 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.On the seventh day—with the canvas of the cosmos completed—God paused from His labor and rested. Thus God blessed day seven and made it special—an open time for pause and restoration, a sacred zone of Sabbath-keeping, because God rested from all the work He had done in creation that day. Genesis 2:2-3 (The Voice)  Happy Labor Day! The holiday which we celebrate today has historically been one of recognition for the American worker and their contributions to the strength and prosperity of the world’s biggest economy. Labor unions, guilds, and families would gather for parades and recreational activities as communities celebrated the spirit of the American worker. What began as a holiday birthed during the gilded age has transformed into a three-day holiday for Americans to enjoy. It’s an opportunity to get one last summer vacation in, for old-school fashionistas to put away white pieces of clothing until next year, and for friends and families to gather around the grill for one last cookout or barbecue. This celebration of work and its simultaneous practice of rest on the first Monday in September got me thinking about the spiritual exercise of Sabbath-keeping. For many Christians, the Sabbath Day is Sunday - a day that we pause from working, when we gather together with other believers to worship God, and a time for us to recharge and refocus our attention on spiritual matters before resuming our labors the next day. During one of our recent Wednesday night pick up basketball games, I spoke with a young man about Sabbath and asked him this question: Do you rest from your work, or do you begin your work-week from a place of rest? This is a question that Matthew Sleeth poses in his book, “24/6.” Are we just working for the weekend? Or are we treating the Sabbath as an opportunity to connect more strongly with God, to meet face-to-face with our sisters & brothers in Christ, and to prepare our hearts and minds for a week of labor looking for God-moments throughout the next six days? In “24/6,” we’re reminded of the Creation story as told in Genesis 1 — the world was created including every living, breathing creature. Humankind is created at the very end of this process, and the very next day is the Sabbath. The first thing that women & men were instructed to do after their creation according to Genesis 1 was to rest. They weren’t put to work right away, nor were they expected to labor — that would come later. According to Sleeth, God intended for humankind to begin their work from a place of rest which is why the Sabbath Day is the first full day that women & men experienced on earth. So, on this Labor Day, as we gather with friends and families around the grill, enjoy one last summer trip, or simply lounge around the house enjoying a federal holiday at home, consider how you will observe the Sabbath this week and ask yourself what it looks like for a congregation to collectively keep the Sabbath together. +Pastor Kris Roof September 7 - Do you treat the weekend and Sabbath as a chance to rest from your work, or do you view it as an opportunity to begin the work week from a place of rest? What are you resting from today? How can you reframe your Sabbath as a way of re-centering and recharging your soul before taking on a new week? September 8 - Sabbath time causes us to reflect on our lives and possessions. Are there items that you’re holding on to which is making life more difficult or causing a distraction in your daily living? Are there items or activities that you need to prune from your life in order to create a simpler, more intentional environment for you to experience? September 9 - What would it look like for a congregation to experience Sabbath beyond our Sunday morning worship gathering? Are there activities or items in our possession which we should prune? Are there times when it’s more appropriate to “do less” as opposed to doing more? September 10 - Take some time to read this familiar passage of Scripture from Psalm 46:10a. At the end of each line, spend some time in prayer listening for God’s voice… Be still and know that I am God. Be still and know that I am… Be still and know… Be still… Be… September 11 - Many families who observe the Sabbath will prepare meals before the Sabbath, tidy up the house and take care of chores ahead of time. If you had a full 24-hour day when you didn’t have to cook or clean (and you didn’t cause someone else to cook, clean, or perform some other task for you), how would you spend your day? Would you read, go for a walk, play a board game, watch a movie, call up family members or friends you haven’t spoken with in some time? September 12 - As Peace Tree considers the direction that God is calling our congregation, how might we experience rest and find comfort in God? Is there any work or tasks that we should accomplish now so that we aren’t distracted later when we’re listening for God’s voice? September 13 - Today is another Sabbath day! Will you put aside your work and tasks today in order to spend time in fellowship with God, family, and your neighbors? How will you delight in the gift that is TODAY? This week's Coffee with Kris & Harry will be held at Donut Hutt. Feel free to drop by between 10:00am and 12:00 Noon for conversation & prayer. Last week, our Director of Youth Ministries (Engagement), Kayla Cave, shared a devotional based on Acts 2:42-47. As soon as I began reading that first verse - Acts 2:42 - I was immediately transported back eleven years to when we first began our work of planting a new church in the Collierville area. Acts 2:42 served as the focus verse for our launch team as we began planting a network of house churches in our town – meeting for dinner, study, and Communion in people's homes, witnessing the fruit that God was bringing to