News

11/4/2024

As the Advent and Christmas season approaches, United Methodists have the opportunity to spread hope, peace, joy, and love to children, families, and caregivers in our communities.  Consider helping Murphy-Harpst Children’s Centers fulfill Christmas wishes for vulnerable children, supporting Wellroot Family Services as they care for more than 1,000 youth and families, or lending a hand to The Nett UMC’s annual Toy Shop to bring a special holiday experience to families in Gwinnett County. Here's...

11/4/2024

This month, GCORR - the General Commission on Religion and Race, the UMC commission equipped to challenge and equip leaders towards greater racial equity - is recommending several resources in celebrating Native American Heritage Month. 11 Facts About Native People in Society and the Church (By Bishop David Wilson) Video: Ongoing Acts of Repentance with Indigenous People (By Rev. Chebon Kernell) Land Acknowledgement vs. Welcome by the Original People (By Ragghi Rain, Chairperson, Native ...

10/31/2024

The Board of Trustees of Paine College is pleased to announce the appointment of Rev. Dr. Lester A. McCorn as President-select. Known for his transformational leadership in higher education, Dr. McCorn brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to Paine College. McCorn will assume the presidency of the college on January 1, 2025. Paine College, located in Augusta, is a private, four-year HBCU affiliated with The United Methodist Church. Since 2017, McCorn has served as President and Professor...

10/31/2024

The General Commission on Religion and Race (GCORR) is pleased to announce the release of a new six-session small group study for Our Hearts Were Strangely Lukewarm: The American Methodist Church and the Struggle with White Supremacy. This study is designed to invite Christians—particularly white Christians—into deep reflection and open dialogue about the realities of racism, with a focus on anti-Black racism within the church and society. Learn more at www.r2hub.org/library/our-hearts-were-str...

10/30/2024

Calling all HealthFlex Participants! From October 30 to November 14 you’ll select your 2025 HealthFlex benefits. But figuring out what changes to make (if any) isn’t always easy—which is why we recommend doing a quick checkup with ALEX®, the virtual benefits counselor. Log into your Benefits Access account and give Alex a try. On your home summary page you can click either the “Learn More” button at the top or the “Get Started” link in your Health Summary box.  Here you’ll find: the link to try...

10/29/2024

A church closure cannot be used as an alternative method of disaffiliation   By Heather Hahn, United Methodist News Service Read the full article at www.umnews.org/en/news/church-court-season-of-church-exits-is-over A church law designed for handling church closures cannot be used as a way for congregations to leave The United Methodist Church with property, the denomination’s top court ruled. “With the expiration and deletion of ¶2553, the postponed 2020 General Conference effectively removed ...

10/28/2024

Ellijay First United Methodist Church hosted the 10th Annual Gathering of Native Americans in North Georgia on Saturday, October 26. Special music included Indigenous drummers from Plant City, Florida, and the Plum Praisey Band (Pine Log United Methodist Praise Band). The music included a variety of Christian music ranging from “Amazing Grace,” which is the national anthem of the Cherokee Nation, to contemporary song of “Spirit in the Sky,” and many songs sung in the Native languages. The Rev. ...

10/28/2024

And the need remains great One month later, communities across Georgia continue to feel the devastating impact of Hurricane Helene. And the United Methodist connection continues to mobilize volunteers and resources to assist those most affected. Over the past weekend, clergy and laity stepped up to be the hands and feet of Christ in Augusta, Martinez, Harlem, Grovetown, Thomson, and beyond, as well as at the Disaster Response Warehouse. North Georgia United Methodists have shown up as badged ...

10/21/2024

In recent days and weeks, we in Georgia have experienced sorrow—from heartwrenching gun violence, to devastating storms, and the tragic loss of at least seven lives, including a beloved retired clergyperson, to a tragic accident. In this time of grief, Bishop Robin Dease offers a heartfelt plea to God. Lord of Comfort, Our hearts are heavy with grief. Destruction, violence, and death have impacted us and our communities in the Georgia Area of The United Methodist Church. From Apalachee High to ...

10/16/2024

Plus 5 Things to Expect When Your Pastor's Expecting By Sybil Davidson If you subscribe to the "Prayers & Celebrations" e-newsletter, you have said a joyful prayer of praise for the birth of a precious newborn many times this year! More than 10 North Georgia United Methodist clergy families (and counting!) have welcomed babies in recent months.  We have celebrated and prayed alongside Rev. AnnaKate Rawls, Rev. Andrew Chappell, Rev. Kaylen Short, Rev. Nelson Furtado, Rev. Connor Bell, Rev. Jin...

