December 6, 2024

Dear Peachtree Road Family,

I hope you are well. Last week we made a good start to the Advent season, and I am grateful to all who had a hand in decorating our sanctuary for the season. The Chrismon tree is absolutely beautiful, and I understand there are over 8,000 lights on it – one for every member of Peachtree Road UMC! A delighted gasp went up in the congregation on Sunday evening when the tree lights came on during the children’s music program. We’re off to a great start!

As we approach the second week of Advent, I remind you that our theme is “Believe!” Each week, we are considering those characters in the Christmas story who encounter an angel and are challenged to believe. Last Sunday, we spent some time thinking about Zechariah’s encounter with the angel and the realization that sometimes what we sense to be punishment actually might be a blessing. This week we will be considering Mary’s encounter with the angel and the angel’s proclamation: “For nothing will be impossible with God.” Do you believe that? We’ll talk about it on Sunday.

The music on Sunday promises to warm your heart. We will be singing three of our favorite carols (Angels from the Realms of Glory, The First Noel, and O Little Town of Bethlehem), and the Chancel Choir will offer John Rutter’s arrangement of an anthem entitled “Nativity Carol.” I hope you will join us in person at 8:45 am, 10:00 am, or 11:15 am or online through the church website.

Special Worship Opportunities for this Season:

  • Many Moods of Christmas – Sunday, December 8, at 7:30 pm in the sanctuary. Tickets for this classic Christmas concert are complimentary but may run out, so reserve your seats today – online, at the Dogwood Shop, or in the church office.
  • Carols by Candlelight – Sunday, December 15, at 5:30 pm in the sanctuary. You are invited to join us as the Chancel Choir and Doxology Youth Choir lead us in a service of lessons and very familiar carols. The service closes with the lighting of candles as a symbol of our hope that “light shines in the darkness and the darkness does not overcome it.”
  • Christmas with the Georgia Boy Choir – Friday, December 20, and Saturday, December 21, at 7:00 pm in the sanctuary. Come hear all five levels of the Georgia Boy Choir, our ensemble in residence, as they perform sacred classics, traditional Christmas carols, and all your holiday favorites. You may purchase your tickets here.
  • Longest Night Service – for many, the holidays can be a difficult time. Our Longest Night Service, set for Sunday, December 22, at 5:30 pm in the Moore Chapel, is designed to help participants find comfort in the midst of loss and grief. Pastoral Counselor Andrea DeWalt will offer a message of hope.

Christmas Eve – there is nothing like Christmas Eve at Peachtree Road UMC! The sight of worshipers filling our beautiful sanctuary, children in their costumes leading us in a Christmas pageant, and lighted candles piercing the darkness, giving us hope, are just a few of the lasting images that come to my mind. You are invited to experience the glory of Christmas Eve at Peachtree Road UMC at five scheduled services:

11:00 am – First Communion of Christmas and Candlelight

4:00 pm – Children’s Pageant and Candlelight

6:00 pm – Children’s Pageant and Candlelight

8:00 pm – Lessons and Carols and Candlelight

10:30 pm – Festival Worship with Eucharist and Candlelight

Now, let me offer some information about several giving opportunities:

  • Christmas Kindness – thank you to all who are volunteering to serve in our church’s outreach to the working poor of our community. Beginning today folks are coming to the church and having the opportunity to shop for coats, toys, and small appliances for their families. This ministry is funded 100% by your donation, and we encourage you to give generously here this week.
  • Christmas Eve Offering – once again, this year’s special offering on Christmas Eve will be used to purchase water filters for those living in the Kiamaina region of Kenya. One $50 water filter can provide clean water to a family for up to 10 years. Please help us give the gift of hope as we celebrate the birth of our Savior. You may give now online or purchase a water filter gift card at the Dogwood Gift Shop.
  • Year-End Giving – due to your wonderful generosity, we are hopeful that we will be able to cover all our projected expenses for the current year. However, in order to do that, we need to finish well. Please do your best to fulfill your commitment to the operating budget and consider giving an extra gift this season. Thank you for your help! You may give to fulfill your pledge online here.
  • Make a pledge to the 2025 church budget – thank you to those who have returned your 2025 pledge or made a recurring gift online. It appears that many of you have taken a “step up” in your support of your church’s ministry (which is so needed and so important for our 2025 ministry!). If you have not yet made a pledge of support for next year’s budget, would you take a few minutes to do so today? If you are able, I am encouraging you to join Wendie and me in increasing your giving for 2025. You can make your pledge online by clicking here. Again, thank you for your generous support of Peachtree Road UMC.

Finally, I hope you are enjoying the “Doves of Peachtree Road.” They have added so much to our sanctuary as we celebrate our 100th Christmas as a congregation. If you have not yet acted to sponsor a dove, it is not too late. Not only will you be able to designate a dove in honor or memory of a loved one in this season of celebration, but you also will have the opportunity to receive the dove you sponsored when the display is removed in June. You may sponsor your dove today by clicking here.

I look forward to seeing you Sunday as we continue our journey toward Bethlehem and the coming of Christ fully into our lives.

Grace and peace,

Bill