News

9/30/2009

By Zachary Hoffman Disaster News Network Bob Relf of McEachern United Methodist Church pulled drywall from the living room of a house in Powder Springs after record rainfall left two feet of water within the home. He was a member of one of the many early responder groups reaching out to flood victims in Georgia after more than 14 inches of rain poured onto counties in Georgia overnight September 21; some places saw more than 20 inches in a 24-hour period. “As I know now, there are thousands of ...

9/26/2009

The following update is from Mike Selleck, Director of Connectional Ministries: It's Saturday evening an the rain continues ... but, it looks as if it will pass without adding new insult to this past weeks injuries. Next week will be busy as clean up begins in earnest. Remember please that disaster response comes in two phases: early responders and long term recovery. Phase One (Current Response Level) Early responders do the dangerous and urgent work of saving people, pets, and property. ...

9/24/2009

In response to the flooding in the North Georgia are, the Conference has set up a call center to help match cleanup and repair needs with volunteer teams.  The Call Center will operate Monday to Friday, 7am-7pm and is managed by United Methodist Volunteers In Mission and the North Georgia Conference Disaster Response Team in accordance with Georgia Emergency Management Association and Federal Emergency Management Association.  The phone number for the Call Center is 770.739.9537 To volunteer ...

9/16/2009

At our 2009 annual conference session, a recommendation from the Conference Council on Finance and Administration was adopted which asked Bishop Mike Watson to appoint a task force for the purpose of conducting a comprehensive analysis of the functions of the North Georgia Conference of The United Methodist Church.  The goal is to define better coordination of efficient and effective programs and ministries to facilitate the mission of The United Methodist Church in making disciples of Jesus ...

9/16/2009

By Glenn Hannigan Editor North Georgia Advocate The prevailing mood is one of cautious optimism. But for churches that have been hit hard by the ongoing economic downturn, any indication that the worst may be over is more than welcome news. But the key word is "cautious." "Perhaps we’ve reached a point where, economically, things are stabilizing," said Keith Cox, treasurer of the North Georgia Conference. "There are some indicators that the recession may have bottomed out. We are hopeful, but ...

9/9/2009

The stories are numerous, and the theme is always the same—years of devotion and sacrifice and dedication to the Church, followed by years of hardship during retirement. "The North Georgia Conference is responding to critical needs of retired clergy and surviving spouses in many of the Central Conferences of The United Methodist Church through the Central Conference Pension Initiative," said Bishop Mike Watson. "Those of us who are so richly blessed are grateful to have this wonderful ...

9/9/2009

By Glenn Hannigan Editor North Georgia Advocate   Charles Barnes is enjoying a return to his roots.    Barnes, a retired minister and former director of church development in the North Georgia Conference, fondly remembers growing up on a farm in Carroll County.    “It was how we lived,” said Barnes. “We farmed about 100 acres. We had livestock, grew cotton, corn and wheat, and were completely self-sustaining.”    Now Barnes, who helped start a food co-op at Mountain Park UMC, appreciates the ...

9/4/2009

The foundation is poured, and the framing is underway. Volunteers from United Methodist Men's groups recently began rebuilding Leigh Cottage at the United Methodist Children's Home in Decatur. The cottage was destroyed by fire in 2007. "We have had two great teams the last Saturdays in August working on Leigh Cottage at the UMCH," said Robert Rylee, Volunteer Coordinator, UMCH Leigh Cottage Rebuild Project. "Teams from Brightstar UMC and Jodeco Road UMC have lead the way working on the floor ...

9/2/2009

Come discover how your church can experience congregational health, vitality and fruitfulness by practicing radical hospitality, passionate worship, intentional faith development, risk-taking mission and service, and extravagant generosity. These will be the topics as Bishop Robert Schnase, author of Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations, leads Candler School of Theology’s Fall Congregational Conference Oct. 11-13 at Gainesville First UMC and on the Emory campus. The three-day conference ...

8/25/2009

The board of trustees for United Methodist-related Emory University has approved naming the graduate school in honor of President Emeritus James T. Laney, who led the university from 1977 until 1993. "The naming of the James T. Laney School of Graduate Studies honors the vision and leadership of Jim Laney, whose ambitious plan for Emory revolved around graduate education," Emory President James W. Wagner said. Laney, a United Methodist pastor, taught at Yonsei University in Korea and ...

