April 12, 2024

Dear Peachtree Road Family,

I hope you are well. I want to begin this week’s note by letting you know that earlier this week our church was the host for a Leading Edge conference of Youth Leaders. The Leading Edge consists of the 100 largest United Methodist churches in the country, and about 70 leaders gathered under the theme “Better Together” for inspiration, fellowship, and the sharing of best practices. Our own Bill Curry was one of the keynote speakers, and he inspired the leaders with a message on being authentic and present disciples of Jesus Christ. You would have been proud of the leadership and hospitality our youth team brought to this conference.

This Sunday will be “Preschool Sunday” at Peachtree Road UMC, and I really am looking forward to the service. The Preschool is celebrating its 71st year and currently has approximately 350 students. A good number of the students and their families will be with us for the 11:15 am service, and we will have the opportunity to hear the children sing and recognize teachers, parents, grandparents, and alumni of The Preschool. It promises to be a fun service.  Click here to meet some wonderful folks associated with The Preschool and see their values and excellence in action.

Speaking of Sunday, we will continue our celebration of the Resurrection as we reflect upon Luke’s story of Jesus’s encounter with the disciples on Easter evening in which he told them:

“Look at my hands and my feet; see that it is I myself. Touch me and see; for a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” – Luke 24:39

In a message entitled “Believing Is Seeing,” we will explore the impact Easter faith has on the way we see the world in which we live: spiritually, socially, and physically. We will sing two great hymns of the church (“O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing” and “Jesus Loves Me”), and the Chancel Choir will offer one of my favorite anthems: “Christ the Lord Is Risen Again” by John Rutter. I hope to see you at one of our services on Sunday: 8:45 am, 10:00 am, or 11:15 am. If you cannot make it in person, please join us online. 

Are you new to Peachtree Road UMC and looking for ways to connect? Join Brittany Charron for a Tour of Peachtree Road’s Facilities this Sunday, April 14, at 10:00 am. Meet your guide in Heritage Hall for a tour of the campus and a brief overview of the church’s ministries and offerings. For more information, please contact Brittany Charron at brittanyc@prumc.org. 

Thank you for your contributions to our Lenten Offering. This offering goes to support several of our partner agencies in the community as we work together to build a better Atlanta. So far, we have received over $110,000. If you have not had an opportunity to give, it certainly is not too late! You may contribute by sending your check made payable to Peachtree Road UMC and marked for “Lenten Offering” or through the church website. Please help us give the new life we celebrate at Easter to others who need it so badly.

Our Kenya Mission Team left yesterday, and I encourage you to remember them in your prayers as they deliver the gift of clean water to hundreds of households living in the region. We have 16 folks on the mission trip. They are ambassadors of our church and bring hope and help in the name of Christ to folks in Kenya. Please pray for the Kenya Mission Team.

Upcoming Special Sundays:

  • Confirmation Sunday – on Sunday, April 21, we will welcome 6th graders into the full membership of the church at a special Confirmation Service in the sanctuary at 10:00 am. I am grateful to Chris Mucha and his team in student ministries for the leadership they have provided our youth over the course of the last year. The service is open to all and will be live-streamed through the church’s website.
  • Graduate Recognition – on Sunday, April 28, we will set aside time at the close of our 11:15 am worship service in the sanctuary to recognize and honor our high school graduating seniors. I hope you will be present to hear them as they share their plans for the coming year and join us in a prayer of blessing upon them.

Two Notes Concerning Our Centennial Celebration:

  • Additions to the StoryBook – new posts have been added to the digital Peachtree Road storybook highlighting the Worship Guilds of our church. New posts are online now featuring the Mary Stewart Altar Guild, the Needlepoint Guild, and the Flower Guild. Check it out here and, when you come to worship, look around our sanctuary and discover the many ways these working groups serve our church.
  • The Doves of Peachtree Road UMC – in June of this year, we will begin a year-long celebration of our 100th anniversary! As a part of our celebration, we will install a magnificent work of art in the sanctuary that will capture the spirit of our people and our centennial. Watch the video linked here and visit www.prumc.org/doves to learn more about the project and how you can become a sponsor.

Finally, let me remind you that the General Conference of the United Methodist Church will meet in Charlotte, North Carolina, from April 23 until May 3. This is the first time the official policy-making body of the denomination has had an opportunity to meet since 2019. I encourage you to pray for the delegates as they meet to discern God’s will for our denomination. After the conclusion of the General Conference, we will provide you with an update concerning the decisions they made and how our church might be impacted.

Thank you for your support in so many ways. I look forward to growing with you in our resurrection faith in the coming days through the ministry of this great church!

Grace and peace,

Bill