January 13, 2023

Dear Peachtree Road Family,

I hope you are well. We have made a good beginning to the new year here at Peachtree Road UMC. Last Sunday we celebrated God’s gift of the Holy Spirit in our lives, approached the font to touch water from the springs of the Jordan River, and remembered our baptism. It was a wonderful day.

This Sunday promises to be a good day of worship as well. Without a doubt, we all have been impacted by the recent health pandemic and resulting months-long quarantine. Some are just now recognizing the long-term impact the pandemic has had on mental health. More Americans than ever before are living with anxiety, depression, and other debilitating mental health challenges. Chances are that you are experiencing these challenges in your own life and family. How can we who are people of faith discover the help and hope we need? That is the question with which we will wrestle during our January sermon series entitled “Journey to Wholeness.”

January 15 | Psalm 118:1-9 | You Are Not Alone

January 22 | Matthew 12:46-5 | We Are Family

January 29 | Luke 6:25-34 | Living in Grace

Together, we will listen for the assuring voice of the Lord as we seek peace and hope in our lives. Please join us for this series designed to help us discover mental health. If you will be out of town this weekend, we encourage you to worship with us online through the church website. Thank you for your participation in worship.

Speaking of this weekend, I remind you that our youth are out on their annual ski retreat. I encourage you to pray for their safe travels and an enjoyable weekend in Snowshoe, West Virginia. 

Upcoming Events at Peachtree Road UMC: 

  • Seeking Shalom Course – you know about our initiative on racial reconciliation here at Peachtree Road UMC. Dr. Ryan Bonfiglio, of Candler School of Theology, will lead a course on Wednesday evenings that is designed to help participants explore the biblical concept of “shalom” and its relationship with matters of justice, poverty, social divides, and reconciliation. This course is free to those who register, and you can participate either in person or online. The first session was this past Wednesday evening, and we had over 100 persons join us. It’s not too late to sign up through our church website. If you have questions, please contact Rev. Josh Miles at joshm@prumc.org.
  •  An Evening with Jane Pauley – as a part of our church’s ongoing initiative to promote mental wellness, our One Lamb Initiative is sponsoring an evening with Jane Pauley. You know her as one of the most respected journalists in our country and the host of CBS Sunday Morning. Did you know that she was diagnosed at age 50 with a mental illness? She has written a book about her journey and will be present with us on Monday, January 23 to talk about it. To obtain a ticket, please click here. Your $20 gift will benefit the church’s One Lamb Wellness Initiative.
  • Annual Charge Conference – our district superintendent Dr. Michael McQueen will be with us on Monday, January 30, at 6:30 pm for our Annual Charge Conference. At this meeting we will share our progress in ministry, officially elect leaders for the year, and adopt an operating budget for 2023. This will double as our first Administrative Board meeting for the year with Neal Sumter as our new chairperson.

Finally, if you are interested in becoming a member of Peachtree Road UMC, please join us for “Tea with the Clergy” on Sunday, January 22, at 12:30 pm. This will be an opportunity for you to meet our ministerial staff, hear about the history and ministry of the church, ask questions, and discover where you fit into the ministry of this great church. We already have nearly 50 persons signed up for this month’s gathering. If you would like to learn more about the steps in becoming a member, please contact Rev. Elizabeth Byrd at elizabethb@prumc.org.   

I’ll see you Sunday as we worship, pray, fellowship, and listen for the Lord’s voice speaking words of comfort to us.

Grace and peace,

Bill