"Like father, like son" aptly applies to the new minister at

Bethany United Methodist Church.

The Rev. Mark S. Outlaw Sr. is the son of the Rev. Herb Outlaw, who served

at Fayetteville First United Methodist in the early 1990s.

Each graduated from college with marketing and finance in mind, but eventually

the pull into ministry was stronger.

The younger minister was born in South Carolina but grew up in Tampa and

north Georgia. He graduated from North Georgia State College with a major

in finance.

Though first feeling the pull of God in his life when he was 11, it was

not until the late 1980s that he entered Candler School of Theology at

Emory University. He graduated cum laude and is a member of Theta Phi,

the International Scholastic Society.

Since graduating in 1993, he has served churches in Red Oak, Conyers,

Level Creek and now north Fayette County.

He and his wife Lynn met at Saint Simon's Island and are the parents

of two - Lindsey, 14, and Mark Jr., 11. They attend school in Fayette

County and Lynn is a language arts teacher at Fayette Middle School.

The Rev. Outlaw is proud to be in his new assignment and proud of the

church for winning first place in the Annual Wesley Fund Raising, raising

the most funds in their church category.

The church looks forward to its revival Sept. 24-27. The preaching will

be done by the only minister in Fayette County to be a native of the county,

the Rev. Jim Ellison. He was reared in Tyrone.

The membership number over 300 and are thoughtfully putting together a

new program called "Something For Everyone". They will begin

each Wednesday evening with a meal, after which the children will hold

choir practice, the youth will participate in Methodist Youth Fellowship

and there will be a selection of modules for the adults, ranging from

Bible study to reading about other faiths to lectures on local issues.

The church's famous "Perlieu Stew" will be held Saturday,

Nov. 11, 4-7 p.m.

The church is located at 607 Rivers Road and can be reached at 770-964-6992.

Sunday School is at 10 a.m. and the worship service is at 10:55 a.m.