Contributors

Thank you to all who have contributed thus far to the Peachtree Road Storybook living history website!

Marcia Gaddis

Marcia Gaddis is a writer and presently the Creative Director for the Centennial Peachtree Road Online Storybook. She and her husband, Mike, have been church members since 2005 and they are active in New Beginnings Sunday School. She serves on the Mary Stewart Altar Guild.

Eve REspess

Eve Respess is the Peachtree Road United Methodist Church Centennial Committee Chair and church archivist. Her paternal and maternal grandparents were founding members of Peachtree Road, and Eve is dedicated to preserving not only their legacy, but the legacy of all church members.

Rev. Bill Britt

Rev. Bill Britt is the Senior Minister of Peachtree Road United Methodist Church, where he has served since 2008. He is a graduate of Stetson University in DeLand, Florida. He received his Master of Divinity degree from Candler School of Theology at Emory University in Atlanta and his Doctor of Ministry degree from United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio.

Kelly Brannon

Kelly Brannon has been a church member since 2017, when she moved back to Atlanta after college. She met her husband Mason in the church’s Young Adults program, and they are active in the Harvest Sunday School class. Kelly works as an internal strategist for The Home Depot and enjoys her involvement in the church as a Kindergarten Sunday School teacher, a volunteer on global mission trips, part of the Sanctuary Guild, and now also a writer contributing to the Peachtree Road Online Storybook.

Rev. Ron Greer

Ron Greer is the Director of the Pastoral Counseling Service at Peachtree Road United Methodist Church in Atlanta, where he has served for over 30 years. He is a frequent speaker at conferences, churches, and organizations on a variety of issues including parenting young adults, grief and its healing, integrity, personal growth and marriage enrichment.

Janet Joiner

An Atlanta native and life-long Methodist, Janet joined Peachtree Road in the early 80s. She quickly became a member of the New Beginnings Sunday School class. That class and those friends continue as the abiding touch-point in her Church life, while over the years she has organized and taught adult and youth Sunday School, traveled on Church mission trips, and continues to sing in the Chancel Choir.

Betty Lee Kennedy

Betty Lee Kennedy is a long-time member of Peachtree Road United Methodist Church. Known as “the mother of acolytes,” Betty Lee dedicated many years as volunteer coordinator of the Acolyte Guild.

Lindley Small

Lindley and Warren Small joined PRUMC in 1975, after a year’s search for a church home as newlyweds. They raised three sons at Peachtree Road. Lindley has served as a Sunday School teacher for children and adults and as a Bible School leader. She trained to become a Stephen Minister and Leader and as a GriefShare leader also. Currently, she enjoys service in UMW, the Altar Guild, the Funeral Guild, the Archives Committee, the Centennial Committee and teaching Sunday School at Calvin Court Retirement Center.

Jeff Upshaw

Jeff and his wife Ann have been members of Peachtree Road since the summer of 1988, having moved to Atlanta from Dallas, Texas just a few days earlier. Their first Sunday on campus Susan Marshall suggested they visit the New Beginnings Sunday School Class, and they have been visiting it ever since. Their best friends in the world come from that class. Jeff and Ann raised their two children in this church. They have attended many worship services in this church. They have served in many capacities in this church. They have attended many bible studies in this church. They have traveled on many missions for this church. They have eaten many meals in this church. They have attended many weddings in this church. They have wrestled with many difficult issues in this church. They have celebrated many baptisms in this church. They have had their eyes and hearts opened in this church. And they have also attended many funerals in this church.

Ty tippet

Ty is an active member of Peachtree Road United Methodist Church where he sings in the Chancel Choir, chairs the Friends of Music organization, and is a member of the New Beginnings Sunday School Class. He has had illustrious careers in both law and fund-raising for non-profits.

John and cindy ethridge

John, an attorney and Cindy, a CPA joined PRUMC soon after their marriage – with a little nudge from Jim and Alleen Bratton. The New Beginnings class has been their home base from which they branched out to serve the church in numerous administrative, outreach, service and teaching roles. Teaching children and youth, mission trips and community board service have filled much of their free time. In addition, PRUMC and its ministers, staff and members were an important part of the lives of their children and can be witnessed today in their chosen vocations. Jessica is
a Deacon in our conference and Kathryn serves others in her role as the senior director of alumni engagement and major gifts at Oglethorpe University. The Ethridges are forever grateful for the opportunity to be in ministry with others at PRUMC.

Martha Tate

Martha and her husband Chip joined Peachtree Road in 1988 when Don Harp came to the church. While her two girls were young, she taught Sunday School, Confirmation, and served as accompanist for the children’s choirs for several years. She is an author, a former garden columnist for the AJC, and an avid member of the Flower Guild, regularly working in the Flower Guild garden beside the Harp Center. She is an active member of the Good News Sunday School class.

Bonnie Copeland

Bonnie and her husband Wade joined Peachtree Road in the 80’s and raised their three children going to Sunday School, youth group and going on mission trips. She has served In many capacities in church leadership including Children’s Ministries, Outreach, Youth Ministries, Women’s Bible Studies and UMW. She is a member of the New Beginnings Sunday School class. She served as Chair of the Administrative Board in 2022. She loves her connections at Peachtree Road and feels that truly the presence Of the Lord is in this place.

Anne Steward

The granddaughter of Mr. & Mrs. James. L. Respess, Sr., two of the founders of Peachtree Road UMC, Anne has been a member of the church all of her life. Until her retirement in 2020, she was a teacher and administrator of The Preschool for 41 years. From her childhood, Anne has been involved in the music ministry of PRUMC….in choir, as an oboist, and as a current member of Peachtree Carillon. She is an usher and an active member of the Altar Guild, Funeral Guild, and Sanctuary Guild.

diane moffett

Diane Moffett is the lay leader for the One Lamb Initiative, a mental health ministry that started at PRUMC in 2020. She and her husband Matt, a lifelong member, have been married for 35 years. They married, renewed their vows, baptized and confirmed their two girls here at PRUMC. Diane has been in the Morning Light women’s bibles study for almost two decades and both are members of the Great Connections Sunday School class.