Golf Tournament benefiting Camp Sumatanga to be May 20

On Monday, May 20, 2013, the Seventh Annual Sumatanga Golf Tournament will be at Grayson Valley Country Club. The annual event was started by members of Trussville First UMC, but has grown each year.  Organizers now are actively seeking to partner with United Methodists across North Alabama to continue the event’s growth and vital support for Sumatanga. Over the years, proceeds from the tournament have gone to support specific repairs and improvements to the camp facilities,...

Sumatanga recovering from storm damage

*front page photo from www.facebook.com/sumatanga On Monday night, March 18, 2013,  the storms that affected parts of the southeast caused damage at Camp Sumatanga. Below is the message from Sumatanga staff regarding the storm damage: We are thankful that everyone at camp is safe and sound. Sumatanga facilities sustained significant damage to two structures, the Nina Reeves Chapel and Bessemer Hall at Pool Camp. There are multiple trees and power lines down as well as...

UMCH Offers Scholarships and Housing Opportunities to Foster Children Attending College

The United Methodist Children’s Home (UMCH) is working with The University of Alabama and the University of North Alabama to provide scholarships and housing to foster children and other children in alternative living situations while they attend college. UMCH will provide this opportunity for young people using its existing Tuscaloosa and Florence group homes beginning in the fall of 2013. The home in Tuscaloosa will be dedicated to young men, while the home in Florence will be...

Promise Homes, Inc. To Sell Facilities

Established as United Methodist Residential Alternatives in 1994, Promise Homes has provided care for intellectually disabled adults throughout north Alabama. Due to changes in state regulations for care providers, Promise Homes is seeking to be acquired by larger care provider. Because regulations and reimbursement procedures at the state Department of Mental Health are scheduled to change in 2013, many smaller group home providers are seeking alliances with larger providers better...

United Methodist Children's Home announces new staff and new partnership

The United Methodist Children’s Home, a 122 year old child care agency based in Montgomery, Alabama, announces the addition of Rebecca Morris and Lara Wheeler to its newly organized Birmingham Office of Marketing and Development located in the UMC North Alabama Conference Center on the campus of Birmingham-Southern College.  Dr. Blake Horne, President and CEO of the United Methodist Children’s Home, is pleased to welcome the new staff, “We are thrilled to have...

United Methodist Children's Home opens a Birmingham Office

The United Methodist Children’s Home (UMCH), a 120 year old child care agency based in Montgomery, Alabama announces the addition of Rebecca Morris and Lara Wheeler to its newly organized Birmingham Office of Marketing and Development located in the United Methodist Center on the campus of Birmingham-Southern College. Dr. Blake Horne, CEO of the United Methodist Children’s Home is pleased to announce the new staff and office, “We are thrilled to have Rebecca and Lara...

White House highlights Rev. Sally Allocca as a "Champion of Change" for strengthening food security

WASHINGTON, DC – On Thursday, September 6, 2012, the White House welcomed 11 Champions of Change who have committed themselves to Strengthening Food Security in the United States and around the world. These individuals know that hunger is an issue that touches the lives of people all around us. North Alabama’s Rev. Sally Allocca was among those recognized. She is the pastor of East Lake UMC and the founder and Executive Director of Promoting Empowerment and Enrichment...

AHMEN sponsoring a container to send Christmas Shoe Boxes to children in Honduras

North Alabama Conference Advance special AHMEN (The Alabama Honduras Medical Education Network) began as a mission team working for one week in underrepresented communities along the north coast of Honduras, the second poorest nation in our hemisphere. Since then the ministry has grown to become a diversified, interfaith-based network of partnerships all over Honduras. Many of the ministry partners and participants are North Alabama Conference congregations. In fact, this...

Fayette First UMC youth give back to Camp Sumatanga

At the mention of the name “Camp Sumatanga” you will see a smile come across the face of many of those who attend Fayette First UMC.  Sumatanga has made a huge impact on many lives and the congregation has a great love for the camp.  Because of that, the Fayette First UMC youth chose to serve three days at Camp Sumatanga painting, clearing trails and building a fishing pier as their mission project this summer. Dana Gilliam, Director of Youth Ministry at Fayette...

Hope Blossoms in Alabama

Even as southern and Midwest states respond to recent tornadoes, Alabama is still recovering a year after the largest twister outbreak ever recorded. With volunteer teams working across the state repairing and rebuilding homes, responders in Alabama said they see hope coming back into the faces of tornado survivors who lived through four days of violent storms on April 25-28, 2011. On April 27 alone, 208 tornadoes touched down, and four of them were rated F5 on the Fujita Scale, the...