harvest, guiding those first faithful followers from Peace Tree to plant new seeds by starting house groups in new neighborhoods in order to reach new people for Jesus. But it had been some time since I had read past the 42nd verse to see what it has to say about the Christian community, about the ways in which we can use our resources or sell our possessions in order to serve others, and the way in which those Early Christians lived in harmony together by holding everything in common. I was reminded that the Early Church wasn't interested in amassing more "stuff" or building a 5,000 seat sanctuary; they were more interested in reaching more people with the love of Christ in smaller more personal ways. They met for worship in public places and experienced CHURCH by sharing meals with one another in their homes. This experience of authentic Christian community is what allowed the Church to grow - it wasn't a slick marketing campaign, a grand prize giveaway, or a glossy postcard listing the times that their group gathered for praise & worship that won the hearts and minds of the people. Real relationships are what drew newcomers to connect with the Early Christians, and perhaps there is a lesson in this type of authentic community for us today. So, I invite you to read Kayla's original devotional below. Afterwards, you'll see several prayer prompts for the upcoming week. Thank you for journeying with us during this important time in the life of our congregation. God bless you! +Pastor Kris Roof “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” - Acts 2:42-47 (New International Version) This month’s theme for the Roots is cultivation (lol, get it?). We’ve talked about cultivating our faith and our culture, and with our church-wide meal happing tonight (that I’ve been affectionately calling family dinner), I want to talk about cultivating our community. Community is an integral part of who we are as humans and believers. Without a support system, it’s hard to survive. I know I wouldn’t be able to survive without mine. I am a very careful community cultivator. I don’t let just anyone into my close circle. It may sound cynical at face value, but I do firmly believe that God will send people my way that I can trust to be my closest advisors and accountability peers. That is also not to say that I am not a willing and eager participant in my bigger community. In fact, I have a fierce pride in being a member of my community. I find that there is beauty and importance in both. It is crucial for us to cultivate both the tree and the flower. We cannot flourish fully without them. God will give you people in your life, some for a few seasons and some for good. Take those relationships with love and grow in God. Kayla Cave Director of Youth Ministries - Engagement August 31 - Acts 2:42 includes four main components for the Christian gathering: study of Scripture, fellowship with neighbors, sharing a meal/Communion, and prayer. If a congregation only did these four things (i.e. they had no music, no children's moment, no offering moment, no formal sermon from a priest or pastor BUT they learned together, ate a meal, laughed and prayed with each other), would you consider their gathering to be a "church service" or a "worship service" - why or why not? September 1 - Today is 901 Day in the Mid-South! What are some ways you can cultivate community? Who is the last neighbor you shared a conversation with on the front porch? Which of your neighbors could benefit from a greater sense of community today? September 2 - The Early Christians devoted themselves to the teaching of the apostles. What is your favorite verse of Scripture? What is your favorite book of the Bible? What does devotion to the apostles' teachings look like in our modern times, and are you living that out? September 3 - Another way to conceive of the Early Christians' "fellowship" is to think about "life together." Who are the people in your life who you would consider as part of your "fellowship" or your circle of friends? How often do you pray for them and for their families? September 4 - The "breaking of bread" or the common meal was foundational for this Early Christian community in Acts. How do you prefer to break bread with your friends or fellow believers: at a restaurant, in a church fellowship hall, in your home, on the patio in your backyard, or from some other location like a coffeehouse, in the bleachers during a football game or band competition, or from inside your car at a drive-in? Does the location of the meal affect the type of fellowship you get to share with others? September 5 - Prayer is the final core value for these Early Christians who have experienced Pentecost and are baptizing new believers in Jerusalem. How often do you pray to God? Do you only pray when you need something from God? Do you pray when you're celebrating a major milestone or blessing in your life? Are you in need of prayer today and you'd like to share a prayer request with us? September 6 - During these 40 Days of Prayer & Discernment, have you begun to re-think what Church can look like or feel like? What would you consider are the foundational elements for any congregation to have if they are to be the Church? This week's Coffee with Kris & Harry will be held at Cafe 127. Feel free to drop by between 10:00am and 12:00 Noon for conversation & prayer. Yesterday, as we gathered for Sunday worship via an “online only” experience due to the widespread power outages which have affected our church building, I had flashbacks to the days we worshiped online during the COVID pandemic. I was reminded of the one-on-one meetings I had with families in their driveways, the Peace Tree Kids drive through event in our parking lot, Carols & Candlelight in our parking lot with a radio transmitter so that families could safely listen and sing