September 20, 2024

Dear Peachtree Road Family,

I hope you are well. Last Sunday was a wonderful day in worship as we presented Bibles to our third graders. More than 50 students got up early to come to church to receive their Bible and then begin the journey of learning to hear the voice of the Lord speaking to them through scripture. As I listened to third-graders Mercer Amy and Lucy Kennedy read the scripture lesson before the sermon, I thought about how blessed we are here at Peachtree Road UMC. Please don’t take the privilege we have of being able to nurture the faith of one another for granted. It is a blessing!

This Sunday we will continue our series of messages entitled “Being Christian in a Divided World.” I hope you are finding this series to be helpful. We began with the idea that a mature Christian is willing to stay in the room with difference. It is when we are willing to engage in difficult conversations with one another that progress can be made. The willingness to do that is the first important step. Last week we added a second step – listening to one another with respect. Stereotyping is such a lazy way to relate to one another. We take the shortcut of labeling another person and then telling ourselves that we know that person. However, when we are willing to hold off on our judgment of others and listen to them with respect, we can build bridges that lead to understanding and peace. I suggested that the best way to live out this second step is to be more curious and less judgmental.

This week we will consider another step toward handling conflict as Jesus would –

living with integrity. We will think for a few minutes about some things a person of integrity does…and a few things a person of integrity does not do (for one, compromise his or her beliefs). The music in the services promises to be uplifting as we sing two of the great hymns of the church (“All Praise to Thee, for Thou, O King Divine” and “My Hope Is Built”) and hear the Chancel Choir’s offering of Larry Fleming’s arrangement of the traditional spiritual “Give Me Jesus.” Please join us in person at 8:45 am, 10:00 am, or 11:15 am or online at www.prumc.org.

As we continue to celebrate the church’s 100th year of ministry in this community, we are pleased to share opportunities to celebrate with you:

  • Centennial Gallery – the gallery is now open for you to take a look through the decades to see some of our historical artifacts, two commemorative quilts, and a digital experience that gives a snapshot of our church’s history. This curated space is located on the lower level of the Sanctuary, across from the Dogwood Gift Shop. All are invited to visit the Gallery on Sundays and Wednesdays to appreciate the heritage, history, and visual story of Peachtree Road UMC.
  • Opening Concert of Peachtree Road UMC’s Centennial Season – join us this Sunday evening, September 22 in Grace Hall at 5:00 pm to welcome Joe Gransden and his award-winning Big Band as they celebrate a century of swing. They will entertain us with classics from Duke Ellington, Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey, Miles Davis, Tony Bennett, and more. You may reserve your tickets here. Don’t miss this fun night out!

United in God’s Grace Offerings:

  • Unity in Difference: Shalom, Faith, and Politics – you are invited to join the Deep Waters study this fall on Wednesdays at 6:30 pm in C208. Peachtree Road UMC member and reformed political junkie Chris Gabriel will lead an exploration of the intersection of biblical principles and political engagement. Come and seek hope and common ground through our faith in Jesus Christ. For more information or to sign up, please click here.
  • Forum on the Power of Kindness – on Sunday, September 29, at 10:00 am, the One Lamb Initiative on mental health will offer a forum on kindness in the sanctuary. Jesus said to his disciples, “Love one another as I have loved you.” And how did he love? With kindness. Loving-kindness. Kindness is love in action. Love is our message. And kindness is its voice. Please join pastoral counselor Rev. Ron Greer for a forum on the power of kindness. For more information, contact Rev. Emily Miles at emilym@prumc.org.
  • 3 Practices Workshop – in a recent sermon, I mentioned a book entitled 3 Practices for Crossing the Difference Divide. Our church wants to create a safe place for difficult conversations by teaching the three practices to as many of our leaders as possible. We are offering this workshop, led by our own Claire Bowen, on two different occasions (October 6 or November 3) to discover these simple practices and learn to put them into place. To get more information or reserve your spot, please click here.
  • Kind30 Initiative – the One Lamb Initiative on mental health invites you to join in an October emphasis by offering one act of kindness to someone every day during that month. Experience the joy and peace you can bring to another person, yourself, and the world. To learn more and access materials and ideas, visit www.Kind30.org.

Finally, I am pleased to announce the addition of Cristin Kirbo to our staff team as the director of global outreach. Dawn Hawkins has done a wonderful job leading this important ministry for the last 5 years. Earlier this year, she let me know that she was ready to hand the reins over to a new person and identified Cristin as an ideal candidate for the position. I could not be more pleased to welcome Cristin to our staff beginning next week. Dawn will work with her through the transition, and I look forward to you getting to know Cristin and participating with her in global ministries.

That’s it for this week. I am so grateful for your faithful service to Christ through Peachtree Road UMC. Please let us know if we can be of help to you in any way. 

Grace and peace,

Bill