Virgin HealthMiles offers new 2012 cash incentives

Virgin HealthMiles is introducing a new way to earn HealthCash rewards. These changes apply to all participants and spouses in HealthFlex active and Medicare plans. You must be enrolled in Virgin HealthMiles to earn HealthCash rewards. --Click here to learn more (pdf)--...

HealthFlex Wellness Points: New Way to Earn HealthCash

HealthFlex is expanding its wellness incentives in 2012 with the introduction of “HealthFlex wellness points.” You can earn up to $150 HealthCash in 2012 for wellness activities such as talking with a WebMD health coach, using digital health assistants on the WebMD website, or sharing your wellness success story through WebMD’s “Wellness Stories from the UMC” Web page (viewable only by HealthFlex participants). You can earn up to $400 for all the 2012...

United Methodist Childrens Home Competes for $25,000 from The Home Depot Foundation

The United Methodist Children’s Home of the North Georgia Conference has been selected as a finalist for Aprons in Action, The Home Depot Foundation’s unique Facebook voting program, and now has the opportunity to win a $25,000 gift card from The Home Depot!  Vote for UMCH and they could win $25,000 in The Home Depot gift cards to build a new playground for the youngest children on campus. Not only that, if they win the initial $25,000, then next month UMCH will compete for...

Take note of the 2012 HealthFlex Changes

The Medco Pharmacy coverage has changed for all persons covered by the HealthFlex Plan of the North Georgia Conference.  Also, please note the changes to the United Healthcare and vision (VSP) plans. Please find the 4 changes below.  1. Our new pharmacy plan from Medco does not have set co-payments for each class of drug. Your co-pay will be based on a percentage of the discounted price depending on which class it is. For more information on the 2012 Medco Pharmacy...

Homeless Offering Materials now available

Homeless Offering materials are being distributed this month during district events, through the mail, and via personal delivery. If you have not received your Homeless Offering materials by February 1, or if you need more materials, please contact Virginia Tinsley via email at director@nghhc.org. The official date for the Homeless Offering is February 26....

Action Ministries and You ...Working to End Child Hunger in Georgia

Every day in Georgia, more than 800,000 school kids receive a free or reduced price lunch at school. But when the school year ends, so does their access to this important meal.   Research shows proper nutrition in childhood plays an important role in a young person’s physical and mental growth. It can contribute to a child's overall well-being, help them to grow up to their full potential and have a healthy life.   But, according to a recent national study, Georgia ranks...

General Conference Listening Sessions

The North Georgia delegation will hold two sessions to listen to the voices of North Georgia United Methodists concerning the General Conference in April.  The first session will be held at Gainesville First UMC Saturday March 3, 2012 from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM.  The second session will be held at Griffin First UMC Saturday March 24, 2012 from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM.  Persons wishing to speak to the delegation will be assigned a time slot of five minutes and are requested to...

A list of blessings we share as United Methodists

A positive and optimistic attitude makes sense for those of us in The United Methodist Church because we have, among many other blessings: -a great base of millions of spiritually strong and committed lay members who are seeking to love God as disciples of Jesus Christ, and who are well educated, financially able, socially engaged and unusually influential in the world; -thousands of gifted and trained clergy, who are preaching and teaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the holy...

Christopher Carlton to Serve as Interim Director of Emory Clergy Care

Rev. Christopher Carlton, M. Div., M.S., APC, NCC will serve as the Interim Director of Emory Clergy Care effective January 1, 2012.  He remains in his current appointment as Johns Creek Associate while also devoting time to Emory Clergy Care.  Christopher is well qualified to lead Emory Clergy Care through the transition of Dr. Fred Smoot’s retirement and search for a permanent director.   Christopher is well respected in our Annual Conference, has most recently served...

Candler Helps Emory Celebrate 175th Anniversary

Watch a WSB-TV news clip of the Emory convocation celebration By:  Molly Edmonds On Dec. 7, Emory University held a convocation celebration to cap off its 175th anniversary year. Students, faculty, staff, and alumni gathered in Glenn Memorial Auditorium to celebrate Emory’s legacy and to anticipate ways that legacy can be strengthened in the years ahead. Candler School of Theology had the honor of participating in several aspects of the ceremony.    Candler’s...

