Hi everyone,

Happy Sabbath from Michigan. I hope the longer 4^th of July Weekend is treating you well, and you are enjoying time with friends and family. In this land of freedom and safety, we have much to be thankful for, especially the opportunity to worship our great God (Luke 4:8)! Sarah and I are spending time with Sarah’s family this holiday weekend. Consequently, I will get right to this week’s announcements.

1. Combined Atlanta + Buford Service – No Covered-Dish Meal: 7/5. Tomorrow, we are scheduled for a combined Atlanta and Buford Sabbath service at Unity Atlanta (7/5). The service will begin at 2:30 PM.

While we had a covered-dish meal planned for after services this Sabbath, I learned this week that several of those on our food service team will be traveling during the 4th of July Weekend. For this reason, we will cancel the covered-dish meal this Sabbath.

Instead, the next Sabbath—on 7/12—we are scheduled to have a memorial for Hynethia Jones at 1 PM. After the memorial, we will have finger foods in the lobby. Please plan to bring a dish and/or beverage on 7/12 for the period of time between the memorial service and our Sabbath service that day at 3 PM.

2. Under the weather this week? Tune into the Atlanta Webcast. If you are sick this Sabbath, 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

3. Next UCG Atlanta Bible Study: 7/15 @ 7 PM. We will take a short break this evening and next Tuesday from our Atlanta Bible Studies. That means our next Atlanta Bible Study will take place on July 15 at 7 PM. At that point, Mr. Jerold Aust will begin going through 1, 2, and 3 John and then the book of Jude. Below is the information to attend the July 15 study online.

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

Meeting ID: 838 7167 7401
Passcode: 857315

We look forward to seeing you then.

4. Services in Buford and Atlanta on 7/12. We will have Sabbath Services in both Buford and Atlanta on the following dates this summer: 7/12, 7/19, 7/26, 8/2, and 8/9. Our next combined service after this weekend takes place on 8/16.

5. Hynethia Jones Memorial Service on 7/12 @ 1 PM. We will have a memorial for Hynethia Jones, Granny, on July 12 at 1 PM at Unity Atlanta. In anticipation of the memorial, the family is looking for your fond memories of Granny and the time you spent with her. Please share these memories and tributes with Crystal Thomas this Sabbath or over the next few days by email. You may directly hand Crystal or Scott Thomas a note with a tribute or send them an email at Crystal.thomas.al@gmail.com. Photos with Hynethia are also welcome. If you need to contact Crystal about your tribute, her number is 251-342-4329. Please give this information to Dr. Thomas by Wednesday (7/2) at 12 Noon. Thank you.

6. 2025 Atlanta and Buford Church Survey Results. The results of the 2025 Atlanta and Buford Church Survey are available for review. (See the separate announcement posted earlier this week detailing these results.) As I’ve shared before, Atlanta and Buford, Georgia are the only two congregations in the United Church of God that complete a church assessment each year. (In that we’ve used surveys for assessment during the past 15 years I’ve served as pastor, next year I plan for a variation in this assessment process.) In brief, based on your input, I am pleased to report the current feedback confirms that our congregations are doing very well at this time, and we are primed for continued individual and collective spiritual growth this year. As we move forward, I ask that you join me in prayer—and demonstrate in action—that we seek God, His kingdom, and His righteousness first (Matthew 6:33). When we serve Him, He promises to not only provide for our needs but also bless us with abundance as He sees fit.

7. 2025 Camp Woodland. Camp Woodland, the final teen United Camp of the summer, takes place July 18-25, 2025 (Friday to Friday). Camp Woodland is located in nearby Temple, Georgia. Details regarding Camp Woodland are available at uyc.ucg.org.

8. Need help with Feast 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 Feast Assistance, contact them in person or by phone.

 As I conclude this week’s announcements, I am happy to share the success of this past Sunday’s Atlanta tubing trip (we had 28 in attendance). For her work on this activity, I extend a big thank you to Sarah Aust for coordinating the event this year on behalf of our social planning committee. Despite the heavy rain during the float, everyone had a great time!

With that, have a wonderful Sabbath and Sabbath service this week. Do drive safely to services. 

In love,

Philip Aust

United Church of God, Pastor

Atlanta & Buford, Georgia

Deuteronomy 16:16 Three times a year all your males shall appear before the Lord your God in the place which He chooses: at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, at the Feast of Weeks, and at the Feast of Tabernacles; and they shall not appear before the Lord empty-handed. (Instructions to keep God’s Feasts)