Staff

 

Rev. Doug Burrell, Senior
Minister
dburrell@brumc.org
O: 706.632.2327
C: 706.455.7768

 

Julie Barnstead
Director of Music
music@brumc.org
O: 706.632.2327
C: 706.633.7258

Lorraine Panter
Director of Children’s Ministry
children@brumc.org
O: 706.632.2327
C: 706.632.2327

Jean Chant
Administrative Assistant
jchant@brumc.org
O: 706.632.2327

 

Denise Campbell
Preschool Director
preschool@brumc.org
O: 706.632.5590

 

Jeff Keeler
Praise Band Leader
praise@brumc.org
O: 706.632.2327
C: 561.906.2733

 

Judy Cheyne
Pianist/Accdompanist
pianist@brumc.org

 

 

 

Elizabeth Hunt
Assistant Pianist

 

 

Tamala Cooke,

Children’s Assistant

 

Patrick Cooke
A/V Tech Guru
C: 404.630.9173
techguru@brumc.org

 

Hal Baccus

Organist
hmbaccus@gmail.com

 

Methodist

We have adopted the 5 Practices of Fruitful Congregations model of ministry at Blue Ridge UMC.

• Radical Hospitality
• Passionate Worship
• Intentional Faith Development
• Risk-Taking Mission and Service
• Extravagant Generosity

Check out each of the 5 Practices. We invite you to share your ministry with ours. For more information please visit: www.5practices.com

Radical Hospitality

• Many are working to help you know the hospitality of Jesus Christ.
• Fellowship Coordinator:  TBA
• Sunday Morning Fellowship:  Pat Hanson and Marilyn Knight
• Wednesday Fellowship Dinner:  Teams
• Receptions:  Mary Lou Fennimore
• Shepherds Coordinator:  Brenda Austin
• New and Prospective Member Care:  Brenda Austin, Karen Seers, Betsy Hubbell
• Member in Crisis Support:  Susan Monteleone
• Member Care:  Tom Callihan
• Homebound Care:  Peggy Shaw

Passionate, Creative Worship

• 9:00 a.m. on Sundays:   Praise Service
• 11:00 a.m. on Sundays:  Traditional Worship Service
• 5th Sunday – Combined Service at 10:00 a.m.
• Advent Services including: Hanging of the Greens, Annual Music Program, Christmas Eve Candlelight Communion Service
• Ash Wednesday Worship
• Holy Week Worship Services
• Easter Sunrise Worship in the Blue Ridge Park
• Pentecost Celebration
• Labor Day Weekend Community Service in the Blue Ridge Park

Worship Chair:  Heidi Rule

Altar Guild: Deryl Amos, Charlotte Burnette, Ruth Burns, Alma Callihan, Dee Fullick, Ann Honeycutt, Kim Keel, Doris Mayhugh, Marily McElhannon, Kemille McMenamin, Donna Riddoch, Michelle Turner, Angie Williams, Betsy Hubbell (substitute)

Usher Captains:  Jerry Keppel (9:00), Gary Gray (11:00)

Nursery Coordinator: Peggy Warner

Jeff Keeler leads the Praise Team,

Julie Barnstead leads the Chancel Choir

Many others are working to help you experience worship that is passionate, meaningful and alive.

Intentional Spiritual Growth

Each member needs to be a life long faith learner.  Bible study and Sunday School classes are offered for every age at 10 am on Sundays.  If you have not been attending a Bible study class or Sunday School, now is a great time to start!

Bible Study / Sunday School Classes:

• Baby Boomers in Admin. Building Lobby
• JAVA With Jesus Class in Admin Bldg., JAVA Room
• Adult Sunday School Class in the Admin Bldg Conference Room
• Adult Fellowship Sunday School Class in the Fellowship Hall of the Sanctuary Bldg
• “ROCK SOLID” Sunday School for preschool – 6th grade
• Faith Development Coordinator:  Karen Seers

Adventurous Mission & Service

1. Snack in a Backpack Program:  This is a combined ministry project to help hungry children who may not have enough food over the weekend during the school year.  Through a local program called “Snack in a Backpack”, volunteers are working hard to feed hungry children in Fannin County by purchasing backpacks and filling them with a variety of snacks and food to take home over the weekend and return on Monday morning.  Just $7-$8 buys enough food to feed one child for an entire weekend.  You may make a donation to BRUMC on behalf of these children by noting on your check or cash envelope “Snack in a Backpack”.
2. An Action Ministries Transitional Home in Fannin County is sponsored by the Fannin Council of United Methodist Churches. A previously homeless family is living there and receiving encouragement and support as they are getting their lives back in order financially. Their stay in the Transitional Home can be up to 24 months as they work, save, get further education and life skills.
3. Thursday MACA Meals. The churches of the Eastern part of Fannin County are sponsoring a free meal each Thursday evening that is open to anyone who could benefit from a hot meal, friendly faces and a place to converse with friends. Blue Ridge UMC is taking its turn to sponsor at least one of those meals each quarter. The meals have become known as the MACA Meals because the dinners are served at the Mountain Area Christian Academy (MACA), on old Hwy 76, off of Hwy. 515 in the Hemptown area of the county.
4. Good Samaritans of Fannin County. Blue Ridge UMC joins the other churches of our county to operate the Good Samaritan Crises Assistance Ministry. Typically, over forty thousand dollars of emergency assistance is given through this mission ministry each year. For over thirty years we have been deeply involved in this important effort to assist persons in their times of crisis and need. This ministry is funded by the generosity of church members, churches, businesses and other community groups in various ways. The bullk of the support for Good Samaritans has traditionally come from the annual Community Labor Day BBQ. In recent years an Open Table Brunch has been offered each 5th Sunday throughout the year at the Senior Center in Blue Ridge. There has also begun, a Thanksgiving Open Table served on Thanksgiving Day at the Fannin County High School.
5. We actively support the Community Food Pantry & Homeless Shelter as a church, as individual members and through our United Methodist Men, United Methodist Women, Youth, Saints Alive and Sunday School classes. For several years now our United Methodist Men sponsor a September Spaghetti Dinner that raises several thousand dollars each year to support the food pantry.
6. Back to School Supplies, the Community Crisis Center, Open Arms Home, Feed Fannin, Heat Fannin and other helping groups also receive our help and involvement in a variety of ways.
7. We are glad to sponsor Alcoholics Anonymous for meetings here in our church twice each week. The meetings are at 6:30 pm on Tuesday and Saturday evenings.
8. We actively support and are involved with the following Ministries of our North Georgia Conference:

