 Thank you for journeying with Peace Tree during these 40 Days of Prayer & Discernment! The Leadership Team of our congregation and I have recently been working at getting our arms around an important decision. As we've gone about this work, a phrase that was shared by my friends has remained at the forefront of my mind: “We don’t make good decisions in a hurry.” This one phrase has helped me to slow down, listen more intently, pray with more focus, and consider the next steps that we must take as a church family. And as we prepare for the final week of our 40 Days, I feel as though this time of reflection has truly brought about clarity regarding the next chapter in Peace Tree’s story. So this week, I’d like to point you toward some passages of Scripture which highlight the call of God given to various prophets and other believers. Read the passages and notice how each person responded faithfully. Several of these verses share the theme of leaving a familiar place in order to follow God into something brand new. How much courage would it take for you to respond in this way - leaving home for a place that God is preparing for you and for your loved ones? Does knowing how God is always with you make the decision to leave any easier? Perhaps you’ve already experienced this type of loss and transition in life: a job opportunity or promotion moves you and your family across the county or even from one continent to another; or an old family home is gifted to you which moves you out of an apartment or rental home and into a place of your own; or maybe you’ve witnessed a young person attend a mission trip and then feel the call to serve with that organization whether it be on staff, as a seasonal worker, or even as a missionary moving to the children’s home, camp, or country and working there full-time. God is always pursuing us with His grace, and I believe that God is calling Peace Tree and the numerous individuals and families who make up our faith community to follow Him into something new. How is God calling you right now? And if God is calling Peace Tree to follow Him someplace new, do we have the courage to follow? +Pastor Kris Roof September 14 - Eternal One: Abram, get up and go! Leave your country. Leave your relatives and your father’s home, and travel to the land I will show you. Don’t worry--I will guide you there. I have plans to make a great people from your descendants. And I am going to put a special blessing on you and cause your reputation to grow so that you will become a blessing and example to others. I will also bless those who bless you and further you in your journey, and I’ll trip up those who try to trip you along the way. Through your descendants, all of the families of the earth will find their blessing in you. Without any hesitation, Abram went. He did exactly as the Eternal One asked him to do. Abram was 75 years old when he left Haran. -Genesis 12:1-3 (The Voice) Abraham was 75 years old when he and his wife, Sarah, left the only home he had ever known for a land that God would show him. Can you imagine leaving home at age 75 without knowing exactly where God was taking you? September 15 - “Go and get Israel’s elders together and say to them, ‘The Lord, the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, has appeared to me. The Lord said, “I’ve been paying close attention to you and to what has been done to you in Egypt. I’ve decided to take you away from the harassment in Egypt to the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, a land full of milk and honey.”’ -Exodus 3:16-17 (Common English Bible) Part of Moses’s task in delivering the Israelites from the control of Egypt and its Pharaoh was to first gather the elders of his people and to convince them that God was calling them out of Egypt so that they might live in the Promised Land. Why did God require Moses to address the elders? Why is their “buy in” important for Moses and his work? September 16 - After the scholars were gone, God’s angel showed up again in Joseph’s dream and commanded, “Get up. Take the child and his mother and flee to Egypt. Stay until further notice. Herod is on the hunt for this child, and wants to kill him.” Joseph obeyed. He got up, took the child and his mother under cover of darkness. They were out of town and well on their way by daylight. They lived in Egypt until Herod’s death. This Egyptian exile fulfilled what Hosea had preached: “I called my son out of Egypt.” ---Matthew 2:13-15 (The Message) Most of us are familiar with the Nativity Story and the Birth of Jesus - the shepherds, the angels, the wise men and their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. But let’s not forget that the visit of the magi triggered a warning for Joseph and his family to flee to Egypt. What thoughts or feelings would be racing through your mind if you were Mary or Joseph in this situation? Would you be able to leave in the middle of the night with only a moment’s notice? September 17 - Read 1 Samuel 3; then, listen to the hymn, “Here I am Lord” and reflect on its lyrics. Is God calling you into ministry or to some other new task or role? Are you prepared to reply with, “Here I am, Lord…Speak, for your servant is listening.” September 18 - “Don’t load yourselves up with equipment. Keep it simple; you are the equipment. And no luxury inns—get a modest place and be content there until you leave. If you’re not welcomed, leave town. Don’t make a scene. Shrug your shoulders and move on.” -Luke 9:3-5 (The Message) These are Jesus’ instructions to the twelve disciples as he sends them out in pairs to preach the Good News and heal the sick. How does “packing lightly” allow someone to travel quickly and nimbly? What would a congregation look like in today’s world if they sought to “keep it simple?” September 19 - Go out and make disciples in all the nations. Ceremonially wash them through baptism in the name of the triune God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then disciple them. Form them in the practices and postures that I have taught you, and show them how to follow the commands I have laid down for you. And I will be with