Have you heard the good news?!? Well, it is good and bad news, and I can't ask you which you want first, because I can't hear your response. Since we are people of the Good News, I will start there.
Our faithful and loyal Administrative Assistant, Teresa Lilja, has been asked by Bishop Sue and Dr. Richard Winn to become a Full-Time Local Pastor as of this Annual Conference. Teresa has been approved by the Board of Ministry to move from being a Part-Time Local Pastor to the Full-Time status. On June 22 she will become the pastor of the Lovejoy-Mt. Carmel United Methodist Churches in McDonough, Georgia.
The people of Lovejoy-Mt. Carmel will be blessed to overflowing with the pastoral presence of Teresa. She has proven in the past how amazing a pastor she is to churches which are at that place in their lives where they must take a step to the next level.
I am so excited for Teresa and for the North Georgia Conference family. This is the culmination of God's call upon Teresa to be full-time in ministry.
The bad news now ... Teresa will no longer be the Administrative Assistant to the District Superintendent in the Atlanta Emory District. I know you join me in grieving this loss. Teresa has been instrumental in keeping us together as well as being there to counsel and support the churches, the Administrative Assistants, the dCOM, the inquirers for ordained ministry, and the crazy DS. We as the Atlanta Emory District owe a great debt of gratitude to Teresa.
I encourage you to reach out to Teresa over the next few weeks and share your appreciation to her for a ministry well done. I hope you will pray over her a prayer of success with these two blessed communities of faith.
You may contact her at amryoffice@ngumc.net or by contacting the District Office at 770-446-7506.
We have been blessed, and I mostly. Thanks be to God for her "Yes" to God's call.
We keep on keeping on ...
Dana