Friendship UMC to host small group training event on Oct. 15

On Saturday morning Oct. 15, 2011, Friendship UMC in Athens will host Group Life South, a training/networking/motivating conference focusing on small group ministry. The event description notes, "Discipleship happens best in small groups. The real spiritual growth that helps people become more like Jesus happens day by day, life on life, in the communities we call small groups. But discipleship is messy, can be complicated, and is just plain hard work." The event will feature four...

Gadsden First UMC helps host tailgate party to kickoff small group experiences

This fall when people in the Gadsden area think “tailgate,” many will think of 5th Street between Chestnut and Walnut in downtown Gadsden. On Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2011, that was the site of a “come one, come all” Tailgate Party hosted by Gadsden First United Methodist Church, First Baptist Church of Gadsden, and First Presbyterian Church of Gadsden. The Tailgate Party was a partnership between the three congregations to serve as a kickoff to six weeks of small group...

Livingston Chapel UMC to host "Studies In The Word" led by Dr. Robert Mulholland

Livingston Chapel UMC (Central District) will host world renowned lecturer and author Dr. Robert Mulholland for a series of teachings July 24-July 31, 2011. Dr. Robert Mulholland is Retired Professor of New Testament at Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, Ky. He is a respected writer and Biblical interpreter with numerous books to his credit. His books cover subjects ranging from Spiritual Formation to Biblical commentaries on the Book of Revelation and other works. He was also a...

Bluff Park UMC's Spring Bible Conference featured Dr. J. Ellsworth Kalas

On March 27, 2011, Dr. J. Ellsworth Kalas, was the featured speaker at the Spring Bible Conference at Bluff Park UMC. The event was made possible by the Glenn and Carolyn McCracken Lecture series. Dr. Kalas is the former president of Asbury Theological Seminary and a well-known United Methodist preacher and author. More than 35 of his books have been published, as well as 13 adult study quarterlies for the United Methodist Publishing House. His books include the popular Back Side series and...

Leaders of Women's Division and Commission on United Methodist Men featured at North Alabama events March 26

On Saturday, March 26, 2011, both the chief executive officer of the Women’s Divison of the United Methodist Church and the General Secretary for the Commission on United Methodist Men of the United Methodist Church will be featured presenters at events hosted by groups in North Alabama. The first event, the Northeast District United Methodist Women’s Prayer Breakfast, begins at 8 a.m. at Trinity UMC in Huntsville. The featured speaker will be Harriett Jane Olson, the deputy...

Upper Sand Mountain Circuit creates joint Confirmation and Membership classes

from the Mountain Lakes District News January 2011 reposted with permission The Upper Sand Mountain Circuit from the District has worked together to create a joint confirmation and membership class series to offer to our small churches. While most churches in the circuit do not have enough by themselves to offer a confirmation class, together we started a confirmation class on January 16, 2011 that currently has 19 children. Simultaneously, a membership class is offered for those already...

Getting Started with Alpha one-day training Conference coming to Birmingham

Nearly every church vision statement declares that it wants to reach out to “make disciples” or “reach the lost”, but sadly the question many churches can’t seem to answer anymore is: “How?” Joyce Meyer, Bible teacher and best-selling author, says “The Alpha Course provides a place for people to ask questions and find answers. I warmly commend it to those wanting to explore deeper issues of life and faith.” The Alpha Course is one of the...

Conference Adult Ministry Team celebrates successful small groups event

Last month the North Alabama Conference Adult Discipleship Team sponsored the training event Successful Small Groups featuring Debi Nixon of Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas. Bishop Willimon celebrated this important training opportunity as well as the importance of small groups in his weekly message on Feb. 8, 2010.  Click here to read the article Growing the Church, One Small Group at a Time. North Alabama Conference Coordinator for Children and Adult Ministries Rev....

Retired pastor Rev. Woodfin Grove publishes first book at age 91

Retired pastor Rev. Woodfin Grove's book, Logia, came from the press on his ninety-first birthday in late 2009. Entitled, Logia, which comes from the Greek word for "sayings" or "utterances",   the book focuses on Jesus' Sermon on the Mount with the attempt to allow readers to study Jesus’ words then make their “faith and life into an harmonious one.” Recently Rev. Grove told a reporter from The Anniston Star, his approach...

Health and Spirituality: a retreat on spirituality and healing for people who have terminal or chronic illness and their families to be held in March

On the third weekend in March (March 19-21, 2010) the North Alabama Conference will sponsor a retreat on the topic of “Spirituality and Healing” at Camp Sumatanga. Over the past two or three decades the importance of Spirituality has received great attention in healthcare. Everyone knows someone who has a serious diagnosis who gets a cure but never seems to get well. Likewise many persons with a potential terminal illness are not cured, yet they finish their lives as very happy...

Training Event for local churches to grow successful Small Groups will feature Debi Nixon of Church of the Resurrection

On Saturday, February 6, 2010, North Alabama Conference congregations have an opportunity to gather at Canterbury United Methodist Church in Birmingham for a training event called Successful Small Groups. Small groups have played an important part of the discipleship process in the Methodist Movement since the days of John Wesley and the Holy Clubs. Small groups are still a vital part of growing disciples of Jesus Christ today. This training event will feature Debi Nixon, one of the premiere...

New year to bring new membership vows to all United Methodist churches

The 2008 General Conference approved actions to revise the membership vows of the United Methodist Church and also clarified the process for receiving members from other denominations.  All these changes go into effect January 1, 2009. Many congregations are aware of one change the highest legislative body of the church made which was to add “witness” to the current membership vows of supporting the church so new members are asked  to support “with your prayers,...

Five-Day Academy Accepting Applications

The Five-Day Academy for Spiritual Formation is now accepting applications for its February retreat at Blue Lake Camp and Retreat Center in Andalusia. The Academy, a program of Upper Room Minsitries, is designed to provide a place where participants might discover their longing for God. For some a renewal and for others a new and different experience, it is an exploration into aspects of Christian spirituality they may not have considered before. "What you'll find is a Christian community...

Wisdom & Grace Conference to feature Bishop, North Alabamians

Ever wanted to get away to the cool mountains in the heat of summer? This is the year!  The 2007 Wisdom & Grace Conference, sponsored by the SEJ Association of Older Adults, meets at Lake Junaluska in North Carolina, August 6 – 9  for four glorious days of Christian inspiration and renewal.  "Spirit of the Living God, Fall Afresh on Me" is the theme of the conference.    Our own Bishop Will Willimon will preach. Among the ten workshop leaders are...

DISCIPLE training coming to Birmingham in June

Cokesbury and Disciple Seminars are pleased to announce DISCIPLE training to be held June 14-15, 2007 at Canterbury United Methodist Church located at 350 Overbrook Road, Birmingham, AL. This training event will be comprised of 4 offerings. The training for CHRISTIAN BELIEVER and DISCIPLE: BECOMING DISCIPLES THROUGH BIBLE STUDY will be held on June 14followed by training for JESUS IN THE GOSPELS and Beyond DISCIPLE I on June 15. DISCIPLE is a program of disciplined Bible study aimed at...

'Discernment Events' Planned to Assist Laity in Finding God's Will for Their Lives

New York, New York, January 19, 2007—To “discern” means to recognize or identify. United Methodist young laity—women and men—seeking to discern God’s will for their lives will have that opportunity in late April, 2007. A Young Adult Deaconess and Home Missioner Discernment Event, open to persons aged 20 to 39 living in the United States, will take place in New York City on April 27-29. Regional events are tentatively scheduled for later in the year (see below). Space is limited...