From the Bishop
Holy conferencing is part of our Methodist heritage       Last month, I experienced another powerful movement of the Holy Spirit as the 2012 Southeastern...
From the Editor
The blessing and wisdom of being connected  It has been said that a fool learns from his own mistakes while a wise man learns from the mistakes of others. Fool or...
 

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Glenn Hannigan

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. "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 opportunity to lead coverage of some of the biggest events of the era, from the Olympics, World Series and Super Bowl to war, natural disasters and presidential elections. I am excited now to have the chance to help communicate the biggest story of all time -- the Good News of Jesus Christ. I am looking forward to my new role with the North Georgia Advocate and to see what the Lord has in store for all of us." For more than 20 years Glenn served in various leadership roles at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, including Sunday Editor, Sports Editor, Special Projects Editor and Senior News Editor for the 1996 Summer Olympics. He was part of the startup team that created ajc.com and also helped launch various other new products at the AJC. Earlier in his career he worked at the Sun-Sentinel in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and at the Palm Beach Post. In summer of 2008, Glenn left the paper to start TruVine Communications, LLC, which provides consulting services for corporations and churches. In addition to his professional background, Glenn has been a frequent speaker at various Christian events and retreats, is a long-time Sunday School teacher, mentor and small group leader. He previously served on the board of the Wesleyan Christian Advocate and is a member of the North Georgia Conference Communications Advisory Board. E-mail Glenn at glenn@ngumc.org or call 678-533-1399.

Do you have news or a Spotlight nomination for the North Georgia Advocate?

We work on the Advocate well in advance of publication date. We need submissions two weeks ahead of publication date. The Advocate is published twice a month, on the first and third Friday. Deadline to submit photos or news items is two weeks prior to publication date.

Facing the giants on the field and in the media

Tim Tebow obviously missed the memo. Or he is guilty of poor etiquette. Either way, the young quarterback of the Denver Broncos has become a national fixation, a 6-foot-3, 235-pound, live-action Rorschach test.

Out of the mouths of babes: The meaning of the season

Tis the season to be . . . Shopping. It certainly seems that way, doesn’t it? Of course, fussing about the commercialization of Christmas is nothing new. The holiday television classic, A Charlie Brown Christmas, which first aired on CBS in 1965, was centered around the theme of Christmas excess.

New feature to spotlight local church

 Would you like to see your church featured in an upcoming edition of the North Georgia Advocate? Now is your chance. We will soon be launching a new feature, Church Spotlight, which will appear in each edition of the North Georgia Advocate, until it doesn’t.

The pen is mightier than the keyboard

     In the seventh chapter of the Book of Romans, the Apostle Paul shares an ongoing struggle with these words: “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.”
     Do you face a similar frustration? Are there things you have been intending to do, that simply don’t get done? I can relate.
     I don’t write enough. Not nearly enough.

Who needs a helping hand today?

     You know what question is coming as soon as you recognize the voice on the phone.
    “Do you have any free time today?”
    “Uh, well . . . hmmm.”
    I typically pause and take a deep breath before answering. What am I about to get myself into? What is he doing now? You see, when Trent Donley is soliciting help, there is no telling what adventure lurks ahead

The power of tradition and long-lasting relationships

  As a young man, I never had much interest in adhering to tradition. So much of it seemed pointless, outdated or simply dull. But the passage of time has a way of changing our perspectives. That has taken on a special relevance recently.

Rolling out the welcome mat, and meaning it

 I was driving home from a church gathering recently when I called to check on a friend.
 “I am over at my brother’s house having a cup of coffee with his family,” she said.
 “I’ll be right over,” I replied.
 I didn’t ask permission to come over. It wasn’t necessary. How I am treated in that home lets me know I am a welcome guest.

Have you experienced a miracle lately?

 It was one of the most famous lines ever uttered by a sports broadcaster. In the waning moments of Team USA’s historic victory over the mighty Soviet hockey team in Lake Placid, ABC’s Al Michael cried out, “Do you believe in miracles? Yes!” On that day, Friday, Feb. 2, 1980, it was easy to believe. A group of amateur players from the U.S. had just defeated what many considered the greatest hockey team ever assembled at the Winter Olympics.

'Methodistapalooza' becoming a habit for Athens

There could be no mistaking Athens, home of the University of Georgia and covered in red and black, as anything but a college town. But for one week each June, the tone and style of the historic town take on a different ambience. A very difference ambience. In addition to a thinned-out summer roster of college students --  adorned in shorts, T-shirts, flip-flops -- is a small army of mostly well-dressed visitors who appear generally unaware that it is 93 degrees outside.

Who says all news has to be bad news?

It is a question I have heard frequently during my years as a news editor: What kind of stories do you publish? What do you consider newsworthy?
     There is something about identifying a good news story or human interest feature that seems elusive to many people and organizations.

The power of simply being there

The words flow easily from the lips. But are they also from the heart?
We are asked, on a semi-regular basis, to renew our commitment to support the church by “our prayers, our presence, our gifts and our service.” It’s the Big Four of a vital, vibrant, healthy congregation.
Within the church we frequently talk about the importance of a healthy prayer life and the need for us to be good stewards of our time and money. We don’t often give the same attention to the importance of “presence.”

Have news for the North Georgia Advocate?

Here are a few reminders and helpful hints to get your news published in the North Georgia Advocate: We work on the Advocate well in advance of publication date. We need submissions two weeks ahead of publication date. The Advocate is published twice a month, on the first and third Friday. So, for the May 6 edition, the deadline is April 22. For the May 20 edition, the deadline is May 6.

Brother, can you spare a vowel (or two)?

 So, you have stumbled across a few extra dollars you would like to make a charitable contribution. Where would you most like to send it: MEF? UMVIM? UMCOR? GBGM? CCPI?  I have a suggestion. Perhaps we could use the money to buy a vowel or two for all the initial-heavy shorthand we use so often. I’d throw in a few bucks.

How do we respond when there are more questions than answers?

  It has been a difficult, painful news cycle in the history of the North Georgia Conference. And there remain more questions than answers. Many people across the state, inside the church as well as out, have been left shaking their heads by recent events.

Annual Conference 2011: Engaging in Ministry with the Poor

This year’s Annual Conference will follow the theme: “Engaging in Ministry with the Poor.” The emphasis is on the personal call to “Make Me a Servant Humble and Meek ... Lord Let Me Lift Up Those Who are Weak.”

Battling homelessness one bed at a time

Rick Herring has seen first-hand the ripple effect of the sluggish economy and depressed job market.
“People are holding on longer to what they already have,” Herring said. “They are not buying new furniture, which means that are not donating their old furniture.”

Tips for getting your news in the Advocate

Keep the news coming. It is appreciated. Since the launch of the North Georgia Advocate in June 2009, we have identified a clear trend: We are hearing from more churches on a regular basis and getting more news items submitted and published.

Print version, online, or both? Stay informed with the Advocate

The inbox for the North Georgia Advocate has been more active than usual these past two weeks. Since the introduction of the online version of the Advocate earlier this month, questions have been steadily flowing in.

Never grow weary of doing good

 There have been various natural disasters since Hurricane Katrina in 2005, other human tragedies, other high-profile events that have taken the attention and focus of the nation. And yet, Christian mission teams are still engaged on the Gulf Coast, still raising money, still volunteering their time, still cleaning, constructing, repairing, praying. And, perhaps most important of all, still letting the people of the region know they are not alone. They have not been forgotten.
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