News

October 05, 2016

Commission on the Way Forward: Membership Selection Progresses

(UMNS) - The Executive Committee of the Council of Bishops has narrowed the list of potential nominees for membership on the Commission on the Way Forward from over 300 persons to 29. The group includes 8 bishops, 13 clergy, and 8...

October 05, 2016

Exploring Fresh Expressions

(Dr. Darren McClellan) - Yesterday I was able to gather with over 125 friends from across our annual conference for the Fresh Expressions Vision Day at Pensacola FUMC. Derived over the last decade from the Anglican and Methodist ...

October 04, 2016

A Word from Bishop David Graves: October 4, 2016

We invite you to hear a word from Bishop David Graves, Resident Bishop of the Alabama-West Florida Conference. Click here to watch video. 

September 23, 2016

Conferences Hold UM Lawyers' Seminar

The Alabama-West Florida Conference and the North Alabama Conference held the United Methodist Lawyers' Seminar on Thursday, September 22, 2016. Both conferences invited United Methodist members in their local churches to attend ...

September 23, 2016

Pastor’s Program Offers Seminarians Financial Lifeline

(Martha Simmons/UMNS) - Jay Cooper already had a wife, two children and a job at his father-in-law’s business when he felt God urging him toward ordained ministry. “Everything was going swimmingly well until God decided to issue ...

September 20, 2016

AWF Receives Notes of Thanks for Louisiana Flood Relief Help

The Alabama-West Florida Conference heard the call from our connection to help the Louisiana area with flood relief efforts. Over $25,000 was collected and sent directly to the Louisiana conference for immediate use and fifteen ...

September 18, 2016

Service of Worship and Welcome held for Graves Family

Clergy, laity and friends of the Alabama-West Florida Conference gathered this evening, Sunday, September 18, 2016, at Crosspoint UMC in Niceville, FL, to welcome Bishop and Mrs. Nancy Graves to the area. A service to welcome the ...

September 17, 2016

From the Fiscal Office: New Department of Labor Overtime Rules

On May 18, 2016, the Department of Labor (DOL) announced its changes to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) “white collar” overtime exemption rules. The final rule strengthens protection for workers by increasing the standard ...

September 14, 2016

Conference Holds On-boarding Sessions

Throughout the course of the week, three on-boarding sessions were held in the Alabama-West Florida Conference. These sessions are being led by Claire Bowen, a lay person in the North Georgia Conference, who specializes in this ...

September 13, 2016

Guest Commentary: Dr. Darren McClellan

Yesterday evening, I had the opportunity to participate in a service of celebrating the episcopal assignment of Bishop David William Graves at First United Methodist Church in Montgomery. Gathered tightly in the good company of ...

September 12, 2016

Graves Installed as Alabama-West Florida Episcopal Leader

(Montgomery, AL) - Bishop David W. Graves was officially installed as resident bishop Sunday afternoon, September 11, 2016. A capacity crowd filled the beautiful cathedral sanctuary of Montgomery FUMC in Cloverdale Park.  The ...

September 08, 2016

A Word from Bishop David Graves

We invite you to hear a word from Bishop David Graves, Resident Bishop of the Alabama-West Florida Conference. Click here to watch video. 

September 06, 2016

Ester Named as National United Methodist Women Vice President

The Alabama-West Florida Conference would like to congratulate Clara Ester on her election as the National United Methodist Women Vice President. Ester was elected at the national meeting on August 29, 2016, in Houston, TX. ...

September 01, 2016

Graves Begins Episcopal Leadership Today

Perhaps you’ve seen the hundreds of back-to-school photos in your news feed over the past month? Today is the official “First Day of Bishop” for Bishop David Graves in the Alabama-West Florida Conference and new Bishops around the...

September 01, 2016

Hurricane Hermine

As many of you have seen in the news, tropical storm Hermine has now been upgraded to a hurricane as of this afternoon. At this time we do not expect this storm to make a significant impact on the Alabama-West Florida Conference. ...

August 29, 2016

Meet Beverly Maddox: New AWF Lay Leader

Beverly Maddox was elected the new Alabama-West Florida Conference lay leader at the 2016 Annual Conference session. The AWF Office of Communications sat down with her to learn more about her ministry and passion for our ...

August 23, 2016

You Are Invited to Welcome Bishop and Mrs. David Graves

Please join us to welcome Bishop and Mrs. David Graves on Sunday, September 11 and Sunday, September 18, 2016. 

