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e~Aurora (a weekly news update)
The Alaska United Methodist ConferenceSeptember 22, 2015
In This Issue
~Bishop's Blog
~Superintendent's Blog
~Confessions of a First Year Seminarian
~Yard Sale
~History Moment
~Living into Your Call
~Fall Rendezvous Meetings
~Annual Quilt Retreat
~Book & Bake Sale
~CROP Hunger Walks
~Worship at General Conference
~Birchwood Camp Annual Dinner & Auction
~UMW Newsletter
~FREE Webinars




ACS Print  

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



 

Upcoming  Clergy
 Birthdays!   


September 22 -
Won Jea Keum

September 28 -
Darla Bradley

October 8 - 
Andy Bartel

October 11 -
Luke Jones

October 31 -
Sandy Ward



Contact Information

 

Superintendent
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.


Bishop Grant Hagiya Bishop's Blog
Bishop Hagiya has written a new blog The Disney Way. He talks about how Disney does everything with excellence and expects nothing less.  Is this how our churches are?  That is his goal for the Greater Northwest area.
Superintendent's Blog
I am traveling this week so I don't have a new blog for you.

To catch up on previous blog posts you may have missed, click here.
Confessions of a First Year Seminarian
Alaska's very own Bailey Brawner (member of St. John UMC) has begun her first year of seminary at Boston School of Theology.  In an article, she tells us how she tried to prepare for this new phase of her life but quickly realized she didn't prepare at all.  As she continues her time and tenure at seminary, not knowing what she will face, she is prepared to grow and discover new things.  Read her article here.
For Sale Building Supplies Yard Sale
Girdwood Chapel is holding a yard sale to sell off extra building supplies and tools.  Items include a tablesaw, a compressor, a furnace and lots of electrical equipment.  The sale is Friday and Saturday of this week (September 25 and 26) from 10AM to 4PM, at Girdwood Chapel.  The church is located at the corner of Timberline and Alyeska Highway.
History Moment by Larry Hayden
The Alaska Mission was in its infancy when it held its second Annual Meeting in 1905. Ten years later in 1915 the Holy Family Cathedral in Anchorage was established at the request of the railroad and mining workers in the area that were from Catholic families. On September 15th I attended the Mass in Thanksgiving for the Centennial.  There has been a great history with its parishioners and priests and nuns. As with the Alaska Conference archives in the room at East Anchorage UMC, the staff at the Cathedral has been organizing and inventorying the collection so you and others can easily find something of interest in your spiritual journey.  I hope to have the Conference Journals scanned and placed on the Conference web site by the end of 2016. Would anyone like to help? The Catholic archive story can be read in the CatholicAnchor.org September issue, pages 1, 3, and 24. I did look in their St. Michael Hymnal and noticed that there are eleven hymns included by Charles Wesley.
 
Larry Hayden, Chair
AUMC Commission on Archives and History
Chicago Pastor, Foster Mom Lives Into Her Call
As she toured the four-bedroom parsonage of her first church appointment, the Rev. Julie K. Fleurinor felt God's call in a new way.  "God didn't bring me this beautiful parsonage to live in it alone," she said.  Three years later, she is foster mother to four children ranging in age from 1 to 14.  Read the story.
Fall Rendezvous Meetings
The registration form and information for the upcoming Fall Rendezvous meetings, Professional Church Workers Retreat, and the New Clergy Orientation have been sent out.  If you did not receive your appropriate info and feel you should have, then please contact the conference office.

Members from outside of the Anchorage area will need housing, so if you are able to provide housing for someone for one or two nights, please contact the conference office.  We do not have money in our budget to house people in hotels so we do our best to find local Anchorage homes for people to sleep at.  Sometimes transportation is also a need.  If that is something you can help out with, then let us know!  We appreciate anything you are able to help with.
Quilt
Annual Quilt Retreat
The 38th Annual Quilt Retreat is scheduled for September 24-27th.  The retreat is sponsored by Anchor Park United Methodist Women. The theme for the weekend is "I've Got a Notion."

The retreat will take place at Laverne Griffin Youth Camp in Wasilla.  Join friends for a fun weekend of laughing, sharing, good food, and fabric; the the ultimate weekend. Cost is $200 for Thursday through Sunday ($150 if you come Friday evening).  If you have questions contact Susan Williams at 337-6741. A portion of the money raised goes to support United Methodist Women mission projects.
First UMC Anchorage Book & Bake Sale
It's that time of year again!  The UMW of First UMC Anchorage will be having their annual USED BOOK & BAKE Sale Saturday, September 26th from 9 AM to 1 PM.  All hardback books are $1 and paperback books $0.50.  Drop by the sale, browse and make a purchase. There is nothing better than a book in hand while you are cozying up for a long winter.  Donations accepted.  Thank you for your support as proceeds go to the UMW coffers sponsoring local missions and outreach, annual pledge and sending representatives to Annual Gathering.