United Methodists Garner Highest Favorability Score

About 62% of adult Americans have a favorable impression of United Methodists. That’s according to a new survey from LifeWay Research that looks at perceptions of faith groups among adults in the U.S. United Methodists had the highest percentage of favorable impressions among the faith groups included in the survey – Roman Catholics, Southern Baptists, United Methodists, Mormons and Muslims – with 15% of respondents reporting very favorable impressions and 47% reporting...

General Conference Rule Changes Proposed

Nashville, Tenn.: The Rules Committee of the Commission on the General Conference has announced their recommendations for changes to the Plan of Organization and Rules of Order which provides the governance structure for the 2012 General Conference. The changes will be presented to delegates for consideration at the opening session. "Our goal was to create a hospitable environment and an efficient structure for all delegates," said Judi Kenaston, committee chair. "Some of...

Contact the Georgia United Methodist Foundation before gift annuity rates drop

The board of directors of the American Council on Gift Annuities announced that gift annuity rates will change on January 1, 2012. The new single-life gift annuity rates for persons older than 60 will decline by 0.5% to 0.8%. There is still time to lock-in a high fixed–payment charitable gift annuity for you or a loved one before the end of the year. If you transfer your low performing CDs, stock or cash to the Georgia United Methodist Foundation before January 1, 2012, we promise to...

Glisson Summer 2012 Registration begins

Summer Camp 2012, which begins May 27 and concludes July 27, has been at the core of Glisson's ministry for over 85 years. Glisson offers five distinct programs: Village Camp, a traditional summer experience for rising 2nd graders through rising 12th graders; Outpost, an outdoor adventure program for rising 2nd graders through rising 12th graders; Sparrowwood, a traditional summer camp experience for youth and adults with mild to moderate developmental disabilities; Experiential Leadership...

Georgia Florida Federal Credit Union now offers Protection Plus Checking

Georgia Florida Federal Credit Union now offers Protection Plus Checking, a premium checking account that gives you all the added benefits you want and need in today’s financial world while protecting you against fraud, identity theft and life’s unexpected events for a low monthly cost of $4.95 beginning January 31, 2012. For members ages 24 or under and members ages 70 or older, this monthly fee is waived. Georgia Florida Federal Credit Union believes that offering free...

America’s Sunday Supper to be held January 15

This denomination-wide event offers a means to make the world better…through a shared meal, meaningful conversation and community service. It’s a great way to get youth groups, small groups and the broader congregation to reflect on what it means to live the faith and take on risk for mission and service. By signing up to host a supper, participating churches will receive marketing support to share an invitation with their communities, and a film to share at the event. Films...

Apportioned giving distribution tool for local churches

One of the unique and defining factors of the United Methodist Church is that we are Connectional. One way we show this connection is through apportioned giving. Apportioned giving is a term which describes how the money you give to your church each week is divided and distributed throughout the United Methodist Church. Apportioned giving allows us to participate in the ministry and mission of the United Methodist Church both locally and around the world.  Find out how much your local...

The North Georgia Conference website is now mobile friendly

Mobile phones are becoming more and more incorporated into people’s daily lives.  We now have the capability to browse the web, receive and send email, listen to music, watch videos, and play video games all from one device—our phones. Because we are relying more on these technological devices, the North Georgia Conference has begun to revamp their website to become mobile compatible.   Now, when you visit www.ngumc.org, from your smart phone, you will receive a...

Two great upcoming events at Camp Glisson

Don't miss the early bird registration deadline of December 15th to be a part of two great opportunities at Camp Glisson.  Confirmation Retreats will take place the last two weekends of February 2012, and Spiritual Life Retreats will be held the first four weekends of March 2012.  Sign up today! Confirmation Retreats at Camp Glisson Registration Deadline and Cost: Early Bird price of $110 through December 15th The confirmation retreats, held February 17-19 and Feb 24-26, are...

World AIDS Day: December 1st

There is a common belief that the face of AIDS is sickly, distorted, and skinny. Stereotypically, it belongs to a gay male, a black woman, a drug dealer or a prostitute. Looks can be deceiving. Twenty years ago United Methodist Heidi Simon lost her fiancé’. It was fast and destructive. Just hours before his death, he was diagnosed with AIDS. At the time, Heidi was a 19-year-old college student playing two sports on scholarship. When she cried out to God after Alex’s death,...