August 18, 2016

Louisiana Flooding Disaster Response

(Susan Hunt) - Our hearts are broken with the news of severe flooding in Louisiana over the last several days. Thousands of people have been displaced and are in temporary shelters after over two feet of rain fell in a short span ...

August 16, 2016

A Word from the Bishop: Gratitude

When our Alabama-West Florida Conference Cabinet met several weeks ago, I shared St. Paul’s letter to the Philippians as a reminder of the joy and the journey that we have shared together over the last eight years. Following the ...

August 15, 2016

A Greeting from Bishop David Graves

Dear Members of the Alabama-West Florida Conference, Greetings in the precious name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Nancy and I are so excited to join you in the Alabama-West Florida Conference. The week of July 12-15 was ...

August 14, 2016

Conference Bids Farewell to Leelands

An overflow crowd gathered on the afternoon of Sunday, August 14, 2016, to say farewell to Bishop and Mrs. Paul Leeland. Clergy, spouses, lay leaders, conference staff and friends of the Leelands were welcomed by the staff and ...

July 31, 2016

Bishop Announces September 1 Appointments

Bishop Paul L. Leeland, in consultation with Bishop David Graves, is pleased to announce several appointments in the Alabama-West Florida Conference that are the result of Bishop Lawson Bryan’s episcopal election and assignment to...

July 21, 2016

Oakwood Experience Continues Legacy Camp

Over eighty youth from Dadeville UMC, Dothan FUMC, Destin UMC, Greenville FUMC and Woodland UMC gathered at Blue Lake Camp for the Oakwood Experience. The Oakwood Experience began over 30 years ago in the AWF Conference with ...

July 14, 2016

Bishop Graves Assigned to AWF Conference

The Rev. David Graves has been assigned to the Alabama-West Florida Conference and will serve as its bishop for the next four years. The assignment begins Sept. 1. Senior pastor of Church Street United Methodist Church in ...

July 14, 2016

What a Day! SEJ Elects 5 New Bishops, Makes History

There is no place in Methodism that has seen more episcopal elections than Stuart Auditorium on the campus of Lake Junaluska. By the close of the afternoon session July 13, five new bishops had been elected in the historic ...

July 13, 2016

Bryan Elected Bishop in the Southeastern Jurisdiction

Dr. Robert Lawson Bryan, of the Alabama-West Florida Conference, has been elected a bishop by the Southeastern Jurisdictional Conference of the The United Methodist Church. He is the fourth bishop elected at the 2016 Southeastern ...

July 08, 2016

A Word from the Bishop: Still, it continues...

Still, it continues... The tragic deaths and continued violence reported daily appear to be creating a numbness in which we are becoming apathetic to the horrible events that destroy lives and community. In an atmosphere of fear ...

June 27, 2016

Helping with the Flint Water Crisis

The water crisis in Flint, Michigan, has not been in the news headlines as much recently, but the people who live there are still affected and will be dealing with the problems for years to come. Lead-tainted water, infrastructure...

June 16, 2016

2016 Annual Conference: In Brief

The 2016 Alabama-West Florida Annual Conference was held June 12-15 in Montgomery, AL, with the theme, "The Great Commission: Sending Disciples." Bishop Paul L. Leeland, presiding over his eighth annual conference session since ...

June 15, 2016

Annual Conference, Day Four: June 15, 2016

In the News Full Recap and Bulletin Insert coming this Thursday! Stay tuned to www.awfumc.org/2016annualconference for an informative bulletin insert. It is printer friendly and we encourage you to share it with your local ...

June 14, 2016

Annual Conference, Day Three: June 14, 2016

In the News Morning Teaching Sessions: Dr. Kevin Watson, Assistant Professor of Wesleyan and Methodist Studies at Candler School of Theology, led two morning teaching sessions titled "No Holiness but Social Holiness: The Theology ...

June 13, 2016

Annual Conference, Day Two: June 13, 2016

In the News Service of Remembrance and Holy Communion: Thirty clergy and clergy spouses who passed since the 2015 AWF Annual Conference session were remembered today during the Service of Remembrance and Holy Communion. Bishop ...

June 12, 2016

Annual Conference, Day One: June 12, 2016

In the News Opening Worship: A capacity crowd attended the Opening Worship Service of the 2016 Alabama-West Florida Annual Conference session, which was held Sunday evening, June 12, in the sanctuary of Frazer Memorial UMC in ...

June 07, 2016

Helms Named SEJ United Methodist Women President, Ester Named to Board

The 2016 meeting of the Southeastern Jurisdiction (SEJ) United Methodist Women was held June 1-3, 2016, in Charleston, South Carolina. The theme was, "A Fresh Wind Blowing." At this meeting, two Alabama-West Florida Conference ...

