Our Top 5 Favorite Stories of 2022

12/29/2022

You have been living out the mission of the church this year! Take a look at our top 5 favorite stories of North Georgia United Methodists in 2022! 

Responding to Neighbors in Need

The North Georgia Conference has been awarded a grant of $500k for Newnan Tornado Recovery from UMCOR (the United Methodist Committee on Relief). This is the largest grant our conference has ever received from UMCOR. The North Georgia Conference will use these funds to repair or fully rebuild the homes of three families.  BONUS: North Georgia United Methodists have shown up, again and again, serving in communities struck by disaster, from Kentucky to Catoosa and Floyd Counties to Florida and beyond. Read about some of that work:

Transformation of the World

Since 2019, our Conference has provided more than $800,000 in vision-saving eye treatment through the Emory Eye Center. The funding has paid for crosslinking eye surgery for 62 children and young adults and glaucoma medicine for 75 patients. This means 137 people have kept the gift of sight thanks to these funds. BONUS: The North Georgia Conference has enjoyed partnering with Zoe Empowers, Kenya for many years. This transformational ministry empowers orphaned and vulnerable children to become entrepreneurs who are socially, economically, and spiritually strong. Zoe understands that addressing multiple barriers simultaneously is the only way to overcome extreme poverty. In May the North Georgia Conference made a 3-year commitment to a new group. Join us in steady prayer for the children of the Umoja Unity Thuuru Empowerment Group! 

Welcome Back to Athens

The 2022 North Georgia Annual Conference session was held June 2-4 at The Classic Center in Athens with Bishop Sue Haupert-Johnson presiding. After two years of virtual sessions, 1,800 United Methodists gathered for a conference that felt like a homecoming. BONUS: Watch the 3-minute video wrap-up! 

Welcoming a New Bishop

Bishop Robin Dease’s assignment to the North Georgia Annual Conference was a full-circle moment. It was right here in North Georgia that she first fell in love with The United Methodist Church. “My goal is to love and care for the church and the people,” said Bishop Dease. “There is much division. I don't want to participate in that. I want to do the right thing, the just thing, and point people to Jesus—that old carpenter from Galilee.” BONUS: As bishop of the North Georgia Conference, Bishop Sue has led with passion and integrity in a challenging time for the denomination. Her emphasis has been on unity in Christ and steadfastness to our mission. In November she was assigned to the Virginia Annual Conference beginning January 1.

Churches in Action

Acworth United Methodist Church has operated a food pantry every Tuesday for many years. But March of 2020 brought a great increase in need in the community. Within a matter of a few weeks, the ministry went from seeing 30 families a week to more than 300 per week. At its peak, the church served 400 families a week. Early in 2022, the church celebrated having donated 1 million pounds of food since March of 2020! BONUS: Churches across our Conference are serving their communities. Here are just a sample of other great stories of North Georgia United Methodists in action!




 

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