Following the cancellation of our first meeting due to freezing weather, the Appalachian Christian Leadership Council (AppCLC) has now rescheduled the Union County organizational meeting for Thursday, March 13 beginning at 6 pm in the Pat Haralson Civic Center conference room, 165 Wellborn St, Blairsville.

“We’re also excited our AppCLC website is now up and running,” explained Jim Yohe, deputy chair. “AppalachianCLC.org includes background and current information about us and our Released Time Bible Education programs. Especially important to our self-funding needs, our donation page allows tax deductible contributions to specific programs. You can donate to the organization in general or any one of our four county Christian Leadership Centers in Towns, Union, Clay or Cherokee.”

The Appalachian Christian Leadership Council was formed to come alongside local churches and ministries in this quad-county area (Towns and Union in north Georgia and Clay and Cherokee in North Carolina) to expand Biblical knowledge among our public school students and citizens. The primary focus will be to introduce RTBE to public high school students.

If you have questions, please email Jim Yohe,  or call 940-867-4392.

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Following the successful start of the Towns County Christian Leadership Center, the Appalachian Christian Leadership Council (AppCLC) is now looking at a similar effort in Union County. The organizational meeting is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 20 beginning at 7 pm in the Haralson Civic Center conference room, 165 Wellborn St, Blairsville.

“To make this point perfectly clear, released time programs are legal and constitutional,” explained Jeff Langley, Chair of AppCLC. “Many Released Time Bible Education (RTBE) programs already exist across the entire country, besides the new program in Towns County, Fannin, Gilmer and White Counties in the north Georgia mountains have been operating for decades,” he added.

All RTBE programs have the same characteristics, according to Jim Yohe, deputy chair. They work closely with local school boards; students receive course credits from the county schools; classes are considered elective credits by the school system; classes are held off campus; each sponsoring organization is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit entity that does not receive government support (they are self-funding); all of the course offerings are Biblically-based; classes are taken voluntarily with parent approval; classes are offered free of charge and students attend during the regular school day.

“RTBE schools thrive by bringing hope to youth through an encouraging, respectful relationship between students, teachers and volunteers,” noted Gary Meier, secretary. “Too many of our nation’s children, including many in the Bible Belt of north Georgia and western North Carolina have never been to church, much less read the Bible. The AppCLC, by bringing together local Christian leaders and volunteers, has the passion to correct this problem and introduce Biblical knowledge to more and more Biblically illiterate students,” Meier concluded.

“Since no state or federal taxes are used developing a comprehensive financial plan to secure necessary funds for such an endeavor is also critical,” said Board member Bob Louder. “These schools will need to be privately funded by local churches, businesses, community organizations, individuals, and fundraising activities.”

The Appalachian Christian Leadership Council was formed to come alongside local churches and ministries in this quad-county area (Towns and Union in north Georgia and, Clay and Cherokee in North Carolina) to expand Biblical knowledge among our public school students and citizens. The primary focus will be to introduce RTBE to public high school students.

If you have questions, please email Jim Yohe or give him a call at 940-867-4392.