along from their cars, and our 2021 outdoor Easter morning service held on the east lawn of our church property. Our vision statement as a congregation is “Church Can Happen Anywhere,” and in all of these instances (including online-only worship from this past weekend) CHURCH truly took place in locations that many would consider non-traditional. From March 2020 through December 2021, we didn’t gather together for worship in a sanctuary, but rather we came together in spirit, we used the resources available to us, and we adapted to whatever the current situation was for our faith community at that time. And these alternative worship methods and “church plant scrappiness” was true for Peace Tree when we originally launched in 2015 - hosting events in parks, meeting for Bible studies in living rooms, and worshiping on Sundays inside a movie theater. As we’ve journeyed through the Book of Hebrews this month, there have been several moments when the Tabernacle has popped up in our passages. Many of us know that the Tabernacle was the tent in which Moses and the Israelites worshiped God during their exodus, and it’s where they kept their holy items safe during their 40 years in the wilderness. It served as their mobile temple in the desert and it moved with them as they made their way to the Promised Land, but this wasn’t the first time that God had met God’s people in the wild. God walked with Adam & Eve in a garden, formed the covenant with Abraham outdoors under the stars, protected Noah’s family on a boat during the Flood, wrestled with Jacob near a river, and called Moses to service from inside a cave. The ways in which we, as Peace Tree, have gathered for worship, for missions, for Bible study and children’s events and board meetings all changed in 2019 when moved into the building at 9315 E Shelby Dr and merged congregations with our sisters & brothers from CrossRoads UMC. Owning a building has opened us up to new ministries and outreach opportunities (e.g. pickleball, Dayshore, hosting non-profits in our space), and it’s also added responsibilities for our Administrative Board and congregation in terms of maintenance, insurance, utilities, and debt. This week, I’m asking our faith community to consider the vision of “Church Can Happen Anywhere.” How are we living into the statement? Do we still have some of that “church plant scrappiness” in our congregation’s DNA? How does our current building on E Shelby Drive support our mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ? I am praying with you and with our friends during these 40 Days for direction and guidance from the Holy Spirit. Please return to this page over the next week to use the prayer prompts written below in your daily meditation and contemplation. Thank you, and God bless! +Pastor Kris Roof August 24 - Consider time that you've spent by the water - a river, a lake, the ocean, or even a swimming pool. Now, consider all the references to water that we see in Scripture - the parting of the Red Sea, the baptism of Jesus at the Jordan River, or the River of Life that flows through the City of God in Revelation. How does praising God in an environment with water impact our worship experiences? August 25 - Read this passage from Psalm 139 and contemplate our church's vision statement: Church Can Happen Anywhere 7 Can I go anywhere apart from Your Spirit? Is there anywhere I can go to escape Your watchful presence? 8 If I go up into heaven, You are there. If I make my bed in the realm of the dead, You are there. 9 If I ride on the wings of morning, if I make my home in the most isolated part of the ocean, 10 Even then You will be there to guide me; Your right hand will embrace me, for You are always there. August 26 - Spend time reading about the Tabernacle in Exodus Have you ever had a "makeshift" worship experience before? What needed to happen in order for you to worship God in that space? How did you utilize the resources at your disposal? Click here for Exodus 25 - 31 August 27 - In Joshua 4, God instructs Joshua to find twelve individuals - one from each tribe - and have them each bring a stone from the Jordan River to build a memorial on the banks of the river. This would signal to all future generations the place where the Israelites crossed the Jordan River while the waters were held back and the riverbed was dry. Have you ever marked a place as holy, maybe with a cross, a flag, or something colorful like a stuffed animal or a poster drawn in memory of a loved one? How long did you stay in that one spot before you moved on? How long did Joshua and the Israelites remain at Gilgal before they eventually moved on? August 28 - Matthew 27:50-52a states: And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split and the tombs broke open. Why is it significant that the curtain inside the Holy of the Holies was torn in two? Can God be contained by any one building? August 29 - As stated above, our church's Vision statement is: Church Can Happen Anywhere. Are there any places or locales where you feel like Church could NOT happen? Is there any place on planet earth where God’s spirit cannot be found? August 30 - Peace Tree took over ownership of the property at 9315 E Shelby Dr in 2019 when we merged congregations with CrossRoads UMC. If the building disappeared tomorrow, would Peace Tree still be a church? What does it mean to be a church without a building? If a congregation didn’t own a piece of property in which to worship or host meals, how else could they gather for learning, missions, and outreach? This week's Coffee with Kris & Harry will be held at Levee Coffee & Creamery. Feel free to drop by between 10:00am and 12:00 Noon for conversation & prayer.