News

9/30/2022

By Sybil Davidson When QR Codes first appeared more than a decade ago they were more of a novelty than a useful tool. (Did you ever fumble with downloading an app to try to scan a QR code only to realize you could have typed in a web address more quickly?)  They have made quite a comeback in recent years as they became scannable through the camera on your phone. QR code stands for "Quick Response," and the black and white squares are now living up to their name. Consider Here are some ...

3/23/2022

The latest advertising campaign from The United Methodist Church invites people to join us in celebrating a new season for togetherness. It encourages people to discover new friends, a new community with meaningful connections, and a new peaceful, joy-filled outlook on life. The messaging will reach people through digital display and video, including social media, websites, search engines, advanced television, and billboards. Advertisements will run starting this week through mid-April. Each ad ...

5/6/2020

By SYBIL DAVIDSON In the last two months, many clergy and church leaders have gone from watching YouTube videos to recording YouTube videos. Living rooms have become live stream sets. Many of you have mastered the art of the Zoom meeting. With some of these basics of virtual community in place, here are a few tools to consider that may help improve your church's online presence.  Canva.com Canva is a graphic design platform that allows users to create social media graphics, presentations, and...

4/19/2018

By Rachel Quartarone   In today’s hectic world, it’s difficult to get a large group of people into one place and one time. With almost everyone carrying a cell phone in their pocket, technology can help to bring people together when they are literally hundreds of miles apart. As bastions of tradition, churches can sometimes be slow to embrace technological advancements. There is still a power to one-on-one conversations and actual “face time” that nothing will replace, but as technology has ...

4/12/2018

United Methodist Communications grant applications are now open in two categories: New Church Starts and Website Development.  New churches can apply for a 2018 grant for communications focused on community outreach and establishing your presence in the community. Applicants should identify at least two community events that they will attend to promote their new church. UMcom grant specialists will work with you to identify promotional materials that will fit your needs to best market your ...

1/25/2018

Photo: On the set of 'Hidden Figures' courtesy of Collins Memorial UMC The booming Georgia film industry has become a new part of daily life in many communities across our Conference. Local churches have enjoyed the opportunity to rent their buildings or parking lots for sets or staging areas. Collins Memorial UMC, for instance, can be seen in the Oscar-nominated film "Hidden Figures." And St. Paul UMC was able to install air conditioning in its sanctuary after the filming of “The Fighting ...

12/7/2017

Editors Note: The North Georgia Conference invited writer and former local church communications director Robert Carnes to share some advice on storytelling. By Robert Carnes Stories are everywhere. People have been telling stories since the beginning, but we got the idea from the one who created us. The church has an opportunity to tell the greatest story ever told—the story of Christ. We can leverage the power of narrative to connect with people. Church leaders just need to keep these three...

11/14/2017

Tour to Stop in North Georgia Friday, December 22 Sixteen states, 21 cities, 23 days, 500+ volunteers, 16,400 cups of cocoa, a truckload of Christmas spirit and just one purpose: to help people unwrap the true meaning of Christmas. The United Methodist Church is hitting the road in December in a gift-wrapped touring truck, decked out to share a warm invitation to experience the true meaning of Christmas from city-to-city. Roswell, Georgia is stop number 19 on the Tour where staff and members of...

3/30/2017

The Rev. Dr. Teresa Angle-Young, an elder in the North Georgia Conference, has joined the staff of United Methodist Communications in Nashville as Director of Seeker Communications and Advertising.   “In all of my appointments I have learned, grown, and seen fruit. I truly believe that God can and does employ us even to the ends of the earth, so for me, serving in a UMC agency is yet another exciting expression of the many ways God can use us to facilitate an encounter with the living Christ. … ...

3/27/2017

This photo of Bishop Sharma Lewis taken by Ansley Brackin was awarded first place in photography at the UMAC gathering in New Orleans.  Approximately 160 storytellers, including North Georgia Conference communication staff, gathered in New Orleans March 23-25 to “Embrace the Story” at the annual United Methodist Association of Communicators meeting. Among the highlights of the event was the Awards Celebration Gala where United Methodist communicators were recognized for outstanding work. A ...

