Hi friends,

It has been an incredibly full week in terms of conflict on the world’s stage. We were reminded once more how quickly things can change in terms of nations at peace versus at war. To be fair, what we call peace is not what God sees as peace; but that is a much longer discussion. (For further reading on the subject, click here: In Search of Peace | United Church of God.) If you are looking for perspective concerning the events of the past week, I encourage you to read the UCG President’s letter in the United News Weekly. I posted this week’s United News Weekly on our websites. In the meantime, we have a wonderful opportunity to enjoy peace this evening as we settle into God’s Sabbath Day rest. My hope is that your Sabbath has started well.

Prior to seeing each other at services tomorrow, here are this week’s local announcements.

1. Sabbath Services in Buford and Atlanta: 3/7. Tomorrow morning, the Buford congregation will meet at the Holiday Inn Express, Bethlehem (Georgia) at 10:30 AM for services. In the afternoon, the Atlanta congregation will meet at Unity Atlanta at 2:30 PM for services.

Although we are not planning a “full blown” Coffee and Fellowship Social after services, feel free to bring snacks and enjoy extra time after services sipping on some coffee or tea. (Here is when we begin to deleaven our freezers and bread pudding becomes the snack of choice.)

2. Under the weather? Tune into our UCG Atlanta Webcast. If you are sick this week, plan to watch the Atlanta webcast online. 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

3. Daylight Savings Time: 3/8. Daylight Saving Time takes place this Sunday, March 8, at 2:00 a.m. (clocks move to 3:00 a.m.) Remember to set your clocks forward on Saturday evening before you head to bed.

4. Next UCG Atlanta Bible Study: 3/10. Our next UCG Atlanta Bible Study occurs on Tuesday evening, March 10 at 7 PM. Mr. Jerold Aust will cover Hebrews 12. 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. Feast Planning Brochure. The Festival Planning Guide is available online and in the center pages of the March-April United News. Please note, the latest information about Feast sites is available at http://feast.ucg.org, where you can download an updated version of the brochure that has been posted since the planning guide’s initial printing.

 Key Dates for United States and Canadian Feast Attendees

Sunday, April 19: Preliminary registration begins at 12 p.m. EDT for those who must attend their closest site.

Sunday, April 26: Registration is open at 12 p.m. EDT for all United States and Canadian Feast sites (except if a site has reached capacity).

6. Need help with Feast of Tabernacles Registration? Our local Feast Advisors are here to help with questions and registration. Contact Steve Holladay in Buford and Bob McCurdy in Atlanta for this help. If you need Festival Assistance, you may contact them in person or by phone.

7. Upcoming Sabbath School and Teen Bible Study Classes. Our next Sabbath School and Teen Bible Study classes are scheduled for March 14. Additional classes this academic year will be held on 4/11 and 5/9.

8. Next Young Men's Christian Club of Atlanta: 3/21. The next Young Men’s Christian Club is scheduled for March 21 after services in the chapel. Questions regarding this club may be directed to Ryan Shallenberger.

9. UYC Camp registration is open! You can apply for camp and find all the needed information at http://ucg.org/members/uyc. This year everyone will need to create new camper (family) accounts and/or new staff accounts since we are using a new system. Once you have created your account, you can sign back into the same dashboard later to add or edit information and to complete required forms after you are accepted. A nice feature of the new system is that you will be able to reuse these same accounts to apply again in future years. All campers in the same family can be added under one family account, but each staff member will need their own individual staff account (for example, a teen who wants to be a camper at one camp and a staff member at another camp would need to use separate accounts for each role).

The application process requires you to upload the applicant’s photo and provide payment information before you can submit an application. You have the option to pay online (preferred) or you can choose an option to mail a check to the home office. If your camper needs a scholarship, you can begin that process by talking to your local pastor. If you have questions or need help, please email: uyc@ucg.org.

Aaron Creech, National Camp Coordinator

10. Council of Elders Report: 2/23 –2/26. I posted the latest Council of Elders report for Monday, February 23, through Thursday, February 26, 2026 on our websites. The report is in pdf format for your convenience.

11. Upcoming Calendar Events

Mar. 14           Combined Service, Hymn Sing, Sabbath School, Teen Bible Study

Mar. 31           Passover (Evening of March 31)

Apr. 1             Night to Be Much Observed: Kept as Families (Evening of April 1)

Apr. 2             First Day of Unleavened Bread @ Unity Atlanta

In closing, Dan Humphrey from our Buford congregation asks for prayers for his wife, Denise. She was taken to Piedmont Hospital in Athens last evening because of an irregular heartbeat. Dan says that she is stable right now, but they would appreciate your payers. Thank you.

With that, have a peaceful Sabbath evening. Drive safely to services tomorrow.

Happy Sabbath,

Philip Aust

United Church of God, Pastor

Atlanta & Buford, Georgia

 Memory Verse 

Psalm 51:1-2 Have mercy upon me, O God, According to Your loving kindness;
According to the multitude of Your tender mercies, Blot out my transgressions. ² Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, And cleanse me from my sin.