Hi friends,

Happy Sabbath from Winter Family Weekend (WFW) in Hamilton, Ohio. With a new WFW coordinator this year, Dave Permar, the events have gone very smoothly. As I write, activities like volleyball, basketball, and pickleball have ended this Friday afternoon, and we are preparing for the Sabbath. This evening and tomorrow morning, all attendees will enjoy meals together. This should be fun!

As for our local Atlanta and Buford area, here are this week’s announcements.  

1. Combined Services in Atlanta: Webcast from Winter Family Weekend. Tomorrow, Atlanta and Buford will be combined at Unity Atlanta for services and seminars. Around noon, we offer two live webcast series on our big screens in the Sanctuary. At 2:30 PM EST, Sabbath services will be offered via a web stream. Mr. John Elliott, president of the United Church of God, will be delivering the sermon.

As a minimum, plan to be at services by 2:20 PM to say your hellos to everyone who is there and be seated for announcements before the service. Mr. Bob McCurdy will deliver the announcements shortly before 2:30 PM. 

As a maximum, be at services around 12:20 PM so you may view both live presentations offered before our regular Sabbath service. The seminars begin at 12:30 PM.

Special note: Because of the change in calendar year next week (January 3rd), we will also have a combined Sabbath service for Buford and Atlanta as well - at Unity Atlanta.

2. Under the weather this Sabbath? Tune into our United’s Webcast. You will find the Winter Family Weekend URL here https://www.ucg.org/webcast/sabbath-webcast-cincinnati-december-27-2025-winter-family-weekend 

3. Next UCG Atlanta Bible Study: 1/6. Our next UCG Atlanta Bible Study takes place on Tuesday evening, January 6 at 7 PM. Mr. Jerold Aust will review Hebrews 3 and then go through Hebrews 4. 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.

4. REMINDER: Wamatochick Young Adult Weekend: 2/13-2/16/26. Young adults, you are invited to join your brothers and sisters for the fifth annual UYA Wamatochick Weekend, Feb. 13-16, 2026, in the picturesque pines of Northern Arizona! 

The theme is “A New Creation” (2 Corinthians 5:17). The presentations will invite and encourage us to be active and growing in our walk with God. The Sabbath will include interactive presentations and discussions. Sunday will feature additional presentations as well as indoor and outdoor activities including hiking, horseback riding and mountain biking, and weather permitting. Everyone is welcome to stay an additional night to extend the weekend into Monday to enjoy further fellowship and activity time!

Ages are 18–32 and married and single are welcome. Cost is $165 per person, including sleeping arrangements and seven meals. Camp is outside of Prescott, Arizona and the Phoenix airport is a two-hour drive from camp. Rides from the airport can be arranged. Please plan to arrive no later than 2 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 13, and depart no earlier than 1 p.m. on Monday. Check-in starts at 4 p.m. on Friday at Camp Wamatochick.

Registration Deadline: Feb. 10, 2026. Please text or email Grant Fogelson (623-238-2044; grantfogelson@gmail.com) or Katarina Fogelson (469-858-1720; katarina14.reinoso@gmail.com) if you are interested in attending or for more information.

Registration site now available: https://ucg.regfox.com/wamatochick-weekend-2026

5. UNCANCELED: 2026 Southeast Regional Formal Weekend. The 2026 United Church of God Southeast Regional Formal Weekend will be in Columbus, Georgia on Saturday February 28, 2026. The Columbus congregation is looking forward to hosting this year. We are immensely grateful for the wonderful job the Atlanta congregation has done for so many years and welcome the opportunity to step up and serve our youth in the Southeast Region. We welcome all teens age 13-19 to come and have a night of dancing. Registration will be opening soon. For questions, please contact Matthew Blackwood at (706) 668-0714 or matthew@unlockmath.com. 

Those are our announcements this weekend. Have a happy Sabbath!

In love,

Philip Aust

United Church of God, Pastor

Atlanta & Buford

Memory Verse

Isaiah 11:6 The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb; The leopard shall lie down with the young goat, the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; And a little child shall lead them.

PS – I’ve attached this week’s Home Office Update, Prophetic Times, and Perspective here too for you. Read well, Philip