Page 9 | Peachtree Road United Methodist Church

Our Guiding Vision

This Sunday is our annual Celebration of Freedom service, and we will be singing patriotic hymns, hearing inspirational music from our Freedom Sunday volunteer choir, and honoring our veterans. For many, that moment in the service when the veterans march down the aisle to the expressed appreciation of our congregation is one of the highlights of the year at Peachtree Road UMC.

Much to Celebrate!

As you read these words, we are beginning day two of the 158th session of the North Georgia Annual Conference in Athens. Bishop Robin Dease is presiding, and the theme for this year is “Becoming an Acts Church.” I have always loved Annual Conference. I learned early in my ministry that it is like a family reunion. This spirit is captured in the historic Charles Wesley hymn that is sung at the opening session every year: And are we yet alive, and see each other’s face?

My Faith Looks Up to Thee

Last Sunday we celebrated the 99th anniversary of the founding of Peachtree Road United Methodist Church in grand fashion. I am so grateful to the Centennial Committee chaired by Eve Respess and all who had a hand in coordinating the celebration. The new Centennial Banner led the opening procession at each service, and we remembered how God has been at work through the people of Peachtree Road UMC for nearly a century. Our birthday luncheon following worship in Grace Hall was the perfect Atlanta celebration as The Varsity catered our meal. A great time was had by all, and I am especially grateful to Brittany Charron and her team who created a fun and festive atmosphere for our celebration.

99 Years and Counting!

During the services on Sunday, I will be preaching a message entitled “99 Years and Counting!” We will take time to remember – remember our history, remember who we are, and remember our calling from God. In preparation for the message, I encourage you to read the story of the Israelites entering the Promised Land found in Joshua 4:1-7. We will be singing two great hymns of the church (“Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing” and “Standing on the Promises”), and the Chancel Choir will sing an anthem based on Psalm 84 entitled “O How Amiable.” In addition, the response to the morning prayer will be one that was written by former Senior Minister Tom Whiting and arranged by former Director of Music John Dressler for the church’s 50th anniversary celebration in 1974.

Blessed Assurance

Let me be the first to wish you a happy Aldersgate Day. On this date 286 years ago, John Wesley had an experience that would forever impact his life and the Methodist movement he founded. He had returned to England from his time in the colony of Georgia and, by his own admission, was having a crisis of faith. Then, on the evening of May 24, 1738, Wesley attended a meeting of Moravian Christians that was taking place on Aldersgate Street in London. When he arrived, a layperson was reading from Martin Luther’s preface to his commentary on the New Testament book of Romans. Wesley later wrote these words in his personal journal:

Inspired by the Spirit

I really am looking forward to Sunday as we celebrate 50 years of the Pastoral Counseling Service at Peachtree Road UMC. In 1974, Rev. Larry Adams came to our church as the first director of the Pastoral Counseling Service, and this ministry has been a vital part of the community ever since. In fact, when I was serving churches in Cartersville and Athens, I often referred folks to the Pastoral Counseling Service here at Peachtree Road UMC. The impact of this ministry on the lives of others cannot be calculated!

Methodist Roots

This Sunday is Mother’s Day, the most “Methodist” of all American holidays. Quick history lesson. Ann Reeves Jarvis, a member of Andrews Methodist Church in Grafton, West Virginia, taught Sunday School, organized other women in her church to work for better sanitation in her community, volunteered at the local hospital, and worked to support young mothers. After the Civil War, she helped organize something she called “Mothers Friendship Day” picnics. These were designed to bring people together from both the Union and the Confederacy for a meal. Ann Jarvis died in 1905. Three years later, her daughter Anna Jarvis organized a day at the church to honor her mother and other women who had done so much for the community.

The Vital Church

As I write these words, the General Conference of the United Methodist Church is in its final hours. Delegates representing Annual Conferences from around the world have been meeting in Charlotte for the last 10 days to consider proposed legislation and revisions to the United Methodist Book of Discipline. As a part of their work, earlier this week, they deleted language about human sexuality that has been a part of the Book of Discipline since 1972. One way I think of this change is that it represents a return to the Methodist Church’s historic position going back to 1784.

Let Your Light Shine!

Last week was a great day in the life of Peachtree Road UMC as we welcomed the 55 members of the 2024 Confirmation Class into the full membership of the church. These youth have spent the last nine months in study and spiritual formation as a foundation of faith has been laid in their lives. I am grateful to Rachel Hockman and the youth team for the wonderful job they did in welcoming, nurturing, and mentoring these 6th-graders in their faith journey. One parent sent me an email earlier this week which included these words:

Christ as Our Shepherd

n our regular services this Sunday we will continue celebrating Easter and the resurrection of Jesus. Churches throughout the world will be celebrating “Good Shepherd Sunday” as we reflect upon that comforting metaphor of Christ as our shepherd. I encourage you to read John 10:11-18 in preparation for worship and plan to be present at Peachtree Road UMC. We will sing two great hymns of the church (“Come, Thou Almighty King” and “Savior, Luke a Shepherd Lead Us”), and the Chancel Choir will offer a beautiful arrangement of “The Lord Is My Shepherd” by Rutter. Please note that the regular Communion Service in the Moore Chapel at 10:00 am will be held, and Rev. Josh Miles will be preaching.