News

4/19/2024

The General Council on Finance and Administration (GCFA) has released the latest video in its Data-Driven Discernment series, entitled “Understanding the Proposed 2025 -2028 UMC Budget.” “Thinking about mission and ministry while trying to ensure stewardship for years to come is a delicate balance,” said the Rev. Moses Kumar, top executive of the denomination’s General Council on Finance and Administration. The GCFA has proposed a 2025-2028 denominational budget of approximately $353.1 ...

4/15/2024

Candidate Interest Form Now Open The Conference Board of Laity and the Annual Conference Planning Committee are preparing to hold elections to fill vacancies in the North Georgia delegation to the 2024 Southeastern Jurisdictional Conference. Background Due to the pandemic, the 2020 General Conference was postponed and will now meet April 23-May 3, 2024, in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Judicial Council has ruled that annual conferences may hold elections to fill vacancies in its General ...

4/14/2024

Bishop Robin Dease has announced two new cabinet-level appointments effective July 1, 2024. Rev. Dr. Rodrigo Cruz will serve as the next Executive Assistant to the Bishop and Rev. Laurie Moeller will serve as the next Director of Connectional Ministries.  "I am very excited to be working with these two leaders who both have a love for the local church that will continue even as they serve in new roles," said Bishop Dease. Rev. Dr. Rodrigo Cruz Rodrigo was born and raised in Monterrey, Mexico ...

4/14/2024

Building on the legacy of excellence in church development, the North Georgia Conference will soon be deploying developers into our communities! Five district-based "Regional Developers" will come alongside congregations to help revitalize churches, rebuild, cast vision, re-purpose facilities, replant churches, and more. This work will be carried out in close collaboration with local churches, District Superintendents, District Strategic Growth Teams, and the Executive Assistant to the Bishop. ...

4/11/2024

Cascade UMC Atlanta has achieved quite a feat in partnership with the UMC General Board of Global Ministries. The church announced Sunday that the congregation has raised $150,358.00 to build the first United Methodist church in the Central African Republic.  The fundraising campaign was just three weeks long, and far exceeded the original $100,000 goal. The response to this opportunity underscores Cascade's commitment to global outreach and mission work, as well as the generosity and ...

4/10/2024

PHOTO ALBUM In a joy-filled morning, Grace UMC Clarkesville was officially chartered as a United Methodist Church on Sunday, March 24. Charter members took vows as a new congregation organized for the glory of God, the proclamation of the gospel, and the service of humanity.  Grace UMC meets in the historic Deas Chapel. leased from the city of Clarkesville. This former AME church has a deep history and connection in the community. The building was restored several years ago by the city, but ...

4/5/2024

From one United Methodist-related school to another, LaGrange College has extended an invitation to Birmingham-Southern College students to complete their degree through a generous transfer process.  Last month, Birmingham-Southern College made the difficult announcement that the school would close on May 31, 2024. "We are deeply saddened by the closure of a fellow United Methodist-related institution," said LaGrange College President Susannah Baxter. "LaGrange College is rooted in the same ...

4/3/2024

By Sybil Davidson From one side of our Annual Conference to the other there are growing and thriving United Methodist Churches! We recently checked in with a few churches that have seen an increase in members and worship attendance over the last year and found some meaningful similarities: discipleship, hospitality, and an outward focus.  Peachtree Road UMC On Palm Sunday new members filled the front of the sanctuary to take vows to faithfully participate in the life and ministries of the ...

4/1/2024

College students, college faculty, church members, and clergy took part in the 2024 SCLC WOMEN Civil Rights Heritage Tour last month. This annual trip is a pilgrimage through locations important to the civil rights movement - following the footsteps of giants like Amelia Boynton Robinson, John Lewis, Dianne Nash, CT Vivian, Hosea Williams, James Orange, Evelyn and Joseph Lowery, Coretta and Martin Luther King Jr, Juanita and Ralph Abernathy, and countless others. This tour is a perfect way to ...

3/27/2024

Former UMCH resident and youth advocate Eshontee Rowe was keynote speaker for the event. Photo courtesy of Wellroot.   Thanks to the generous support of attendees, Wellroot's 2024 'This is Home' gala raised more than $350,000 to help provide safe and loving homes to families and youth in Georgia!   Wellroot Family Services (formerly named the United Methodist Children’s Home) hosted its annual fundraising gala at Zoo Atlanta with support from the Liz Blake Giving Fund and co-chairs Cannon Carr ...

