Health Quotient deadline draws near

All HealthFlex participants are urged to take the HealthQuotient (HQ). The online assessment is a vital first step in self-care. The General Board of Pension and Helath Benefits believes this is a critical component to wellness. This year, for the first time, there will be a financial penalty for those who do not complete the HQ. If participants (AND spouses, if a spouse is covered) do not take the HealthQuotient by August 31, 2010, their deductibles will INCREASE an additional $250...

Wesleyan Leadership Conference Aims to Spark Revival of Church Heritage

By TIM GHIANNI* NASHVILLE, Tenn./GBOD/ -- Steve Manskar says the United Methodist Church can experience revival by rediscovering its heritage. “In the 19th Century, the Methodist Church decided to go ‘mainline’ in order to become ‘respectable.’ During this period congregations began to jettison some of the characteristics that set them apart as Methodists,” says Manskar, Director of Wesleyan Leadership for the General Board of Discipleship. Manskar says...

An update of UMCOR's relief efforts in Haiti.

  By Cynthia Fierro Harvey* Over the course of our 70-year history in relief and recovery work around the world—from Louisiana to Indonesia—the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) has learned that recovery following a catastrophic event takes time if it is to be effective. This has never been so true as it has been in Haiti since a 7.0-magnitude earthquake rocked the country on January 12, 2010. The destruction the earthquake caused is unprecedented, and our efforts...

Diversity Report from the General Agencies

Racial diversity gains within the general agencies of the United Methodist Church over the past 30 years are threatened by “people of color being displaced at greater rates than whites,” finds a position paper published April 2010 by the General Commission on Religion and Race (GCORR) and the General Commission on the Status and Role of Women for the United Methodist Church (COSROW). The first of its kind, the paper examines employment by gender and race at each level of the...

Upper Room Staff Comfort UM Victims of Uganda Terrorist Bombing

By Tom Gillem*   NASHVILLE, Tenn., July 14, 2010/GBOD/ — After terrorist bombs killed and injured scores of people in Uganda watching the World Cup soccer final match, representatives of The Upper Room and other United Methodist agencies rushed to support members of a United Methodist mission group who were severely injured by the blast. Soon after five adults and youth representing Christ Community Church, a United Methodist congregation in Selinsgrove, Pa., were hospitalized,...

Great Start Workshops help pastors in new appointments

By GLENN HANNIGAN Years of in-depth study and training goes into the making of a pastor.        Doctrine. Theology. Polity. Church history. Old Testament. New Testament.        “But there are many important areas where pastors don’t receive formal training,” said Mike Selleck, Director of Connectional Ministries for the North Georgia Conference. “We know that if a pastor gets off to a rough start in...

Call to Action Research Indicates Opportunities and Challenges

(United Methodist Communications, Nashville, Tenn.): The Call to Action Steering Team has released the findings of independent research commissioned by the committee regarding congregational vitality and an operational assessment of the connectional church, and invites others to review the research and provide comments and ideas.   The steering team reviewed the two reports at their June meeting, and will be further examining the implications of the data as they work toward formulating...

Haiti Volunteers Already Looking to 2012

(United Methodist News Service, Nashville, Tenn.): So many UM Volunteer in Mission (VIM) teams are signing up for work in Haiti that a request already has been made for 2012. Through its Haiti Response Plan, the church is now rotating teams into the country to assist with earthquake recovery. “I’ve got weeks that are too full,” said Susan Meister, the U.S.-based coordinator. “The response has just been tremendous.”   In April, directors of the UM Committee...

Number of Delegates for 2012 General Conference Still Undetermined

United Methodist Communications Office of Public Information 810 12th Ave. S. Nashville, TN 37203 www.umcpresscenter.org     No decision has yet been made about the size of the 2012 General Conference, according to the secretary of the General Conference, Rev. L. Fitzgerald Reist.   The Constitution states the General Conference “shall be composed of not less than 600 nor more than 1,000 delegates.”  The Book of Discipline provides a formula for the...

Future of Simpsonwood focus of task force report

In one of the most highly anticipated reports at Annual Conference, Henry Bowden, chair of a specially formed task force, presented initial findings from the 17-member group. Bowden said that the group decided to separate its various tasks into two categories, the Simpsonwood Retreat and Conference Center and other issues. The task force first focused on Simpsonwood. Highlights included: The task force employed business consultants to study the Retreat Center operations. A debt...

