404-633-4505 | Join Us On Sundays at 11AM!
404-633-4505 | Join Us On Sundays at 11AM!
Read the latest news for our church.
Recently, I was asked why the church, or any church, should participate in Pride celebrations. My answer had two parts: the first is that this congregation affirmed an Open & Affirming Covenant in 2004, long before many other churches in the UCC. The second part is the reality that the church-at-large was(and in some cases still is) a place of deep hurt for LGBTQIA+ Christians. And, in the name of Jesus, some groups have advocated for policies and decisions that actively harmed LGBTIA+ people outside the church too.
Even though many of us did not do those things ourselves, we carry an identity that is associated with those realities all the same. And so, I think it matters that churches show up in spaces like Pride parades, if only to say “We see you. We care about you. We love you.”
This will be our 4th consecutive year in the Atlanta parade, after a short pause several years ago. Each year, there has been someone in the crowd who did know or believe that churches like ours exist. Yes, it’s important that we show up. Even if folks in the crowd never find their way to Central, my prayer is that they go forward knowing that there is more than one theology in the world.
I hope to see you in worship on Sunday! We’ll share in reading our Open & Affirming Covenant and receive a glitter blessing too.
After worship, we have a lot on deck: A Coffee Hour celebration, Pizza & Pumpkin Painting, Sandwich Sunday, and the Pride Parade.
** We expect Sunday worship & activities to happen as planned. If something should change, we’ll let you know via email on Sunday morning.
The parade is a “rain or shine event,” but organizers are regularly sharing updates, as our forecast is more than just rain!
Finally, please be safe tomorrow(Saturday)! Make sure you have a way to receive weather alerts, in the event of a power outage, dead phone, etc.
See you Sunday,
Thomas
Dear Friends,
Erring on the side of caution, tomorrow night’s coffeehouse is cancelled. We want everyone to be safe in case the storm turns out as bad as predicted.
We’re sorry we won’t get to bring you the fabulous Peggy Johnson and Blackfoot Daisy tomorrow, but will aim to schedule them both next year.
Stay safe, and be well! See you in November.
– Your Lena’s Place Coffeehouse staff
First things first: During our Celebration of Ministry on Sunday, we didn’t name music– or worship at all. It’s important to celebrate worship, as it’s one of the core ministries of this church. So, I am celebrating the many faces, names, and voices that make up worship. From the choir, with their steady leadership of hymns + their soaring offertory anthems; to the pews that so joyfully animate during the Passing of the Peace and the Story for All Ages; to Kids Space, where the youngest among continue to make this faith their own. Yes, I’m celebrating our worship– it really is something to behold.
This Sunday is World Communion Sunday. I’ve invited the Rev. Lisa Heilig, Executive Director of Toco Hills Community Alliance, to be our preacher. Lisa is a powerful advocate in our community, an engaging and inspiring preacher, and a good friend. I hope you’ll join me in welcoming her on Sunday. And just to be clear, this Sunday is not our THCA Brunch. It will be hosted on November 15th.
If you’re online, please have communion elements ready! And, if you’d like to receive communion at home, please let me know.
Also, please know that our worship liturgy was created by the Global Ministries of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and the United Church of Christ. Our service will include translations of text used around the world!
As always, the heavens are singing the glories of God. I hope you’re shouting with joy somewhere.
See you Sunday,
Thomas
Sep 30, 2026
We are excited to present to you “The Monthly” for October 2026.
Check out this month’s newsletter for:
Click here to download “The Monthly”! There are also paper copies in The Commons, in The Sanctuary, and in the Church office. Be sure to add events and gatherings that you‘re interested in to your calendar.
Enjoy “The Monthly” and all the events and gatherings you are going to attend!
Can I tell you some Good News? Read the whole note, because I put at the end 🙂
Our Reshaped worship series comes to a close this Sunday. In the first sermon of this series, I shared that we would not reach the end and say “great. Mission accomplished.” Instead, my hope is that the lessons, thoughts, and ideas that have emerged during this series will carry forward throughout the rest of the year.
I have loved seeing and hearing how this series has impacted you! One member shared that they bought play-doh for the first time in their life after our first Sunday in the series. Others have noticed that play-doh now has multicolor cans and glitter, so they asked, and of course, were able to take more cans home.
