Fall Rendezvous Highlights

It was a very full and inspiring gathering with the Alaska UMC lay and clergy leaders in Anchorage last weekend.  I'm going to let my camera do the blogging here and post three video clips from the worship workshop led by Dr. Marcia McFee.







A big thanks to St. John for sharing Marcia with us and for Sandy Langland for this gift in memory of her mother.

The other highlight was the consecration of Girdwood Chapel's new building.  There was no heat but a whole bunch of warmth in that holy space as Bishop Hagiya consecrated the building and ministries of Girdwood Chapel.  Here are two clips.




The only concern I have is that there was not enough time for me to check in with everyone individually.  We try to be good stewards of our time and as it is people still need to leave early.  I just wish we had more downtime to just hang out and talk.

Grace and peace,
Dave

Preaching to Presbyterians

My good friend, Dr. Curt Karns, invited me to fly to Fairbanks just to preach to the Yukon Presbytery leadership last Saturday.  This clip is from that service at First Presbyterian.  Curt and I, along with Bishop Michael Keys of the ELCA, and Michael Burke of the Episcopal Church have formed a sort of covenant group.  We meet regularly for prayer, spiritual sharing, and dreaming of real ministry we can do together.

I am excited to announce that next February 25, 2011, our conference leaders and the Lutheran leadership have changed their winter meeting date to coincide with the Yukon Presbytery so we will all meet at the same time in Anchorage.  We are planning one evening together with a light dinner, worship, and, in the Lutheran tradition, table conversation over dessert.  Mark your calendars for this special event.  A coordinating team is being assembled now to work out details.

My main goal in the sermon was to persuade church leaders that significant and systemic change is needed if we are to respond to the world as an authentic expression of the words and acts of Jesus.  The message was well received and many spoke with me afterwards about their desire to reach out to people with a transformed Church.  Here's a link to that sermon. See you at Fall Rendezvous!
https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=159jarVXniWW7y0-bOpuTJ2Xt4EAHrJm17amV20hwJaw

Grace and peace,
Dave

Staying in Touch

Several things to share with you today.

Welcome Dr. Phil Campbell, new pastor of Northern Light Church in Juneau.  Phil and Teresa moved from Denver where Phil was a professor at Illiff Theological Seminary.   You can send them a welcome note to campbelpe@aol.com.

Fall Rendezvous is next week.  I am looking forward to being with our lay and clergy leaders in Anchorage.  New clergy orientation, Friday worship workshop with Marcia McFee, and the important work of our committees Friday and Saturday.  Bishop Hagiya will bring us an update after dinner on Friday on the 2012 realignment plan of episcopal areas.

We are finding ways to use our new video communications system.  Alaska Children's Services used it to interview CEO candidates.  Clergy taking the Interim Pastor Training used it to check in with their projects.  Leila and I are using it to keep in touch with pastors across Alaska.  You are encouraged to sign up for a free Oovoo account.

Please know that I pray for you all on a daily basis. 

Grace and peace,
Dave