you, day after day, to the end of the age. -Matthew 28:19-20 (The Voice) In the early days of church planting, I was reminded of this truth: churches don’t make disciples - churches plant other churches. It’s disciples who make new disciples. In your own life, are you currently discipling any to Christ - it could be your child, a friend, a co-worker, or even a young person whom you’re mentoring? If you’re not currently discipling someone, then ask yourself who God might be placing on your heart to contact this week? September 20 - It’s Sunday and the final day of this season of prayer and discernment. I pray that these prompts and passages have been meaningful for you this week. Today’s Scripture plays off of yesterday’s as we consider what it means to go out and to reach people of all nations. Read this passage from Acts and consider the different circles that might begin with your home or with your church family; as you move outward and draw bigger and bigger circles, who would you begin to reach? Who are the people you would encounter, and how many new places would you touch in missions, outreach, and evangelism? Here’s the knowledge you need: you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you. And you will be My witnesses, first here in Jerusalem, then beyond to Judea and Samaria, and finally to the farthest places on earth. (Acts 1:8 The Voice)  Our final Coffee with Kris & Harry will be held at the Starbucks on S. Houston Levee on September 15. Feel free to drop by between 10:00am and 12:00 Noon for conversation & prayer. If someone had told me that I would one day be a part of the Leadership Team for a new church plant, I would have said, “I don’t think so.” But that is exactly what I am doing right now, and I'm loving every minute of it. Several years ago, I found myself as a member of a church but not participating at all, not even going to worship on Sunday mornings. Why? I guess I was frustrated with not feeling like I was a part of the church, never being asked to volunteer even after signing up on volunteer forms, not being nurtured in my faith or cared for when it was needed. I have been in the Church most of my adult life and have always been involved in church leadership by chairing committees, working with Sunday School classes, volunteering with the congregation's youth group, and just about anything else I was asked to do. The Church was my family, but I had been missing that feeling of belonging and of worth. I desired the closeness that I had once felt to God and with my fellow Christians. I missed working for God and feeling like I was part of a church family, and I wanted what I once had. At the same time, I kept feeling nudges from God to find another church. Then, I watched as Peace Tree was getting started. So, one day I said to my husband that I wanted to check out Peace Tree. We met with Pastor Kris over coffee and we liked what we heard. Pastor Kris invited us to try out a House Group, so we went to the Martinsburg Cove House which meets Sundays at 6:30 p.m. I can’t tell you how loved I felt and how we were welcomed into this group from day one. I had found what I had been missing! I wanted more and even said to Kris that I was ready to get plugged in doing something for the Church. Several months later, Pastor Kris invited us to be a part of the Leadership Team. Again, the feeling of warmth, love, and camaraderie was present from day one at these team meetings. We accepted the challenge to serve God in this way and we haven’t looked back. It has been such a wonderful experience being a part of the Leadership Team and witnessing the launch of our Large Group worship celebrations. Planning opportunities for ministry and serving God as church planters has been such a joy. I can’t tell you how great it feels to be a part of this new church and how it is such a big part of my life. I can see God moving through this group, and the love and care shared by others is authentic and genuine. I feel God's presence at every event, every worship service, and at every House Group gathering. I thank God every day that I listened to His nudging and pursued Peace Tree. If you're like me and you are looking for that feeling you once had at church years ago, or if you're just looking for a new church home, then try Peace Tree. You won’t regret it! Love lives here and God is in our midst. +Janice Goldrick  Did you know over 5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer's Disease? One in three senior adults die with Alzheimer's or another dementia. But Alzheimer's doesn't just affect the individual; it affects that person's entire family. Last year, more than 15 million people provided unpaid care for people with Alzheimer's or other dementias. That care added up to 18.2 billion hours which is valued at $230 billion. Chances are you have a friend, co-worker, or neighbor who has been affected by Alzheimer's or another dementia. It's important to care for our aging family members who live with these diseases, and it's just as important to care for the caregivers. This is why our mother church (Collierville UMC) started a support group in the early 1990's for individuals who cared for family members living with Alzheimer's and other dementias. That first support group gave birth to the Collierville Alzheimer's Day Care Center in 1995. As the ministry and work of the Collierville-based center grew, a larger facility was needed, and in 2003 the Page Robbins Adult Day Center moved to their current location at 1961 S. Houston Levee Rd. We think it's wonderful that such an organization as Page Robbins Adult Day Center exists in our community, and we'd like to support their work this October. Herbie Krisle, executive director of Page Robbins, will be in worship with us this Sunday at 10:00 a.m. during our Large Group worship celebration. She'll share a word about the work that's happening at Page Robbins as well as offer us ways in which we might volunteer or contribute to their mission. To help welcome Herbie, we're holding a Donation Drive to help replenish the most frequently used items at the center. We're encouraging everyone to bring one or more of the following items:
