Happy Thanksgiving! I am writing you on this Thursday morning to wish you a wonderful Thanksgiving and express my gratitude for your faithful support of the ministry of Peachtree Road UMC. As was clearly evident last Sunday, we as a church are abundantly blessed! My heart is full, and I am grateful for you. I hope you have a wonderful day with loved ones.

Thanksgiving Day is less than a week away, and I really am looking forward to worshiping with you this weekend as we celebrate Harvest Sunday here at Peachtree Road UMC. It will be a special day as we sing, pray, and count our many blessings. A complimentary Thanksgiving luncheon featuring turkey, ham, dressing, mashed potatoes, green beans, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie will be served in Grace Hall after worship, and I hope you will plan to join your friends at Peachtree Road UMC for a day of giving thanks.

Have you seen the “Doves of Peachtree Road?” That seems to be a question I am hearing a lot these days. Last Sunday, we dedicated this amazing creation of art designed to help us celebrate our centennial. The doves represent the hope that came when Noah sent the dove out from the ark after the flood, and it returned with an olive branch in its beak. They also represent the presence of the Holy Spirit that alighted upon Jesus at his baptism and remained with him always. I am so grateful for the beautiful addition the doves make to our sanctuary in these days. We are now offering docent-led tours of our sanctuary, and I hope you will take this opportunity to learn more about the doves and other symbols of faith in our sacred space.

At the close of this note, I will offer a pastoral word concerning this week’s Presidential election. But I want to begin with a look back to last Sunday. It was a very good day at Peachtree Road UMC! In our celebration of All Saints Sunday, we called the names of 29 members of our church who have preceded us into death, lighted candles in their memory, and gathered at the Lord’s Table to receive the Sacrament of Holy Communion. Hearing the Great Organ as we sang “For All the Saints” and Tom Walker playing “Amazing Grace” on the bagpipes was just what I needed last week. It was a very good day!

Let me begin this week’s note with an encouragement for you to join me in prayer for those in Florida whose lives are being impacted by Hurricane Milton. Within the last two weeks, we have watched as neighbors to our north, south, and east have experienced the devastating loss of life and property to storms of immense power. One news outlet reported that more than 18 inches of rain fell on St. Petersburg, representing a “more than 1-in-1000 year rainfall for the area.” You have seen the images of destruction, and you know the need is great. United Methodist churches have become community centers in these days to assist in the rescue, relief, and recovery efforts. I want you to know that your generous giving has made a difference.

Last Sunday was a wonderful day in worship as we presented Bibles to our third graders. More than 50 students got up early to come to church to receive their Bible and then begin the journey of learning to hear the voice of the Lord speaking to them through scripture. As I listened to third-graders Mercer Amy and Lucy Kennedy read the scripture lesson before the sermon, I thought about how blessed we are here at Peachtree Road UMC. Please don’t take the privilege we have of being able to nurture the faith of one another for granted. It is a blessing!

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 full chapel at 10:00 am, a full sanctuary at 11:15 am, and a delicious barbeque luncheon sponsored by the men of the church. It was a wonderful day of worship and fellowship. The Chancel Choir, Georgia Boy Choir, and Atlanta Brassworks joined together to present music that made us feel like we were with the angels in heaven! We also welcomed 12 new members last Sunday.