P.S. There are rumors that there will be Rice Krispie treats on hand to go with your coffee!
CROP Hunger Walk CROP Hunger Walk
The CROP Hunger Walk is coming up in Anchorage.  Up to 25% of the money raised stays in the Anchorage area. 75% of the money raised goes to Church World Service. Anchorage will hold their walk this Sunday, September 27th.  Check out CROP Hunger Walk to find out the specifics.
Be a Part of Worship at General Conference
Your words can inspire the world. You can help shape the worship services at the 2016 General Conference of The United Methodist Church, taking place on May 10-20 in Portland, Oregon. The worship design team for the conference is seeking volunteers to write liturgy, including prayers, calls to worship and litanies.

"If worship - liturgy - is indeed the work of the people, then obviously the people must be involved not only in the worship experience itself, but also in the planning and preparation.  By inviting a variety of voices around the world to contribute pieces of written liturgy, the design team is hoping to expand and deepen our corporate identity as a United Methodist community that truly worships in unity," said the Rev. Laura Jaquith Bartlett, Worship & Music Director of the 2016 General Conference.

A full set of writing guidelines is available, along with the list of specific writing assignments. Take note: the deadline for submitting liturgy is October 1, 2015.

Writers whose work is selected to be included during worship services will retain copyright ownership, and their names will appear in the list of copyright credits printed in the General Conference worship booklet.
Birchwood Camp's Annual Dinner & Auction: October 4th
Come celebrate another excellent year of camping ministry at Birchwood's Annual Dinner & Auction on Sunday, October 4th!! Everyone is invited! Tours of the camp will be available at 4:00 pm. The silent auction will open at 4:30 pm in the Main Lodge. The meal will begin at 5:00 pm, with the program and live auction to follow, also in the Main Lodge. Childcare will be available following dinner. There is no cost to attend, but space is limited; RSVP to reserve your seat: 907-688-2734 or info@birchwoodcamp.org. For additional information and a preview of auction items visit: http://birchwoodcamp.org/2015/08/2015-annual-dinner-auction/
UMW Annual Gathering Information
The Alaska United Methodist Women are gearing up for their Annual Gathering which will be held at North Star Bible Camp from October 9-11.  You can find the registration form in their latest newsletter.  If you are a woman in Alaska you do not want to miss this!  Read the latest newsletter here.
FREE Webinars
Church leaders from around our denomination are eligible to participate in these upcoming free webinars offered by the GBOD Leadership Ministries division.  You can register online by going here.  Here are a few of the webinars coming up:
~Tuesday, September 22 - Preparing for Advent
~Tuesday, September 22 - What is Lay Servant Ministries all About?
~Thursday, September 24 - Developing Your Ministry Plan-A Four Part In Depth Series; Session 2, Discovering Your Congregation's Niche
~Thursday, September 24 - Grant Writing 101: Launching Projects & Ministries that Make a Difference
~Monday, October 5 - The Laity and General Conference 2016
~Tuesday, October 6 - Intergenerational Approaches for Stewardship
~Thursday, October 8 - What is Certified Lay Ministry all About
~Tuesday, October 13 - Best Intergenerational Practices
~Tuesday, October 13 - Safe Sanctuaries
~Tuesday, October 13 - Faith at Home
~Thursday, October 15 - Developing Your Ministry Plan-A Four Part In Depth Series; Session 3, Discovering your Discipleship Process

Upcoming Events

September
     20-22: Greater Northwest Cabinet Retreat
     28-29: New Clergy Orientation
     30-Oct 2: Professional Church Workers Retreat

October
     2-3: Fall Rendezvous meetings
     3: FACT Follow-up Meeting
     4:  Birchwood Camp Annual Dinner & Auction
     8-10: Circles of Presence Retreat 2
     9-11: Alaska UMW Annual Gathering at North Star Bible Camp
     14-15: Carlo in Nome for Community UMC Church Conference
     17-18: Carlo in Unalaska for Unalaska UMC Church Conference
     21: East Anchorage UMC Church Conference
     25: Turnagain UMC Church Conference
     26-28: Greater Northwest Bishop's Symposium
     28-29: Greater Northwest Cabinet meetings

November
     1: Girdwood Chapel UMC Church Conference
     7: Homer UMC Church Conference
     7: Soldotna UMC Church Conference
     8: St. Peter the Fisherman UMC Church Conference
     11-13: Carlo at Mission Leader Summit in New York
     15: Jewel Lake Parish Church Conference
     19-20: Carlo in Portland for GNW Cabinet meeting
     22: Christ First UMC Church Conference
     22: Palmer Fellowship Church Conference
     29: UMC of Chugiak Church Conference

December
     1: St. John UMC Church Conference
     2: Anchorage Korean UMC Church Conference
     7-15: Crystal on vacation
     8: Willow UMC Church Conference
     9: First UMC Anchorage & First Samoan UMC Church Conference
     12: Kenai UMC Church Conference
     12: North Star UMC Church Conference
     14-16: Carlo in Seattle for GNW Cabinet meeting
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