United Methodist Children's Home Announces New President/CEO

The board of directors of the United Methodist Children’s Home is announcing the appointment of Dr. K. Blake Horne as the agency’s new President/CEO effective May 16, 2012. “I am truly humbled to have the privilege of serving the children and families of Alabama and northwest Florida through the United Methodist Children’s Home,” said Horne. “My first counseling-related position was with the Methodist Home for Children and Youth of the South Georgia...

Clergy Spouses annual luncheon benefits Birmingham Babies First program

On Saturday, March 31, 2012, the North Alabama Conference Cabinet Spouses hosted a benefit luncheon at the United Methodist Children’s Home Birmingham Babies First.  The delightful event was coordinated by Robin Schultz and Patsy Willimon with the help of the Birmingham Babies First Advisory Board and other devoted volunteers who offered both their time and talents.  Guests were able to tour the facility and meet the staff and the resident mothers and babies.  The...

Birmingham-Southern College Faculty issue response to Alabama HB 56

At its November meeting, the Birmingham-Southern College faculty unanimously approved the following response: Birmingham-Southern College nurtures the intellectual, ethical, and spiritual development of students from a variety of backgrounds. We seek to help all students engage in the global community by offering an education that develops understanding and appreciation for the larger world. An international community adds an important and valued dimension to the entire BSC campus. Because...

Back to School benefit concert featuring the Dill Pickers to raise funds for Urban Kids program

On Sunday, Sept. 18, 2011, Urban Ministry is hosting a "Back to School with Urban Kids benefit concert Featuring the Dill Pickers.” The concert will be at 3 p.m. at Birmingham First UMC (518 19th St. N Birmingham). All proceeds of the fundraiser will go to the Urban Kids program of Urban Ministry. Urban Kids has been in existence since the late 1980s. Currently the program offers an After-School program four days a week and a seven-week Summer Day Camp. Each year, 30 3rd-8th grade...

Rev. Melissa Self Patrick named Executive Director of Urban Ministry, Inc.

The Board of Directors of Urban Ministry, Inc. recently named Rev. Melissa Self Patrick the new Executive Director of Urban Ministry, Inc. Urban Ministry is an inner city mission in Birmingham. This Conference Advance Special agency has been providing ministries of compassion and wholeness for, and among, people who struggle because of poverty, for 35 years. Melissa succeeds Rev. Tom Duley, who is retiring from full-time ministry at the 2011 Annual Conference, and who has compassionately and...

Sumatanga announces new Director of Programs and reminds churches summer camp registration is still open

Sumatanga Camp and Conference Center is excited to announce that Chrystal Smith has been named as the next Director of Programs. Chrystal has spent 22 years working with children, youth and adults both in the local church and on the conference level. Much of her ministry has revolved around her involvement at Sumatanga where she has served as counselor, program director, and director in the summer camping ministry, workshop leader for North Alabama Conference and Southeastern Jurisdiction...

Matt Johnson named Sumatanga's Executive Director

Sumatanga’s Board of Trustees is pleased to announce that Matt Johnson has been named Executive Director. Matt has been with Camp Sumatanga for 12 years, most recently serving as Assistant Executive Director. In making the announcement, Mike Byrne, Chair of Sumatanga’s Board of Trustees, says “Matt brings a passion for the ministry, a gift of relationship, and a keen understanding of Sumatanga’s role in the Conference. The vote to name Matt as Executive Director was...

Babies First Benefit Luncheon raises $2600 for ministry

The 2011 Clergy Spouses Babies First Benefit Luncheon was Saturday, April 16 in Florence at the Brandon Ministry Center. Jane Stonbraker, DS Spouse in the Northwest District, and the spouses and churches in the Northwest District hosted the event. The event raised $2680 for the Babies First Ministry in Birmingham. Babies First is a ministry of the United Methodist Children's Home. It is a residential program for young girls and their babies. These young moms have made the decision to raise...

Sumatanga appoints Strategic Planning Committee

The following is a message from Mike Byrne the Acting Executive Director of Sumatanga and the Chair of the Sumatanga Board of Trustees. Sumatanga first opened Pool Camp in 1951 with simple, open-air cabins. By 1960, the Lodge had been built to accommodate a greater number of guests with greater comfort. By the mid-1990’s, the Retreat Center had been built to offer an even higher level of comfort. Sumatanga realizes that it must change and evolve to meet the current and projected...

Scholar to present treasured manuscript, lecture at Huntingdon

Montgomery, Ala.—Dr. Oliver Larry Yarbrough, Tillinghast Professor of Religion at Middlebury College (Vermont) and Fulbright Research Scholar, will present a replica of the Codex Sinaiticus to Huntingdon College's Houghton Library as well as a lecture about the gift, "How a King, An Emperor, and a Pharaoh Helped Make the Bible as We Know It," Wednesday, April 6, at 4:00 p.m. in Houghton Library Atrium. The gift will be dedicated in honor of Dr. Yarbrough's in-laws, The Reverend...