8/25/2009

By Sybil Davidson What would the world lose if my church ceased to exist?   That is just one of the many challenging questions raised during a recent Rethink Church workshop at Peachtree Road UMC. Nearly 300 participants gathered earlier this month for “Welcoming Training” as part of the Rethink Church initiative.   Among the other questions addressed:  • When is the last time I invited someone to accompany me to an activity?  • What are the characteristics of my church when it is at its best?...

8/21/2009

By Glenn Hannigan Editor, North Georgia Advocate Like the swallows returning to Capistrano, they predictably reappear each year. The youngsters returning to Camp Glisson. Throughout the summer camp season, like clockwork, high-energy boys and girls stream into Glisson like a miniature invading force.             The campers arrive with overstuffed backpacks and oversized canvas bags. They arrive with a rush of adrenaline and high expectations . And, most often, they arrive three or four steps ...

8/20/2009

Have you been reading the new North Georgia Advocate? If not, you don’t know what you’ve been missing. Regular contributions from Bishop Mike Watson, Mike Selleck, Phil Schroeder, Cathy Lee Phillips, Jim Hollis, among others, as well as Sunday school lessons, listing of upcoming events . . . and more. News, features and trend stories from across the conference, and a detailed church notebook compiled by our new editor, Glenn Hannigan. And you might have missed the answers to these questions: ...

8/17/2009

North Georgia HealthFlex insurance participants recently accepted a walking challenge from other United Methodist Conferences. For six weeks competitors pounded the pavement (or the treadmill, or the bike, or the water), logging steps on their GoZone pedometers. In the end, our team walked 337,048 miles! That's an average of 119 miles per person. The top 10 walkers were: Wes Privett Wallace Wheeles Helen Simmons Jane Blessit Ed Tomlinson Diana Durie L. Edward Phillips James Campbell Robert ...

8/6/2009

Staff Reports North Georgia Advocate       While many teenagers were hanging out at the pool, 15-year-old Whitney Kendrix and other youth from Arbor Pointe UMC were baking under the hot sun in Belize, showing their love for youngsters coming to vacation Bible school.        The 15-year-old was one of 17 Arbor Pointe members who visited the Central American nation this summer – the second foreign mission trip in the church’s five years. Arbor Pointe is a new congregation in the Gainesville ...

8/6/2009

By Glenn Hannigan Editor, North Georgia Advocate   It’s a mission-oriented church that meets in rented space in Canton.       There are more empty seats than worshippers each Sunday when Liberty Hill UMC gathers in the spacious Cherokee High School auditorium. But that doesn’t mean the 160-member congregation is shy about taking on huge projects.          Indeed, Liberty Hill’s remarkable back-to-school ministry—Give a Kid a Chance —recently served 10 times more people than the membership of ...

8/6/2009

By Glenn Hannigan Editor, North Georgia Advocate   It is a bucolic, heavily-wooded oasis just a short drive from Atlanta. The Simpsonwood Conference and Retreat Center, on the western edge of Gwinnett County and bordering the Chattahoochee River, has unquestioned beauty and charm. What has been a more open question over the years: Is Simpsonwood being used to its best advantage? This month, the North Georgia Conference is launching a new initiative with the hopes of helping Simpsonwood expand ...

8/5/2009

by Nancy Hruschka   Coach Vince Dooley, an iconic figure in Georgia, will be the keynote speaker at the 46th Annual Meeting of Action Ministries, Inc. on September 10. The evening’s event, held at Dunwoody United Methodist Church, is a celebration of Action Ministries’ life-changing programs all over north Georgia. In addition to Coach Dooley’s remarks, the dinner event will recognize several individuals who have made significant contributions to Action Ministries across the state.  Local media...

8/3/2009

By Kathy L. Gilbert* (UMNS)  The Rev. Joseph Lowery, 87, a United Methodist pastor and leader in the civil rights movement, is one of 16 people who will receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest honor for a civilian.   Lowery said he was especially honored to be in President Obama’s “first class” of award recipients. The medals will be presented at a White House ceremony Aug. 12. "I'm really excited to be in the company of the wonderful people that comprise the first class...

7/28/2009

--Click Here to Read Wrap-Ups From All United Methodist Annual Conferences-- A UMNS Report By Linda Green and Elizabeth Guye* The recession cast a shadow over United Methodist annual conference sessions in May and June. At least 35 of the 62 U.S. annual conferences reported financial deficits, which resulted in flat or decreased budgets, frozen salaries, reduced insurance benefits and decreased apportionment payments. The recent bankruptcies of Chrysler and General Motors, for example, as well ...