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Conference Journal

Superintendent's Blog

My blog for this week is: Looking Forward to Spring.

Have a blessed week!

Early Registration Deadline is TODAY!

Register today to save money on Annual Conference! After today, the price increases to $75 until May 20th. After that the price jumps to $100.

Make sure you pay for extra meals if you are inviting family and/or friends to the meals. You can take this direct link to go to the payment page for Annual Conference.

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.

Deadline TODAY for Annual Conference Award Nominations

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 TODAY, April 26th.

$75K Matching Grant Offered to Push Imagine No Malaria Giving Over the Top

For the past three years, United Methodists in the Northwest have been supporting the work of Imagine No Malaria, and together we've raised over a million dollars for this worthy cause. Thank you so, so much! Malaria's death rate among African children has been reduced by 70% since we started this journey. Your gifts have saved lives.

For many campaigns, giving comes in fits and bursts but tends to weaken over time. We have seen the opposite with this Imagine No Malaria campaign. As they learn more, people have become more inspired. As they see our efforts together delivering results, they become more connected. This is the church at its best!

We are so thrilled to share that we have received an opportunity to go over the top to end malaria. An anonymous donor from a church in the Pacific Northwest Conference is offering to match donations received in our Greater Northwest Episcopal Area between April 25th (World Malaria Day) and June 25th, up to $75k! They want to inspire above-and-beyond giving so that we EXCEED our goal!

In response to this new opportunity to give over the top, Bishop Grant Hagiya offered these words of encouragement: "We hope that your congregation will join us in matching, and maybe even exceeding, this heartfelt gift of generosity. Our Imagine No Malaria campaign is saving lives each and every day. When we come together, United Methodists can truly change the world."

Whenever possible please give directly through the Imagine No Malaria website. This will expedite the process of tracking gifts for the purpose of this matching opportunity. The website for Imagine No Malaria is www.imaginenomalaria.org.

United Methodist Federal Credit Union

April is National Financial Literacy Month. United Methodist Federal Credit Union has created resources some churches are finding useful to share with their congregation. Below you will find the links to these resources. Additionally these resources can be found under the Financial Education tab of www.umfcu.org.

Here are the direct links:

3 Steps to Financial Freedom

Budgeting Worksheet

The budget worksheet will even do the math for you!

What Does GC2016 Mean to my Church?

What happens at General Conference and what does that mean to your local congregation? Joe Iovino reports on how action at the denomination's top legislative body affects local churches. Read the story.

Thank you!

Good News! The Cooperative Youth Group in Juneau, Alaska has reached their fundraising goal for their International mission to Costa Rica. Thank you for all your support in the Alaska conference!

Church Rummage Sales

First UMC Anchorage will be having a Church Rummage Sale on Saturday, May 7th from 9:00 am - 2:00 pm. It will be located in their church gym. Come make a donation to charity. Coffee and goodies will also be available for donation.

Anchor Park UMC will be having a Big Huge Church Sale on Saturday May 7th from 8:00 am - 2:00 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!

Job Opening at AK Child and Family

AK Child and Family is looking to hire a Spiritual Life Minister. If you are interested in this position or want to know more, please follow this link.

Cook Needed at Birchwood Camp

Birchwood Camp is hiring 2 additional positions on their kitchen team- a lead cook and an assistant cook. Cooks are responsible for food preparation, serving, storage, and clean up, under the supervision of Birchwood Camp's Food Service Manager. Hours range from 10-40 hours per week depending on the camp's summer schedule. Flexibility and willingness to work a varied schedule, including many weekends, is a must. For more information, job descriptions, or to apply for a position visit: http://birchwoodcamp.org/get-involved/job-opportunities/

Ketchikan Hostel Seeking a Manager

Ketchikan Hostel, a ministry of First United Methodist Church, is seeking a manager.

The hostel operates from May 28th through August 31st.

The manger is responsible for the oversite of this ministry. You will welcome and register guests from 5:00pm - 11:00pm at which time the doors lock for the night and open again from 7:00am - 9:00am. The hostel is closed during the day allowing you to explore and enjoy the community.

If you have a bucket list of places to visit this should be on it. Our island community is located in the southern southeast of the Tongass National Forest. The fish run thick and a catch is guaranteed. Hiking trails abound with spectacular views.

Go to http://ketchikanhostel.com and http://ktnumc.org for more information on both the church and the hostel.

Contact: Evelyn Erbele at fumc1@kpunet.net or by phone at 907.220.1951

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 17th - July 21st. This year's theme is "Power Up". 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!!!

FREE Webinars

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.

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

Upcoming Events

April

29-May1: UMW Leadership Team meeting at East Anchorage UMC

May

10-20: General Conference in Portland. Carlo attending

30: Memorial Day - Office Closed

June

2: Annual Conference Workshops

3-4: Annual Conference at St. John 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

www.alaskaumc.org

umc@gci.net