10/15/2024

Sunday, October 27, churches across North Georgia will receive the Aldersgate Homes / Camp Collinswood Special Offering. A related agency of the North Georgia Conference, this offering is a major source of funding for this important ministry.   Aldersgate Homes strives to help people with developmental disabilities lead meaningful and productive lives by providing them with residential support and recreational opportunities. The ministry supports people with developmental disabilities to live ...

10/15/2024

Since the official establishment of the Georgia Episcopal Area, leadership from the North and South Georgia Annual Conferences have prayerfully considered ways the two Conferences can collaborate to enhance and grow the mission of Jesus Christ across our state. They are asking the question, what can we do better, more effectively, and more efficiently together to serve Christ, the church, and the world?  One clear step is coordinated staffing. As staff needs shifted this fall, conference ...

10/14/2024

Rev. Ernesto Machado and Craig O'Hara at Faith UMC Tampa By Sybil Davidson Thanks to the generosity of Georgia United Methodists, our Disaster Response Warehouse was well-stocked with UMCOR Relief Kits at the start of the 2024 hurricane season. Since September, those kits have been deployed to areas in great need in the South Georgia, Western North Carolina, North Georgia, and Florida Annual Conferences. Craig O’Hara, a North Georgia ERT (Early Response Team member) and member of Community ...

10/12/2024

How You Can Help "This historic disaster needs a historic response from our congregations," said Rev. Scott Parrish, Conference Disaster Response Coordinator.    Work Teams, Volunteers, and ERT Needed Scheduling Now UMCOR ERT, work teams, and individual volunteers are needed now in the greater Augusta area. We are deploying out of United Methodist White Oak Camp Ground in Columbia County. The North Georgia Conference is working with Inspiritus, a trusted disaster response partner, to schedule ...

10/8/2024

In the wake of Hurricane Helene, countless churches across the North Georgia Conference rallied to support the Augusta area as they waited for utilities to be repaired. Our United Methodist connection sprang to life to meet the immediate needs for essentials. Even a week after the storm, some residents in the area were still without power and in many rural areas this meant without running water, too. Volunteers worked tirelessly out of hubs like Wesley UMC in Evans and New Thomson UMC, staged at...

10/8/2024

Graphic by Laurens Glass, United Methodist Communications. Election season is a good time to review how clergy and churches can live into their role as community leaders and their responsibility as active citizens, while also following the clear guidelines for tax-exempt organizations.  As our United Methodist Social Principles state, “The strength of a political system depends upon the full and willing participation of its citizens.” (United Methodist Social Principles, ¶164.B, 2016) ...

10/3/2024

North Georgia United Methodists are praying for all in the path of Hurricane Helene, from Florida to Georgia to the Carolinas and beyond.  In the North Georgia Conference, the greater Augusta area was hardest hit. Multiple counties are in the active emergency phase. At least five United Methodist churches were damaged — Aldersgate UMC, St. John UMC, Pierce UMC, Lewis Memorial UMC, Grovetown UMC, and Wesley UMC. One clergyperson is displaced from her home. Thousands remain without power and many...

10/2/2024

UPDATE: On Sunday, October 6, volunteers packed the solar trailer and returned to North Georgia in anticipation of Hurricane Milton. The team is ready to redeploy when needed!  The North Georgia Conference and UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief) deployed our solar microgrid trailer to the Valdosta area where it is powering lights and refrigeration at a South Georgia Conference church camp just north of Valdosta, Camp Tygart.  The solar power is allowing that location to serve as ...

10/1/2024

As the magnitude of Hurricane Helene's devastation for families, churches, communities and whole regions of the U.S. becomes clearer, UMCOR has awarded solidarity grants to the North Georgia Conference of The United Methodist Church and the South Georgia Conference of The United Methodist Church to assist their relief efforts, with multiple grants in process for other annual conferences including the Western North Carolina Annual Conference and the Florida Annual Conference.  This funding is ...

9/26/2024

This month Murphy-Harpst Children's Centers celebrated an incredible milestone. With its deep Methodist roots, the agency serving Georgia's most vulnerable children marked its first 100 years with friends, colleagues, and members of the Murphy-Harpst community at a celebration in midtown Atlanta. The Century Celebration was hosted by WABE's Lisa Rayam, who interviewed a former resident about the positive impact of the home. It also featured an art auction with pieces from Murphy-Harpst ...