News

1/15/2020

Each summer a number of North Georgia Conference clergy pack their belongings and make the move to their next appointment. To make coordination easier, an official "move day" is set by the Conference, historically a Thursday. The following Sunday has been the first worship service with their new congregation.  Beginning in the summer of 2020, there will be a new pattern for moves. The last Sunday in June will be the final Sunday of a moving pastor's current appointment. The following Tuesday is...

6/24/2019

By Sybil Davidson Rev. Dr. Gary Mason gave four rich and meaningful presentations to members of the 2019 North Georgia Annual Conference. Mason is a world-renowned and heavily consulted Methodist pastor. He directs a conflict transformation organization based in Belfast called "Rethinking Conflict." Mason shared his own story of having lived through violent conflict in his hometown of Belfast and his role in the Northern Ireland Peace Process.  He shared theological and biblical foundations for...

6/20/2019

North Georgia Annual Conference The Classic Center, Athens, Ga. June 11-14, 2019 Bishop Sue Haupert-Johnson, presiding The 2019 North Georgia Annual Conference session was held June 11-14 at The Classic Center in Athens, Ga. With a theme of "One With Each Other,” the Conference focused on the prayer from our United Methodist Communion liturgy, “May we be one with Christ, one with each other, and one in ministry to all the world.” Bishop Sue Haupert-Johnson presided. Put on Love: Worship and ...

6/14/2019

The North Georgia Annual Conference has elected its Delegation to the 2020 General and Jurisdictional Conferences of The United Methodist Church. All are invited to join the delegation in prayer and fasting on Thursdays from July 1, 2019  through the General Conference in May 2020.  Clergy Members of the Delegation (General Conference) Byron Eric Thomas Philip Daniel Schroeder Patricia Alice Rogers Jasmine Rose Smothers Glenn Leland Ethridge (The North Georgia Conference mourns the death of ...

6/13/2019

Tonight we came together to praise God, to hear the holy word, and to seek for ourselves and others the power, presence, and direction of the Holy Spirit. We celebrated a sacred moment for 27 licensed local pastors, 18 provisional elders and deacons, two ordained deacons, and 16 ordained elders.  The magnificent Ben Hill UMC Choir set the tone for the service.  Rev. Dr. Alice Rogers preached on Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians, Corinthians 12:4-14, 26-34. She described the vast and ...

6/12/2019

More than 600 laity gathered for the North Georgia Conference laity lunch on Wednesday, June 12. Speaker Dr. Tom Jackson, a long-time member of the Conference and an active member of Athens First UMC, spoke to the laity. Afterward many asked if he would share the text of his message and he agreed. His address is below: Address By Dr. Tom Jackson to the 2019 Laity Lunch   When Bill Martin extended his most gracious invitation to speak to you today, I was humbled, I was honored, and frankly, I ...

6/6/2019

More than 2,000 North Georgia United Methodists and guests will arrive in Athens next week for the 2019 Annual Conference session. Bishop Sue Haupert-Johnson will preside over the four-day annual "family reunion" June 11-14. The focus will be on our theme, "One With Each Other." "I love to gather at Annual Conference to celebrate our common mission, share how we can better introduce folks to Jesus Christ, and energize our leadership to go home and serve sacrificially," said Bishop Sue. The ...

5/30/2019

There is rich tradition at the North Georgia Annual Conference, but with each session, there are also exciting updates and changes to look forward to as we gather for our United Methodist Family Reunion! Here are a few new things to expect at Annual Conference 2019:  1 - Serving Together Our related agencies are coming together to host an afternoon of fun, service, and barbecue on Tuesday! The event will immediately follow the close of the June 11 afternoon session of Annual Conference. Be sure...

5/17/2019

RESOURCES: Download a 1-minute video, bulletin and website verbiage, slide presentation, bulletin inserts and more.  Bishop Sue Haupert-Johnson has named the Pastoral Care Program of Wesley Woods as the recipient of the 2019 North Georgia Annual Conference Special Offering.       Your giving to the conference-wide offering will make it possible for more than 1800 older adults across the Wesley Woods communities to continue their faith journey with the support of a team of loving, compassionate ...

5/16/2019

Photo: Dr. Gary Mason speaks at the East Belfast Mission in Northern Ireland in 2008 at an event attended by Queen Elizabeth.  Dr. Gary Mason, a world-renowned and heavily consulted Methodist pastor, will be our guest speaker at the 2019 North Georgia Annual Conference on the topic of peacebuilding and reconciliation. Mason directs a conflict transformation organization based in Belfast called "Rethinking Conflict." He spent 27 years as a Methodist clergy person in parish ministry in Belfast ...