“He joins and holds together the whole body with its ligaments providing the support needed so each part works to its proper design to form a healthy, growing, and mature body that builds itself up in love.” -Ephesians 4:16 (The Voice)  Yesterday, I had the opportunity to attend the very first clergy meeting for the newly formed Southwestern District of the Tennessee-Western Kentucky Conference of the United Methodist Church. It was an uplifting two hours of fellowship, worship, and learning spent at First UMC of Jackson, TN with fellow colleagues who serve other congregations in local church ministry throughout the Volunteer State. Our new District Superintendent, Rev. Dr. Jathnaiel Cavitt, shared a message with us which was based on Ephesians 4:1-16, and he used the imagery of a tapestry being woven together to help connect our thoughts to the scripture. We were reminded that before the act of weaving can begin, tension between the strands must first exist. I know that during this time, we may feel tense or anxious about the next steps we will take as a church family. But I trust that God will work in the midst of that tension, that God will weave together a new thing amongst us, and that God will bind us together in love - that we might consider ourselves interwoven by grace. And I pray that we may open our hearts and minds to discover this type of interwoven grace beyond the walls of our church building - to count ourselves as one strand in the great tapestry of our District, our Conference, our Denomination, and yes - the Kingdom of God here on this planet. Dr. Cavitt shared something at the very beginning of his message that has stuck with me: “The strength of the Church is not merely within us, it’s also between us.” We know from Paul’s letter to the Ephesians that the power of the Holy Spirit flows through us, but we have also seen how the Spirit brings different congregations together to address common goals, to supply scholarships for deserving students, to provide disaster relief for communities in need, and to speak out against injustices and evil which exist in our world. It may be cliché to state that we are “stronger together” - various political campaigns and corporate advertisements have used this language as well. But with the power of the Holy Spirit flowing through us, and the grace of God weaving us together, we truly are stronger, better, and more faithful when we work together and worship Jesus as the one who transforms our independent strands by weaving us into a beautiful tapestry. As we journey through these 40 Days of Prayer & Discernment, I ask that you consider the spiritual gifts and talents found within our faith community. How is God using us to build up the Kingdom of Heaven? After you've given that some thought, look around our city to other places of worship and ask how God not only works within us but also between us. +Pastor Kris Roof August 17 - Ephesians 4:11-12 states: So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up... Which of these roles do you most closely identify with - Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor, or Teacher? August 18 - Before the act of weaving can begin, tension between the strands must first exist... What tension or anxiety are you currently feeling? How might God work to create something beautiful in the midst of that tension? August 19 - Consider all the gifts and skills found within our faith community - what does it mean for each part to work to its proper design? What can we achieve together when each member of our body fully utilizes their God-given talents? August 20 - How is God at work between the churches in our town? What opportunities exist for us to partner with other congregations towards a shared goal or ministry? August 21 - As a United Methodist congregation, we belong to a larger connection and network of local churches throughout our denomination. How have you or your family been impacted by that connection of shared resources and ministry? August 22 - What does the phrase "Stronger Together" mean to you? Have you seen this idea lived out - if so, what role did you play in the effort? How can we be more faithful together? August 23 - What do you imagine is God's desire for Peace Tree? How can we live into God's preferred future for our congregation? This week's Coffee with Kris & Harry will be held at Carrington Oaks Coffeehouse. Feel free to drop by between 10:00am and 12:00 Noon for conversation & prayer. This past Sunday, I joined several leaders from our congregation's Leadership Team to host a State of the Church information meeting. During the meeting, we updated church members about recent successes in ministry, vital partnerships with fellow non-profit organizations which we've formed in the last couple of years, and shared how the reach & impact of our congregation extends beyond the walls of our church building. We also received a clear and honest report from our treasurer regarding our church's finances, operating budget, and a potential forecast as we look ahead to the remainder of 2026. If you're a member of our congregation but you missed attending this in-person session and you would like to view this video, please request a link by emailing me at [email protected]. Near the end of the gathering, I shared my hope for our faith community to enter into a season of prayerful consideration, conversation, and thought. Starting today, August 12 and lasting through Sunday, September 20, we will engage in 40 Days of Prayer & Discernment. I encourage you to return to this blog every Monday between now and September 20 for devotionals and prompts guiding you in meditation and prayer over different areas of ministry found within our church family. I trust that the Holy Spirit will speak to us through this exercise to help bring into focus which programs, physical assets, and strategic partnerships are important and necessary to our core mission to "Love God by Loving Others." I also want to make