Page 5 | Peachtree Road United Methodist Church

Celebrate God’s Blessings Together

Many of you have asked about Scott Atchison, our director of music and organist. I am pleased to report that Scott is recovering well from his recent surgery and plans to be back on the organ bench on Palm Sunday, April 13. The doctors are very pleased with his progress, and we look forward to welcoming him back to worship. I am most grateful to David White for filling in for Scott over these last several weeks. We are so blessed here at Peachtree Road UMC.

Walking Faithfully Through Lent Together

Last Sunday was a fun day for my family and me. We worshiped at Athens First United Methodist Church as they celebrated their bicentennial – they are exactly 100 years older than our church. I noticed some interesting connections between our two churches. For example, they were founded in 1825, and the next year they received their first pastor, Rev. Lovick Pierce. He had a grandson who also became a Methodist preacher. In fact, his grandson, WL Pierce, became a district superintendent and served the Atlanta District. In 1925, Rev. Pierce presided over the establishment of Peachtree Road Methodist Church. Our current member, Wilds Pierce, is a direct descendent of both preachers. And, while I was preaching in Athens, our associate minister Rev. Josh Miles, a product of Athens First UMC, was preaching at Peachtree Road UMC.

Grounded in Grace, Growing in Faith

In the coming weeks we will be the power of the gospel to address the problem of sin in our world and to point the way toward salvation and a deeper faith. The reality is that none of us is exempt from the sudden storms that come into our lives and leave us disoriented – an unexpected health challenge, a financial setback, a crisis at home, or even a worldwide health pandemic. Some believe that experiencing these is a sign that our faith has let us down.

Grounded in Grace, Growing in Faith

In the coming weeks we will be the power of the gospel to address the problem of sin in our world and to point the way toward salvation and a deeper faith. The reality is that none of us is exempt from the sudden storms that come into our lives and leave us disoriented – an unexpected health challenge, a financial setback, a crisis at home, or even a worldwide health pandemic. Some believe that experiencing these is a sign that our faith has let us down. However, Paul wants us to know that the hard times can become a springboard to a fresh encounter with Christ.

Holy Habits and Basics of Our Faith

On Wednesday, we began our forty-day journey known as the season of Lent in preparation for the celebration of Easter. Throughout the centuries, Christians have used these days as a time of spiritual reflection, letting go of some of the things that distract them from following Christ, and intentionally adding some new “holy habits” to their lives. Traditionally, these have included prayer, fasting, study, and service to others. I hope you will consider this as your invitation to observe a holy Lent.

An Investment in Transformation

The season of Lent is upon us, and we begin our forty-day observance on March 5 with our Ash Wednesday services. The imposition of ashes will be available in the early morning at the Rollins Building turnaround from 7:00 am to 9:00 am, and services will be held at noon and 5:00 pm in the Moore Chapel. Our final Ash Wednesday service will occur at 7:00 pm in the sanctuary. During this season of repentance, we will prepare for our celebration of the Resurrection.

We Have Been Guided by God’s Spirit

Last Sunday was a wonderful day as we welcomed Bishop Will Willimon to Peachtree Road UMC. He preached a powerful message from Habakkuk 2 in which he encouraged us to actively wait for the Lord’s vision for our church to be fully realized and to entertain the possibility that now just might be the time. As we sang our closing hymn, “Marching to Zion,” I was struck by how blessed we are as a congregation.

Your Love Is Hope

I want to begin this week’s note with a word of gratitude for your generous gift to Celebrate UMC in Pacific Palisades, California. That church was consumed by flames from the Palisades Wildfire last month, and we received a special offering the next two Sundays. Earlier this week, we mailed a check for over $22,000 to help Celebrate UMC rebuild its ministry. Imagine. They don’t have an altar table, baptismal font, pews, Bibles, hymnals, or even a building in which to worship.

Celebrate A Strong Faith!

Tonight, we are delighted to welcome the Mississippi Mass Choirto Peachtree Road UMC. The concert is a part of our ongoing centennial celebration, and those who have a ticket are in for a real treat. However, for those who don’t have a ticket, we do not want you to miss out on the evening of gospel music, so we have arranged for the concert to be livestreamed online here. The Mississippi Mass Choir was formed in 1988 and has touched the lives of millions across the globe through their soul-stirring anthems of resilience, hope, and strong faith in Jesus Christ. Tune in and enjoy the music! (Please note – this event will be streamed live but not recorded. You must tune in at 7:00 pm on Friday, February 7, to enjoy the experience!)

When I Am Afraid, I Put My Trust In You

It is hard to believe that the first month of the new year is coming to a close. For Methodist churches, the end of January always means “end of the year reports,” and I will share some of our statistics from last year later in this note. Spoiler alert: it was an outstanding year!