February 10, 2023
Dear Peachtree Road Family,
I hope you are well. This Sunday promises to be an exciting day as we celebrate Youth Sunday here at Peachtree Road UMC at the 8:45 am and 11:15 am services in the sanctuary. Our students will be leading us, and several high school seniors will share reflections about their faith. I am grateful to our director of youth ministries Chris Mucha and his assistant directors Mary Allred, Rachel Hockman, and Ryan Holder. They, along with a host of volunteers, do an amazing job to help our middle and high school students grow as disciples of Jesus Christ. Please join us at either 8:45 am or 11:15 am in the sanctuary (or online by Livestream here) as we celebrate our church’s ministry with youth. Thank you for your support.
We will offer a service celebrating the Sacrament of Holy Communion at 10:00 am in the Moore Chapel. I will be preaching from Mark 10:13-16, and the sermon title is “If I Should Wake Before I Die…” Do you sometimes feel like you are sleepwalking through life? Then this message might be for you. I hope to see you at one of our Sunday morning services.
We also are sponsoring a forum this Sunday at 10:00 am entitled “Seen and Loved.” International speaker, mental health consultant, and local counselor Dr. Chinwé Williams will offer a message of inspiration and motivation for helping young people feel seen and loved through the power of connection. This forum is an event jointly sponsored by The One Lamb Initiative and Peachtree Road UMC Youth Ministry and is open to all members.
Opportunities to Serve at Peachtree Road UMC:
- Habitat for Humanity Build – come and be a part of the construction of our 52nd home in cooperation with Habitat for Humanity. Our 2023 home recipient will be the family of LaQuita Boulware, an assistant manager at a senior living facility. LaQuita is passionate about caring for others and her sweet daughter Jurnee. She will be working side-by-side with the Peachtree Road UMC team Saturdays February 18 – April 22. We are grateful to also partner with St. Benedict’s Catholic Church for this build and encourage you to sign up for this rewarding outreach project. Remember, no experience is needed! Others will be present to teach you everything you need to know. You may sign up here.
- Season of Service – each year, during the season of Lent, we are pleased to offer meaningful opportunities for persons of all ages and abilities to reach out and make a difference in the lives of others. Just like the ripples on a pond created when a stone hits the water, your service will have a far-reaching impact on our community when we come together through a Season of Service. Join us once again to help others as the body of Christ in a renewed and relevant way. For more information, visit our Season of Service page here.
The Finance Committee met two weeks ago and authorized ten special offerings for 2023. In an effort to help you plan your giving for the year, let me share with you those dates and causes we support:
- Youth Missions – February 12
- Georgia Sponsor-a-Child – February 19
- Lenten Offering – April 9
- Wesley Woods Senior Living – May 14
- Murphy-Harpst Home – August 13
- Wellroot – September 17
- 10/10 Mental Health Support – October 8
- Turkey Drive – November 12
- Christmas Kindness – December 3
- Christmas Eve Water Filters in Kenya – December 24
We have been notified that we have a few cabins available for our upcoming “Journeys of Paul Cruise” to Turkey and Greece. Jamie Jenkins and I will be leading a trip tracing Paul’s 2nd and 3rd missionary journeys this fall (October 20-30), and registration is open! We have been allocated 65 cabins aboard the Azamara Onward for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience the land of Paul with other United Methodists, and we still have a few cabins available. The online brochure is here. For more information, please contact Jamie Jenkins at jamiej@prumc.org.
Finally, let me encourage you to pray for those affected by the devastating earthquake in Turkey and Syria. Please pray for the families who have lost loved ones, the recovery of those who survived, and strength for the rescue workers. May God’s Spirit be with them all.
I look forward to Sunday as we celebrate the ministry of youth in our midst.
Grace and peace,
Bill