Please continue to pray for retired Pastor Dan Lush as he continues with his cancer treatments. He is down to his last 4 radiation sessions this week. According to his wife Maggie, their hope is that after a couple more weeks of recovery, Dan would be strong enough and they would able to go back home to Homer. They are currently staying with Dan's sister in Eagle River since his treatments are in Anchorage.

The number of United Methodist Bishops in the denomination's U.S. North Central and Northeastern jurisdictions could be reduced because of a decline in reported membership numbers, the General Council on Finance and Administration has announced.

Read the press release.

The United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR), in partnership with American Near East Refugee Aid (ANERA), has distributed 5,712 school kits to Palestinian refugee students from Syria and their peers in Lebanon to support the children's pursuit of education.

Ahmad, 14, is one of these refugee children.  He lives in Nahr el Bared Refugee Camp - North Lebanon.  Ahmad dropped out of school two years ago, when he was only 12, and had no hope of returning to formal education.  Read more on the UMCOR website.

In The United Methodist Church bishops are responsible for ecumenical and interreligious ministries. The Office of Christian Unity and Interreligious Relationships (OCUIR) was created in 2012 to assist the Council of Bishops in this calling. The vison of OCUIR is to support the bishops as they lead our denomination to live more fully into Christian unity and deepen interreligious relationships. One way we do this is to engage and train young adults.

United Methodist Ecumenical and Interreligious Training (UMEIT) is the venue through which OCUIR trains United Methodists in ecumenical and interreligious history, theology and ministry. In early 2016 OCUIR will kick off a new ministry called YAN (Young Adult Network). Young adults who participate will be trained in group leadership skills, the history and theology of the ecumenism, and the unique importance of Christian unity and interreligious relationships in our denomination. YAN will form young United Methodists in ecumenical and interreligious ministry and give them the skills to similarly train other young adults.

A small group of 12 adults between the ages of 21 and 31, who represent all jurisdictions and central conferences of The United Methodist Church, will be selected. They will be both lay and clergy, live around the world, and be willing to commit to this training period of up to 4 years. They also will need to be able to read and speak English, be able to travel elsewhere in the world once a year, have access to a phone and computer, and be willing to organize and lead a Young Adult Network in their home context. Beginning in early 2016 the participants will be sent books on current leadership theory and ecumenical history and theology. They will have monthly phone conference calls, as they work together to build a covenant, define their context, solidify their plans around their vision and mission, and create their own MAP (Ministry Action Plan). Once a year, they will come together around a major ecumenical event for fellowship, worship and more training.

As the training continues participants will create similar Young Adult Networks in their home contexts, and they will facilitate them. The eventual outcome will be a world-wide network of small groups being formed in and creating ministries to uphold ecumenical and interreligious actions.

To receive an application to be a part of YAN, young adults should contact Rev. Dr. Jean Hawxhurst at OCUIR (jhawxhurst@ocuir.org). Applications are due to her no later than November 31, 2015.

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.

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:

~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

~Monday, October 12 - Teaching/Learning for Transformation

~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

~Tuesday, October 27 - Covenant Discipleship with Children