Donated items help keep operating costs low for Page Robbins. Clients' families pay fees, but those fees do not cover the entire budget. As a non-profit agency, Page Robbins receives no government funding. Instead, they raise approximately $400,000 each year. Thanks to the countless donations and volunteer hours that individuals and families gave in 2016, there were 110 clients and families who got their joy back. We're excited to give a bit of joy in 2017 through our Donation Drive! I've seen first-hand the love, art, singing, and laughter that takes place in the Page Robbins Adult Day Center. It truly is a special place and the clients are blessed daily by the loving staff and community volunteers. So, join us this Sunday at the Malco Towne Cinema in Collierville for our 10:00 a.m. worship celebration to hear a witness about this wonderful organization, and please consider bringing an item or two for our Page Robbins Donation Drive. +Peace and Love from Pastor Kris It takes dozens of volunteers to make our Sunday morning Large Group worship celebrations possible each and every week. As a way of showing our appreciation to these amazing individuals, we’re taking a break from holding a worship service this Sunday. We believe it’s important to rest and to spend time abiding in God. So, we’ve assembled the following worship materials for you and your family to use in order to worship God wherever you’re spending this holiday weekend. We believe “Church Can Happen Anywhere,” and we hope you’ll invite others to join you in reading Scripture, praying, singing, and discussing the Gospel message from Matthew 10:40-42. Remember to “Check In” to Peace Tree UMC on Facebook and Instagram. Every check-in will provide a week of clean drinking water to a family in need thanks to our partnership with Causely and Northwest Haiti Christian Mission. And be sure to use the hashtag #givewater so that other people will know about this month’s charitable cause. Have a safe and happy 4th of July weekend! We’ll see each of you back at the Malco Collierville Towne Cinema on July 9th at 10AM as we continue our Summer at the Movies sermon series with a movie clip from Soul Surfer and a message based on Matthew 11:16-30. If you’d like to make donation to Peace Tree this week, you can give HERE, and if you have any prayer requests, then please share them with us HERE. God bless! +Peace and Love from Pastor Kris OPEN WITH PRAYER O God, you are the hope of all the ends of the earth, the God of the spirits of all flesh. Hear our humble intercession for all races and families on earth, that you will turn all hearts to yourself. Remove from our minds hatred, prejudice, and contempt for those who are not of our own race or color, class or creed, that, departing from everything that estranges and divides, we may by you be brought into unity of spirit, in the bond of peace. Amen. (Church of Scotland, 20th Cent., Alt.) READ SCRIPTURE “Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. Whoever welcomes a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward; and whoever welcomes a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive the reward of the righteous; and whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple—truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward.” (Matthew 10:40-42, New Revised Standard Version) DISCUSS TOGETHER
REFLECT Watch this music video for Matthew West’s Do Something. Listen to the lyrics (or sing/read them below) and consider what God is calling you to do this week. VERSE ONE:
I woke up this morning Saw a world full of trouble now, thought How’d we ever get so far down, and How’s it ever gonna turn around So I turned my eyes to Heaven I thought, “God, why don’t You do something?” Well, I just couldn’t bear the thought of People living in poverty Children sold into slavery The thought disgusted me So, I shook my fist at Heaven Said, “God, why don’t You do something?” He said, “I did, yeah, I created you.” CHORUS: If not us, then who If not me and you Right now, it’s time for us to do something, yeah If not now, then when Will we see an end To all this pain Oh, it’s not enough to do nothing It’s time for us to do something VERSE TWO: I’m so tired of talking about How we are God’s hands and feet But it’s easier to say than to be Live like angels of apathy who tell ourselves It’s alright, “somebody else will do something” Well, I don’t know about you But I’m sick and tired of life with no desire I don’t want a flame, I want a fire and I wanna be the one who stands up and says “I’m gonna do something” CHORUS BRIDGE: We are the salt of the earth We are a city on a hill We’re never gonna change the world By standing still No, we won’t stand still CHORUS (Matthew West, Copyright Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.) CLOSE WITH PRAYER God of grace and glory, we thank you that you judge us not by the perfection of our actions, but by our readiness to live boldly by faith. Help us, as individuals and as a congregation, to trust you and follow where you lead, that in Christ your name may be glorified in all the earth. Amen. (Ruth Duck, USA, 20th Cent.) |
Peace Tree
Follow the journey of a new church as we answer the call to reach people in Collierville, Memphis, and the Mid-South. Archives
September 2026
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Small Group Gatherings
Sun | Adult Sunday School Sun | Peace Tree Kids Sun | Music Fellowship Sun | United Women in Faith Sun | ZUMBA with Kris Mon | Open Play Pickleball Mon | Mellow Mushroom G'town Tue | Leadership Meeting Tue | Book Club Wed | BRO (Brothers Reaching Out) Wed | SIS (Sisters In Service) Wed | Roots Youth Group Wed | Open Play Pickleball Wed | Young Adult Basketball Thu | Pastor's Bible Study |
Large Group Celebration
Sundays at 10:00 AM (doors open at 9:30 AM) Peace Tree at Shelby Drive 9315 E Shelby Dr Collierville, TN 38017 Office Hours Monday through Thursday 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. |
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Peace Tree UMC 9315 E Shelby Dr Collierville, TN 38017 |