e~Aurora
A weekly news update from The Alaska United Methodist Conference
Aurora
Serve on a General Agency
Are you interested in serving on a General Board or Agency of the United Methodist Church? If you are, please email Conference Superintendent at carlorapanut@gmail.com (if you haven't already) by Thursday, June 23. Your Alaska Delegation to General and Jurisdictional Conferences is currently working on the list of nominees. When you signify your interest, please bear in mind that it does not guarantee your outright election to be on the board or agency of your choice. It just means your name will be added to the pool of nominees from which the Western Jurisdiction Committee on Nominations will select. On the other hand, if you do not submit your name, you cannot be considered for nomination at all.
 
For more details on the boards and agencies and the pool of nominees, please click on the following link.
Join the 10,000 Church Challenge!
As a nurse, Timothy Winslea of Portland, Ore., is concerned about the physical health of the congregation at Montavilla United Methodist Church. As the pastor of Montavilla UMC, Winslea is concerned about the spiritual health of his congregation. Now, through a new program recently announced by The United Methodist Church, he is able to combine his two concerns into one as church members dedicate themselves to bringing the program called "Abundant Health: Our Promise to Children" to the people of the Rose City. [Read more.]

The Abundant Health: Our Promise to Children
initiative seeks to engage at least 10,000 churches in the United States, like that of Montavilla UMC, to develop and support healthy lifestyle choices in their communities. Global Ministries is encouraging churches to engage their neighboring communities by promoting physical activity, a healthy diet and nutrition, providing education for tobacco- and drug-free living, and promoting mental health education.

Your church can participate in these efforts to reduce preventable deaths in the United States by increasing opportunities for healthier lifestyle choices.

So far, more than 50 churches have signed up indicating their commitment to promote activities in any one or more areas of health as a practice of their congregation. Learn more about the 10,000 Church Challenge and sign up today!

You can also watch a video in which Patricia Magyar, executive secretary for U.S. Health, Global Ministries, shares more about the 10,000 Church Challenge.
Resources: Now, Just Imagine Abundant Health
Use this new infographic to get a snapshot of the vision of Abundant Health: Our Promise to Children, and view the areas where this work has already begun. Download and share it today

Watch a promotional video for Abundant Health: Our Promise to Children, and share it with your community and congregation. Participate in this important work with your prayers and gifts
Africa University Graduates 841 Students
In the largest graduation ceremony since its inception, United Methodist Africa University celebrated 841 students representing 26 African countries. The Rev. Maidstone Mulenga of the Baltimore-Washington Conference reports.
 Read story
AK Child & Family Flag Day
Make sure you mark your calendars now for the annual Flag Day celebration at AK Child & Family.  This year, the celebration will take place on Saturday, July 9th from 5:30 - 8:30 pm.  Find out more information here!
2016 Annual Conference Reports
United Methodist News Service is posting reports from all the annual conference sessions. New reports this week include Alaska, Missouri, North Alabama, Upper New York, Louisiana, Illinois Great River, Great Plains, Alabama-West Florida and South Georgia.
Read reports
Alaska United Methodist Camps
Eagle River United Methodist Camp
Camps
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!!!

Birchwood Camp
Sweezey Farewell
Birchwood Camp will be hosting a Send Off for Stephen and Marie Sweezey this Saturday, June 25th at Birchwood Camp. Dinner will be at 6 PM and the Farewell program will begin at 7:30 PM.  Please bring a potluck dish to share.  Beverages, hotdogs, burgers, condiments, and s'more fixings will be provided!

In the spirit of camping, please wear your favorite Birchwood Camp t-shirt or hoody.

Please bring a care card for Stephen and Marie expressing your farewell thoughts and best wishes.  If you are unable to attend, please send your care cards to: Birchwood Camp, PO Box 670049, Chugiak, AK 99567.
Climate Justice Education Events
By Maria Del Rosario, AK UMW Social Action Coordinator

As I finish off the resource book for Mission u: Climate Justice A Call to Hope and Action edited by Pat Watkins,  I retrace the different relationships I have learned from it. Chapter 1 discusses our relationship with God, each other and God's creation; Chapter 2 is about Christian relationship and creation, the concept of environmental holiness; Chapter 3 discusses the relationship between how people treat each other and its consequences on nature; Chapter 4 deals with the difficult truths about the role of institutionalized church in the root causes of climate change.  The last three chapters of the book gives concrete situations of nature abuse that left havoc in vulnerable communities. It also provided hope on how we can reverse the failings done and  how to ensure permanent and meaningful change.

Reassuring myself that I do my fair share in recycling and other tree-hugging ventures...it dwarfed my sense of pride when it outlined  ideas for systematic changes to ensure the very survival of our civilization.  This book reminds us that the Earth we live in is on loan to us by the future generation.   It is a humbling truth for all of us.

I invite you all, citizens of the earth, to attend this Mission u not only for the learning and camaraderie that comes with this annual UMW endeavor but to be inspired to do the challenging task of producing a road map on how we can affect a system-wide global issue in addressing climate injustice - from the area of the Last Frontier.

I nudge you to join and volunteer for the Alaska Center for the Environment which is currently in the forefront of advocacy in getting our  leaders to think about renewable energy and energy efficiency strategies to save money and reduce emissions in our state. Encourage and support our youth to join Alaska Youth for Environmental Action, sign their petition and gather signatures for our legislators to act on Climate Change.

Just remember, Alaska is in the forefront of all these.  Join us for the 2016 Mission u!  Look for more information and registration forms soon.  The Mission u will also have a class on The Bible and Human Sexuality: Claiming God's Gift.

Dates & Locations:
Southeast area, Aldersgate UMC  - July 29-30, 2016
Anchorage area, Turnagain UMC - September 9-10, 2016
Kenai area, Homer UMC - September 23-24, 2016
Job Opennings
Building Custodian @ First UMC Anchorage
Click here to learn more
Leader of Music @ First UMC Anchorage
Click here to learn more
Upcoming Events
JUNE
25: Sweezey Farewell at Birchwood Camp

JULY
4: Independence Day - Office Closed
9: Flag Day at AK Child & Family
13-16: Western Jurisdiction Conference in Scottsdale, Arizona.  Carlo attending
19-August 18: Carlo on vacation in the Philippines
29-30: Mission u at Aldersgate UMC

August

September
9-10: Mission u at Turnagain UMC
23-25: Mission u at Homer UMC
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Upcoming
Clergy Birthdays
June 27: Teri Erbele
July 11: Bob Smith
July 21: Lisa Talbott
UM Federal Credit Union



Conference Office
907-333-5050

Superintendent Carlo
907-854-8340
Submissions - If you have an article or event that you would like to share with the rest of the conference, submit it to the conference office by Monday evening for consideration.
AUMC Logo Mission Statement:
The mission of the United Methodist Church is to make disciples of Jesus Christ.  Held and supported by the transforming relationship with God through Christ, we of the Alaska United Methodist Conference seek to be a community that creates a home for all peoples, finds our hope through grace and journeys together into God's preferred future.
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