Grace and peace to you. I’m Rev. Joe Cailles, the pastor of Peakland United Methodist Church in Lynchburg Virginia. Today is Wednesday, September 6, 2023. +


Labor Day was this past Monday, marking the unofficial end to summer. I heard yesterday that one of our youth was sad that this weekend was the last time in the outdoor swimming pools, and then another church member said, end of summer was fine with her. She didn’t like the hot weather anyway.

I do like September weather, and I am excited about all the great ministries Peakland will be getting to in the weeks to come.

Yesterday, I sat in with the ladies of the Ruth Circle, Peakland’s women fellowship group. They are planning their great Card Party here at the church on Tuesday, October 17, and the money they raise supports local helping agencies.

The United Methodist Men begin their weekly morning breakfasts here at the church this Saturday, September 9 at 8:00 a.m. All men are welcome for a great breakfast and great fellowship.

This Sunday, September 10, Peakland unites in service with Rise Against Hunger, an organization which helps feed hungry communities around the world. This Sunday, 80 or so of us will gather at the church fellowship hall beginning at 4:30 and within 2 and half hours, we will have bagged 10,000 meals of rice and grain and dehydrated vegetables. For those of you who are volunteering, bring a baseball cap or you’ll have to wear one of the hairnets they provide. Andrew will be sending out more information to the church volunteers later this week about Sunday’s event.

Peakland After Dark, our ministry with children, youth, and their families. begins its regular Sunday night gathering on Sunday, September 17.

Looking ahead to October we at Peakland will unite for a church wide book study, reading Being United Methodist Christians, in which we’ll explore the questions of What do we United Methodists believe? What makes us distinct and how do we grow as disciples of Jesus. Whether you are a lifelong methodist are relatively new to the faith, I trust we’ll all learn a great deal together.

We’ve also got plans for an October baked potato fellowship supper. We’ll have our annual blood drive in November. Andrew will create some special worship services around All Hallow’s eve and all Saints Day.

And Advent and Christmas are coming. We already have great plans for Peakland in December.

If you worship in the sanctuary this Sunday, you’ll see that I have replaced the green banners with red banners. These red banners were a gift to Peakland from the family of Steve Cox, and I’m glad they will be on display. Red banners are usually reserved only for Pentecost and a couple of special Sundays, but your radical pastor likes to put on the red in the fall to signal not just the change in the seasonal weather, but the mark the change in church life as well. The green leaves of summer will be changing to the fiery reds and oranges of fall outside and at the church we have fire and excitement and a great spirit.

If you find that you have been away from Peakland for a season or two, now is the time to find your way back home. Christ is doing great things here at Peakland, and it’s so easy for you to be part of it.

Reach out to me at PeaklandPastor@gmail.com if you’d like to be part of our great church family.