Hi friends,

Happy Sabbath! The Atlanta and Buford congregations will combine tomorrow for services as our January Sabbath School and Teen Bible Study classes take place. Below, I offer a variety of weekly announcements for our area. I also sent you several separate announcements that merit your attention. Please review them. Thank you. Here is this week’s local update. 

1. Combined Sabbath Service in Atlanta: 1/10. Tomorrow, we will combine for Sabbath services in Atlanta. Sabbath services will begin at 2:30 PM. 

Note: We are in our respective congregations (Buford and Atlanta) on 1/17. 

2. Sabbath School and Teen Bible Study Classes: 1/10. Sabbath School and Teen Bible Study classes take place tomorrow in Atlanta. Students are expected to bring a Bible to class. Phones are not permitted. We look forward to seeing our teens and preteens then.

3. Under the weather this Sabbath? Tune into our local United Webcast. If you are sick this week, plan to watch the Atlanta webcast online tomorrow. To view the service, enter the password tree of life (with no spaces) in the channel password box. The URL location is: https://www.ucg.org/congregations/atlanta-ga

4. Next UCG Atlanta Bible Study: 1/13. Our next UCG Atlanta Bible Study takes place on Tuesday evening, January 13 at 7 PM. Mr. Jerold Aust will review Hebrews 4 and go through Hebrews 5. Below is information to attend the study online:

Join the Zoom Meeting here:
https://us05web.zoom.us/j/83871677401?pwd=CSoupVrJ3qHxQQaq94jgeBnQZOajZ…

Meeting ID: 838 7167 7401
Passcode: 857315

See you there.

5. 2026 Atlanta Ski Trip: 1/31-2/1. The UCG Atlanta Ski Trip is scheduled this year for January 31-February 1, 2026. We will be in Knoxville, TN for Sabbath services on January 31 and in Gatlinburg for skiing and snowboarding on February 1 at Ober Mountain (Ober Mountain Ski Area in Gatlinburg / Smokies).

Details for this year’s trip, including payment details are listed below.  Block off the first weekend in February on your calendar, reserve a hotel room (see options below), and get ready for another year of fun, fellowship, and enjoyable activities on the slopes in the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee.

Costs - The cost for this year’s activity is below. These rates include equipment and lift ticket (and the added cost to the church for handling the payment via PayPal).

   [ ]  $144 for skiers and

   [ ]  $154 for snowboarders

   [ ] $87 for lift ticket only

Your Payment (IMPORTANT) - To participate in this year’s ski trip, you must do two things. 

First - Complete the Reservation Form - Download the form (it is located in the "Download" section in the upper right of this announcement).  Fill it out with the name and ski/snowboarding package for each individual.  Be sure to include contact information on the form.  The form should be submitted before you pay for the equipment rentals.  Then email the completed form to Bob McCurdy - ram19@bellsouth.net  

Second - Make Your Payment - Pay for the costs for skiing and snowboarding via PayPal (must be paid in advance). Be sure to take into account all your costs when paying for skiing or snowboarding using the prices shown above based on the type of equipment to be used (ski or snowboard).  Note - A small PayPal processing fee has been added to the ticket prices above.

Payments for this year’s ski trip will only be using PayPal.  The PayPal payment link is listed here (Note - You will need to have a PayPal account and log into your account when you use the link):

                 https://paypal.me/UCGSoutheastFormal

Payment Deadline - The deadline for payment is Thursday, January 22, 2026.

If you have additional questions about the Reservation Form or PayPal payments, you may email Bob McCurdy at ram19@bellsouth.net.

 ---------------------------

2026 Atlanta Ski Trip: Recommended Hotels

1. The Hampton Inn

967 Parkway, Gatlinburg TN 37738

(865) 436-4878

2. The Hampton Inn – Gatlinburg Historic Nature Trail

520 Historic Nature Trail, Gatlinburg, TN 37738

(865) 436-4933

3. Hilton Garden Inn

635 River Road, Gatlinburg, TN 37738

(865) 436-0048

4. Holiday Inn Express in Gatlinburg

322 Historic Nature Trail, Gatlinburg, TN 37738

(865) 868-6200

5. The Quality Inn Creekside

125 Leconte Creek Road, Gatlinburg, TN 37738

(865) 436-4865

Note: Since the Atlanta Ski Trip is predicated on ample snow, please do not book a non-refundable hotel room in Gatlinburg at this time. In rare cases, we've had to cancel the ski trip because of lack of snow. You would not be able to get your money back if we were forced to cancel this year's trip.

 ----------------------------------------------------

Schedule of Events 

  Saturday, January 31, 2026

• Sabbath Service in Knoxville, TN at UCG Knoxville. See https://www.ucg.org/congregations/knoxville-tn
• Covered Dish Meal after services
• Travel to Gatlinburg. Get together with fellow skiers/snowboarders at Ole Smoky Holler Moonshine Store at 8 PM in Gatlinburg. Enjoy complimentary outdoor live music. Form a group and explore some of the sites that Gatlinburg offers.
• Get in bed at a decent hour for skiing and snowboarding the next morning.

  Sunday, February 1, 2026

• Hotel check-out – Based on the policies at your hotel.
• Skiers and snowboarders meet at the Ober Mountain Tramway Mall Office at 8 AM for processing. The address of the Ober Mountain Tramway Mall is 1001 Parkway #2, Gatlinburg, TN 37738.
• Enjoy the day skiing and snowboarding. Partner up with others and enjoy your ski and snowboard adventure with one or more friends.
• Stop for lunch and refuel with others (between 11:30-1:30 PM). The affordable dining spot? The Sidewalk Cafe and now Daddy's Dogs (used to be The Snack Bar).
• Most skiers and snowboarders head home around 3-4 PM.

6. REMINDER: ABC Fundraiser – Magnetic Calendar/Planner. The new year has begun, but it is not too late to order a magnetic calendar/planner that serves as the main fundraiser for Ambassador Bible College (ABC) students to have a class trip at the end of the year. During this trip, the ABC chorale performs on the Sabbath for a congregation they normally cannot visit. The calendar is an 11” by 8.5” glossy full-year calendar printed on a dry-erase surface. It has the Holy Days and U.S. federal holidays marked. 

The calendars are $10 each, and that includes shipping. Order and payment can be made online by visiting: https://www.ucg.org/members/abc/annual-fundraiser. You can also email a message to ABCfundraiser@ucg.org. Just tell us how many calendars you want and to what address to send them, and we’ll take care of the rest. Kyle McKenzie, ABC Student Body President

Those are our announcements this Sabbath evening. See you tomorrow at Unity Atlanta. Services begin at 2:30 PM. Rest well. Drive safely.

In love,

Philip Aust

United Church of God, Pastor

Atlanta & Buford

Memory Verse

Isaiah 28:9-11 “Whom will he teach knowledge? And whom will he make to understand the message? Those just weaned from milk? Those just drawn from the breasts? ¹⁰ For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept, Line upon line, line upon line, Here a little, there a little.” ¹¹ For with stammering lips and another tongue He will speak to this people,