In 2013, after much anticipation, The First United Methodist Church of Greensboro welcomed new Senior Pastor, the Rev. Mike Morgan and his wife Karen to Greensboro. The accolades that preceded him proved true. Over the last seven years, Pastor Mike exceeded all expectations and has ably led the church in numerous projects and missions. He has worked with the FUMC Missions Committee in both local and state disaster relief projects and they have generously supported his international mission endeavors. 

Building bridges between our church and Christians in other parts of the world has been a major focus of his ministry here in Greensboro. In 2014, after visiting a coffee plantation in Rwanda, Pastor Mike encouraged the Greensboro FUMC Mission Team to join in a mission project with Land of a Thousand Hills Coffee located there. Later, the Greensboro FUMC Mission Team generously provided partial funding for an inpatient exam room at a newly constructed clinic in Kivu, Rwanda.  

In association with AFCI, Ambassadors for Christ International, Pastor Mike taught at a school for African Pastors in Ghana, Africa. In addition, Pastor Mike also participated in the work of our local Greensboro FUMC missionaries, Lane and Merry Grayson on Long Island, Bahamas.

Funding for Greensboro FUMC local and international efforts has been greatly enhanced by eight years of the church’s popular Annual Garage Sale. All proceeds from this huge sale go to fund our church’s mission work near and far.

Pastor Mike has led Bible Studies and numerous trips to the Holy Land for FUMC members. In Israel, he performed Baptisms for members in the shallows of the Sea of Galilee. He has personally been to the Holy Land six times and once led a cruise, entitled Journeys of Paul, following in the footsteps of the Paul the Apostle.

Members could always find our pastor supporting the church “Relay for Life” group at the annual Greene County event. He promoted weekly contributions of food for the Greene County Food Bank. Once he brought a member of his previous church in Cartersville to present a Holy Week reenactment program on the crucifixion of Christ. The actor spoke and dressed as a Roman Centurion for the dramatic event in the sanctuary that will not be forgotten by all in attendance. 

As much as Reverend Morgan focused on mission work, He also was a marvelous pastor to his flock, faithful in times of need, and offering strong and calming support for grieving families. His dynamic Bible-based sermons were often punctuated with humor and always related to life. He enjoyed creating good-hearted laughter in his congregation.                                                                                                                             Pastor Mike showed his artistic side each Sunday with one of his For Heaven’s Sake syndicated cartoons in each worship bulletin.

August 16 will be the last Sunday worship service at Greensboro FUMC for our Senior Pastor Mike. The church is sad to lose him and his sweet wife Karen, who sang her heart out in the Chancel Choir, was involved in our lively children’s ministry, ladies circle meetings, and helped with Family Night dinners. She worked every day at the church Garage Sale and often joined her husband at hospitals and in homes for visits to families in need of compassion and care.

We welcome new FUMC Senior Pastor, the Rev. Dr. Matthew Stewart, currently associate pastor. He will ascend the pulpit in this position August 30. In the sanctuary to support him will be his lovely wife Julia and daughter Atalie.

 

The FUMC congregation and staff bid farewell and thank Reverend Morgan for his stellar ministry here. He will soon begin his tenure as Senior Pastor at First United Methodist Church of Gainesville. After he presides over his final Greensboro FUMC worship service, there will be a members and friends parade of cars formed at the South Campus church on Carey Station Road around 11 a.m. to celebrate Pastor Mike’s ministry here.  Everyone is invited to join the “safe distance” auto parade! Decorate your car, honk your horn, shout out your greeting and wave a hearty thanks and goodbye to the Morgans, as the parade of cars encircles the church parking lot.