myself available for phone conversations, video chats, and one-to-one meetings. Every Monday, I will be in the church office from 10:00am until 2:00pm. Feel free to drop in unannounced or call ahead if you'd like to see me or any of our staff. Dr. Durbin and I will also be available at several coffee shops throughout Collierville on Tuesday mornings from 10:00am until 12:00 Noon. We welcome any questions, comments, or reflections about our current situation as a church body, and we'd love to hear your ideas for innovation and fresh expressions of faith. You can RSVP to these in-person coffee meet-ups on our Facebook page, or simply swing by for a cup of joe and conversation. Our schedule during these 40 Days of Prayer & Discernment is as follows: Aug. 18 at Carrington Oaks Coffeehouse Aug. 25 at Levee Coffee & Creamery Sep. 1 at Café 127 Sep. 8 at Donut Hutt Sep. 15 at Starbucks (S. Houston Levee) We want to dream up and imagine possibilities that push beyond what might be considered standard procedure or some sort of protocol copied from a business playbook. Instead, we want to live into God's preferred future for our congregation. As we consider the level of giving & tithes each family can commit to placing in the offering plate this year as well as the various uses of our church building and vital partnerships we can create with other congregations, non-profit organizations, and outside groups who desire to utilize our space, I pray that God will provide focus and clarity for our next steps as a church family. So, today I invite you to read the passage of Scripture printed below and consider the ways in which our young people are leading us as a congregation. What gifts and talents do they possess? How are they not simply the "Church of Tomorrow," but rather the "Church of Today?" After reading this passage, scroll down to read prompts for the different days of this week. And if you haven't already, watch the faith witnesses shared by our children & youth from our July 26 worship service linked below. Thank you for your support! I look forward to joining you in person and in spirit during these next 40 Days of Prayer & Discernment. May God bless you and the people of Peace Tree! +Pastor Kris Roof And don’t let anyone put you down because you’re young. Teach believers with your life: by word, by demeanor, by love, by faith, by integrity. 1 Timothy 4:12 (The Message) August 12 - Psalm 8:2 comments on how the praise of God by infants & children who gurgle choruses and shout songs are able to drown out the talk of enemies. How have you witnessed infants, toddlers, and young children praising God with their songs, shouts, and cries this past month? August 13 - How important is it for tweens and teens to experience short term mission trips like Mountain T.O.P. or Rio Bravo? What is different about traveling to another place to engage in mission work versus volunteering here at home? August 14 - Is God calling you to get Safe Sanctuary trained and background checked so that you may begin volunteering in the Nursery, with Peace Tree Kids, or with the Roots youth group? August 15 - How have the young people of our faith community helped teach you about faith and trust in God? What example have they set with their words, demeanor, love, faith, and integrity? August 16 - Is God calling you to provide a meal for one of the Wednesday night youth meet-ups this semester? If you do feel led to provide a meal for these students to enjoy, will you also consider sticking around to break bread in the fellowship hall and spend time with our teens, adult volunteers, and church staff? The following announcement was delivered by Pastor Kris during our Large Group worship celebration on Sunday, December 19, 2021 - the Fourth Sunday of Advent. Scroll down to see a video clip featuring his announcement. I have some very exciting news to share with you this morning. On January 1st, the Rev. Dr. Harry Durbin will officially join the Peace Tree staff as our Minister of Discipleship. Many of you know who Dr. Durbin is and you may recall that he preached at our recent World Communion Sunday service while I was on paternity leave. Before retiring from full-time ordained ministry in 2016, Dr. Durbin had been nominated twice as the Memphis Conference’s nominee for the office of Bishop. He holds a B.S. from Union University, a Master of Divinity from Southern Seminary, a Master of Education from the University of Memphis, and a Doctorate of Ministry from Columbia Theological Seminary. He has served churches in Memphis, Millington, Jackson, Cordova, and for 13 years he was the the senior pastor at Collierville UMC, and I was fortunate enough to serve there on the pastoral staff under Harry from 2009 until 2011 when he became the Senior Vice President for the Faith & Health division of Methodist Healthcare. For the last four years, Dr. Durbin has been at Covenant UMC where he’s served on staff in a part-time pastoral role, similar to what he will be doing at Peace Tree. You’ll see Harry and his wife Connie on Sunday mornings, he’ll have an office in the building, will assist with congregational care, and he’ll also be leading a Pastor’s Bible study on Thursday mornings starting January 13. We’ll be sharing more about our plans for those Bible studies, and you’ll be seeing a lot more of Harry in the New Year. But for now, we give thanks for this new addition to the Peace Tree family and I count it as a blessing to once again serve alongside Dr. Durbin, someone I consider as both a mentor and a friend. 
The following is a transcript from a video I streamed earlier today via Facebook Live. Contained in this article are helpful links and updated information for how Peace Tree is continuing to address COVID-19 concerns in our community. Please contact us if you have any questions or concerns. God bless!
