The Methodists are back in Athens: the North Georgia Methodist Conference’s annual meeting is underway at the Classic Center, with some two thousand delegates taking part. Much discussion, official or otherwise, will focus on the plans for church disaffiliation, with dozens of Methodist churches talking about leaving the Conference over differences in doctrine as they relate to same sex marriage and gay church clergy.
Presiding Bishop Robin Dease says that issue will be addressed in a special conference in November.
The meetings that began Thursday continue through Saturday at the Classic Center.
From the North Ga United Methodist Conference website…
NEWS TO NOTE FOR ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2023
5/25/2023
As we prepare for our annual United Methodist homecoming where we will gather, worship, share meals, and carry out the business of the church, here are a few helpful notes. Download or Print Your Digital Handbook Make sure you have downloaded or printed the digital handbook before you get to Athens, including any addenda or updates. The handbook includes our agenda, reports, parking pass, and other important information. HANDBOOK Prepare for Worship
- Service of Remembrance | Thursday, June 1, 2 pm, Grand Hall This meaningful service will include the posthumous ordination of Rev. Marita Harrell. At this service, we will also collect our Annual Conference Special Offering for disaster response and UMCOR. Rev. Dr. Terry Walton is our preacher.
- Service of Licensing, Commissioning, and Ordination | Friday, June 2, 7:30 pm, Grand Hall Friday evening we will celebrate the licensing of local pastors, the commissioning of provisional candidates, and the ordination of elders in the North Georgia Conference. Bishop Alfred Norris is our preacher. Clergy, please wear black robes and red stoles. Clergy will be seated together but will not process.
- Closing Service of Word and Table | Saturday, June 3, 10 am, Grand Hall Bishop Robin Dease will preach our closing service of Word and Table, which will include the fixing of the appointments.
Bring UMCOR Relief Kits In addition to our special offering, the disaster response trailer will be stationed in front of the Classic Center and available to receive UMCOR relief kits. Bring flood buckets, hygiene kits, tornado buckets, and menstrual kits. The trailer will be open June 1 and June 2 between 7:30 am and 4:30 pm. On June 3, the trailer will accept items from 7:30 am to 10 am. For any additional information please contact Stephen Redmond at (678) 428-7997 or redmond09@aol.com. Electronic Voting on Friday We will utilize electronic voting on Friday only. You’ll receive your voting card when your register and will receive your voting device when you enter the Grand Hall on Friday. Plan for Parking
- Conference members may park at the Classic Center or at the Clarke County Courthouse parking deck (located at the corner of E. Hancock Street and N. Thomas Street across from the Classic Center). At the Court House, you must show either your conference name badge or the “Annual Conference Parking Permit” from the Handbook.
- You may also park at the University of Georgia North Campus Parking Deck (0.6 of a mile south of the Classic Center on S. Thomas Street). To avoid getting a parking ticket at the UGA deck, you must put the code and your vehicle’s tag number into the kiosk in the parking deck. Each day has the same code: The code for June 1, 2 and 3 is: UMC4657 Your vehicle may remain in the deck until 11:00 PM. UGA does not allow overnight parking. Even though the same code is used for all three days, you must enter the code each day. The code is valid each day from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 PM There are shuttles to and from the North Campus Parking Deck to the Classic Center. The shuttles pick up and drop off at the Thomas Street side of the parking deck. Shuttles will run from 7:30 a.m. to 6:00 PM Thursday and Friday and 7:30 a.m. to 1:00 PM on Saturday.
Stay Connected There are three key ways to stay connected to the 2023 North Georgia Annual Conference.
- Subscribe to the Daily Annual Conference e-Newsletter. Do so by clicking “Update Your Preferences” at the bottom of any conference e-newsletter or visiting www.ngumc.org/subscribe.
- This year you can receive Annual Conference 2023 updates delivered straight to your phone! Text AC2023 to 833-848-9264 to sign up for text updates. (Normal text messaging rates apply. Text “STOP” to opt out.)
- Check www.ngumc.org/AC2023 regularly.
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