News

10/5/2022

October 13 Update In the last 10 days, the North Georgia has sent two ERT groups, delivered two truck-loads of supplies, delivered our conference shower trailer as Florida opens another church to host ERT in Fort Myers, and some of these same ERT who served in the last week are in the queue to return! Now, we need your help.  As our neighbors in the Florida Annual Conference face a 20-county clean-up effort following Hurricane Ian, the North Georgia Conference is looking to multiply our ...

10/3/2022

In celebration of “Clergy Appreciation Month," clergy from across the North Georgia Conference gathered on Monday, October 3, at Marietta First UMC for a Day Apart with Bishop Sue. Spreading out across the lawn at the Park on Polk on Marietta First UMC's campus, clergy joined in worship led by Theophilus Stanford and the praise team from Cliftondale UMC. They heard words of encouragement from Conference Lay Leader Nate Abrams, District Superintendent Rev. Dr. Byron Thomas, and Bishop Sue. The ...

9/30/2022

By Sybil Davidson When QR Codes first appeared more than a decade ago they were more of a novelty than a useful tool. (Did you ever fumble with downloading an app to try to scan a QR code only to realize you could have typed in a web address more quickly?)  They have made quite a comeback in recent years as they became scannable through the camera on your phone. QR code stands for "Quick Response," and the black and white squares are now living up to their name. Consider Here are some ...

9/29/2022

The General Commission on Religion and Race (GCORR) is proud to announce a new cycle of the CORR Action Fund grant program that will support creative initiatives that will transform the United Methodist Church and the world. The 2022-2023 grant program will provide up to $10,000 to fund projects that increase intercultural competency and support vital conversations about race, cultural diversity, and systemic equity leading to action. UMC churches and other UMC entities are invited to apply for...

9/22/2022

National Hispanic Heritage Month, observed annually September 15-October 15, highlights the history, culture, and contributions of Hispanic Americans—specifically those whose ancestors came from the Caribbean, Central and South America, Mexico, and Spain. Communities honor the achievements of Hispanic and Latino Americans with festivals and educational activities.   ResourceUMC offers several ways for churches to observe Hispanic Heritage Month. Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month Outreach ...

9/7/2022

UMCOR has awarded a solidarity grant of $10,000 to the North Georgia Conference to support initial relief efforts for the damage caused by severe flooding in Chattooga and Floyd Counties this weekend. The Conference is coordinating with a range of local and state partners including GEMA (Georgia Emergency Management) and Georgia VOAD (Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster) as the assessment phase continues.  "Sometimes the best thing to do is wait. The flood happened on Sunday and Monday ...

9/6/2022

Follow Along on a Family Mission Trip to Camp Collinswood this Summer! By DeDe Bull Reilly I have been praying for a space and place where little people WITH their big people could stay and serve in developmentally appropriate ways, not too far away, overnight, and inexpensive so the whole family could attend. Those prayers were answered in July as McEachern UMC families participated in our Family Mission Trip. During 11 a.m. worship, a returning Youth Mission Team from Key West gave their ...

9/1/2022

The North Georgia United Methodist Housing & Homeless Council is pleased to announce that Rev. Stacey Rushing will be the organization's next director. The Housing & Homeless Council is an agency of the North Georgia Conference and was created to help churches and other non-profit organizations minister to people experiencing poverty and homelessness. The Council awards grants to churches and non-profits that provide housing, food pantries, rental and utility assistance, clothing closets, and ...

8/31/2022

Trained Early Response Team members from Northside UMC, Alpharetta UMC, Acworth UMC, Northbrook UMC, Canton First UMC, Zoar UMC, and Mountville UMC are responding to the devastating flooding in eastern Kentucky. On invitation from the Kentucky Annual Conference, our North Georgia Conference teams have been removing trees, mucking out (removal of drywall, debris removal, mold mitigation), tarping, and clearing sites where homes were destroyed by the flood waters. "We have heard so many ...

8/29/2022

The 9-session North Georgia Academy for Leadership & Innovation launched last week with an opening session on Pastoral Innovation for Our New Day at UMC Global Ministries headquarters. Offered by the Center for Congregational Excellence, the annual training opportunity is open to pastors, ministry staff, students, and laity interested in learning about launching new faith communities and innovative ministries.  The purpose of the Academy is to develop a pipeline of laity and pastors who are ...