Candler receives gift from Dunwoody UMC

Candler School of Theology at Emory University has received a gift from Dunwoody UMC to support the construction of Phase II of Candler’s building program. The church’s gift will underwrite a study area in the future space. B. Wiley Stephens, a 1965 graduate of Candler and senior pastor of Dunwoody UMC, says the gift reinforces a long relationship between the church and Candler. “With only one exception since we have been our own church, all of our senior pastors and most...

New texting law goes into effect today

  In our culture we are very dependent on our automobiles. Many of us spend much of our time behind the wheel whether it is commuting to work, actually doing our jobs, shopping, or recreational or leisure travel. Bishop Watson wants to be sure everyone knows about the new law that prohibits individuals from sending or receiving text messages while operating a motor vehicle.   The new law, Senate Bill 360, states: "No person shall operate a motor vehicle on any public road...

2010 Churches of Excellence in Outreach Award Winners

During the 2010 Annual Conference Session, the following churches were awarded the Churches of Excellence in Outreach Award for 2010.    Briarcliff UMC East Cobb UMC Elizabeth Lee UMC Kelley Chapel Loganville UMC McEachern UMC North Decatur UMC Union Point First UMC...

2010 Denman Award Winners

The following Denman award winners were recognized during the 2010 Annual Conference Session.   Denman Evangelism Award recipients Youth - Caitlin McKenzie Laity - Henry Fuller Clergy - Sharma Lewis    District Denman Award Winners Athens-Elberton - Rev. Haydee Vidot, Athens Hispanic Atlanta-College Park - Rev. Olu Brown, IMPACT Atlanta-Decatur-Oxford - Rev. Michael Dunbar, Social Circle Atlanta-Emory - Rev. Dr. Davis Chappel, Lawrenceville First ...

InfoServ Now Offers Live Chat

Nashville, Tenn.:  InfoServ, the official information service of The United Methodist Church, now offers an online “Live Chat” feature that allows customers to communicate directly with representatives. Launched June 1, 2010, “Chat with InfoServ” encourages real time conversations between members, church pastors, agency staff and others with questions about The United Methodist Church.   InfoServ is a ministry of United Methodist Communications. Started in...

General Conference 2012 Theme and Logo Selected

  Nashville, Tenn. – The Commission on the General Conference has selected  “Make Disciples of Jesus Christ to Transform the World” as the theme for The United Methodist Church’s 2012 General Conference, scheduled for April 24-May 4 in Tampa, Fla.   The theme echoes the mission of The United Methodist Church to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world as a way of aligning the General Conference with the denomination’s...

Bishop Watson preaches opening worship service

The 144th Session of the North Georgia Annual Conference opened with worship and a sermon by Bishop B. Michael Watson. The service was led by Barbara Day Miller, a deacon in the North Georgia Conference and assistant dean of worship and music at Candler School of Theology. Bishop Watson preached on Genesis 28:10-19, challenging members of the conference to wake up and see where God is moving in our land, in this place. "Are you willing? Are you ready? Are you able?" he asked....

2010 Annual Conference Missions Offering update

North Georgia laity and clergy presented $121,600 on Thursday afternoon for the 2010 Annual Conference Missions Offering.  Funds received from this offering will help fund the Central Conference Pension Initiative.   To receive more information on the Central Conference Pension Initiative, please visit http://www.ccpi-umc.org. Click here to receive more information about the happenings at the 2010 Annual Conference Session....

Missionary couple firmly rooted in the field

By ALICE M. SMITH Dakin Cook has missionary service in his blood. He grew up as the child of missionary parents in New Delhi, India, and later found his calling - and his wife Sara Flores - on the mission field in another part of the world.   The two had worked in her native country of Bolivia as missionaries for the UMC’s General Board of Global Ministries (GBGM) for a number of years when “with a heavy heart” in 2007 they agreed to a three-year stint  at GBGM...

A plea from UMCOR concerning the floods in Tennessee

  (GBGM) So much rain fell in two days in Tennessee—15 or more inches in some spots—that experts refer to the event as a “1,000-year flood,” not expecting to see another like it in that span of time. Besides middle and western Tennessee, rain also poured over south-central and western Kentucky and northern Mississippi. Creeks and rivers overflowed their banks and caused flash flooding. Crops—especially in the western part of the state—suffered severe...