AUMC Banner
e~Aurora (a weekly news update)
The Alaska United Methodist ConferenceDecember 16, 2015
In This Issue
~Superintendent's Blog
~Thank You! Giving Tuesday
~Global UM Clergywomen Gathering
~Epiphany Breakfast
~UMW Newsletter
~INM Story
~CCCG
~Mission u Event
~Rio Texas Bishop Resigns




ACS Print  

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



 

Upcoming  Clergy
 Birthdays!   


December 23 -
Curtis Matz

January 3 - 
Bishop Grant Hagiya

January 5 - 
Janice Carlton

January 18 - 
Karen Dammann



Contact Information

 

Superintendent
Carlo Rapanut

cell 907-854-8340  





Ministry Quicklinks





Join Our Mailing List





2015 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.


Superintendent's Blog

You can always read past blog posts here.  Have a great week!
THANK YOU! UMC Giving Tuesday
The results are in! On December 1st, nearly 6,000 donors from 27 countries donated $2.8 million through The Advance to support mission and ministries around the world.  Congratulations!!!


Donors will be notified no later than December 18th via email if their donations were matched by Global Ministries, who offered a match of $1 million.

An Advance project report will be available online at www.umcmission.org/give no later than December 18th, listing the total gifts received and the total matching funds received on December 1st.
Global United Methodist Clergywomen Gathering
ONE: Birthing a Worldwide Church will take place August 29-31, 2016 at the Hilton-Americas Hotel and Conference Center in Houston, Texas.

Registration is now open.  Visit the event page for more information.

Be part of this historic gathering by attending OR by sponsoring a clergywoman who is serving a congregation in Africa, Europe/Eurasia, or the Philippines. 

Your gift will give a voice to a clergywoman who would not otherwise be able to attend. You will empower her to share her vision of a Worldwide Church and invite her to join the great cloud of witnesses-strong and prophetic clergywomen from around the world-who are the church.

Your contribution is a springboard to developing worldwide leadership by UM clergywomen in the 21st century! Help to "Birth the Worldwide Church" by sponsoring a global clergywoman leader now!

To donate please go here to give a gift now.
Epiphany Breakfast
Christ 1st UMC in Wasilla will be having an Epiphany Breakfast on Sunday, January 3, 2016 at 9:30 AM.  It will be a fundraiser for Imagine No Malaria.  If you are in the area that morning, go support a great cause and eat some bacon!  If you have any questions, contact them at christ1st@mtaonline.net.
UMW Newsletter
The Alaska United Methodist Women have a new newsletter out.  It has been posted to the Conference website.  Check it out here!
Imagine No Malaria Mother of 5 Gives Wages to Fight Malaria
During Advent, Monica Kleman stocks shelves and unloads trucks all day at an Ohio department store. The extra cash would come in handy for household, school and other expenses for her family of seven - but she said God has another purpose for that money. With her family's blessing, Kleman donated all $650 of her first paycheck to the Imagine No Malaria campaign.
Save the Date Creating Congregational Cultures of Generosity
Thanks to the financial support of the Tuell Center, the Alaska United Methodist Conference will again be having a learning event.  Creating Congregational Cultures of Generosity (CCCG) will be held at UMC of Chugiak on February 18-19, 2016.  Transportation and registration will be paid for by the conference for the pastor and one finance or stewardship person from each AUMC church.  Mark your calendar now so that when the registration form and more information come out in a few weeks, you are ready!  Each church is encouraged to send more participants, but it would be at the church's expense.
Mission u Event Scheduled for Kenai Peninsula
Every year the United Methodist Women of Alaska put on educational events based on study topics.  This year the studies are Created for Happiness: Understanding Your Life in God which will be led by Susie Smalley and Latin America: People and Faith led by Walt Hays.  The first event will take place on the Kenai Peninsula.  It will be held at North Star United Methodist Church on January 15-16, 2016.  Please contact Bonnie Miller or Jennifer Miller if you have any questions.
Rio Texas Bishop Resigns
Bishop James Dorff of the Rio Texas Conference of The United Methodist Church will voluntarily resign and surrender his credentials effective January 1, 2016.
The announcement comes from Bishop Michael McKee, President of the South Central Jurisdictional College of Bishops. The College of Bishops accepted Bishop Dorff's resignation following a complaint.

In a letter to be released later today, Bishop Dorff stated the following:

"It is so difficult to admit and share, but I must inform you that I did not uphold the sacred vows I made to God at my wedding, at my consecration as bishop, and at my ordination as elder. I crossed what were the clear expectations of relational boundaries.

For this transgression, I am profoundly sorry. I offer my sincerest apologies to all concerned. My actions have caused pain to many, including my family, the person involved, each of you, members of the annual conference, and the greater church. I am so, so sorry."

Bishop McKee said that an interim bishop will be appointed to serve beginning in January. Until the interim bishop is appointed, Bishop McKee will provide episcopal oversight.

During the South Central Jurisdictional Conference in July 2016, a new bishop for the Rio Texas Conference will be appointed to a term beginning on September 1, 2016. The Rio Texas Conference serves South Texas with nearly 400 churches.

Bishop Dorff was elected to the episcopacy in 2008. Prior to his election, he served as a pastor in the North Texas Conference for 36 years.

Upcoming Events

December
     13-16: Carlo in Seattle for GNW Cabinet meeting and Tuell Center planning meeting
     24: Christmas Eve - Office open half day
     25: Merry Christmas!
     28-31: Carlo on vacation
     31: New Years Eve - Office open half day

January
     1: Happy New Year!
     3: First UMC Ketchikan UMC Church Conference
     9: UMC of Sitka Church Conference
     10: Aldersgate UMC Church Conference
     10: Douglas Community UMC Church Conference
     11: Anchor Park UMC Church Conference
     12-16: Carlo in Portland for GNW Cabinet meeting
     17: First UMC Fairbanks Church Conference
     17: Carlo visiting New Hope Methodist Presbyterian Church
     19: East Anchorage UMC Church Conference
     21-25: Carlo in Portland for Briefing of First Elected to General Conference and DCM Meeting
     28-31: Carlo in Cal/Nevada Conference for DCM and Mission Cabinet meetings

February
     7-9: Carlo in Seattle for GNW Cabinet meeting
     18-19: Creating Congregational Cultures of Generosity (CCCG) at UMC of Chugiak
     19-20: Winter Rendezvous meetings at East Anchorage 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