November 18, 2022
Dear Peachtree Road Family,
I hope you are well. 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. It will be a special day as we sing, pray, and count our many blessings. A luncheon will be served in Grace Hall after worship, and I hope you will plan to join your friends for warm fellowship and a delicious meal of ham, turkey, dressing, and all the fixings.
Over the course of the next week, I also hope you will take time to make a gratitude list of things for which you are thankful from the last year. To help prime the pump, let me share with you some things for which I am thankful.
I am thankful…
…for long walks on a sandy beach, bringing hope and inspiration
…for those times when the doctor smiles and says, “I’ve got good news…”
…for a Sunday spent with US Senate Chaplain Barry Black
…for a Thursday afternoon spent in conversation with Ambassador Andrew Young
…for a trip to Italy that included two of our grandchildren, the Sistine Chapel, DaVinci’s “Last Supper,” and lots of pasta and gelato!
…for the thrill of wading in the Jordan River and helping members remember their baptism
…for the talented church staff members who lead our congregation’s vital ministries
…for our initiatives in racial reconciliation and mental health that bring healing and wholeness
…for our new campus on the Westside of Midtown that is reaching new people for Christ
…for a spring “Season of Service” and a “Lenten Offering” of $158,000 to assist our partners
…for a Christmas Eve Offering that brings clean water and life to thousands in Kenya
…for the privilege of officiating at weddings and baptizing babies
…for lighted candles in a dark sanctuary on Christmas Eve
…for joyous singing in a sunlit sanctuary on Easter morning
…for an altar overflowing with youth on Confirmation Sunday
…for the 39 “saints” we remembered three weeks ago on All Saints Sunday
…for the faithful life of my mother, who now has joined that “great cloud of witnesses”
…for the excitement of spend-the-night parties with our grandchildren…and quiet days after
…for the blessings experienced in 39 wonderful years of marriage to my wife Wendie
…for the daily opportunities to worship and serve with you at Peachtree Road UMC
For these and many other blessings, I am thankful!
I hope that will inspire you to make your own list. And while we’re on the subject of being thankful, let me remind you of some wonderful opportunities in the near future:
- Jingle Jam – get into the Christmas spirit early by participating in our reimagined Advent Workshop on Sunday, November 20, 4:00 – 7:30 pm, in Grace Hall. This free family event includes Christmas crafts, pizza dinner, and a screening of the movie Jingle Jangle with popcorn, cookies, and hot chocolate. No registration is necessary, just come and join the fun! Bring your lawn chairs and blankets to enjoy the film.
- Christmas Kindness – registration is open for Harp’s Christmas Kindness. Volunteer for this beloved tradition providing Christmas gifts to the community in a dignified and festive manner. Our clients are surrounded by the care of loving volunteers who help them select and wrap their gifts. This Christmas outreach event will take place December 2 – 7. You may sign up online here.
- The Georgian Chamber Players – on Sunday, November 20, at 3:00 pm, the Georgian Chamber Players, formed by principal players of the ASO, will perform in our sanctuary. They will offer masterpieces by Mendelssohn and Brahms, including Mendelssohn’s concert for piano, violin, and strings in D minor. Visit www.prumc.org/music for ensemble and ticket information.
- Many Moods of Christmas – tickets will be available this Sunday for our classic Christmas concert taking place at 7:00 pm on Sunday, December 11. The tickets are complimentary but may run out, so reserve your seat – online at prumc.org/music, at the Dogwood Shop, or in the church office.
Finally, let me remind you of our Mid-week worship in the Moore Chapel. This thirty-minute service which starts at noon on Wednesdays, is the perfect way to renew your spirit in the middle of the week. I will be preaching this Wednesday, November 23, and hope to see you there. You also may worship online here.
Please know how thankful I am for you. Our thanksgiving leads to joy, and I pray that your joy may be full in this season.
Grace and peace,
Bill