
Rev. Kathy Fisher
Storms Are Inevitable But God Is Our Refuge and Strength
June, 2021 Newsletter
Dearest Friends,
Nancy Pugh and I will be attending the Annual Conference of the Alabama-West Florida
Conference of the United Methodist Church virtually via Zoom, starting Sunday afternoon, June
6th through Wednesday, June 9th. I am delighted to share that I will be reappointed to serve as
your pastor at Whitfield Memorial United Methodist Church for another year when our bishop
sets the appointments at the end of Annual Conference on Wednesday!
This year’s Annual Conference missional offering will be a collective effort of four conference
ministries. Acts 1:8 reads, “you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and
you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the
earth.” Following the movement of the Spirit and seeking to be Christ’s witnesses to our
community, nation, and throughout the world, we have four mission endeavors to support
during this annual conference: Blue Lake Camp, Communities of Transformation, AWF Disaster
Response Ministry, and Teaming with Tanzania. We focused on the Wesley College in Tanzania
and had our own Harambe! Celebration. Coming together and dancing down the aisles to bring
our offerings forward on April 25th, we raised over $800!! How exciting to know that we are
helping our brothers and sisters halfway around the world to know and share Christ with
others, as they make a better world where they live through God’s blessings. If you would like
to contribute to any of the other mission projects, please mark your check for that project and
we will make sure it gets sent in for that worthy mission.
Bishop David Graves, along with his lovely wife Nancy, has been serving our Conference for the
past 5 years, and will continue to serve as the resident bishop of the Alabama-West Florida
Conference. In addition to serving the our conference, Bishop Graves has been appointed to
also serve as bishop to the South Georgia Conference. Due to four retiring bishops, several
acting bishops will assume the episcopal duties of those conferences. While he will share
his time with the South Georgia Conference, we know he will continue to lead us with
wisdom and grace. Please keep Bishop Graves in your prayers as he continues to seek
Christ’s guidance while serving our conference.
June 1st is the start of hurricane season, and the weather services are anticipating a busier than
normal season this year. From previous Disaster Preparedness meetings, I’ve learned some
good information. The most important fact stressed was “First 72 on you,” meaning that, in the
event of a hurricane or other disaster in our area, each of us needs to have enough nonperishable
food and bottled water (3 gallons minimum) on hand to last us for the first 72 hours
until outside help arrives. We should also have a 30-day supply of our prescription medications
on hand prior to an emergency situation. I am also asking that all of our members receiving this
newsletter please make sure our church office has your current cell phone numbers so we can
contact you in case of an emergency. Frequently, text messaging works even when calls cannot
be placed or received on cell phones, so make sure you have that capability and know how to
use it.
Storms are an inevitable part of the natural environment in which we live, but we also have
personal, private storms with which we have to deal also. Whatever storms may rage in your
life, we have a God who is ever present, majestic, and all-mighty. Our God walks on the winds
of the storm to offer us refuge. Psalm 46 assures us, “God is our refuge and strength, a very
present help in trouble.” Thank God that we can focus on the One who is our Refuge.
Love,
Pastor Kathy
