Dr. Quincy Brown, resident of Newnan and long-time pastoral leader in the North Georgia United Methodist Conference, will start a new church in Newnan. Planted to meet the needs of the area’s diverse and growing population, Threshold Church is expected to open one year from now, in August of 2015.
In the coming weeks, Brown will identify a launch team of 20 to 30 people to help start Threshold Church at scheduled meetings dubbed “movies and meaning.” The next movies and meaning meeting will be held on Saturday, Aug. 16 from 7-9 p.m. at the Newnan Carnegie Library. Attendees will enjoy a showing of the movie “Stranger Than Fiction.” Discussion will follow. Refreshments will be provided.
Brown has been living in Newnan for two years. In June, he completed a 17-year stint at LaGrange College as chaplain and vice president for Spiritual Life and Church Relations, during which time he also served on the staff at LaGrange First UMC. Personal circumstances in recent months, he said, led him to start seeking a change.
“I felt it was time to re-invent myself. And then God called me to do this. I distinctly remember the moment as one when you sense you are standing on the threshold of something new — of a new way of living.”
In addition to already being a resident, Brown said he chose to start a new church in Newnan because it is the second fastest growing county south of Atlanta. New healthcare facilities have brought people in from all over the country.
“Other churches are starting here and seeing growth,” he said. “Threshold Church is committed to reaching people that have been disconnected with church and not yet connected with God.”
Brown is currently serving on the staff of Impact Church in East Point. A highly dynamic and fast-growing congregation, the church is led by the Rev. Olu Brown, who will serve as a guide to Dr. Brown while the latter simultaneously plants Threshold Church.
“After nearly two decades of working with college students, Quincy is uniquely poised to reach a young and diverse group of people through his creative approach to ministry,” said Dr. Phil Schroeder, NGUMC Director of Congregational Development. “This is one of several new collaborative ministries that is being created across the North Georgia Conference to try doing church differently.”
When asked about the style of the new church, Brown said it will be blended in terms of traditional and contemporary.
“Threshold is that place between rooms. This will be the best of both worlds,” he said.
“I have watched Quincy grow in his leadership, gifts and talents, and am so thrilled he is willing to take this leap of faith to plant a new church,” said the Rev. Carol Cook, NGUMC Superintendent for the LaGrange District, which includes Newnan. “We have no doubt that Quincy will recruit innovators, early adopters and those that haven’t found what they are looking for in a church. He is the leader to do this.”
A native of Gainesville, Ga., Brown graduated from DeVry Institute of Technology with a B.S. degree, the Candler School of Theology at Emory University with a M.Div., and Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta with a D.Min. As a published author, having written numerous articles and two books: Q.U.E.S.T.: Stories as Guides Through Life’ s Transitions, and The Q.U.E.S.T. for Vocation: A Personal Journey to Discern a Life’s Calling, Brown is interested in creating threshold communities for people on the cusp of something new to encounter God. He is married to Dionne Moore Brown.
The North Georgia Conference of The United Methodist Church is comprised of 930 churches, more than 1,500 clergy members, and more than 360,000 lay members. The conference has grown every year for the last 40 years.
An institutional organizing body headquartered in Norcross, the North Georgia Conference seeks to develop Christian leaders, inspire young people, provide opportunities to serve those in need and fulfill the mission of the denomination, “To make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.” Currently, it is the largest United Methodist Conference in the United States. More information is at www.ngumc.org.
Brown plans to hold occasional community engagement programs starting in December, and preview services beginning next June. Threshold Church plans to formally open in August 2015. For more information, call (678) 796-8740 or visit www.thresholdumc.org.
