Sign up to Host a Trunk!

It’s that time of year again! The Holy Spirit Spooktacular Trunk or Treat is happening soon!
Use this link to sign up to host a trunk!

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1mc3S7r7COvDpOIK4UXOgT-L65gvt8mkh-VASZI-H8po/edit?usp=sharing

Low Country Boil Luncheon

Join us on September 29th at 11AM for a Low Country Boil Luncheon!
We will gather for fellowship in the Wesley building after combined worship service at 10AM in Asbury.
There will be PB&J’s for the kids!
If you would like to bring a dessert, please sign up here!

First Kids Field Trip

First Kids are meeting at Clover Craft Studio on Sept 29th.
Drop off & pickup will be at the studio 5-7PM.
Plan to pay the studio directly, $10/child

Youth Rafting Trip!

Youth Overnight Rafting Trip

Jen B is taking the youth to the Chatooga River for a day of adventure & river rafting! Expect class 1 up to class 5 rapids, lunch on the river banks & a good time with all your best pals! That night you’ll be camping out in yurts, cooking by the camp fire & falling asleep under the stars!

Trip is FULL!!

Flute Concerto | August 25th

Jackson is headed to NYC to join the the Macy’s Great American Marching Band to perform in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade with top students from all over the country. He is excited to represent his high school at this incredible event this November.
Join us for an afternoon of beautiful music in the historic Asbury Sanctuary on August 25th at 4PM. One of our youth, Jackson LaBarre, will be performing his flute for a special concert showcasing his amazing musical talent. Jackson is raising money to help offset the costs for his trip. His goal is to raise $2700 and has currently raised $450.

The concert is free admission, but a love offering will be taken up to help benefit the cost of this amazing opportunity!

Mini Marriage Retreat

Better Marriages Retreat August 24th at 9AM-5PM

Join the Revs. Leigh and Zack Martin in Stone Mountain for a mini marriage retreat hosted at Mountain Park UMC. There will be workshops on communication and how to have fun in your marriage! $100/couple

Click here to register today!

First Kids Faithology Retreat

The North Georgia Conference Children’s retreat will be September 13th -15th at Camp Glisson. This retreat is always an action-packed fun time for 3rd-5th graders and their adult chaperones! We’ll have big group worship sessions in the chapel and rotate through 6 workshops throughout the day – including a drama station, music, crafts, zip-lining into the lake and a campfire! Sign your student up today!

$175/ student

Registration Form

First Kids Dog Wash

Bring your friendly pup to the Wesley lawn on August 18 at 5PM for a fun bath!
All washes are free, but monetary and other donations are welcomed to benefit the Morgan County Animal Control!

A Note from Jen Stewart, Lay Delegate

Thank you, Madison First UMC, for choosing me as your Lay Delegate to the North
Georgia Annual Conference. I learned a lot! The theme of the conference was
“Becoming An ACTS Church” based on Acts 2:42-44, which says: “The believers
devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to community, to their shared meals,
and their prayers. A sense of awe came over everyone. God performed many wonders
and signs through the apostles. All believers were United and shared everything.” I saw
that very thing all three days.
There was wonderful, uplifting worship services and there was mundane “taking care of
business”. Through it all, I witnessed joy, change and wonders. Part of this was
“ housekeeping” stuff – voting on many amendments to standing rules, and hearing
reports from many committees and agencies. Other things were big stuff – approving
relocating the conference office from leased property to Sugarloaf UMC. This property
became an option after that congregation could no longer maintain their campus. This
was a cost saving option because even assuming the mortgage was cheaper than
current lease payments. Another major item was redistricting the Conference from 8
districts to 5. Due to disaffiliations, this was another cost saving action. Finance
Committee, this will reduce our apportionments! As part of this, the youth delegation
noted to the conference that this change would reduce substantially the number of
their delegates from 64 (8×8) to 40 (5×8) and requested an increase in their delegates. It
was decided the number of youth delegates would be 65 (5×13). I was excited to see
our youth want to be a big part of the governing of our Church. It speaks well for the
future!
Saturday’s devotion was, “People come and people go but the church remains”, based
on Acts 1:20b-26. This scripture dealt with the apostles, soon after Jesus had
ascended to Heaven, voting to replace the dead Judas with a new apostle, Matthias.
This theme played out on Saturday morning when several people, whose terms on
various boards and agencies were ending, were thanked for their service and their
replacements were noted. It continued in the reading of new assignments for pastors
over the various districts. I think this is as it should be – the church is bigger than any
one or any group and it will remain. Thanks be to God!

