  There is an early bird rate so make sure you take advantage of it by April 30th. 

 

PRE-CONFERENCE WORKSHOPS

There will be a day of workshops on June 4th.  You can find a list of the workshops and their descriptions here. One of the workshops has been moved from the morning to the afternoon.  The links and forms have been updated to reflect this change.  You can sign up for these workshops when you register to attend Annual Conference.  If you decide to change your workshop after you have already registered, please contact the conference office to change it.  If you do not plan on attending Annual Conference but want to participate in one of the workshops, you can fill out this form.  

 

GENERAL CONFERENCE DELEGATES

If you are interested in being one of the clergy or laity delegates to General Conference in 2016, there are some guidelines for you to read.  You can find them on page 90 of the 2014 Conference Journal or you can find them here.  Please submit your interest, per the guidelines, to the conference office by April 13th. 

 

AWARDS 

You can start nominating clergy, laity, or youth for the Harry Denman Evangelism Award.  You can also nominate someone for being an Outstanding Lay Person.

 

FORMS

If you would like to propose a change in the rules via a petition, you can find the form here.  If you need to write a report for the pre-conference handbook because of your role within the conference, you can find the guidelines here.  Churches can submit their names for the memorial service on this form.  If you are part of an organization that would like to reserve a table for a display, fill out this form.

FREE Webinars

Below you will find a list of webinars for church leaders offered by Discipleship Ministries.  These webinars are free of charge. You can register by going to www.umcdiscipleship.org/webinars.

 

Monday, April 13: Stewardship - PROPEL 

Tuesday, April 14: Re-Imagining Your Retirement

Tuesday, April 14: The United Methodist Way

Thursday, April 16: Children & Worship in Contemporary Settings

Thursday, April 16: Practical Steps for Introducing Covenant Discipleship to Your Congregation 

Tuesday, April 21: Family - Creating Rituals in the Home

Thursday, April 23: The Committee - Our Purpose 

Upcoming Events

April
     7-8: Carlo in Unalaska for a consultation
     9-19: Crystal on vacation
     9: Carlo in Portland for a Young Clergy Recruitment event
     11: Leadership Team meeting
     13: FACT Meeting at Conference Office from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
     17-18: Carlo attending Circles of Presence Retreat in Seattle
     18: United Methodist Men Retreat at Hope Retreat Center

May
     1-3: Conference UMW Executive Team meeting at Turnagain UMC
     14-15: Carlo attending Greater Northwest Cabinet Meeting in Seattle
     17: Asian-Pacific Islander joint gathering
     26-28: Carlo at Transforming Ministries 4 in Los Angeles

June
     1-2: Greater Northwest Transitions Workshop in Portland
     4: Pre-Conference Workshops at St. John UMC in Anchorage
     5-6: Annual Conference at St. John UMC in Anchorage
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