October 21, 2022

Dear Peachtree Road Family,

I hope you are well. I really am looking forward to worshiping with you this Sunday. It is Commitment Sunday here at Peachtree Road UMC, and we will have an opportunity to renew our commitment to Christ through this great church. Our children’s choirs will be singing, and at the close of the service, you will have an opportunity to bring your commitment card to the altar to pray and offer yourself to Christ in a time of dedication. 

  • Some of you already have made your commitment for the coming year, and I hope you will come to the altar for that prayer of dedication. 
  • Others of you have made a recurring gift that has no expiration date. That counts as a commitment! I hope you also will come to the altar for prayer.
  • If you have not made a financial commitment to the operating budget in the past, please consider the blessings of your life and plan to give something (really, any gift would be helpful – even $10 per week!) next year. I want you to experience the joy of knowing you helped make a difference. 
  • Finally, let us all strive to be tithers (giving 10% of our income) as an offering to God in gratitude for the blessings of life. In order to grow toward that goal, I hope you will consider taking a step toward that level this next year by increasing your giving by 10% over this past year. 

This week we will continue our series of messages entitled “Greater Than.” On Sunday, we will reflect upon the idea that “abundance” is greater than “comfort.” We live in a world that seems to be dominated by a scarcity mentality. However, we serve a God of abundance. What does that mean for the stewardship of our lives? I look forward to wrestling with that question with you this week, and I hope to see you at either 8:45 am, 10:00 am, or 11:15 am. If you are out of town, please join us online through the church website here. 

The Men’s Ministry of the church will be grilling out all weekend, and we look forward to serving you a complimentary barbeque luncheon on Sunday in Grace Hall from 11:00 am until 1:00 pm. Make your plans to join your friends from Peachtree Road UMC for delicious food and good fellowship at the table this Sunday.

An alert to all Sunday School classes: the Parson’s Cup is back up for grabs! This award goes to the Sunday School Class with the highest percentage of commitments to next year’s church budget. The competition will run through the end of the year and will be awarded in early January. For your convenience, you may pledge through the church app or online at www.prumc.org. 

Community Events

  • Mayor’s Town Hall Meeting – Mayor Andre Dickens is hosting town hall meetings throughout the city over the next few weeks, with one being held here at Peachtree Road UMC next Monday, October 24, at 6:00 pm in Grace Hall. You are invited to come, meet the Mayor, ask your questions, and share your ideas for making our city a better place for all. 
  • Mid-term Elections – on October 6, 1774, John Wesley met with members of the Methodist Societies and encouraged each to vote “for the person they judged most worthy; to speak no evil of the person they voted against; and to take care their spirits were not sharpened against those that voted on the other side.” Nearly 250 years later, those are still pretty good words to live by! Peachtree Road UMC will be a polling site, and I strongly encourage you to vote in your precinct on or before Tuesday, November 8! 

Opportunities for Outreach

  • Halloween Extravaganza –Wednesday, October 26, 5:30 -7:30 pm, in the Harp Student Center Parking Lot. This community event will welcome our neighborhood families to our church! Put on your favorite costume and join us for awesome, annual Halloween festivity. We will have a Trunk-or-Treat, bouncies, games, music, pizza, a cake walk, and much more. We would love for your participation as gracious hosts for the Trunk-or-Treat. To help at this event, click here or contact Brittany Charron at brittanyc@prumc.org.
  • Thanksgiving Giveaway – we are teaming up with Cascade UMC on their annual Thanksgiving project to provide food for over 1400 low-income families. Cascade has been feeding those in need for over 20 years, and through our partnership with this great church we have an opportunity to work side-by-side together. If you are interested in being a part of this wonderful holiday project, please contact Beth Spencer (beths@prumc.org).

Finally, are you interested in becoming a member of Peachtree Road UMC?  – please join us Sunday, November 6, at 12:30 pm in the Hospitality Suite for “Tea with the Clergy.” At this luncheon meeting, you will have the opportunity to meet with several members of our clergy staff, hear about the ministry of this great church, ask questions, and even have an opportunity to join at the end of the session. Please contact Elizabeth Byrd (elizabethb@prumc.org) for more information or to sign up.  

Thank you for your commitment to the ministry of Peachtree Road UMC. Your prayers are heard, your presence is inspiring to others, your gifts are making a difference, and your service shines the light of Christ in our community. I am grateful to be your pastor.

Grace and peace, 

Bill