Mt. Bethel Enters Mediation With Conference To Settle Dispute

EAST COBB, GA — A prominent Cobb County church at war with its governing organization announced Wednesday that it will enter mediation to settle their differences.

The following statement appeared late Wednesday on the websites of both Mt. Bethel United Methodist Church and the North Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church:

“The Board of Trustees of the North Georgia Conference and Mt. Bethel UMC have issued the following joint statement: Mt. Bethel UMC and the North Georgia Conference of The United Methodist Church have jointly agreed to use their best efforts to resolve an ongoing dispute through a mediation process and will refrain from public comment on this matter until the mediation process has concluded. Mt. Bethel Christian Academy will also be included in the mediation process.”

The “ongoing dispute” involves Mt. Bethel’s declaration that it would sooner leave the denomination than surrender its popular senior pastor, Dr. Jody Ray, who was reassigned in April by Bishop Sue Haupert-Johnson. The North Georgia Conference responded on July 12 by announcing it would seize Mt. Bethel’s assets.

Mt. Bethel, located on Lower Roswell Road in Marietta, is the largest congregation in the conference.

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