It's difficult to imagine

Good Friday without Bob Tyler.

That may seem like a

strange statement but, for many of the citizens of

Peachtree City, Ga., a Good Friday without Bob Tyler

would be radically different than it is now.

Robert Tyler, known to

everyone who knows him as "Bob," was raised in

East Point, Ga., and answered the call to the ministry by

enrolling in Cincinnati Bible Seminary. Following

graduation, he served churches in Cincinnati, Ohio,

Kingsport, Tenn., and East Point, Ga., before arriving in

Peachtree City in 1980 to assume the pastorate of

Peachtree City Christian Church.

At the time, Peachtree

City had less than 8,000 residents and the church

membership at Peachtree City Christian was around 60 with

80 in average worship attendance. Bob began to attend a

regular minister's breakfast at the old Riggins Barbecue

near Tyrone and became fast friends with a number of the

city's clergy.

In 1982, Bob proposed an

idea to the pastors of Peachtree City. Bob recalled that,

while in Cincinnati, the Western Hills Clergy Association

funded time-released Christian education programs for

public school students. The funding was accomplished by

holding interdenominational worship services on Good

Friday and Thanksgiving.

The offerings received at

these two services paid for the time-released education

but, more than this, the services brought together

Christians of the various denominations. Could such a

concept work in the South where denominational

differences were often sharp and bitter?

On Good Friday 1982, the

first Peachtree Community Good Friday Service was

conducted at Christ Our Shepherd Lutheran Church with 300

people in attendance during the noon hour. The attendees

were pleased with the results and so were the

participating clergy. The Good Friday service was

destined to become an annual event and a prominent

feature of Holy Week in this bustling community, which

would grow to nearly 35,000 in a short period of time.

As the participation and

attendance grew each year, those in attendance marveled

as Roman Catholic priests sat next to Church of Christ

ministers, as Baptists and Pentecostals shared the

pulpit, and as Episcopalians, Lutherans, Christians,

Presbyterians, Charismatics, Methodists and others

proclaimed the Good News as brothers, not as competitors.

Seven ministers from

seven different churches would preach messages of

five to seven minutes each on the "Seven Last Words

from the Cross," as other ministers shared the

prayers and the readings and as local church musicians

and singers presented the Message in music.

On Easter 1999, some 900

worshippers crowded into the new sanctuary at Holy

Trinity Catholic Church to commemorate the death of

Christ on the cross. This year, Good Friday 2000 will be

at First Baptist Church and over 1,000 are expected to

worship together and to give offerings to benefit the

county's poor.

For one day, for one and a

half hours, the Church in Peachtree City is One. Many

tribes, perhaps, but one nation. The gathering reminds

the worshippers that their commonalities are much greater

than their differences, but they are also reminded in a

poignant way that the prayer of Jesus, "that they

might all be one," is far from being answered.

The ministers of

Peachtree City often humorously refer to the Good

Friday service as the "Great Peachtree City

Preach-off." But over the years, these same

ministers have affectionately begun to refer to Bob

Tyler, who always coordinates these special services, as

the "Bishop of Peachtree City."

It is ironic, of course,

because Bob is a minister in a denomination that eschews

titles for its clergy. Bob is known, in his circles, as

"Mr. Tyler," or "Mr. Bob," or even by

some as "preacher." He is not called

"Reverend Tyler" and some would not even call

him "Pastor Tyler." To most he is just

"Bob."

Bob himself is

uncomfortable with accolades and titles and simply refers

to himself as a "plodding pastor-teacher." Bob

is, of course a wonderful pastor and teacher. He is far

from being a plodder.

Bob resigned from Peachtree

City Christian Church in 1998 after having led the

congregation in a visionary relocation and building

program. During his tenure at the church, Bob saw the

membership grow to 700 and the attendance on Sundays

reach 400. The beautiful new building on Ga. Highway 74,

some would say, is his lasting legacy.

But Bob might disagree.

He might argue that one of his greatest achievements has

been to gather the Christian family in Peachtree City

together for the last 19 years for a celebration of

common faith and common worship.

But I would argue that even

that is not his greatest accomplishment. Bob's ministry

has been intensely personal to those in need.

For the last 19 years, Bob

has led a weekly Bible study for the aged residents of

Christian City. For a number of years, he has served as a

chaplain for that organization, ministering to many of

the area's elderly.

Bob also currently works

with people who are facing tragedy and the pain of

bereavement. I know personally about Bob Tyler's

ministry.

When my son was terribly

injured in a car accident, Bob was there for him and for

me. When my wife had emergency surgery and I rushed home

from a meeting in south Georgia, Bob was there for her

and for me. When I was suddenly hospitalized and

subjected to a heart catheterization, Bob was there for

me in that instance, too. Other ministers could tell a

similar story.

For many in his city, Bob

has always been there. Bob's greatest achievement is that

he has the ability to make people feel loved.

Bob is already looking

forward to Easter 2001. That service will mark the 20th

Peachtree City Community Good Friday Service that Bob has

planned and implemented. I plan to be there once again as

I have for so many years. And, God willing, so will the

Bishop of Peachtree City.

[David Epps

is the rector of Christ the King Church. He may be

contacted at [email protected] ].