On a recent trip on an airplane, Bishop Hagiya had a conversation with a man.  The conversation reminded him about life, choices, and his joy in mentoring others.  Read his blog here.

Here is my blog for this week: Keeping Sabbath

Have a wonderful week.

Register now for Annual Conference!  The registration process is a little different this year so make sure you don't miss anything!  Early registration deadline is April 26th.

On the conference website, you will find an array of Annual Conference related items: forms, workshop information, award opportunities, schedule, etc.  Start taking a look at things so that you become familiar with the events and so you don't miss submission deadlines.

If you are a chair of a committee and you have not sent in your committee report, you have until April 15th to do so.  Refer to your email for the guidelines.

Anchor Park UMC will be having a Big Huge Church Sale on Saturday May 7th from 8:00 am - 3:00 pm.  If you are doing your spring cleaning and have items you would like to contribute to the sale, please bring them by 2300 Oak Drive between 9:00 am-3:00 pm Monday through Thursday.  You can contact the office at 277-0152 if you have questions.  Then come back on May 7th and shop!

Come to an Open House Cake and Punch Social in honor of Phyllis Sullivan's 90th birthday.  The celebration will occur on Friday, April 15th from 2-5 pm at Anchor Park UMC (2300 Oak Drive).  Everyone that knows Phyllis is invited to attend.  Phyllis currently attends Christ First UMC in Wasilla.  If you are not able to attend, please send her a card at 1725 Tillicum Avenue, Wasilla, AK, 99654.  No gifts please!

The 12th Annual United Methodist Men's retreat will take place at the Hope Retreat Center on April 16th.  United Methodist Men from the Anchorage Metro Area, the Valley and the Kenai Peninsula are invited. Rev. Nico Romeijn-Stout, Pastor of Discipleship
and Social Justice at St. John UMC, will be the resource person for the event and lead two discussions. The participants will have the opportunity to experience a Wesleyan class meeting.  Read more about the event here.

Food vendors will be also be invited, so plan to eat lunch there.  This event is presented by Citizens' Climate Lobby and other local community groups.

Our Imagine No Malaria campaign will wrap up on World Malaria Day (April 25th).  Although the Alaska Conference has exceeded our goal, not all of the Alaska churches have reached theirs.  With $20,000 left for the Episcopal area to be raised, lets take this opportunity for our churches to reach their individual goals.  You can read Julia Frisbie's latest article about all the success our fundraising has provided as we near the 1 million dollar goal.

Each year at Annual Conference, people receive awards for various things.  If you would like to nominate someone for any of the awards that the conference presents, please fill out the nomination forms from the conference website.  The awards being presented this year are the Harry Denman Evangelism Award for Clergy, Lay, and Youth and the Outstanding Lay Person of the Year.  There are lots of wonderful people in our communities who deserve these acknowledgements.  Take a moment and nominate them!  The nomination deadline is April 26th.

The Juneau Youth Cooperative Ministry is heading to Cost Rica in June.  They are asking for your prayer and financial support to make it happen.  They have already raised over half of the $25,000 needed to go.  Here is a letter from their leader, Rev. Melissa Engel.

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

April 13 - Children and Covenant Discipleship

April 14 - Transitioning from Multigenerational to Intergenerational

April 21 - Vital Congregations: Living into Our Journey

May 5 - Camp and Retreat Ministry

May 5 - Let the Children Give: Raising Generous Children

May 18 - Social Holiness: The Method of Methodism

May 31 - Connecting with Communities and Schools

June 15 - Covenant Discipleship with Youth