June 28, 2024
Dear Peachtree Road Family,
I hope you are well. Let me begin by thanking all who helped make Freedom Sunday a grand celebration. It was wonderful to see so many folks in church as we sang patriotic hymns, honored our veterans, and prayed for our nation. We welcomed new members into the life of the church (this brings our total of new members over the last year-and-a-half to 400!) The music was especially moving as we welcomed a great many new persons to the volunteer festival choir, and I noticed more than a few tears as Will Green led us in singing “God Bless America.” We had over 500 folks stay for lunch and enjoy the warm fellowship in Grace Hall. Chef Bob and his team served fried chicken until there wasn’t even a chicken’s gizzard left! Thank you to all who made Sunday’s celebration possible.
And, while we’re on the topic of patriotic celebrations, I want to invite you to join us in front of the church on Thursday, July 4, for our “Party on Peachtree” from 6:30 am until 8:30 am. The elite runners start in front of Lenox Square (women at 6:50 am and men at 7:00 am) and sprint past the church within 5 minutes. We will gather out front to enjoy a time of fellowship as we cheer on the 60,000 participants as they sprint/jog/walk past our church as a part of the Peachtree Road Race. The church bells will be ringing, and the large American flag will be flying! Come spend the early hours of the holiday with your church family.
I look forward to worshiping with you this Sunday, June 30, as we continue our commemoration of Independence Day in America which we began last Sunday. Our hymns will warm your heart (“America the Beautiful” and “My Country, ‘Tis of Thee”), and the Chancel Choir’s anthem is “The Mansions of the Lord.” The sermon is entitled “God’s Gracious Power,” and we will reflect upon the healing of two women and their relevance to our lives today. In preparation for the message, I encourage you to read Mark 5:21-43. Also, note that we will be celebrating the Sacrament of Holy Communion at the close of Sunday’s service. It promises to be a good day.
Construction News:
- The Great Organ – after over 20 years of faithful service, our sanctuary’s magnificent organ will receive much-needed updates. Over the next four weeks, workers from the Mander Organ firm in London will carefully replace aging pieces of electronic equipment that control the many sections of both the chancel and gallery instruments. Just like a television from 20 years ago, the electronic components have become outdated and even obsolete. During this time, our worship will be led by the piano – very fitting for our “Summer in the City” worship services! We are so fortunate to have these craftsmen from England help the Great Organ last for many decades to come.
- Chiller Project – some of you may be aware that the two chillers that provide our church with the air conditioning for our campus recently died. Our property management team kept them running longer than thought feasibly possible, and our Board of Trustees recommended several months ago that we make the difficult decision to replace both chillers ($3.2 million!). The Finance Committee arranged for financing, and the Administrative Board approved the project. The installation of the new chiller system is underway, and we have installed a temporary unit to keep us cool throughout the summer. Installation should be complete by the end of August, and we will benefit from a new, more efficient system for the next 15 years. So, if you come to the church during the week and see construction workers, you’ll know what’s up…hopefully not the temperature in the building!
I know many of you will be away this weekend in advance of the holiday, and pray that you will travel safely. As always, if you are unable to worship in person at Peachtree Road UMC, please stay connected to your church family by worshiping online at www.prumc.org on Sundays at 8:45 am, 10:00 am, 11:15 am, or downloading the service later in the week through the church website. Please call us if you need us.
Grace and peace,
Bill