News

7/28/2009

A UMNS Report By Linda Green and Elizabeth Guye* United Methodists across the United States have defeated 23 proposed amendments that would have paved the way to make the church in the U.S. a regional body. The amendments, proposed as changes to the denomination’s constitution, would have created identical structures for every region of the church. Voting in annual conference sessions – most of which occurred between May and June – church members also defeated a proposal to make membership in ...

7/27/2009

The Hope for Africa Children's Choir from Uganda spent more than two weeks in North Georgia glorifying God through music and raising money for their mission efforts in the East Africa Conference. With Simpsonwood as their home base, they traveled around the conference, performing at Annual Conference in Athens, Jasper UMC, Douglasville UMC, Athens First UMC,  Ben Hill UMC in Atlanta, Peachtree Road UMC in Atlanta, Greenville UMC, Wesley Chapel UMC in McDonough, Impact UMC in Atlanta, Norcross ...

7/17/2009

(North Georiga Advocate) In February Dr. Don Martin, senior pastor of Alpharetta First UMC, met a young service man on an airplane who was returning from 18 months duty in Iraq. When asked what he missed most while away, the soldier immediately said, "Oreos. Double Stuffed." Martin promised him that Alpharetta First United Methodist Church would make sure that all his buddies in Iraq would be showered in Oreos. On June 28, for the church’s annual Patriotic Sunday worship service, members ...

7/13/2009

Austell First UMC has set its focus on blessing its community and put its mission statement right on its sign: "Bless Austell." Believing that putting faith into action is at the very heart of its Christian calling, the church has developed ongoing programs for the community including free aerobics classes Wednesday nights, a free community dinner (Grace Cafe) every Thursday night; and a tuition-free weekday preschool (Feed My Lambs) August - May. The church is involved in extensive outreach...

7/11/2009

Varnell United Methodist Church, where Rev. James Gwin is pastor, recently donated $20,250 to The Bridge United Methodist Church, a 2008 new church start in Cartersville.  A delegation from Varnell presented the check to Rev. Eric Lee, The Bridge’s pastor, at their June 16, preview worship celebration for their new worship location at Stone Mill Village, 5698 Canton Highway, Unit H, Carterville, GA 30121. The presentation of the check and the prayer of blessing were celebrated simultaneously...

7/6/2009

North Georgia United Methodists are invited to “rethink church” at a training event August 1 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Peachtree Road UMC in Atlanta. “Rethink Church” is the next phase of the denomination’s inviting and welcoming ministry. The training is co-sponsored by the North Georgia Annual Conference and United Methodist Communications. Nationally, the “Rethink Church” advertising campaign launched May 5. A new Web site, www.10thousanddoors.org, ...

7/1/2009

A UMNS Report By Heidi Robinson* (Click Here to See the UMTV Video Report) BUCKHEAD, Ga.--“Next time, I want to ride on that thing with my kids,” shouts retired Col. Bob Quinn as a sleek boat pulls six grinning children on an inflatable toy across the green surface of Lake Oconee. The summertime living is easy along this lake about an hour east of Atlanta. And that is a good thing for wounded military veterans and their families enjoying a weekend of fun at the United Methodist camp ...

6/23/2009

More than 3,000 North Georgia Conference United Methodists and guests gathered June 16-18 at the Athens Classic Center with Bishop B. Michael Watson presiding—his first Annual Conference session since becoming the resident bishop of the North Georgia Area.  The theme "Shalom: Christian Disciples Transforming the World Through Health and Wholeness" was weaved throughout the worship and business sessions of the conference. The Hope for Africa Children’s Choir from Humble Place UMC in Uganda ...

6/19/2009

By Glenn Hannigan, Editor North Georgia Advocate   It is safe to say that relocating to a new church is embedded in Stuart Greene’s DNA. Greene, a third-generation United Methodist minister, is well versed in the procedures of moving from one church home to another.   “It has just always been part of my life,” Greene said. “We knew that every few years we were likely to move. As difficult as it can be to leave a church family behind, you go to a new place with the expectation that God has ...

6/4/2009

By GLENN HANNIGAN Editor, North Georgia Advocate It’s time for a little word association exercise. OK, here we go. Read the following word—then pause for a second: Church. What is the first thing that pops into your head? No cheating. If you are  most of us, your initial thought either involves the physical building where you go each Sunday, or something involving the worship service itself. But what if “church” also meant replacing leaky roofs for those in need? Providing free auto repair? ...