8/26/2022

By Sybil Davidson Just over a year ago, New Hope UMC in Gainesville welcomed a new neighbor: A brand new high school was opening in the church's backyard.  "We had this opportunity to have a presence in our community school," said Rev. Andrew Covington, New Hope's pastor. "I reached out to the principal and shared that the church really wants to be there for the teachers, students, and administration." The congregation was clear that the purpose of partnering with the school would never be ...

8/26/2022

Saturday, October 1, 2022, marks the 50th Annual Meeting of the North Georgia United Women in Faith! The meeting will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Griffin First UMC.  The Annual Meeting is much more than a meeting — it’s a worship celebration! Some highlights of the day will include: Word Made Flesh — Scripture in word and dance A dynamic message from Dr. Millie Kim Special music from Una Voz (One Voice), a female choir from Norcross First UMC Saxophonist Amarylis Sueing will perform ...

8/25/2022

Bishop Sue Haupert-Johnson and the Appointive Cabinet have announced summer and fall 2022 appointment changes. The effective date of each appointment is noted. North East District Banks, Dawson, Habersham, Hall, Habersham, Hart, Forsyth, Franklin, Jackson, Lumpkin, Madison, Rabun, Stephens, Towns, Union, and White Counties Cumming First UMC Benjamin Mayfield, Assistant Pastor (7/1/2022) Midway UMC Gillsville Ross Johns, Retired Supply (7/1/2022) Gainesville First UMC Sandra Skinner, ...

8/22/2022

North Georgia United Methodists are invited to attend one of six regional gatherings with Bishop Sue Haupert-Johnson this fall. Clergy and laity may attend the session that is most convenient. The gatherings will include timely updates on this season in our denomination and our continuing United Methodist witness for Christ in North Georgia. Thursday, September 29 6:30 PM Kennesaw UMC | LEARN MORE Most convenient to North West, Central West, Central North, Central South, and Central East ...

8/18/2022

It has come to the attention of the Appointive Cabinet that as some of our congregations consider discernment over the issue of disaffiliation there are two speculative narratives being put forth that are patently false.   The first is that there is some movement within The United Methodist Church to jettison our historic Christian faith. This is untrue. The United Methodist Church is grounded in the historic Christian faith and there is no such movement, and moreover, if there were, there is...

8/18/2022

On a warm Monday morning in August, eleven North Georgia United Methodist clergy gathered at Cane Creek Farm in Cumming, Georgia. The group was welcomed by site hosts, Chuck and Lynn Pugh, who are longtime members of Cumming First UMC. The Pughs offered their farm as a place of respite for the weary and stressed pastors.  Rev. Leslie Watkins (Associate Pastor at Peachtree Road UMC) and Rev. John Cromartie (retired) welcomed their peers to the Pugh’s farm and guided the participant’s day ...

8/16/2022

Covenant United Methodist Church has moved into a new home at 3375 Atlanta Road in Smyrna. A dream that was born in November 2015 with the merger of Cumberland United Methodist Church and Faith United Methodist Church is now a reality. The two churches merged to become Covenant UMC and the commitment from day one was to sell both former church buildings and relocate into a new facility.   Covenant celebrated the realization of that dream on Sunday, August 14, as they gathered for worship for the...

8/11/2022

Clergy and employees of not-for-profit organizations engaged in faith-based work may now qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program. However, time is of the essence. More favorable temporary rules expire October 31. Below are helpful notes from the Center for Clergy Excellence, as they field questions on this topic: No department in the Annual Conference Office can sign the employee verification form. Each local church where the clergy person has served must complete the ...

8/2/2022

North Georgia United Methodists join in prayer for all affected by recent historic flooding in Kentucky and stand ready to help.  Stephen Redmond, our North Georgia Conference Disaster Response Warehouse Manager, delivered a truckload of North Georgia cleaning buckets to Jackson, Kentucky, this week in coordination with UMCOR and the Kentucky Annual Conference. "I was able to deliver the cleaning buckets to United Methodist Mountain Missions safety," reported Stephen. "This was a true ...

7/25/2022

By Allison Sligh ​A full schedule of North Georgia Conference children's and youth retreats are planned this fall and registration is now open! All are hosted at Glisson Camp and Retreat Center, and the line-up includes: Children’s Retreat, September 16- 24 Fall Confirmation Retreat, September 30-October 2 and Rooted Retreats for Youth, October 28-30 and November 4-6 The Center for Congregational Excellence, which coordinates the retreats, values and prioritizes retreat ministry. Between 2021...