Annual Conference Registration
The online process helps conference members register for annual conference, make reservations for meals, order the 2013 North Georgia Conference Journal, pay the $30 Annual Conference registration fee and all meals requiring payment. No reservations or payment for meals will be accepted at annual conference.
Online registration: click on the orange registration button at this location: http://www.ngumc.org/ac2013register.
On-site registration: Monday, June 10, 3–6 p.m.; Tuesday, June 11, 7:30 a.m.–5 p.m. and Wednesday, June 12, 7:30 a.m.–noon, Foundry Building Lower Level, Classic Center (Lay – Cypress Room; Clergy – High Shoals Room)
Pick up name badges at either Lay or Clergy registration sites listed above. Payment stations for cash, check or credit card are available in both registration areas on Monday, June 10, 3–6 p.m.; Tuesday, June 11, 7:30 a.m.–5 p.m.; Wednesday 7:30 a.m.–noon
Meal tickets are available at a centralized location in the Lower Lobby of the Foundry Building.
The Conference Special Offering for 2013: Bridges Partnerships
This 2013 Annual Conference Special Offering will be used to support the North Georgia Conference “Bridges” mission partnerships. The greatest need of North Georgia’s six international mission partners is for assistance in leadership training. Your gifts this year will go toward providing training in El Salvador, The Bahamas, Russia, the Philippines, Kenya and Portugal.
You are encouraged to give generously to bring training to the “next level” for our mission partners. Place a check in your church offering plate made out to your church with “Bridges” in the memo line. A representative from your church will then present a check from your congregation during a special Annual Conference worship service on Wednesday, June 12, 2:00 p.m.
Annual Conference Web Site
Information on the 2013 annual conference session is available on the North Georgia web site: www.ngumc.org/ac2013. Daily audio and video streaming is available from 2:00 p.m. on June 11 through 5:15 p.m., or the close of conference, on June 13, 2012.
Blood Drive
The Red Cross blood drive is scheduled in The Classic Center Firehall, 12:00 noon–5:00 p.m., on Tuesday, June 11 and Wednesday, June 12. Make your appointment at: www.redcrossblood.org and enter Sponsor Code: ngaconf, or call Athens Red Cross office, 706-424-9025, ext 224.
Cokesbury Book Store
The Cokesbury Book Store, located in the Foundry Building Oconee 2, offers a selection of books and church supplies for sale.
2013 Conference Journals
The 2013 Conference Journal can be ordered on the conference website www.ngumc.org/journal or during annual conference in the Classic Center Foundry Building Lobby. Orders with payment can also be mailed to: North Georgia Conference, Attention: Journal, Box 102417, Norcross GA 30368-2417. Cost: $40 print version; $20 digital CD version.
Concessions
Concessions located in the Lower Lobby of The Atrium open at 7:30 a.m. Lunch can be purchased 11 a.m.–2 p.m. in The Atrium and the 130 Foundry Building Plaza.
Displays
Display tables are an extension of reports presented at the annual conference session. The displays interpret and celebrate the program ministries of the annual conference. Various conference boards, committees, commissions, councils, teams and related agency displays are located in the Foundry Building lobby, Oconee and Willow rooms.
Family Restrooms
The Classic Center family restrooms are located on the upper and lower floors of the Foundry Building. Baby changing stations are located in the men’s and women’s restrooms located near the Athena Ballroom and the Grand Hall. Baby changing stations are also located in the women’s restrooms on each level of the theatre lobby and near the Olympia Room. Location of space for nursing mothers is available at the Information Center.
Gluten-free Communion Elements
Gluten-free communion elements are served for worship.
Information Center
The information center is located in The Classic Center at the top of the escalators. Messages are placed on a display board and emergency messages are displayed electronically in the Classic Center Grand Hall. The telephone number for the message center is 706-357-4513.
Language Translation
Audio interpretation for Spanish and Korean is available in the Grand Hall.
Please contact the appropriate person by Wednesday, June 5.
Spanish: Juan Quintanilla, 678-533-1388, jquintanilla@ngumc.org
Korean: Hyo Kim, 678-533-1448, hyokim07@gmail.com
Mission Project – UMCOR Cleaning Kit Assembly Wednesday, June 12
Conference members are invited to bring supplies and help assemble UMCOR cleaning kits on Wednesday, June 12, 5:45 p.m., in the hall outside the Grand Hall facing Foundry Street.
Drop off supplies in the hall outside the Grand Hall facing Foundry Street beginning Monday, June 11.
UMCOR Cleaning Buckets enable people to begin the overwhelming task of cleaning up after a natural disaster, such as a flood, hurricane or tornado. UMCOR Cleaning Buckets may be the only supplies available soon after the disaster. The Conference UMW and UMM invite members of the Annual Conference to bring supplies and help assemble UMCOR cleaning buckets on Wednesday, June 12, 5:45 p.m., in the Atrium outside the Grand Hall.
Cleaning Bucket Items Needed: 5 scouring pads, 7 sponges, 1 scrub brush, 18 cleaning towels, liquid laundry detergent (50 ounces), household cleaner (12-16 ounces), disinfectant dish soap (17-28 ounces), 50 clothes pins, clothes line (100 feet), 5 dust masks, 2 pair latex or rubber gloves, 1 pair work gloves, 24 roll of 30-45 gallon trash bags, insect repellant spray (6-14 ounces), and air freshener (8-9 ounce can). All items will be placed in a 5 gallon bucket which will be provided by Disaster Response Team for a $5.00 donation by the person packing the bucket.