6/3/2009

Twin brothers Edward and Jonathan Kim of The Korean Church Atlanta UMC are among 12 persons, ages 19 to 21, who began work June 1 in the Ethnic Young Adult (EYA) Summer Internship program of the United Methodist General Board of Church & Society (GBCS). They will work in nonprofit and nongovernmental organizations in the nation’s capital for two months. Young adults, ages 18 to 22, are selected annually from the five ethnic caucuses of The United Methodist Church (UMC) to participate in the ...

6/1/2009

The Rev. Bridgette Young, senior associate dean of the Chapel and Religious Life at Emory University and an elder in the North Georgia Conference, has been named Assistant General Secretary for Campus Ministry in the Division of Higher Education, United Methodist Board of Higher Education and Ministry, effective July 6. "With this appointment, the GBHEM affirms its strong commitment to campus ministry and chaplaincy as integral to the United Methodist Church’s mission in higher education," ...

5/26/2009

United Methodists meeting in this year’s annual sessions will vote on 32 proposed constitutional amendments, many of them related to the denomination’s structure as a global body. Members of the North Georgia Annual Conference as well as delegates to the other 61 U.S. annual conferences and the 73 conferences in Africa, Europe and Asia will consider 23 amendments approved by the 2008 United Methodist General Conference, the denomination’s top legislative body. The amendments, proposed by the ...

5/20/2009

Impact UMC is moving May 24 to the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta. The new church start has lived up to its promise to "do church differently" and has grown--both in worship attendance and in its ministry. The church has worshipped at Brown Middle School in the West End of Atlanta for two years and recently had the opportunity to secure the space in the World Congress Center. The new worship facility has a much larger seating capacity, fitting 1,000 people.  The extra room will allow ...

5/14/2009

The North Georgia Conference is pleased to welcome Glenn Hannigan as the first editor of the North Georgia Advocate. Glenn is a communications specialist with more than 30 years of  experience in writing, editing, public speaking, consulting and professional training. He is also a dedicated United Methodist and a member of Liberty Hill UMC in Canton. "I have spent my entire adult life as a writer and editor for major daily newspapers," said Glenn. "I have been blessed to have had the ...

5/13/2009

The Central Conference Pension Initiative recently received a gift of $500,000 from a generous donor in Georgia, with the potential for an additional gift later this year if the churches in Georgia respond with significant participation.  The donor has challenged the North and South Georgia Conferences to match the gift with a minimum goal of $500,000. All church gifts and pledges received after May 7, 2009 will be counted toward the challenge. The total potential for this effort could be ...

5/6/2009

This summer college students from around the world will gather in Eilat, Israel, for the fourth annual Friendship Games. The basketball tournament is designed to build bridges between youth from countries that are in conflict. Bob Hope, a member of Decatur First UMC and president of Hope-Beckham public relations and event marketing firm in Atlanta, has been involved in the games since they began in 2006. He helps to promote and pull the event together. “College-age youngsters are the same around...

5/5/2009

The North Georgia United Methodist Foundation’s 2008 Annual Report celebrates 25 years of ministry! Since 1984, the Foundation has helped churches, agencies and individuals within the North Georgia Conference multiply their financial resources for mission and ministry. The Foundation’s ministry goals include partnering with United Methodists to grow God’s kingdom; maintaining high Christian and professional standards; and providing expert counsel, superior value and a comprehensive range of ...

5/4/2009

Deacons from across North Georgia gathered at the Explorations in Antiquity Center in LaGrange April 30 for Deacon's Day Apart. The Explorations in Antiquity Center is a living museum of life in ancient times. "We had a guided tour of a reproduction of different aspects of life in early Palestine, including an authentic goat skin tent and reconstruction of typical tombs and catacombs," said Exa Grubb.  The tour concluded with an authentic biblical meal.  "Throughout the meal, our tour ...

4/30/2009

GBOD--The high profile of the Swine Flu outbreak has provoked new concerns about contact with people in public settings. In stadiums, airports, and other settings where we don't know who has been there or where they have traveled, there looms a question of what exposure to epidemic diseases we might have. It is natural that church leaders and members are wondering about the risk of participating in worship, including hand-shaking, hugging, and sharing the bread and cup of Holy Communion. The ...