News from the Alaska United Methodist Conference

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.

Conference Journal

General Conference

Every United Methodist can be part of General Conference. Not every United Methodist will be present at General Conference from May 10-20, but you can still participate in the church's most important meeting. Find out how, here.

You can follow the Alaska delegation through their Facebook group. You can ask to join the group here.

You can watch the action of the 2016 General Conference via live streaming video at www.umc.org/live. All worship sessions and business on the plenary floor will be streamed. There will also be archives of sessions on that site. The first event will be Opening Worship at 1:00 p.m. today, Tuesday, May 10.

Upcoming Birchwood Camp Events

Wilderness First Aid course, May 14-15

Birchwood Camp is hosting a Wilderness First Aid training (Red Cross) and still has several available spaces; participants must have current CPR/First Aid certifications. The class will run from 9 am-5 pm both days in Birchwood Camp's Main Lodge. Lunch will be provided on both Saturday and Sunday. The fee for Birchwood Camp leaders/ counselors/ volunteers is $75.00. Members of the community are welcome to attend at the regular fee of $200. Checks should be payable to Birchwood Camp or credit cards are accepted on our website. Register by contacting Stephen Sweezey, [email protected] or 907-688-2734.

Challenge Course Facilitator Training, May 21

Birchwood Camp is hosting a training event on May 21 for Challenge Course facilitators who would like to join our facilitator team! Challenge Course Facilitators lead groups through our challenge course experience. Paid and volunteer positions are available; the schedule is very flexible and can work around your life. Contact Stephen Sweezey, [email protected] or 907-688-2734 with questions or to register for this event. The training is free for all who plan to join our facilitator team.

Spring Open House, May 22

Join Birchwood Camp for our Annual Spring Open House on Sunday, May 22 from 1-5pm. All the details about the event are here: http://birchwoodcamp.org/2016-spring-open-house-may-22/

Register for Annual Conference

Make sure you pay for extra meals if you are inviting family and/or friends to the meals.

On the conference website, you will find an array of Annual Conference related items: forms, workshop information, schedule, etc. Start taking a look at things so that you become familiar with the events.

There are separate registration forms for Housing/Transportation

and Childcare. If you have these needs, please make sure you fill out these registrations.

Another Board Removes LBGTQ Clergy Bar

The Pacific Northwest Conference's board of ordained ministry voted May 5 to affirm that "people of all sexual orientations and gender identities" can meet the high standards for "fitness, readiness, and effectiveness in ministry." They join the Baltimore-Washington and the New York boards of ordained ministry in stating they will no longer inquire about the sexual orientation of their ministry candidates. Read the story.

Pre-Conference Handbook

The pre-conference handbook for the Alaska Annual Conference has been posted on the conference website. For those of you who chose to download your own copy, please do that now. Bring it with you when you come to Annual Conference as it will be referenced during voting.

Heritage Sunday, May 22

The United Methodist Church is encouraging churches around America to recognize Francis Asbury during Heritage Sunday, May 22, 2016. The Theme selected is "Roots, Shoots, and Branches."

2016 is the 200th anniversary of the death of Francis Asbury, the founding bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church and the American saint who single-handedly guided the creation and organization of the Church of our inheritance.

2016 is the year in which we celebrate the 200th birthday of the African Methodist Episcopal Church under the leadership of Bishop Richard Allen, and the 150th anniversary of the formation of black missionary conferences in the then Methodist Episcopal Church, predecessor to today's United Methodist Church.

Many web links can be found at www.gcah.org for more details.

Larry Hayden, Chair, Alaska Conference

Commission on Archives and History

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 18 - Social Holiness: The Method of Methodism

May 31 - Connecting with Communities and Schools

June 15 - Covenant Discipleship with Youth

Upcoming Events

May

10-20: General Conference in Portland, Oregon. Carlo attending

30: Memorial Day - Office Closed

June

2: Annual Conference Workshops

3-4: Annual Conference at St. John UMC

July

4: Independence Day - Office Closed

13-16: Western Jurisdiction Conference in Scottsdale Arizona. Carlo attending

19-August 18: Carlo on vacation in the Philippines

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

[email protected]