September 15, 2023
Dear Peachtree Road Family,
I hope you are well. It was good to see so many of you back in church last Sunday as we kicked off the fall season here at Peachtree Road UMC. We had a wonderful day of worship and fellowship. The Grand Organ was down due to an electrical surge that fried the computer board (and unfortunately is not repaired yet), but we didn’t miss a beat in worship as the Chancel Choir, Georgia Boy Choir, and Atlanta Brassworks joined with the Gallery Organ to lead us in worship. We are so blessed to have the resources we have that enable us to experience the awe-inspiring presence of God in our worship. We also welcomed 21 new members last Sunday. That brings us to a total of 49 new members who joined Peachtree Road UMC within the last three weeks, with 11 of them making a first-time profession of faith in Christ. The total number of new members so far this year is 207. We are richly blessed and need to celebrate the work of Christ in our midst!
This Sunday, we will continue our series of messages on prayer entitled “The Disciples’ Prayer.” Last week, we reflected upon the nature of the God to whom we pray. God is relational and sees you, knows you, cares for you, and walks with you always as a loving parent. God also is great and able to do far more than we can ever ask or imagine. That is what it means to pray, “Our Father…” This week, we will pay attention to the petitions Jesus invites us to make when we pray, and the message is entitled “Your Will Be Done…” Please join us in person at 8:45 am, 10:00 am, or 11:15 am or online at prumc.org.
At the 8:45 am service, we will present Bibles to our third graders. This is one of those holy moments in the life of our church as we celebrate with the 80+ children we have on roll in the third grade, give them their first Bible, and begin to teach them how to use this book of our faith. I will challenge them to memorize ten particular passages in the next year, and we will celebrate with two fourth graders who accomplished that feat last year. Then, George Nunn, one of our third graders, will come forward to read our scripture lesson for the day. This will be an inspiring Sunday.
We also will receive a special offering for Wellroot. Formerly known as the United Methodist Children’s Home, Wellroot was started over 150 years ago by the Methodists of the North Georgia Conference to care for children in our communities. Sunday, we will give to help the foster parents supported by this ministry and help provide a safe place for children. I encourage you to give generously. You may make your check payable to Peachtree Road UMC and mark it for “Wellroot” or give through the church online here. Thank you for your support.
One Lamb Mental Health Initiative Forums:
- Let’s Talk: Raising Our Children for Mental Wellness – Sunday, September 17, at 10:00 am in Heritage Hall. This forum will be led by Andrea Petsche, Director of The Preschool at Peachtree Road UMC, as she moderates a panel of experts in the field of child development.
- Lessons from the Valley: What We Learn in Times of Loss – Sunday, September 24, at 10:00 am in the Sanctuary. Ron Greer, Director of the Pastoral Counseling Service at Peachtree Road UMC, will speak on grief and how healing can come from engaging the mourning of our significant losses. His new book entitled The Quiet House is now available in The Dogwood Gift Shop.
- Twenty/20 for Young Adults – Sunday, September 24, at 6:00 pm in the Hospitality Suite. Doug Hurd from Skyland Trail will speak with young adults ages 22-30 on how to recognize when you’re struggling and how to help yourself and others through periods of anxiety or depression.
- Financial Assistance for Mental Wellness – Are you in need of financial assistance to get the mental health help you need? Resources are available at 1Lamb.org.
You may learn more about each of these by visiting the One Lamb website at 1lamb.org.
Have you had an opportunity to check out the Peachtree Road Storybook website? It was created to share the history and ministry of our church…one story at a time. Creative director Marcia Gaddis leads a team of researchers, writers, and editors from our congregation. As we approach our Centennial Celebration in 2025, a new chapter is added each month to relay the history and legacy of our church’s ministry. This month women in ministry are highlighted. Enjoy a brief history complete with photos and recollections by visiting peachtreeroadstorybook.org.
Finally, have you ever wanted to sing with the Chancel Choir? Then you are invited to an open rehearsal on Wednesday, October 11, at 7:00 pm in the Music Suite. You will have an opportunity to join the Chancel Choir in the warmup by singing a few hymns in preparation for Sunday’s service and then rehearse a beautiful arrangement of the well-known hymn “It Is Well with My Soul.” It is designed to give you the feel of what it is like to be a part of this singing community of faith. For more information, contact Scott Atchison, director of music, at scotta@prumc.org.
Thank you for your faith in Christ and commitment to this great church. Please let us know if we can be of help to you in any way.
Grace and peace,
Bill