3/27/2024

The 2020 General Conference taking place in 2024 is upon us. In a few weeks, delegates from North Georgia will gather with other delegates from around the world in Charlotte, North Carolina to pray, worship, sing, as well as deliberate, debate, discern, and vote on legislation that will impact the life of The United Methodist Church.  While many important matters will come before the General Conference, I believe there is none more important than Worldwide Regionalization. I believe this not ...

3/20/2024

Several North Georgia Conference churches came together this season to place an ad in the Atlanta-Journal Constitution on Palm Sunday inviting all to worship in a United Methodist Church this Easter.  Leading with the message, "Let's Find Hope Together," the ad will direct readers to search ngumc.org/churches to find a congregation in their area.  ​The AJC reaches 1.2 million print readers and even more receive the digital edition.  The background of the ad lists the names of every United ...

3/20/2024

PHOTO ALBUM Last week, Bishop Robin Dease and 35 clergy from across the North Georgia Conference gathered for a Clergy Rest & Renewal Retreat. This gathering was the first of this type for clergy in the conference. The retreat’s only agenda was to provide a space for clergy to rest and renew. Participants gathered at Salem Campmeeting Campground in Covington, Georgia, which provides a sacred space away from the demands of ministry. During the 26-hour retreat, clergy responded to an invitation ...

3/19/2024

We are excited to announce that the NGUMC Center for Congregational Excellence and Black Congregational Development, in collaboration with Gammon Theological Seminary, is co-sponsoring an AI cohort for United Methodist pastors & leaders. This cohort presents a unique opportunity to delve into Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its application in ministry contexts. Led by instructor Kenny Jahng, Editor-In-Chief at ChurchTechToday.com and founder of AiForChurchLeaders.com, this program aims to ...

3/19/2024

By Claudia Minge and Sallie Paschal Covington First UMC is known for our outreach and hospitality to the community. Each month we open our doors to 17 different local nonprofits, civic groups, scouts, and other organizations so they might have a place to meet, plan, grow and serve our community. Along with the ministries here at Covington First, our preschool, food pantry, and community groups, our education building, fellowship hall, food pantry, and youth house are used 6 if not 7 days a ...

3/16/2024

The North Georgia Conference is pleased to announce that we are continuing in partnership with Amplify Media to provide United Methodist churches in our Conference with access to the streaming service at a deeply discounted rate. The discount can be activated through the end of 2024.  In alignment with our Area of Focus, "Scriptural Literacy and Imagination," Amplify is an online resource for church‐wide, group, or individual study, worship, and devotional material. Access anytime, anywhere, on...

3/15/2024

Adapted for NGUMC from an article by Laura Buchanen, "General Conference: How to talk to your church before, during and after" on ResourceUMC.org.  United Methodists’ understanding of General Conference can range from unaware to deep appreciation, from captivated to concerned. Help your congregation better grasp what General Conference is, its purpose, and its impact with the help of the tips and resources provided by the North Georgia Conference and the denomination.  "General Conference is ...

3/14/2024

By Amelia Simmons  At the corner of Metropolitan and Moreland Avenue near East Atlanta Village, Eastside United Methodist Church catches the eye with its vibrant doors and the reassuring message, "You Are Loved," boldly adorning its entrance.   And the essence of Eastside transcends its exterior—it’s found in how it engages with and serves its community.   I visited Eastside and pastor Rev. Elaine Puckett showed me how this congregation is committed to listening and learning from the various ...

3/6/2024

This weekend, members of the North Georgia Annual Conference youth delegation attended a Youth Summit at Glisson Camp & Retreat Center. This leadership event, offered by the Center for Congregational Excellence, was designed for youth who have attended Annual Conference, will attend Annual Conference, or are aspiring to lead in the North Georgia Conference of The United Methodist Church.  The youth got to know one another and adult leaders, got an insider's preview of the 2024 Annual ...

3/4/2024

“We see our neighbors and we are working together to help!"   Sunday, March 10, is UMCOR Sunday across our denomination! Gifts given on UMCOR Sunday underwrite UMCOR’s administrative costs, allowing 100% of gifts to go toward their designated programs like U.S. disaster response, international disaster response, and humanitarian aid. This year we are especially grateful for our United Methodist Committee on Relief! Thanks to our partnership with UMCOR, the North Georgia Conference is able to ...