Hopewell welcomes new pastor

The Rev. Scott Pickering, a native of Baxley, was welcomed as the new pastor of Hopewell United Methodist Church last Sunday, June 26.

Pickering attended Middle Georgia and Georgia Southern colleges, and was graduated with a degree in political science and a minor in psychology. He attended seminary at Emory University for a year, then took a job with The Boy Scouts of America, an organization he remains involved with today. He attended theology school at ITC, where he was ordained.

Pickering formerly pastored churches in Calhoun and Clarkdale. Hopewell will be his third appointment in the North Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church.

He recently returned from a trip to Great Britain and did research toward his doctorate at the University of Wales. He is writing his dissertation on “Original Sin”, as John Wesley, founder of Methodism, taught it.

Pickering has purchased a home in the area and says he looks forward to meeting and getting to know the members of his congregation as well as others in the area.

Hopewell is across from Sandy Creek High School on Jenkins Road in Tyrone. Sunday school is at 9:45 a.m., followed by a worship service at 11 a.m.