David Allman and Friends (2004)

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven ? for where your treasure is, there your heart will also be.
                                                                                     Matthew 6:19-21

We kicked off the 2004 season of City Lights on Tuesday, September 14, at Atlanta's newest commercial/residential property, Buckhead Grand. The meeting served three purposes: to send Tom Roddy into "active retirement," with the blessing of the Atlanta Resource Foundation (ARF), to salute Allen Bell in his decision to serve as the Resource Foundation's new Executive Director, and to hear how the spirit of God is moving in Buckhead through the ministries and relationships there.

The meeting began with Dale Jones introducing newly appointed ARF director, Allen Bell, who said a few words about his new role. From the moment the board presented him with the opportunity to serve at the Resource Foundation, Bell said he knew he would take it. A fourth-generation Atlantan, and a graduate of Pace Academy and Rhodes College, Bell has spent the past eleven years working in ministry, first with Promise Keepers men's ministry and then with Whitefield Academy, a private Christian school on Atlanta's northwest side. He speaks enthusiastically and humbly of the path before him now, naming Tom Roddy a "childhood hero and mentor," and describing the work of the Atlanta Resource Foundation as "a blessing and a calling." Despite Tom's official step down from his role as ARF's Executive Director, he and Allen will continue to work in close, prayerful relationship together.

This month's City Light's central program featured David Allman, of Regency Partners, the Buckhead Grand?s developer. He was introduced by Billy Mitchell. Oneness in spirit and work was the program's overarching theme highlighting ways that businesses and ministries work together in our city, bridging relationships and enacting change.

The Grand's 36th floor club room offers a vast, all-encompassing view of the city, and served as a great vantage point from which to see the progression of various projects and ministries throughout the Buckhead area. Traditionally thought of as an area of the city reserved for nightlife, shopping, and wealthy businesses, Buckhead may be considered one of the least likely places to spend a spirit-filled morning. However, David Allman revealed to City Lights a number of inspiring changes in the works for Atlanta's most visibly prosperous center:

Andy Stanley's wildly successful Buckhead Church will soon break ground on a plot of land adjacent to the Buckhead Grand (across the street from Atlanta Financial Center), allowing for much needed parking spaces and a more convenient gathering spot for young, curious seekers.
Owners of buildings in the Buckhead Village area are cleaning up their acts, shutting down troublesome bars and ensuring that the streets are clean and free of trash in the early hours of each Sunday morning.
Building owners hope to give the Village a facelift in the near future, opening their doors to more and more retail stores, and fewer and fewer bars and clubs.
A plan is in place to solve traffic woes with streetcars, convenient and full of character, and a free Buckhead bus transport system.
More sidewalks are being built in and around the Buckhead area to accommodate pedestrians and bikers, and to give the city a more "walkable" feel.

Overall, David showed how visible changes to the Buckhead area can effect the community on an invisible level.

Following David Allman's exciting presentation, Carol Johnson, the founder of Full Cup Ministries, a bakery and Christian bookshop located in the heart of Buckhead, spoke with us. We heard several encouraging stories of how her nutritious, fresh-baked "healing bread" has changed lives. Packed with Bible verses in their bags, the bread Carol kneads and bakes has earned a reputation across the state of Georgia and throughout the nation. She's shipping bread by the bundles!

Dan Hayes, the founder of Atlanta Community Ministries (ACM) also gave us an update on the many projects and outreach opportunities they sponsor in the Buckhead area. Last year, we visited ACM's New Hope ministry, in the Kmart shopping center just off of Sydney Marcus Boulevard. New Hope works to unite professionals and volunteers with the common goal of helping families, specifically Hispanic families in the Lindbergh Plaza area, move forward in financial, emotional, educational, and spiritual areas of life in order to function effectively. Since our City Lights meeting at New Hope, God provided the ministry with a new space with lower overhead, an answered prayer of many. In addition to New Hope, Atlanta Community Ministries sponsors women's Bible studies, writing seminars, tennis ministries, and many, many other wonderful outreach programs. To learn more about ACM's opportunities, go to www.atlantacommunityministries.org.

Many, many thanks go to our Tuesday morning speakers, David Allman, Carol Johnson, and Dan Hayes, and to David Allman for his work in securing the 36th floor club room for our meeting. Carol Johnson generously provided delicious baked goods for our breakfast, thanks Carol!