In Messy Church, our kids took the idea of being made out of clay to new levels!
And, our young adults will do the same during our Pottery Night this Sunday. 3 folks came out for our on-site book chat for Everywhere You Look. We enjoyed a wonderful conversation about the churches we grew up, our church today, and what we hope for the future. I really do hope that more folks will engage with this timely read.
On Sunday, we’ll consider what it might look like to step into faith. We’ll sit with the story of Peter walking to Jesus.
Finally, it’s important to me that you know that August, and so far September too, saw an incredible increase in Sunday participation and engagement. Our average on-site attendance was higher than our average total attendance(onsite and online) for the same period in previous years:
| Period | Onsite | Online | Total |
| August 2026 | 84 | 18 | 102 |
| August 2025 | 65 | 16 | 81 |
| August 2024* | 59 | 17 | 76 |
| August 2023* | 56 | 30 | 86 |
*Onsite for August 2024 & 2023 includes onsite attendance for both the early and 11AM services.
I hope to continue seeing this increased participation throughout the coming weeks. And don’t just come for worship! We have wonderful opportunities to gather before worship too:
New Perspectives has just started a new journey back to the First Century, to live among the followers of Jesus and students of Paul.
Practical Theology continues to study topical articles and have a time of sharing/updating on going-ons in one another’s lives. You can also zoom in to this group!
Sunday Morning Bible Study continues to explore the Book of Acts and how we should respond to it today.
The Choir begins rehearsing at 9:45AM and is always open to join!
The Commons is always open, and coffee, tea, and water are all available by 9:30! Feel free to just hang out and chat with folks… a handful of people do that every week 🙂
So, come on Sundays! Not because you have to, but because part of being the church is sharing life together. There are so many ways to do that. Don’t miss out!
See ya Sunday,
Thomas
25 years ago, our world was changed. Indeed, we are living in a world that has been shaped and re-shaped by the deadly and deliberate attacks in New York City and Washington DC. I was six years old on 9/11. I had no real sense of the magnitude of what had happened. I’d never been to New York, nor DC. I did, however, have a newspaper with pictures of NYFD firemen on my wall. I knew that those guys were heroes. For a time, I wanted to be a fireman too.
Read MoreSep 06, 2026
The mission and action committee invites members and friends to walk together in AID Atlanta’s annual AIDS walk on September 26, 2026.
We will be walking to support Georgia Equality, one of the beneficiary organizations of the walk.
This year, Georgia Equality is receiving a 75% Match on all donations, that means every dollar we raise goes even further.
To register for the Central AIDS Walk team or make a donation to the team visit
http://www.aidswalkatlanta.org/goto/UCCFriends
Walkers can register for free using the code “gefree“. For more information contact Kimble Sorrells – [email protected].
Sep 05, 2026
Saturday, September 12th, 8:30 am – 1 pm
Virginia-Highland Church UCC is inviting you to a Morning of Contemplative Practice that they are hosting at Central.
Structured and gently guided, this will give you quiet time to reflect, walk, sit, read, nap, and journal.
It will be a good opportunity to experience how silence and contemplation help us slow down, pay attention, and embrace whatever might ordinarily be pushed aside by noise and activity.
Thursday, September 10, 8 pm
@ The Alley Stage, 11 Anderson St SE, Marietta, GA 30064
Come see Central’s own Josh Zilberman and Angie Acedera in Rhinestone Rodeo, a high-energy country cabaret celebrating the stories and spirit of country music. From timeless classics to today’s biggest hits, this unforgettable evening brings together powerhouse vocals, rich harmonies, and a touch of Nashville sparkle in an intimate, up-close setting. Grab your boots, bring your friends, and get ready for a night of unforgettable music and rhinestone shine! Let’s show Angie and Josh lots of support for this show!! More details: https://www.overtureseries.
Purchase tickets at: https://www.overtureseries.
Sep 01, 2026
We are excited to present to you “The Monthly” for September 2026.
Check out this month’s newsletter for:
Click here to download “The Monthly”! There are also paper copies in The Commons, in The Sanctuary, and in the Church office. Be sure to add events and gatherings that you‘re interested in to your calendar.
Enjoy “The Monthly” and all the events and gatherings you are going to attend!
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