In June

1974, about 56 interested congregants in Peachtree City

gathered to create the Peachtree City United Methodist

Church.

Those 56

charter members have grown into a congregation of nearly

2,000 members. Twelve of those 56 are still active in the

church.

In January

1975, the church was officially constituted and it met in

the Peachtree City Elementary School. In November 1979,

it entered into what is now the fellowship hall building.

The current facility was built in September 1984.

The current

senior pastor is the Rev. Chuck Hodges, who has been on

board since June 1996.

He was born

in Atlanta and reared in Warrington, Ga., near Augusta.

Though he

first felt pulled toward the ministry in his teens, he

first attended The Citadel from 1972 to 1975, then was

graduated from Valdosta State College with a degree in

German. He then attended Oral Roberts University and

after obtaining a master's in divinity, he came back to

Georgia. Before coming to Peachtree City, he served

churches in Grovetown, Chamblee and Dallas, as well as

serving as chaplain at Reinhart College, a Methodist

college in North Georgia.

Married to

Penny, an operating nurse at the Fayette Community

Hospital, Hodges is the father of Monica, 16, who attends

McIntosh High School.

"My

three years here have been a real privilege," he

said. "The community immediately embraced my family.

This has long been a congregation who reaches out, not

just to its members, but to the community as a whole. It

continues to be a positive influence," he concluded.

Among the

programs supported by the church are Peachtree City

Missions, Fayette Samaritans, Habitat for Humanity,

Atlanta Homeless Missions, Southwest Christian Hospice

and local and international missions.

Sunday

morning worship is at 8:30, 9:3 and 11, Sunday School is

at 9:30 and 11 a.m., and Wednesday service is at 6:40

p.m.

The church

is at 400 Windgate Road, Peachtree City, and can be

reached at 770-487-6499.

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