Disaster Response and Recovery
Higher Education & Campus Ministry
Pan-Methodist Campaign for Children in Poverty
12/19/2018
Happy all the things, Clergy Spouses! Registration is up and running for the Annual Retreat this January 4-6, 2019 at Camp Sumatanga. All clergy spouses are invited. Come and go as your schedule allows, or stay the whole time and settle in! First timers are free! Here is the online registration link. https://na-reg.brtapp.com/ClergySpouseRetreat2019 Please direct questions about the retreat to: Mollie Erickson 205-410-6872 Also, below is a little article Laura Fincher wrote after the retreat ...
4/12/2018
The first week of January, eighteen clergy spouses gathered at Camp Sumatanga for the annual Clergy Spouse Retreat. This year's guest speaker was Mrs. Beth Green, who has been married to Joe, a pastor and former District Superintendent in the Holston Conference, for over 30 years. Beth shared three times throughout the retreat, and kept the attendees in stitches with her humor. In addition to partnering with various ministries alongside her husband, Beth has spent her career working in radio and...
4/4/2012
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 weather was beautiful for ...
4/7/2010
On March 27, 2010 approximately 150 people from throughout the North Alabama Conference gathered at Asbury UMC in Madison for the second annual Babies First Benefit luncheon. The luncheon helped raise $4500 for the Babies First Ministry of the United Methodist Children’s Home. Patsy Willimon says, “We exceeded our expectations and we raised $4500 for Babies First. That is twice what we raised last year at the first luncheon in Birmingham so we are thrilled.” Lunch was catered by Covington’s ...
3/29/2010
In late 2009, a small group of United Methodist pastors' spouses, created a blog called SpouseConnect which seeks to provide a safe space for the husbands and wives of pastors and others in congregational ministry to share frustrations, joys, concerns, and ideas with others who understand. Co-developer of the blogsite Kathy Armistead, a United Methodist clergy spouse from Nashville, sees SpouseConnect as reaching out and helping various categories of persons. "SpouseConnect was started because ...
11/5/2009
The North Alabama Conference clergy spouses met at Camp Sumatanga in October for the 2009 Spouses Retreat. The annual event is a time of relaxation and fellowship for the spouses of United Methodist pastors. Award-winning actress and storyteller Dolores Hydock provided the entertainment that brought much laughter as the spouses enjoyed their time together. Other highlights included book club discussion with Edwina Styes; career networking with Sandy Reynolds; facials with Alicia Crew; needle ...
7/17/2009
On July 14, cabinet spouse, Jane Stonbraker hosted a “Salad Supper” for the Northwest District’s Clergy Spouses at the Brandon Ministry Center in Florence. Guests were served a variety of salads, desserts and drinks. They also participated in a group discussion about life as a clergy spouse. Rev. Sheri Ferguson, Executive Director of United Methodist Pastoral Care and Counseling, led the group on a discussion of the “life in a fish bowl” that clergy and their spouses live. She also discussed ...
3/19/2009
Click here to see a Picture Gallery of this event. Almost 200 people gathered at Vestavia Hills UMC on March 14, 2009, for the Clergy Spouses Benefit Luncheon for Babies First. The event raised more than $2000 for this ministry of the United Methodist Children's Home. Babies First is a residential group-home for young mothers who wish to raise their children and are either pregnant or struggling to support their baby alone. The ministry equips the mothers with life skills, education, ...
8/21/2008
On August 9, 2008, retired Bishop Robert Spain (Kentucky and South Carolina) visited with the retired clergy of the Northwest District along with their spouses. The retirees were treated to a Barbeque Dinner followed by a presentation by Bishop Spain at Wesley Memorial UMC in Decatur. Bishop Spain’s presentation centered on “What Do You Do With Life After Retirement?” He spoke to the retirees about being a productive member of God’s Kingdom and the fact that you never retire from being a ...
6/16/2008
During Annual Conference 2008 clergy spouses had a time to gather for “cookies and conversation”, but more importantly they took time to be in ministry together. During their Annual Conference reception time, clergy spouses from across the conference turned in the money and gift cards they had collected for the Birmingham Babies First ministry of the United Methodist Children’s Home. The grand total of gift cards and checks turned in was $8853. Birmingham Babies First is a home for young ...