Welcome to Social Circle UMC!
We understand that visiting a new church can be daunting but we hope this page and the rest of our site will help you get to know us better!
Our Mission & Vision
Our vision is…
To worship God with all our being.
To seek the community with the passion of Jesus Christ.
To open our hearts and arms with the love and acceptance of Jesus’ Church.
To answer our calling to grow and serve Jesus Christ as ministers beyond the walls of this church.
Our mission is to…
*Seek the Lost
*Lead them to Christ
*Grow Together Spiritually
*Go and Serve as Disciples
For Our Visitors
Frequently Asked Questions
What do United Methodists believe?
As a part of the worldwide United Methodist Church family, we follow a set of Bible-based, God inspired beliefs set forth by our denomination. To learn more about our beliefs, CLICK HERE.
Where should I park? Is there handicapped parking available?
The church has a large parking lot behind the building. The handicapped parking is along the side and the closest row to the back of the building entrances.
What should I expect?
9:00 – The worship service is more contemporary. We enjoy more current music in a less formal service.
11:00 – The worship service is more traditional with most of the music coming out of our hymnals. We weekly also share in reciting/singing creeds, affirmations, and the doxology.
Do you serve Communion?
We serve communion the first Sunday of every month and during holidays in both services.
What should I wear?
In both services, you will find that most people are dressed casually.
Is there Sunday School?
Sunday school starts at 10:00am and there are classes for adults and children.
Is there Children's Church or a Nursery?
Nursery is available upon request.
Is the church available for events (i.e., weddings, funerals, etc.)?
Rental agreements are available upon request. Please call our church office for details and reservations.
How do I join the church?
We are very happy to accept people into our membership! Paramount is that one has faith in what Jesus Christ did for each one of us in his life, death, and resurrection. If you are interested in joining the church, you need to have a conversation with the pastor. At that time, the questions asked when becoming a member would be reviewed.
Who We Are
Meet Our Staff/Pastor
Rev. Janet Balasko
Pastor
Rev. Janet Balasko is an Ordained Elder in the North Carolina Conference. She has been serving in ministry since graduating from Duke Divinity School with her MDiv degree in 2004. In the Spring of 2023, God made a path for her to serve in Georgia for a season! God knows how long the season will be for her. One of her joys is to watch as the Holy Spirit continues to guide people on their faith journeys. Janet enjoys anything related to West Virginia University and Duke University, especially their football and basketball teams. She is learning to appreciate the joys of SEC football, as well. She is the proud aunt of 6 nieces and 3 nephews. In her spare time, she loves to work on hand embroidery projects.
Rev. Carolyn Poling
Youth Pastor
Rev. Carolyn Poling is a Deacon in the North Georgia Conference & has been ordained since 2006 but serving in ministry since 1996. She has a Public Relations Degree from The University of Georgia & is an avid UGA football fan. She attended seminary at Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, TX where she obtained her MDiv. She has served in various churches of various sizes in children’s & youth ministry in Georgia, Texas & Virginia throughout her career. She also served at Lake Junaluska Conference & Retreat Center as the Director of Ministries with Young People. She is currently working at Morgan County Middle School as a paraprofessional while obtaining her Master’s in Art of Teaching from Piedmont University. She also teaches Musical Theater Dance classes at Pointe of Grace studio in Madison, Ga. She has two four legged children Zion the lovable Pitbull & Tate the crazy rescue dog. And of all the titles she’s had in her life, Aunt is her favorite.
Rev. Carolyn Poling & Nicholas Peters
Interim Music Director
Bill DeLaune
Pianist
River Kirkley
Guitarist