Our Past

Since its beginning, the congregation of Peachtree Road United Methodist Church has been active in the Atlanta community, meeting the needs of people both inside and outside the church walls.

Peachtree Road was organized on April 28, 1925 in the home of Dr. and Mrs. M.T. Salter. We were founded as "The Peachtree Road Methodist Church" and The Reverend E.H. Wood was named our first pastor. At that first meeting, nineteen people entered their membership in Peachtree Road.

In May 1925, the new church purchased a lot at the corner of Peachtree Road and Sardis Way. The first public service was held there on June 7, 1925, as was the first Sunday School meeting at Peachtree Road.

In 1941 the church sold our property at the corner of Peachtree Road and Sardis Way and purchased the property where the church stands at 3180 Peachtree Road. We built what was known as The Great Hall in 1942, and held public worship there until 1949. The Great Hall has been in use since then and is now known as the Hall of Apostles in the back of the church.

What we now call the Old Sanctuary was built in 1949, along with the Church School Building. The Old Sanctuary was opened on Palm Sunday, April 10, 1949 and hosted worship services until we moved into the New Sanctuary. The Church School building continues to host many of our Sunday School classes and is now called the Adult Education Building.

Peachtree Road developed a Master Plan in 1992 to guide the expansion of our campus. In 1996, the Evelyn Gordy-Rankin Children's Building opened to house our nursery, children's Sunday School classes and pre-school. At the same time, we built The Rollins Center, which houses church administrative and business offices, meeting rooms and the Youth Lounge.

By 1998, Sunday attendance in the Old Sanctuary had grown to the point where some worshipers were regularly seated in folding chairs in the Old Sanctuary and in overflow seating in the Chapel at major holiday services. In 1999, the congregation voted to build our New Sanctuary.

The congregation of Peachtree Road is dedicated to opening their doors to everyone, to making visitors feel welcome and to extending the hospitality and friendship to both congregation and community.

Our Present

Peachtree Road's membership has steadily increased over the past decade to our present membership of over 7100.

Who joins Peachtree Road? Why are they first drawn to worship with us?

Many are young, single adults who are looking for a church home - a family, since many of their families do not live in the Atlanta area.  A third of our new members are engaged or newly married couples who are eager to begin new lives with a strong, spiritual grounding.  A large portion are families with young children, searching for a loving community of faith that can be experienced in a variety of ways.

A growing number are middle-aged adults who have raised their families and are looking for a renewed spiritual experience and new ways of sharing their time, talents and resources. These new members bring energy, talent and a shared sense of commitment to continue the ministry of Christ. It all begins with when we gather together to worship.

Peachtree Road's growing congregation continues to exhibit the welcoming hospitality that has been a hallmark of our ministry. Our doors are truly open to all.

Our Future

Worship is at the heart of who we are at Peachtree Road.  Our worship services and music are traditional with a warm, welcoming feel.

Peachtree Road puts great emphasis on continuing Christian study with Sunday School Classes, Forum Series and the DISCIPLE Bible Study program. There are numerous opportunities to join smaller groups, which are constantly evolving and open to new members.

The congregation is committed to outreach into the Atlanta community, both on an individual basis and in groups of volunteers. The largest project each year is The Great Day of Service in which almost 2000 volunteers from Peachtree Road blanket the Atlanta area on one Saturday in Lent. Volunteers serve at over 85 different outreach agencies helping with everything from painting to conducting birthday parties for the elderly.

Peachtree Road's congregation is multi-generational. There are opportunities for all ages and life stages to become involved through study, outreach and fellowship.