• The United Methodist Children’s Home of the N. GA Conference(go to: http://www.umchildrenshome.org/)
• Aldersgate Homes and Collins-wood Center on Lake Oconee (serving families of and persons with developmental disabilities – go to: http://www.gbgm-umc.org/aldersgatehomesinc/ )
• Wesley Woods Senior Living (http://www.wesleywoodsinc.org/ )
• Camp Glisson ( http://www.campglisson.org/ ).
• Murphy-Harpst Children’s Centers: Sadly, increasing cuts in state funding for care of children have forced other agencies to close their doors. Murphy-Harpst continues to provide much needed services for Georgia’s most severely abused children despite the ongoing battle to fill the gap between state funding and the true cost of providing care and therapy for the children. Murphy-Harpst was recently featured on Georgia Public Radio. To hear the broadcast go to the following link: http://www.gpb.org:80/news/2011/02/15/murphy-harpst-childrens-center

Our Youth have done mission service with MUST Ministries (http://www.mustministries.org/ ), River of Life, Tennessee Appalachian Outreach Projects and more. They have also participated in our community Christmas outreach and visit nursing homes, hospitals and have been active in our annual One Great Day of Service taking treats to our local law enforcement and emergency service personnel across the county.

Generosity

Generosity describes the hearts of Christ’s followers.  Even in these trying times we find ways to support our core ministries plus an extra mile of giving for local and global needs.

Support a Transitional House in Fannin County to house a homeless family.  Please prayerfully consider joining those who will support this project in partnership with the Fannin Council of United Methodist Churches and Action Ministries.  Make checks payable to BRUMC and mark them for “Transitional House.”

 

Leadership Team

Links for Leaders: 2009-12 Leader Guidelines

(these are “pdf” files, right click to open or save. If you need Adobe Reader you will need to download it first.)  Evangelism | Worship | Mission | Education | Stewardship | UM Women | UM Men | Youth |Children | Adults | Families | Inclusiveness |  Administrative Council | Lay Leader | Lay Delegate |Nominations | Leader Development | Leadership Worksheet | Staff Parish | Trustees |  Treasurer & Finance | Small Membership | Small Group | Pastor | Communications | Scouts | High Ed & Campus Ministry | Church & Society 

Our Local Leaders 2012

Administrative Team
Council Chair: Steven Miracle|  Treasurer: Jim Mayhugh  |  Secretary of the Council: Elizabeth Hunt  | Lay Leader/Delegate: Gordon Riddoch

UMM President: Gordon Riddoch | UMW President: Kemille McMenamin |Youth Rep: Morgan Weigle | Stewardship Coordinator: Walt Austin | Good Samaritan Reps: Carlie Hammond and Joyce Dakis| Pre-School Chairs: Jana Jordan & Charlotte Burnett | Fannin Council Reps: Lloyd & Dottie McKenzie, Roey & Yvonne Patterson

LAY LEADERSHIP:  Chair: Gordon Riddoch

• 2012: Yvonne Patterson, Kit Miracle
• 2013: Dale Lee, Susan Monteleone, Gary Brakefield

STAFF PARISH RELATIONS: Chair:  Tommy Vannoy

• 2012: Steve Miracle, Anne Honeycutt
• 2013: Donna Riddoch, Mike Scott, Tommy Vannoy
• 2014: Helen Jane Wilson, Crystal Cooke

TRUSTEES:  Chair: Kevin Panter

• 2012: Kevin Panter, Frank Rule, Linda Patterson
• 2013: Cathy Brakefield, Tim Wheat, Gary Keel
• 2014: Angela DeLorme, Joe Roth, Greg Dean

WORSHIP:  Chair:  Heidi Rule

FAITH DEVELOPMENT:  Karen Seers, Coordinator

MISSION & SERVICE TEAM: Rick Hubble, Dean DeLorme, Joe Roth

GENEROSITY (FINANCE COMMITTEE):  Chair: Randy Brown

• Finance at-large: Carol Gray, Jim Mayhugh, Chip Williams, Peggy Shaw, Dixie Cochran, & Shirley Sams

Our District and Conference Leaders

• Superintendent of the Northwest District : Rev. Herzen Andone
• Lay Leader of the NWDistrict: Margaret Sikes
• Bishop of the North Georgia Conference: Bishop Michael Watson