As we do our part to do no harm, North Georgia United Methodists are rethinking ways of doing church and building community. We are offering worship, Bible study, and Sunday school online. We are finding ways to care for our neighbors. We are leaning into our connection. We are buoyed by our faith in Jesus Christ.
Find helpful resources, information, and updates as we navigate this unprecedented situation together.
The website globalepidemics.org offers a county-level risk assessment
The CDC also offers county-level COVID data tracker.
Find guidelines and resources for churches considering how to re-launch in-person worship on the Relaunch Resources Hub.
VIDEO: Bishop and Cabinet Ask Churches to Show Care at Christmas Eve, Offer Permission to Rethink Plans (December 2020)
MESSAGE: Bishop and Cabinet Urge Churches to Consider Plans in Light of Rising COVID-19 Cases (July 7, 2020)
GUIDANCE: Considerations for In-Person Worship and Music
MESSAGE: Bishop and Cabinet Offer Update on Opening Church Buildings
MESSAGE: Bishop and Cabinet Offer Updates on Children's Ministry, Polling Places, Counseling
GUIDELINES: Bishop and Cabinet Continue to Urge North Georgia Conference Churches Not to Gather, But to Prepare (April 27)
VIDEO: Benefits Update from Wespath
MESSAGE: Bishop and Cabinet Urge Churches to Continue to Remain Closed Through May 13 (April 20)
MESSAGE: Benefits Updates for North Georgia Conference Churches (April 15)
VIDEO: Update from Conference Treasurer Keith Cox
(March 31)
MESSAGE: Bishop and Cabinet Ask That Church Buildings and Property Remain Closed Through April 30
(March 30)
GUIDANCE: Copyright Information from the United Methodist Publishing House
(March 27)
VIDEO: Message from Bishop Sue | Read Transcript
(March 25)
ANNOUNCEMENT: Conference Board of Pension to Cover Church Portion of Healthflex Insurance Premiums for Next Three Months
(March 20)
LETTER: Open Letter to North Georgia United Methodists from Rev. Chris and Dr. Jennifer Barbieri
(March 18)
LETTER: Bishop Strongly Urges Cancellation of Worship Services
(March 13)
GUIDANCE: CDC Interim Guidance for Faith Organizations
The North Georgia Conference encourages churches to actively pursue a PPP Loan if it makes sense for your congregation. We will continue to update resources and information on PPP Loans and Loan Forgiveness and other relevant portions of the CARES Act.
Second Round of PPP Loans
The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 (CAA) signed into law December 27, 2020 extends the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) with additional funding and some refinements to further help small businesses, including tax-exempt organizations. Churches and other religious organizations are eligible for PPP loans.
FAQ from Wespath and GCFA
There are a number of online giving platforms utilized by North Georgia Conference churches. GCFA has a relationship with Vanco, which offers several options for local churches.
For any UMC church that enrolls with Vanco, the monthly fee for the Start Plan will be waived for a full year and for those that enroll with the Sustain Plan, the monthly fee would be waived for the first 3 months.
As we continue social distancing and schools remain closed, we in the church need to be even more prepared to respond to children in difficult situations as we hear of cases of suspected abuse. The infographic linked below offers reminders of our reporting obligations and how we can appropriately respond.
If you need help adapting Safe Sanctuaries and mandatory reporter rules to our online context, reach out to Rev. Debby Fox, a consultant in the area of children's ministries for Congregational Excellence, at debby.fox@ngumc.net.
Our United Methodist-related agencies are examples of our connection in action. They offer resources, service opportunities, and information on their websites at the links below:
ResourceUMC.org has aggregated a multitude of resources and continues to create many original pieces to help leaders respond in this moment, especially focusing on helping them connect with online tools and information about creating online worship.
So Be It: Worship Resources for Lent
Thanks to the generosity of North Georgia United Methodists, the North Georgia Conference Center for Congregational Excellence has compiled and created resources specifically for Lent 2021.
Find them at www.ngumc.org/So-Be-It.
A Weary World Rejoices
Thanks to the generosity of North Georgia United Methodists, we have compiled virtual worship appropriate for December 27, January 3, Christmas, Watch Night, Epiphany, Baptism of the Lord, and Covenant Prayer Services.
RESOURCES
Lessons and Carols from LaGrange College
LaGrange College is digitally sharing the individual components of its 60-minute Lessons and Carols production for churches to use in virtual worship. Please note that you can use individual selections and/or the entire Lessons & Carols.
Children's Worship Moments
Rev. Hyo Kim has created digital children's worship videos and invites North Georgia Conference congregations to use the videos in online worship.
One Worship: Service and Resources
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A full worship service and its individual elements are available to any North Georgia Conference pastor and congregation to re-stream for your worshipping communities this July and beyond.
DOWNLOAD or WATCH
NGUMC churches are invited to use the video and music linked below in online worship or to share in email or social media. Click the title to view or download each resource.
Sample Attendance/Connection Form:
Consider offering an online "Attendance" or "Connect" Card.
Video Resources:
Pentecost is Sunday, May 31. You are invited to include the following resources as part of your church's online Pentecost worship service or share as stand-alone pieces. They may be posted on social media, on your church website, or emailed to your congregation. Click the title to view or download each resource.
Music Resources:
Pentecost Worship Resources:
Pentecost Sunday Resource Page
Easter Worship Resources:
Churches may consider offering “drive-in worship,” although guidelines must be followed to do so safely.
Read about how one small church offered Drive-In Worship at:
https://www.ngumc.org/newsdetail/church-holds-drive-in-worship-in-response-to-covid-19-13535337
Congregations across our Conference are finding ways to partner with, serve, and support families, teachers, and their communities in a season when back-to-school is anything but back-to-normal. The Center for Congregational Excellence offers three guides full of insights and practical suggestions.
With the current pandemic, pastors and church leaders find ourselves doing ministry in uncharted territory. We have not been here before and yet we find ourselves navigating a paradigm shift that requires that we rethink church, relationship, and ministry.
Amid this paradigm shift, the Wilderness is a four-part video series designed to offer pastors resources and best practices in the areas of hospitality, leadership, small groups, and service.
Find the series at https://vimeo.com/showcase/7146261.
Clergy from the "Parts Unknown" ACE Group are offering an 8-week video devotional series focusing on the Corrie Ten Boom quote "Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God." You're invited to watch and share with your church or small group.
Rev. Lahronda Little, a certified candidate for ministry in our Conference and a student in the Graduate Division of Religion at Emory University, offers a 4-week Sunday School or small group curriculum on spirituality and health. The series is written so that each lesson can easily be taught online by Zoom or Facebook Live. Each lesson includes a biblical text, discussion, and practical application.
Because churches are unable to meet and gather safely in their buildings during the coronavirus pandemic, The Upper Room is offering the May/June 2020 issue, in English and Spanish, as a free, downloadable PDF. The Upper Room also has created a web page featuring resources to help create and maintain spiritual wellness during anxious times.
Amplify Media is a digital streaming service of the study library of both Cokesbury and Abington Press.
Ministry with Youth and Parents
Zoom, Google Chat, and Skype are just a few of the free options out there you can try for web meetings. (Zoom is free for calls under 40 minutes.) Or try Free Conference Call dot com for a phone conference.
The same tools available for online meetings are great for online Bible study or small groups. Additionally, consider Did you know Amplify Media, a digital streaming service of the study library of both Cokesbury and Abington Press.
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