+Peace and Love from Pastor Kris Hey friends, I wanted to give y’all a quick update on how our faith community is currently addressing coronavirus concerns as we look ahead to the month of May. The last time I went LIVE over Facebook with an update, it was Friday, March 13 - that’s a little over 6 weeks ago. To put things into perspective, back on March 13, there were only two confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Shelby County. With more testing being made available in the weeks since then, health officials quickly discovered that community transmission had occurred, and as of April 28 in Shelby County alone, there are 2,320 confirmed cases of COVID-19 including 45 deaths. Friends, now more than ever, we need to practice healthy habits, we need to remain at home if possible, and if we do go to a public place for work, or to pick up groceries and meals from local restaurants, or for any other reason, then we need to wear cloth masks or other face coverings to protect ourselves and others. For six weeks now, Peace Tree has encouraged our members to stay at home. We’ve gathered together as an online community through a number of different methods. We’ve premiered worship videos on Sunday morning at 10AM Central across three sites: YouTube, Facebook, and our church website: peacetree.church. We’ve also been hosting online Bible studies on Wednesday nights at 7:30 Central using Facebook Live. We have a dial in prayer call every Thursday at 2:00. House Groups have been keeping in touch with Zoom meetings, emails, group text messages, and phone calls. Our United Methodist Women circles and Peace Tree Kids have been calling and writing letters to our home-centered members, and our Congregational Care Team and church staff have done an excellent job of keeping us connected as well. Many of you watching this video may already have a church home, and we hope that you’re staying connected to your church family. But for those of you who don’t currently have a faith community, or for those who haven’t attended church in some time and are looking for a comfortable, casual way of getting plugged in, I invite you to check out Peace Tree. We’re continuing to foster community using these online opportunities and we’ve had friends and family members join us from places near and far including Arkansas, Mississippi, South Carolina, California, Amsterdam, the Philippines, and Hong Kong just to name a few. Search for Peace Tree on Facebook and YouTube: I think you’d enjoy all the people you’ll meet during a Wednesday night Bible study, a Sunday morning worship service, a Tuesday night Book Club gathering, or during a Thursday afternoon dial-in prayer call. Back on March 13, the president declared a national emergency. He also proposed a 15 day plan for slowing the spread of COVID-19. That original 15 day plan got extended through the end of April. And now, there are guidelines from the White House that governors, mayors, and community leaders are referencing when making decisions regarding a phased re-opening of our cities, counties, and states. Our church’s leadership team is staying up-to-date on what local health officials and government leaders are advising, and we’re also looking to our denominational leaders, specifically our conference bishop and our district superintendent. On Friday, Bishop Bill McAlilly shared a blog post with United Methodist pastors stating that it’s in the best interest of the churches we serve in Middle Tennessee, West Tennessee, and Western Kentucky for public worship and other in-person gatherings to remain suspended through May 31. We at Peace Tree agree with the Bishop’s decision and we will continue to gather online and stay connected through mailed cards and letters, email blasts, social media posts, Zoom meetings, telephone calls, and Facebook Live videos. In these unprecedented times, the act of physically distancing ourselves from one another is an act of love. Doing so helps us protect ourselves and our families, it demonstrates care and concern for our neighbors (especially those who are most susceptible to this virus), and it could literally help save lives. If you’re isolated and you need someone to talk to, you can always reach out to me - message me directly over Facebook or Instagram, or email me at [email protected]. If you have a prayer concern, send it to our Congregational Care Team at [email protected]. If you need to contact our office staff, then email [email protected] or call 901-286-5532. Lastly, if you’d like to financially support our online ministry, then text the word PEACE to 77977 or visit peacetree.church/give. I leave you with a thought from Psalm 82. In this Psalm, God is presented as the supreme Judge, and God is examining all of those who are in a position of responsibility. They were commissioned to defend the weak, to stand up for the powerless, to uphold the cause of the poor, and to deliver those who are being exploited. Friends, all of us, in some degree or another, hold a position of responsibility. Throughout every community around the world there live individuals who are immunocompromised, those who have underlying medical conditions, and those who suffer from chronic disease. They are your grandparents, your parents, your neighbors, your best friends. I’m staying home to help keep them safe, so that one day, I can see them again face to face. Remember to thank our frontline health care workers, our first responders, grocery store employees, restaurant owners, and other essential workers who are risking their health in order to keep society functioning. Wash your hands often, stay home as much as possible, and if you do go out in public, then please cover your mouth and nose with a mask or face covering. Stay in touch. Share the good news of Jesus. Be the good news by helping those in need. And remember that Church Can Happen Anywhere. Thanks for watching and God bless! 
The following article was shared by Pastor Kris during Vision Sunday on January 26, 2020 which concluded our "2020 Vision" sermon series. Architectural designs and concept art were shared with our congregation at a special meeting following the 10AM worship service that day. During the meeting, church leaders guided table discussions as we dreamt and imagined how a potential building renovation would impact our ministry and extend our missional outreach into the community.
If you'd like more information about the renovation proposals, please visit us in person at 9315 E Shelby Dr and pick up a copy of our FAQ document. You can also take a look at the design boards displayed in the main lobby with images of the entrances, hallways, chapel, and signage. Questions? Email us at [email protected]. These are exciting times! God is at work with the people of Peace Tree, and we have sought to live into God’s vision for our growing congregation. What began in the summer of 2015 as a dream for a new church led by a church planter with a launch team of 12 people, soon became a network of house churches which met in neighborhoods, apartments, and restaurants touching dozens of lives. Our mission was simple back then, and it remains our focus to this day: To Love God by Loving Others. As a new church plant, we sought to love those who had left the church for one reason or another, to welcome back those who had fallen away from the community of faith, and to reach those who had never been exposed to Christianity or encountered Jesus in their lives. Instead of asking people to “come to church,” we worked tirelessly to “take the Church to them,” and to “meet people where they are.” We accomplished this through community events and weekly House Groups. As God grew Peace Tree during the course of our first year, our church leaders saw a need for a Sunday morning worship service. 