12/15/2016

The United Methodist Church is taking to the streets of Atlanta and Decatur this week to offer hot cocoa along with a warm invitation to visit a United Methodist church. On Thursday, one of the coldest days of the season in Atlanta, Ambassadors of Cheer and North Georgia Conference volunteers were outside Peachtree Center Marta Station in downtown Atlanta. For six hours they greeted commuters, homeless, city workers, holiday shoppers and passers-by.  It’s all part of a national Rethink Church ...

12/7/2016

United Methodists will offer a warm smile and hot cocoa on the streets of Atlanta and Decatur Dec. 15-18, along with the message, “When we find the true meaning of Christmas church can happen anywhere.”  It’s all part of a national Rethink Church Advent “creative outreach campaign” planned by UM Communications for nine major cities this month, focused on high-pedestrian traffic areas. An “experiential marketing” firm hired by UMCom will provide the cocoa, poured by professionals wearing heavy, ...

8/15/2016

By Robert Pancake Want to increase your small group membership and engagement? It's something I've put a lot of time and energy into considering for my church, The Vine UMC, and for my business. Here are 10 tips I hope you'll find helpful. ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ 1. Target Key Times and Days One of the largest hurdles to overcome when presenting the idea of small groups to individuals is that it can be ...

7/20/2016

North Georgia clergy email accounts (ngumc.net accounts) are provided through Google's Gmail system. Google offers a tool to help protect your account. We asked Conference IT Director Michael Murphy-McCarthy his advice on the tool, called "2-step Verification." Do you recommend using the 2-step verification process?  Please seriously consider turning on 2 step verification to protect your Google (ngumc) account. I've been using it, and my experience is that the extra step is well worth the ...

7/19/2016

The game Pokemon Go is a phenomenon like we've never before seen! People of all ages are taking to their communities to play by “catching” Pokemon on their smartphones. Most local churches are part of the game as “PokeStops” or “Gyms” (or both), in other words, a destination for players. The assignment of “PokeStops” is made by the game maker, rather than the church or business, but there are ways local churches can take advantage of the opportunity to meet the neighbors. The game is played ...

3/27/2016

We have heard from a number of clergy whose ngumc.net email address has been "spoofed." The accounts have not been hacked (in other words no one is accessing the clergy account, only imitating it).  If you receive an email that appears to be from yourself or another ngumc.net account, please do not open suspicious attachments. If the email seems to be a "spoofed email," mark the email and spam and delete it.  The North Georgia Conference IT office has made an adjustment to attachment receipt ...

2/19/2016

The Rethink Church program of United Methodist Communications awards three types of grants each year: Community Event Grants, Digital Advertising Grants, and New Church Start Grants. Six North Georgia United Methodist churches were recipients of 2015-2016 Rethink Church grants.   Digital Advertising Grant:   2015 - Back to School Season: Clarkston UMC, Clarkston 2015 - Advent Season: Canon UMC, Canon  Mount Pisgah UMC, Johns Creek    2016 - Easter Season: Lewis Memorial UMC, Evans    New Church...

2/4/2016

The North Georgia Conference app, available free for iPhone and Android devices, has been updated and improved. If you already use the app, update for improved functunality and updates. If you haven't already downloaded the app, now is the perfect time. Search "NGUMC" in the Apple App Store or in Google Play. Be sure to allow for push notifications so you can be among the first to know important information. The app offers quick access to church, clergy, conference, and district directories, ...

2/4/2016

Nashville, Tenn.: United Methodist pastors and church leaders match or exceed the average U.S. technology adoption rates, according to new research from United Methodist Communications. “The purpose of the United Methodist Emerging Technology Survey was to assess penetration of new types of digital communication within the church to aid agency communications and messaging,” said Dan Krause, chief executive of United Methodist Communications. Krause said the study also helps the agency determine ...

1/28/2016

Booklets from the Walk In It Children's Retreat The North Georgia Conference won multiple awards at the recent gathering of the United Methodist Association of Communicators in Portland, Ore., including Best in Class for Visual Design for original materials designed by staff member Ansley Brackin for the Conference's first children's retreat last fall. The feedback from judges was summed up with the line: "Extraordinarily well done." "Monday Morning in North Georgia" was honored with a second ...