What Does It Mean To Live The Quest?

Dear Peachtree Family,

Throughout 2022, we’ve been exploring God’s story together through Quest. We’ve seen the big picture of God’s plan for restoring and remaking all of creation—including each of us.

The true invitation of this story is not just to know and understand God’s story, but to step into and join God’s story, right here, right now. Many of you who are a part of Peachtree are doing just that—joining Christ daily in the restoration of all things.

As I look toward what God has in store for us in 2023, I’m filled with both awe and anticipation. We believe God is calling us to build on the Peachtree legacy of faithfulness and generosity to shore up the foundation for our faith community’s future. You’ll hear more specifics about those plans early in the year.

In the meantime, I encourage you to consider what it might look like for you to take a next step in living the Quest we’ve explored together this year. No matter where you may be on your journey of faith, Jesus is inviting each of us—all of us—to prayerfully consider what we might give to further Peachtree’s mission in Atlanta and around the world.

I’m honored to be your pastor and to walk with you on this journey together. 

Dr. Richard Kannwischer
Senior Pastor 

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.

- Philippians 3:14

Seeing With Fresh Eyes

As we behold God’s beauty in both His Word and His deeds, we respond in worship.

Each Sunday, thousands of people who are a part of the Peachtree family join together in worship, both in person and online. Our worship is a response to seeing and understanding who God is and the ongoing story of redemption and restoration He is telling.

This year, through Quest, we were reminded of the powerful, sweeping narrative that is woven throughout God’s Word that culminates with Jesus and looks forward to the day when all of creation will be made new.

• Peachtree gave away 5,800 Quest Study Bibles this year.
• Every Thursday, people have gathered at the Lodge for the Quest Lunch and Learn to go deeper in their faith and explore God’s story.
• The Quest series messages have been shared through in-person worship and online services by thousands of people. Many have engaged throughout each week with Quest through the devotional emails and weekly podcast, guiding all of us to explore God’s story.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

- Ephesians 3:20-21

Growing With Full Hearts

As we find belonging in mid-sized communities, we support and encourage one another.

Each week, hundreds of people find connection and build relationships in our different Belong Communities. In Sunday morning communities, women’s studies, the Ironmen men’s group, and many other gatherings, Christ is at the center … which brings us all together.

As we gather, we not only find a sense of belonging, we also find ways to serve that truly make a difference.

• A group from Ironmen (men’s group) assisted in construction projects with one of our partner ministries in Guatemala that serves girls and young women who have experienced abuse and trafficking.
• Our Peachtree Belong Communities come alongside the Nicholas House, a homeless family shelter, to provide Christmas gifts and support for more than 100 children and teens.

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

- 1 Peter 2:9-10

Celebrating Each Next Step

As our children and students reach significant faith milestones, we encourage them to continue on in their faith journeys.

Through both weekly services and special events, our kids and students experience growth in their faith as they are growing physically. They’re encouraged and challenged in age-appropriate ways to take personal ownership of their beliefs, anchoring more and more of their character in the truth of God’s Word.

We love celebrating with every child and student—and their extended families—as they discover more and more of their place in God’s good-news story for the whole world.

• We celebrated with over 100 families as they brought their children to be baptized in 2022.
• We helped over 300 children and students achieve significant faith milestones between preschool and 12th grade (including 91 students completing confirmation in 8th grade).

I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.

- 3 John 4

Serving Our Community

As we follow Christ, we actively display His love through tangible acts of service right where we are.

Joining Christ daily in the restoration of all things is more than a mission statement—it’s something we’re actively doing. It happens in a myriad of ways in the lives of each member of the Peachtree family and through projects and efforts we engage in together.

• In the spring, Peachtree sponsored and completed our 158th Atlanta Habitat for Humanity home. Working alongside our team of volunteers was the new homeowner, who shared that at the age of 66, she's becoming a first-time homeowner.
• In August, we prepared 4,000 Blessing Bags filled with food for students who often go hungry during school breaks when they don't receive breakfast and lunch at school.
• In July, some of our students served at Camp Hope, working with children whose lives have been impacted by the incarceration of at least one of their parents, working to break this cycle through a gospel-centered program.
• The Peachtree Gym, LaAmistad, and Lifegate Counseling Center, located on the Peachtree campus and around Atlanta, provide programs that meet real needs in our community.

Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.

- 1 John 3:18

Reaching Around the World

As we follow Jesus, we are compelled to take His message of love and restoration wherever they are most needed.

More and more, we’re learning how much we live as a part of the global community. We’ve built relationships with churches and organizations in different parts of the world that share our values and desire to extend the reach of God’s kingdom—specifically in Malawi, Costa Rica, Guatemala, and India.

By working with our partners who live and work every day in these communities, we are adding both financial and physical resources to their ongoing efforts.

• In 2022, almost 800 volunteers packed 127,875 seed envelopes to be used in vegetables gardens in Malawi and Liberia.
• Through our Easter offering, we gave $297,000 to benefit Ukraine refugees through Christian-based organizations.
• Our Peachtree family sponsors over 290 students in Malawi
  and India as they continue their education.

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

- Matthew 28:18-20

We’re asking everyone who is a part of the Peachtree Church family to prayerfully consider making a Generosity Commitment toward our ongoing ministries in 2023.

1. Spend time in prayer about your financial commitment to Peachtree’s ongoing ministries in 2023.
2. Prioritize Generosity Sunday—October 23—by attending services either in person or online.
3. Bring your estimate of giving for 2023 to an in-person service on October 23 or make your estimate online by clicking the button below.

Together, we’ll continue to live the Quest of extending and expanding the story of God’s love and hope in our lives, in our community, and around the world.