5/8/2019

Photo: Volunteers in action at an Action Ministries "We Serve" event in LaGrange! North Georgia Annual Conference related agencies are coming together to host an afternoon of fun, service, and barbecue! The event will immediately follow the close of the Tuesday, June 11, afternoon session of Annual Conference and all members are needed and encouraged to attend.  “Serving With Each Other,” will highlight our work together through our agencies and emphasize our conference theme. It will take ...

5/1/2019

Continuing a tradition that began in 2017, clergy will form a processional into the Service of Licensing, Commissioning, and Ordination at the 2019 Annual Conference. The service will be Thursday, June 13, at 7:30 p.m. in the Theater of The Classic Center. Participating clergy will surround their new colleagues as an outward sign of welcome and covenant community in this service. All clergy are encouraged to participate. No registration is required, however, participants are asked to wear robes...

4/25/2019

The North Georgia Conference Board of Laity has announced that a familiar face (and voice) will be this year's speaker at the Annual Conference Laity Luncheon.  Dr. Tom Jackson is an active member of Athens First UMC, a long-time lay member of the North Georgia Annual Conference, and a four-term member of the North Georgia Delegation to General Conference. Before retiring in 2017, Tom spent 27 years in the senior administration of the University of Georgia, the last nine of those years as Vice...

4/22/2019

Members of the North Georgia Annual Conference will elect delegates to the 2020 General and Jurisdictional Conferences during the 2019 Annual Conference Session, June 11-14, at the Classic Center in Athens.  General Conference is the global gathering of The United Methodist Church where mission and ministry priorities are established and The Book of Discipline is reviewed for revisions. General Conference is the policy-setting body of The United Methodist Church. The 2020 General Conference ...

6/21/2018

The following report was submitted to UMC.org to summarize the 2018 North Georgia Annual Conference. Members of Annual Conference are invited to use this report and daily update newsletters to help craft their reports to their local churches.  Annual Conference Daily Update: Tuesday June 12 Annual Conference Daily Update: Wednesday June 13 Annual Conference Daily Update: Thursday June 14 www.ngumc.org/AC2018 North Georgia Annual Conference The Classic Center, Athens, Ga. June 12-14, 2018 ...

6/19/2018

At the 2018 North Georgia Conference in Athens more than 60 youth served as members of the Annual Conference. "One thing unique about The United Methodist Church is that laity has as much a voice in leadership and direction of the church as clergy," said Rev. Sam Halverson, associate director of Congregational Excellence with a focus on youth ministry. "Another is that teenagers have just as much a voice in the lay leadership of the church as adults." "That means these youth represented your ...

6/11/2018

Welcome to Annual Conference 2018! "I invite you to join me in prayer for our North Georgia Annual Conference this week in Athens. May we be filled with grace and empowered for mission." —Bishop Sue Thousands of North Georgia United Methodists and guests began arriving in Athens this week for the 2018 Annual Conference session. Bishop Sue Haupert-Johnson will preside over the three-day annual meeting June 12-14. The focus will be on spiritual disciplines and the theme "Moving Toward Perfection ...

5/31/2018

Photo: Impact UMC leads closing worship at the 2017 Annual Conference. by JESSICA BRADFORD “Moving Toward Perfection in Love." This theme for Annual Conference 2018 seems simple enough, but how do we plan and order worship in a way that will help our gathered community deepen their connection to God when their needs and personalities are so diverse? According to author Corinne Ware, it is possible. Ware’s spiritual growth book, Discover your Spirituality Type: A Guide to Individual and ...

10/5/2017

This year's North Georgia Annual Conference emphasized the importance of preparation, spending time in prayer and with scripture, and collaboration in worship planning. It was inspiring and challenging and led the Conference to seek experts in worship planning to teach us more.  That's where the November 4 Worship Design Conference comes in. Your church is strongly encouraged to send a team to this one-day event.  The Worship Design Conference will be led by Jason Moore of Midnight Oil ...

6/28/2017

Did you leave Annual Conference 2017 inspired to learn more about excellent worship practices and ready to get creative? There are a number of upcoming opportunities for your church: Room at the Table: Celebrating People of All Abilities August 13 ​There is always room at God’s table for everyone! You are invited to join us August 13 at 10:30 am in Cannon Chapel at Emory University to experience inclusive worship that is inviting to people with mental health, sensory, intellectual and other ...