June 06, 2016

Special Edition: The NewsCONNECTION, June 6, 2016

Guide to Annual Conference  The Guide to Annual Conference is now available for download. It contains all orders of worship and special announcements pertinent to annual conference. Printed bulletins will not be available so ...

June 01, 2016

A Word from Bishop Leeland: General Conference 2016

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,   The General Conference of The United Methodist Church always creates great expectations and hopes for our denomination. This hope was certainly embraced by the 2016 General Conference held in...

May 25, 2016

Conferences Plan Legal Forum for United Methodist Lawyers

The North Alabama Conference and the Alabama–West Florida Conference will jointly sponsor a “United Methodist Lawyers’ Forum”, to be held in Birmingham, Alabama, on September 22, 2016.  The Forum, which will be free to all United...

May 24, 2016

2016 General Conference Votes of Note

General Conference delegates acted on hundreds of pieces of legislation, taking part in debates, prayerfully discerning options, and sometimes simply voting yes to consent calendars. Some of the notable legislation from GC2016 is ...

May 24, 2016

Council of Bishops follows tradition with letter to the church

Washington, D.C.: Reviving a tradition that is more than 200 years old, the United Methodist Council of Bishops sent this letter today to the people of The United Methodist Church following the 2016 General Conference, held in ...

May 19, 2016

AWF Clergy Works on GC Secretary Staff

Rev. Ashley Meyer, associate pastor at Cokesbury UMC in Pensacola, FL, is serving as volunteer staff for the 2016 General Conference Secretary office. She also served in this capacity at GC 2012 in Tampa, FL.  This office is ...

May 19, 2016

AWF Reserve Delegates Provide Support and Prayer

The Alabama-West Florida General Conference delegation is comprised of ten delegates; half clergy and half lay. In addition to these ten persons, the AWF elected an additional ten Jurisdictional Conference delegates at Annual ...

May 19, 2016

COSROW Celebrates Milestone Anniversaries for Clergy Women

The General Commission on the Status and Role of Women celebrated two milestones within the life of the United Methodist Church at an order of the day in today's plenary session at General Conference 2016. Narrated by Rev. Grace ...

May 18, 2016

AWF Episcopal Nominee, Bryan, Speaks with SEJ Delegates and Guests

Dr. Lawson Bryan, senior minister at Montgomery FUMC and AWF Episcopal Candidate, spoke to the Southeastern Jurisdiction today, May 18, 2016. Delegates and guests have gathered for the past two days during the lunch break to hear ...

May 18, 2016

Council of Bishops Offers a Way Forward, Delegates Approve Plan

Bishop Bruce R. Ough, president of the Council of Bishops and leader of the Minnesota Conference, addressed the General Conference today, May 18, 2016. He presented, "An Offering for a New Way Forward" to the plenary floor, as a ...

May 18, 2016

Prayer a Vital Component of GC2016

Prayer has proven to be an integral part of General Conference 2016. The Upper Room sponsored “60 Days of Prayer” leading up to this quadrennial meeting and asked conferences and local churches from around the world to participate...

May 17, 2016

Council of Bishops Make Statement Regarding Church Unity

Bishop Bruce R. Ough, president of the Council of Bishops and leader of the Minnesota Conference, addressed the General Conference today, asking for a point of privilege to discuss rumors of a plan for schism.  Bishop Ough ...

May 16, 2016

Ester Participates in Deaconess & Home Missioner Consecration

As part of the opening worship service at General Conference on Monday, May 16, 2016, United Methodist Deaconesses and Home Missioners were consecrated into ministry. Clara Ester, a retired deaconess in the Alabama-West Florida ...

May 16, 2016

Furr Elected as SEJ Representative for Commission of the General Conference

Dr. Steve Furr, AWF lay leader and delegate head, was elected as the Southeastern Jurisdictional Representative for the Commission on General Conference today, May 16, 2016. Furr joins twenty-four delegates from other ...

May 12, 2016

GC2016: Rule 44 Does Not Pass

On Thursday morning delegates returned to the discussion on the alternative legislative discernment process known as Rule 44. After much discussion, delegates voted against Rule 44 with a vote of 355 for (43%) and 477 against ...

May 11, 2016

AWF Delegates Elected to Lead GC Committee Work

Today began the legislative process of General Conference with delegates meeting in their assigned committees. Each legislative committee elects a chair, vice-chair and secretary. In addition, if the legislative committee votes to...
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