Missions
Dahlonega United Methodist Church has a vibrant mission community that is connected locally and globally.
Local Missions:
Communty Helping Place -- Local Community Food Bank. Provides assistance with medical bills, gas, utilities, and rent. Houses the Free Medical Clinic. We support CHP with money, volunteers, and fund raising. Visit the Community Helping Place at www.communityhelpingplace.org
Waypoint -- A residential Drug and Alcohol Addiction treatment center located in Dahlonega. Many church members volunteer with this ministry, and we are the resident Church for those in the program. For further info, visit www.waypointcenter.org.
Celebrate Recovery -- meets every Saturday night at 6:30 in the student center. For info about what Celebrate Recovery is and how it might help visit: www.celebraterecovery.com.au/ or Contact Art Fowler for more info.
Transition House -- We work through Action Ministries to help fund and resource a local family in a home. They are able to stay for up to two years as they get their financing in place and complete needed education and job training. To find out more about Action Ministries our the Transitional Housing program go to: http://transitional.actionministries.net/
Camp Glisson -- The youth retreat facility for the North Georgia Conference. We help with volunteer phttp://transitional.actionministries.net/rojects throughout the year. Glisson's web site is: www.campglisson.org
Jail Ministry - Dahlonega UMC along with several other area churches participates in a women’s jail ministry. We go into the women’s pod at the Lumpkin County Detention Center every Tuesday evening. We have Scripture-based Bible lessons, singing, prayers and lots of hugs for any of the women who would like to participate. We give out easy-to-read-and-understand Bibles that are written especially for individuals who are incarcerated. We talk about God’s plan for their lives “to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11). Mostly, though, we share the love of Jesus with them and the joy of living in His Word. Please pray for people who are incarcerated and their families.
Transition Ministry -- We reach out to men and women released from jail and prison, as well as individuals who have come through crisis and need help taking their next steps to a new life in the community. We work closely with the inter-church Jail Ministry team that visits the jail every Tuesday night, as well as the Sheriff's Office, which encourages individuals to contact our ministry upon their release. Our volunteer mentors meet one-on-one with individuals for an hour every week. Mentors are there to listen, encourage, pray with, educate on community resources, and help each person make a plan for their next steps. Individuals come to church with their mentors and are encouraged to participate in Celebrate Recovery, where they make new friends in a supportive environment. They also receive Prayer Ministry. Mentors also find out about speciifc needs the Body of Christ can meet. For more information, visit www.newnewlife.org
Dahlonega UMC is a part of the North Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church. A significant part of our annual mission giving goes to our Conference Apportionments: A tithe ( about 10% of our budget ) goes to help with mission and service projects around the united methodist church. Some of the money goes to local projects like our transition house and the Wesley Foundation - college ministry. Other monies flow to schools, orphanages, elderly homes, missionaries, disaster relief as well as helping with conference and national administrative costs. For more information about the North Georgia Conference, see their web page at www.ngumc.org
Foreign Missions:
El Salvador -- For the last 7 years we have taken at least one annual trip to Santa Anna to work with the Oasis of Grace Church. We are helping them equip leaders, minister to children, and share the gospel. We have helped with construction projects and built amazing relationships. If you would like more info or are interested in being a part of the next trip, contact Chris Gillhouse - (cgilhouse@whbass.com) for more info or if you are interested in serving on the next team
Guatemala -- Every year, we send a team to Guatemala to serve with Hearts for the Children Ministry. The team brings medical care and Vacation Bible School to rural villages; serves with the Mary Magdelene House street ministry in Guatemala City; offers care and ministry at the City Dump, where an entire community lives; helps with meal programs and construction and worship services at the Mission Church; and leads the weekly Children's program at the Church. Contact Art Fowler for more info.
To read about the June 2011 trip go to: http://dumc2011.blogspot.com.