Name Badge Lanyards
The conference thanks Wesley Woods Senior Living for providing the name holder/lanyards and all the volunteers for organizing distribution of the name badges. Please recycle the name badges for use next year.
Offering for Annual Conference Expense
The offering received during worship on Tuesday night, June 11, supports the cost of the 2013 session of the North Georgia Annual Conference
Parking and Transportation
Parking:
1. Complimentary parking for delegates will be available in parking spaces at the Classic Center, Court House parking deck and the UGA parking deck.
2. Only delegates with state handicap parking permits will be allowed on the bridge leading to the Classic Center parking deck.
3. Annual Conference parking permits must be displayed so they can be seen in all parking spaces for free parking. The UGA parking deck will accept either a parking permit or a nametag.
4. The upper deck at the Classic Center will be reserved on Wednesday, June 12 for retirees. The bridge entrance will be closed to through-traffic until noon on Wednesday only.
5. Level one of the Classic Center parking deck will be used for non-conference parking all week during the conference.
6. The bridge to the parking deck will be closed each evening after conference is adjourned beginning Monday night through Thursday night during the conference.
7. Parking at the Classic Center is during the hours of the event. No overnight parking is allowed. Your vehicle may be towed if left overnight.
8. Spaces are reserved for persons with handicap permits during registration on the flat lot behind the 130 Foundry Street building.
9. The spaces in front of the theatre will be reserved for church vans and emergency vehicles.
10. Parking is strictly enforced Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. until 10 p.m. On-street parking rates are 75 cents per hour.
Transportation:
1. Church vans will be used to transport delegates to and from the UGA parking deck and the Classic Center as needed from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. They will load and unload in front of the theatre and the lower level of the UGA parking deck on North Thomas Street.
2. Anyone in need of transportation during the conference may go by the information center or call 706-357-4513
3. Foundry Street will be closed all week and a police officer will be on duty all day starting Tuesday until the conference ends on Friday.
Prayer Room/Labyrinth
The Conference Prayer Room, located in The Foundry Building of The Classic Center, Empire Room, is open 7 a.m.– 9 p.m. beginning Monday, June 10, 2013. A labyrinth will also be available daily in the Conference Prayer Room for personal prayer and meditation following morning Holy Communion. The labyrinth is a path of prayer, a walking meditation, and a ‘watering hole for the spirit’ that has been used in the Christian church since the 4th Century. The labyrinth is provided by Harmony Grove UMC in Lilburn.
Prayer Walk
During the lunch break on Wednesday, June 12, and Thursday, June 13, walk around downtown Athens. Walk for your own health and to pray for the community. Walk at your leisure.
Quest Diagnostics Blueprint for Wellness® - Oak Room, Foundry Building
Your Conference Board of Pensions & Health Benefits invites all HealthFlex members to take the Quest Diagnostics Blueprint for Wellness® during annual conference. The screening is available in Oak Room, Foundry Building. Times are available from 6:30 to 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, June 11–Thursday, June 13.
You will be evaluated for heart disease, stroke, diabetes, kidney and liver disease, thyroid disorders, anemia or excess iron, and prostate cancer. Results will be mailed directly to you.
It is highly recommended to make on-line appointments during May. Limited walk-in appointments are available. Twelve hour fasting is requested. Bring your HealthFlex insurance ID card. Active participants and spouses can earn $100 each in HealthCash for taking the health screening.
Registration Fee
Standing Rule E.7. states a $30.00 registration fee shall be assessed for each lay and active clergy delegate to the North Georgia Annual Conference. Retired clergy and youth members are exempt from the assessment. Members may pay the registration fee online at http://www.ngumc.org/ac2013register or onsite at lay and clergy registration in the Foundry Building.
Special Annual Conference Offering
Our mission offering will go for the support of Bridges for Missions. Bring 2013 mission offerings to the Service of Remembrance at 2:00 p.m., Wednesday, June 12.
Walk/Run – 7th Annual North Georgia Conference 5K Walk/Run
The 5K will begin at 6:30 a.m. on Wednesday, June 12. The race route
starts on Washington Street near the Classic Center and follows a route through downtown Athens and along the river, ending behind the Classic Center. The 5K benefits the North Georgia Housing and Homeless Council. There will be no race day registration. You may register with active.com (with an additional fee) or at http://www.nghhc.org/5K.html. There will also be registration and shirt pickup on Tuesday, June 11, at the Housing and Homeless Council display in the Foundry Building. We also welcome sponsors for the event and phantom runners who get a shirt but do not run. Contact Virginia Tinsley at virginia.tinsley@ngumc.net for details or information.
Safety
Please be aware that Athens is an urban city. Use caution after dark, do not walk alone or leave valuables visible in parked/locked cars.
Special Needs and Medical Care
Direct special needs requests to the Information Center located in the Classic Center at the top of the escalators.
First aid and medical care is located in the lower level escalator lobby during sessions held in the Grand Hall. First aid is located in the Theater lobby main level for the evening service on Wednesday. Contact the Message and Information Center for directions or assistance.
2013 Annual Conference Session Survey
The North Georgia Annual Conference Planning Committee would like to hear your feedback concerning your experience of the 2013 Annual Conference Session. Please take a few minutes to fill out a brief survey found at www.ngumc.org/session-survey.
Tote Bags - Handbook Supplemental Reports
Supplemental reports are provided in a packet of materials at registration. The conference appreciates The United Methodist Children’s Home for providing the tote bags and all the volunteers for collating the materials into packets.
Wireless Internet Access
Unsupported wireless internet service, available throughout the Classic Center, is now password protected. The password is available at the Conference Information Desk. Wireless internet is not available in the Grand Hall because of interference with live streaming.