“Church Can Happen Anywhere,” so we decided to rent space in a non-traditional location for our Sunday morning Large Group Worship Celebration - we believed this would make us more approachable and that it would clear any hurdles for individuals who were weary of walking into a traditional church building. After considering the YMCA at Schilling Farms, Collierville Schools, and the Malco Collierville Towne Cinema, the best value for our money was the local movie theater.
The Malco Collierville Towne Cinema provided us with a large lobby to greet families and neighbors, Safe Sanctuary compliant classrooms for our Nursery and children’s church, and an auditorium that could seat over 250 people comfortably. The staff was wonderful and we included them as fellow team members. The Sunday morning worship service introduced us to people who had not yet encountered Peace Tree, and it also welcomed others who could not attend a mid-week House Group. These individuals came with talents, gifts, and ideas for new monthly gatherings like Family Fun Night and Book Club. They helped us live out our core values: Love All, Serve All, Live Together, Follow Christ. 
The Malco Collierville Towne Cinema was planning a number of renovations and this ultimately caused us to move locations to the Malco Forest Hill Cinema in Germantown. New families discovered us because of the change in location, and we saw the number of people involved in House Groups and Sunday morning Large Group steadily grow.
We were pushing up against our maximum capacity in the Malco Forest Hill Cinema during big worship services (Easter, Christmas Eve, Founders’ Day, etc.) and we started looking for a larger space to rent that would also be accessible during the week for other programs and ministry opportunities. We looked at buildings and office suites that other churches had previously occupied - one in an office park and another off of Highway 72. We toured spaces that were available for lease in shopping centers and at Carriage Crossing. We even found an online listing for a church building & parsonage in Collierville priced at $2 million. God continued to grow our church and we continued to look for a new home, and that’s exactly when the pastor of CrossRoads Church reached out to me about a potential church merger. The Peace Tree Leadership Team proposed the “baby step” of renting the gym from CrossRoads while their congregation continued meeting in the chapel with their pastor continuing to serve the CrossRoads congregation. But after meeting with the lay leaders and committee chairs from CrossRoads, it was clear that they wanted to merge with Peace Tree. 
During the merger process, we learned a lot about CrossRoads - how many of its members had once been part of St. James UMC and decided to move out to Collierville and re-charter as CrossRoads Church, how the people of CrossRoads worshiped in a warehouse for several years while the building on Shelby Drive was constructed, and how worship took place in the gym while the chapel was being built. Wherever we go, God is already there! So whether we gather for worship in a warehouse, a movie theater, a coffee shop, someone’s home, a chapel, a gymnasium, or a restaurant - we know that God is with us. Since we shared the same spiritual DNA with this sister congregation, we decided to proceed with the church merger. The leaders of Peace Tree emphasized our desire to renovate the building, updating signage, replacing carpet, painting the walls, and transforming the chapel into a space that could function in many different ways, welcoming community organizations and outside groups into our sacred space. 
CrossRoads had opened their doors to outside groups in the years leading up to the church merger. The YMCA had hosted Y Camps in the children’s wing during the summer months; fitness classes, team sports, and pickle ball take place inside the gym; and Cub Scout Pack 37 was chartered and continues to meet inside the building.
We hope to build upon this important work and to open the doors of this church facility even wider. There is so much potential for this space, and there are plenty of opportunities to reach new people whom other churches have missed in the past.
I had absolute trust that the church merger would help our congregation grow and that moving into this building would give us a safe space for individuals and families to call home - and by all accounts, that’s exactly what’s happened.
