Bill Britt Archives | Page 2 of 9 | Peachtree Road United Methodist Church

Experience God’s Gift of Peace

We brought our mental health series to a close last Sunday, but our emphasis upon mental wellness will continue throughout the year. Over the course of the last four weeks, we looked at some of the root causes of stress and anxiety and how our faith can enable us to cope with them. I hope you found these messages helpful. I particularly want you to know that, if you find yourself struggling to maintain mental wellness, you do not have to go it alone. You can find hope and help through your friends at Peachtree Road UMC and the One Lamb Mental Health initiative team.

Finding Comfort

On Sunday we will conclude our series on mental wellness with a message entitled “Finding Comfort in the Midst of Grief.” At some time in life, each of us encounters grief: the loss of a job, the end of a relationship, or the death of a loved one. How do you cope when grief sets into your life? That’s the question with which I want us to wrestle on Sunday. In preparation for the message, I encourage you to read Jeremiah’s words to the people of Israel as they grieved the loss of their homeland and exile in Babylon – Jeremiah 29:1, 4-7. We will sing two great hymns of the church (“All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name” and “Leaning on the Everlasting Arms”), and the Chancel Choir’s anthem will be Carlton Young’s arrangement of “I Will Not Leave You Comfortless” which is based upon Jesus’ words in John 14

His Name is Jesus

Thank you for the many emails and notes of appreciation we have received in recent days about last Sunday’s worship. As we considered Jesus’ conversation with a Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well, we remembered that our faith teaches us that we are made for relationships. Sometimes that means showing up for those who have experienced brokenness, loss, or great pain in recent days and offering them a listening ear, God’s blessing, and a prayer for comfort. Other times it means not isolating ourselves from others and allowing them to be our “bridge over troubled water.”

Life Lived in Relationship

Have you signed up to join us in reading through the Bible together this year? Each morning we receive an email containing four passages of scripture – readings from the Old Testament, Psalms, Gospels, and Epistles. These are arranged thematically. Since we are currently in the season of Epiphany, each of the assigned readings offers insight into the nature and character of God – an epiphany. Some have noticed that some of the readings from the psalms are repeating. There are only 150 psalms in the book, so these naturally are repeated from time to time. I hope you are finding this approach to reading the scriptures helpful.

Listen for the Lord’s Voice

We have made a good beginning to the new year here at Peachtree Road UMC. Our theme for the year is “Rekindle the Flame,” and, as a part of this emphasis, we are praying for spiritual revival in our community, our church, and in our own personal lives. Last Sunday I mentioned in the sermon that the early church established rituals to help new disciples leave behind their pagan ways and live into the Christian faith. In that spirit, I am encouraging us to incorporate some “holy habits” into our own life:

Rekindle the Gift of God That Is Within You

Many of you were present two weeks ago for one of our five Christmas Eve services. The pageantry of the service, the glorious music, and hearing the story of Christ’s birth read from Luke’s Gospel warmed my heart. Most of all, I was overjoyed to see so many of your faces. Wendie and I took some time off after Christmas, and I’ve found myself humming a little chorus all week:

Thank You!

Thank you for helping make our Christmas Eve candlelight services a glorious celebration of our faith. Light indeed shines in the darkness, and the darkness will never overcome it! We had over 5,000 worship in person with us last Sunday and over 3,200 more online. Thank you to all who worked so tirelessly behind the scenes to make our celebration possible. I do not have a final count on the Christmas Eve Offering for water filters in Kenya, but I am grateful to all who contributed. Thank you for helping us change lives through clean water!

A Merry Christmas at Peachtree Road!

Merry Christmas! As I write these words, we are merely hours away from our Christmas Eve celebration. The church has been buzzing with excitement as members of the flower guild, altar guild, usher teams, acolyte teams, hospitality volunteers, children’s choir moms, Doxology Choir members, Chancel Choir members, and pageant helpers all have been making their final preparations for the big day. The church is at its most beautiful, and I am grateful to all who have helped. There is nothing like Christmas at Peachtree Road UMC!

Comfort and Joy in the Coming Days

Our theme for this season of Advent has been “Light Shines in the Darkness.” Over the last few weeks, we have been considering how our faith sustains us in the difficult days of life. We learned from the shepherds that, when you realize God’s grace is poured out upon you, your fears begin to subside, you no longer feel paralyzed, and you can begin to move forward with a sense of peace and purpose. That is what we discover in this season. We will bring this series to a close on Sunday with an emphasis upon experiencing joy even in the midst of a weary season of life. You certainly will not want to miss the music for this week:

Prepare Anew for the Coming of Christ

Last week we made a good start to Advent, and I am grateful to all who had a hand in decorating our sanctuary for the season. The Chrismon tree is the most beautiful I have ever seen, and I understand there are over 8,000 lights on it – one for every member of Peachtree Road UMC! A delighted gasp went up from the congregation when the tree lights came on for the first time during the children’s choir program last Sunday evening. We’re off to a great start!