February 7, 2025
Dear Peachtree Road Family,
I hope you are well. Tonight, we are delighted to welcome the Mississippi Mass Choirto Peachtree Road UMC. The concert is a part of our ongoing centennial celebration, and those who have a ticket are in for a real treat. However, for those who don’t have a ticket, we do not want you to miss out on the evening of gospel music, so we have arranged for the concert to be livestreamed online here. The Mississippi Mass Choir was formed in 1988 and has touched the lives of millions across the globe through their soul-stirring anthems of resilience, hope, and strong faith in Jesus Christ. Tune in and enjoy the music! (Please note – this event will be streamed live but not recorded. You must tune in at 7:00 pm on Friday, February 7, to enjoy the experience!)
Last Sunday, we brought our mental health sermon series to a close, but our emphasis upon mental wellness will continue throughout the year. As I observed in last week’s message, we may look like we’ve got it all together on the outside, but the reality is each of us is struggling with some battle on the inside – stress, anxiety, depression, regret, grief, or fear. I hope you found the messages on these to be helpful as we brought our faith into the equation and learned to cope. I particularly want to remind you that, if you find yourself struggling to maintain mental wellness, you do not have to go it alone. You can find hope and help through your friends at Peachtree Road UMC and the team that is part of our One Lamb Mental Health Initiative. Please reach out to our director of mental wellness, Rev. Emily Miles, for direction. Here are three upcoming events presented by the One Lamb Initiative:
- From Worried to Well: Managing Anxiety in an Anxious World – Sunday, February 16, at 10:00 am, in Heritage Hall. Dr. Ben Hunter, chief Medical Officer at Skyland Trail, will offer a presentation on anxiety in which he will discuss how avoidance behaviors can drive anxiety and how challenging these behaviors is key to fostering personal growth.
- Raising Resilience: Parenting Anxious Kids to Bravery Workshop – Thursday, February 20, 6:30 pm in The Loft (3rd floor of the Rollins Building). Navigating the push-pull of supporting anxious kids is challenging. How do you know when to encourage your child to face his or her fears and when to help them rest and recuperate? That’s the question with which this workshop will address. Marti Munford, clinical mental health therapist, will share with humor and compassion ways you can help your child flourish. Parents, RSVP here.
- Making Connections: A Conversation about Aging and Social Wellbeing – Sunday, March 2, 12:15 pm, Heritage Hall. You are invited to an open and honest conversation about the impact of life’s changes and challenges as we age. The focus of this conversation will be upon discovering ways to promote resilience and adaptation to the challenges of aging. Lunch will be provided for all registered attendees. RSVP here. For more information, please contact Rev. Emily Miles at emilym@prumc.org.
This Sunday promises to be an exciting day as we celebrate Youth Sunday at the 8:45 am and 11:15 am services in the sanctuary. Our students will be leading us in worship, and several high school seniors will share testimonies about their faith. I am grateful to our director of youth ministries, Chris Mucha, and his assistant directors, Rachel Hockman, Ryan Holder, and Aleah McClendon. They, along with a host of volunteers, do an amazing job helping our middle and high school students grow as disciples of Jesus Christ. Please join us at either service or online as we celebrate our church’s ministry with youth. Thank you for your support.
Our associate minister, Rev. Geoff Beakley, will be preaching at 10:00 am in the Moore Chapel, and his message is entitled “The Joy of Jesus’ Return.” In preparation for the sermon, you are encouraged to read I Thessalonians 4:13-18. I hope to see you at one of our Sunday morning services.
I do encourage you to place these upcoming special services on your calendar:
- Bishop Will Willimon preaching – Sunday, February 16, at all morning services. In 1996, Baylor University published a list of the “12 most effective preachers in the English-speaking world,” and Bishop Will Willimon was the lone Methodist to make the list. I have known Bishop Willimon for many years, count him as one of my mentors, and look forward to welcoming him to our pulpit. Please mark the date on your calendar and join us for worship.
- Dr. Brent Strawn preaching – Sunday, March 2, at all morning services. Brent is one of my favorite Old Testament professors. I first got to know him when he was at Candler School of Theology at Emory University, and now he teaches at Duke Divinity School. Brent has a passion for scripture that is contagious. I am pleased that he will be preaching at our morning worship services here at Peachtree Road UMC.
I hope to see you Sunday as we celebrate Youth Sunday.
Grace and peace,
Bill