The Alaska United Methodist Conference

How do I react to the kingdom of heaven?

Do I know there must be something out there worthy of great value?

Have I been searching for it?

It might be that we stumble across the blessings God has in Christ and His kingdom, as in the Parable of the Hidden Treasure. But do we want to risk our salvation by waiting to possibly stumble across it? What can we do to ensure that we will find what God has for us? We will explore these questions and share our insights at the 2009 United Methodist Women Spiritual Growth Retreat. August 28 – 30 at the Windsong Lodge in Seward, Alaska. Please register before July 15^th! Travel assistance available! Questions? Contact Bonnie Miller 776-8555 or bonitajane@yahoo.com.

Here are the files you'll want to download...

UMW Retreat Brochure

UMW Retreat Registration

UMW Retreat Travel Application

Through the Global Health Initiative, The United Methodist Church has joined a worldwide response to rapidly scale-up our efforts in the fight against malaria. At General Conference 2008, we committed to a major, five-year campaign in partnership with leaders in global health to help overcome malaria – a devastating, but preventable disease of poverty.

We ask each annual conference to identify two leaders who can represent the conference and the bishop’s dedication to Imagine No Malaria with districts and congregations within the annual conference. These positions will be Global Health Advocates.

We ask for Global Health Advocates to be selected and communicated to the office of the Global Health Initiative. Gary Henderson, Executive Director of the Global Health Initiative, can be reached at (615) 742-5768.

An ideal leader may be:

· A dedicated conference staff person;

· A retired bishop or highly-recognized clergy; or

· A determined and/or high-profile lay leader.

Responsibilities of the Global Health Advocates include the following:

· Champion Imagine No Malaria in the annual conference and encourage its success;

· Help set the conference plan (with the bishop or other conference leadership) based on the congregation’s potential to achieve maximum human impact in overcoming malaria;

· Assist in identifying and recruiting leadership for districts in the conference, and approve appointments of district leadership; and

· Manage the educational and fund-raising plan and provide direct leadership to district chairs within the conference.

If you are interested in this position, please let the conference office know, 333-5050.

The Alaska United Methodist Conference Report. Report by Rev. Jim Doepken.

The Alaska United Methodist Conference held it’s annual conference in Anchorage on June 5-7, 2009. There are 28 United Methodist Churches spread out over The Last Frontier, with ministries to several outlying areas. When we gather as a Conference, it is a family affair. We know each other. We share our various struggles and triumphs and we love coming together to celebrate the work of God when we gather.

This year’s conference was “Tweeted” on Twitter for the first time as we strive to open new doors to new people. In that spirit, here is a summary of our Annual Conference, condensed into “Tweets” of 140 characters or less. This was sent by Twitter before being submitted in its full form.

1. The theme for conference this year was "Turning the World Upside Down," from Acts 17:1-9. How do we offer the world our topsy-turvy gospel?
2. We started by welcoming our new laity and new clergy and our new bishop, Grant Hagiya. There is a spirit of newness in the conference.
3. We spent much of our time in a Visioning Process for the Conference. We broke up into small groups and shared our hopes and dreams.
4. All churches were challenged to get their "Welcoming Certification Award" as we strive to RETHINK CHURCH collectively as a conference.
5. As with many conferences around the UMC, the Alaska Conference faces financial struggles and is examining the cost of ministry in all areas.
6. We welcomed Shawn Bakker from GBGM, The Advance and Mission Personnel. The Advance makes ministry possible in some of our more remote areas.
7. Our two conference mission priorities for 2009-11: Global Clean Water initiatives AND support of Campus Ministries in our conference.
8. Financial news: We approved a plan for $2 million coming to the conference. Our budget for 2010 will see a 0.2% increase in apportionments.
9. Our incoming Conference Superintendent, Rev. David Beckett, stood on his head to show how we're turning things upside down in the AUMC.
10. Bishop Hagiya, in his address, wants everybody FED -- FEEDING people, ENGAGING people, and DISCIPLING emerging generations of leaders.
11. All 32 Constitutional Amendments from the 2008 General Conference passed when voted upon.

Membership stands at 3927, down 143 from the previous year. Worship attendance stands at 2300, down 115. Church school attendance stands at 952, down 12.

You can download the PowerPoint File HERE

Thank you to Larry Hayden for his work.

Readers may want to research more in-depth topics by reading the comprehensive book written for the Conference Centennial in 1986 by Bea Shepard and Claudia Kelsey “Have Gospel Tent Will Travel.” Many other primary sources are available at the conference archive collection at East Anchorage United Methodist Church. Contact Larry Hayden for access or an inventory. 279-4862 or hayden@alaska.com