I believe that the proposed renovations will extend our reach into this community and the surrounding areas. As we take our next faithful steps together, I hope you’ll pray for me and for our church family as we continue to seek God’s vision for Peace Tree. +Peace and Love from Pastor Kris  The following report comes from Pastor Kris and Johnny Jackson, our congregation's Lay Leader. It was shared with Sunday morning's Large Group on September 8, 2019. Scroll down to the bottom of this post to see video from the worship service. KRIS: We want to take a moment to recognize our first 100 days as a newly merged church worshiping together in this space as Peace Tree. Many of you know that conversations began last year to bring the congregations of CrossRoads and Peace Tree together as we sought to further God’s mission, to build the Kingdom of Heaven here in our corner of the world, and to make disciples of Jesus Christ. A team of faithful individuals came together to discuss the details, to list our rocks in the river, and to share our dream and vision for the future. I’m extremely grateful for all those who contributed their energy and effort to the merger of CrossRoads and Peace Tree, and today we want to report on the progress that’s taken place in a little over three month’s time. I’m going to touch upon the Mission, Vision, and Values of our church and how we’ve been living those out, then Johnny Jackson, our Administrative Board Chair and Church Lay Leader will talk about some noteworthy successes from our first 100 days. Peace Tree’s mission is to Love God by Loving Others, and I feel as though we do a good job of demonstrating that. In fact the first of our four core values is to Love All. We remember that God first loved us, so we try to express love in all that we do, whether it’s greeting people at the front door, offering coffee and donuts on Sunday morning, welcoming newcomers to House Groups and Large Group worship, or interacting with our followers on social media. We want everyone to know that they’ll be loved, respected, encouraged, challenged, and welcomed by the people of Peace Tree. Our second core value is to Serve All. For decades, this facility has been utilized by multiple groups in the community such as the Cub Scouts, Futsal Escola girls’ soccer team, pickleball players, and even our neighborhood's Homeowner’s Association, and we’re continuing to nurture and build upon those partnerships. We’re dreaming up more ways to use this facility to serve the community, and at the same time, our people have taken the church out of the building to meet people where they are. We have more House Groups and monthly gatherings than at any point in Peace Tree’s history which means we’re reaching more people than ever before. Our House Groups have supported the Big Heart Fund, the Family Violence Council of Collierville, the Reynolds Hospice House, and several local schools. Our UMW circles and BRO and SIS groups have supported local reading programs, the Page Robbins Adult Day Center, and My Town Miracles’ Family Picnic & Field Day. And for the fourth year in a row, our church is organizing volunteers for the Guatemalan Mobile Consulate. Live Together and Follow Christ are the last two core values at Peace Tree, and we participate in this work every time we gather in this place for Sunday morning worship. Members of our House Groups and small groups come together to form one Large Group in order to pray together, to sing God’s praises together, and to learn together as we explore God’s Word. Our Adult Sunday School class started back up this morning after taking a break for the summer, and we’re exploring ways to launch a Confirmation Class for our young people. Groups which meet in coffee shops, restaurants, and neighborhood clubhouses have given us a chance to evangelize and witness to our neighbors. And House Groups have used a variety of resources for their studies as we all seek to follow Christ ever more closely. Now, I’d like to pass the mic to Johnny Jackson, our church Lay Leader, as he shares a word about our first 100 days… JOHNNY: Thank you Kris and thank you congregation for this “first” 100 days. It is right to pause, reflect, and to celebrate this milestone. In the first 100 days:
Speaking of the children, one of the real motivations for Peace Tree joining with CrossRoads in this merger was the need for a safe and inviting space for our children to learn and grow. Over the past 100 days we have renovated 5 classrooms to create this space for our children of today and for those families and children to come.
I would like to extend a huge thank you from Connie and myself for the work of all the volunteers who pitched in and helped out. If you have not yet checked out the new children’s space, I invite you after today’s service to walk down the west hall and check it all out. As you do, dream about the possibilities that the Peace Tree campus offers for extending the kingdom of God.
As you observe the new children’s space and imagine the future, let me give an update for proposed renovations of our facilities. Over the past 100 days we have had a number of meetings with ANF Architects reimagining our facilities. In the coming weeks we will be compiling the design recommendations to review with the district board and the district superintendent. We will be presenting this recommendation to you, our church, as we prayerfully consider what God would have us to do. The renovations under consideration include:
As stated we will be presenting this information in more details in the coming weeks as ANF wraps up the conceptual design. It's been an active 100 days. I am excited to be a part of what God is doing here at Peace Tree, and I look forward to the future. KRIS: I want to end this time by reminding you of our overarching vision statement: Church Can Happen Anywhere. At its core is a simple reminder that I am the Church, that you are the Church, that we are the Church together. Whenever we walk out of the doors of our homes or this building, we are walking out into the mission field. God is already out in the world, waiting for us to arrive so that we might participate in God’s mission of disciple-making. Demonstrate God’s love to your classmates at school, be the Church in your workplace, pray for each other and encourage one another with words of affirmation online and in person, seek out the path that Christ has prepared for you. Four years ago, Peace Tree was approximately two dozen people meeting in two different living rooms - Wednesday nights in Collierville and Thursday nights in East Memphis. Today, we’re a congregation of 350 members & regular attenders on the roll with an average Sunday morning worship attendance of 140. There are also 100+ people each month who get together at House Groups or other Peace Tree gatherings. We reach hundreds of people each month online with our worship service Live Streams, and we reach thousands with our Causely check-ins which have encouraged your friends to message you and ask, “Hey, what’s Peace Tree? I see you checking in at the location all the time. Can you tell me more?” We’ve entered an age of digital evangelism, and you are at the cutting edge! Just as Jesus told Peter that he would build his Church, we trust that God is building up this congregation, using each of us to serve as living stones for God’s holy temple. In the upcoming weeks, you’ll have opportunities to hear about our renovation proposal so that our facility can reflect the joy, hospitality, and spirit of our people while attracting newcomers and partner organizations to utilize this space seven days a weeks, extending our reach into this community. But for now, let’s celebrate our first 100 days, let’s give thanks to God, and let’s continue worshiping together at the table. Thank you! |
Peace Tree
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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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