The Good News ~ 6/20/24

Annual Conference 2024

Rev. Leigh and I were back in Athens for the 160th session of the North Georgia Annual Conference. As many of you know, this is our yearly meeting for the North Georgia United Methodist Church. About 2000 delegates, half clergy and half laity, gathered to take care of the business of our Annual Conference. Jen Stewart, our local church delegate, and I represented our church.

This year, Bishop Robin Dease and the planning team chose the theme “Becoming an Acts Church” based on Acts 2:42-44: “The believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the community, to their shared meals, and to their prayers. A sense of awe came over everyone. God performed many wonders and signs through the apostles. All the believers were united and shared everything.” Our conference is not just a time to care for the business of the church, but it’s a homecoming! A time to worship, pray, celebrate, and listen for the leading of the Holy Spirit. Indeed, this was a conference full of affirmation, celebration, and transformation.

The affirmation included 6 new local pastors; 8 provisional members; ordination of 1 full connection deacon; and 14 full connection elders. These called and tested clergy gave hope to our future church leadership. Madison First UMC is more familiar with full-time Elders who typically move between local churches every 6-10 years. Deacons serve in a wide variety of ministries but do not itinerate between churches. Provisional members are clergy aspiring to be elder status, generally getting there after 3-4 years as a “provisional member”. Local pastors serve churches mostly in part-time positions. Some have degrees others have course-of-study credentials. All are well qualified and serve faithfully all over the North Georgia region. For example, our own Rev. Hannah Pye, is a Local Pastor serving at Bostwick UMC.

Celebration occurred at the worship services honoring the pastors who passed away and the many ministries done in our conference. Our disaster relief ministry brought their solar array, mobile water purification system, and tool trailers to remind us of the important work we do when life fall aparts. Wesley Woods, Murphy Harpst (Child Rehabilitation Agency), Camp Glisson and other conference related ministries were celebrated. We consecrated a new Global Ministries missionary. Most of all, we celebrated the connection of our 422 North Georgia churches and look forward to a strong season of church planting in areas effected by disaffiliation.

Transforming our presence in the region was a special topic of the day. The conference offices will move out of a leased space in Atlanta and move into the Sugarloaf UMC location, which will save about $10,000 per month. We reduced our districts from 8 to 5, thus increasing district sizes but decreasing the financial needs for Superintendent salaries and office expenses. Madison is in the Southeast District and Rev. Beth Sanders is our new D.S. With other cost cutting and savings, we look forward to a 25% in the conference budget for 2025 and a similar cut in local church apportionments.

At the closing worship service of the conference, I was sitting near the front row feeling positive about our future. Bishop Dease officially “sealed” the appointments; I’m for sure staying at Madison First UMC! The closing sermon was a call to meet the challenges of the day as the Apostles did long ago. To have a strong commitment to follow Jesus, no matter how unpopular it may be to the world around us. Be an “Acts Church”. It’s a good day to be a United Methodist after a year or more of worries and uncertainties.

One more note. Remember that, during the worship service, I was sitting near the front row basking in the hopefulness of the future? Well, Bishop Dease spontaneously invited me up to give the benediction. 2000 people at conference and I get the last word? At the last minute? This is the kind of stuff that appears in anxiety dreams! Thankfully, the Holy Spirit was present and was faithful. I gave a benediction that I hope made sense. Like the disciples in Acts, we should “always be prepared to give a reason for the hope that we have!” Who knows, you might be sitting within sight of a worship leader and be called upon to share some hope one day.

Peace,

Zack@madisonfumc.com