Simpsonwood United Methodist Church sits at 4500 Jones Bridge Circle in Peachtree Corners, Georgia, across the street from Simpsonwood Park and within walking distance of Simpson Elementary and Pinckneyville Middle School. The congregation has become known in this Gwinnett County neighborhood for offering not one but three Sunday morning services, a half-day preschool, an active scouting ministry, and a December tradition called Walk Through Bethlehem that has drawn families to the park since 1991. The mission of the church is simple and direct: to know Christ and to make Him known.
Three Sunday Morning Services
On any given Sunday, the congregation gathers in three different settings around the campus.
At 9:00 am, the Table Service fills the Sanctuary in Building A. The format is short and contemplative, built around Holy Communion each week. It is intended for those who want a quiet way to begin the day, a brief pause for prayer and the breaking of bread.
At 10:55 am, the Traditional Service fills the same Sanctuary. The Chancel Choir, congregational hymns, Scripture, and prayer shape the hour. Holy Communion is celebrated on the first Sunday of each month.
At 11:05 am, the Modern Service gathers in the Family Life Center in Building C. Led by the Worship Band Leader and the Simpsonwood Worship Team, the service features contemporary Christian music with guitars, vocals, and band. The atmosphere is more casual. This is also the service that is livestreamed on YouTube each Sunday, with a recently upgraded camera, lighting, and sound system designed to enrich the experience for both the in-person congregation and those watching from home.
The Pastoral Team
Rev. Dr. Ben Gosden serves as Senior Pastor. He also leads a Wednesday evening study called Wednesday Wondering with Ben, an open hour for anyone wanting to dig into the Scriptures with the senior pastor.
Rev. Elena Mitchell serves as Assistant Pastor for Family Ministries. She oversees children's ministry, Kids Time, and nursery coordination, and she partners with the youth director for family faith formation across the campus.
Two staff members round out the ministry team that touches Sunday worship most directly. David Troy Francis joined Simpsonwood in 2021 as Director of Sanctuary Music. An accomplished concert pianist and recording artist, he plays organ and piano, directs the Chancel Choir, and offers special music each Sunday. Zach Brown, who has served in ministry for twenty-five years in both staff and lay roles, leads the Modern service as Worship Band Leader. He also serves as a Major Gift Officer at Habitat for Humanity International.
Music at Simpsonwood
Music is treated as a ministry in its own right. The Chancel Choir rehearses on Wednesdays at 6:30 pm in the Choir Room on the lower level of Building A. No auditions are required; the only ask is that members let the director know about their attendance. The choir sings weekly in the Traditional service and is often joined by an orchestra for the Christmas and Easter programs.
Instrumentalists who play flute, clarinet, oboe, trumpet, trombone, saxophone, French horn, baritone, or percussion join the choir throughout the year, taking part in duets, trios, and full ensembles. The Christmas and Easter seasons bring the full musical forces of the church together for services that have become a highlight of the year for the congregation.
The Worship Team rehearses on Thursday evenings at 7:00 pm. On Sunday mornings, the team and its audio, video, and lighting crew arrive early to lead the 11:05 am Modern service and run the livestream for those joining from home.
Children from Nursery through Fifth Grade
Simpsonwood walks with families from the earliest years. The nursery, in Building A Room 107 downstairs, cares for babies and toddlers up to age 3, with at least two Safe Sanctuaries-trained adults present at all times.
For children ages 4 through second grade, Kids Time is offered during both the 10:55 am and 11:05 am services. After the first portion of worship, the children are brought to the Children's Ministry Space in Building A Room 105 for prayer, a Bible story, and play. The program is led by Elena Mitchell and a volunteer.
On Sunday mornings, the PreK through 3rd Grade Sunday School class meets from 9:45 to 10:45 am in Building A Room 105. Children must be 3 by September 1 of the current year and potty trained to attend. Fourth and 5th graders join 6th and 7th graders in Room C214 for God Squad.
On Wednesday evenings, GLOW runs from 6:30 to 7:30 pm for K through 5th grade, with optional open gym time from 7:30 to 8:00 pm. Crafts, Bible study, recreation, and a semester focus on science and service fill the hour. A monthly group called Crossover 456, for 4th through 6th graders, gathers for fellowship and Bible-focused events throughout the year.
Youth in the Upstairs Youth Center
Middle and high school students meet in the Youth Center, upstairs in Building C. On Sunday mornings, 8th through 12th graders gather from 9:45 to 10:45 am for in-depth Bible study. On Sunday evenings, 6th through 12th graders gather from 5:30 to 7:30 pm for fellowship, games, and teaching. Wednesday afternoons bring 6th through 12th graders together from 4:15 to 5:45 pm for Holy Rock, a time of fellowship, games, and Bible study.
Beyond the weekly rhythm, the youth program hosts annual retreats for middle school and high school students, mission and service activities throughout the year, and a summer Youth Mission trip. The youth also play a role in the December Walk Through Bethlehem by running a Dreidel Shop for visiting children.
Adult Sunday School and Small Groups
Most adults at Simpsonwood gather for Sunday School during the 9:45 to 10:45 am hour. The classes meet in rooms around the campus. Modern Family is a fellowship class for parents, meeting in Building B Room 205 under Leigh Anna Lang and Steven Lang. The Men's Sunday School class, led by Joe Tucker, meets in Building A Room 104. Exploring Our Faith, a Bible study that was formerly the Ladies' Bible Class, meets in Building B Room 203 under Regina DeLeo. Homebuilders meets in Building C Room 112, led by Travis Dommert and Liz van Hees. Endless Summer meets in Building C Rooms 110 and 111, led by Kim Dorough, Debbie Lynn, and Anne Paczowski. The Seekers class meets in Building B Room 204, led by Lee Harwood.
Men's, Women's, and LIFE Ministries
The Men's Ministry gathers on Tuesday mornings from 6:30 to 7:30 am for coffee, breakfast, and a Bible study led by the pastors. The same group supports ministry partners through weekly donations. A separate Monday morning Men's Bible Study meets at 7:00 am in Building C Rooms 110 and 111. The men also gather for quarterly Men's Night Out dinners, an annual golf tournament that raises funds for ministries and missions, and an autumn or winter retreat. They are central to building the Walk Through Bethlehem village each December.
The Women's Ministry gathers for a yearly retreat, for serving hot chocolate at Walk Through Bethlehem, and for several circles throughout the year. New members are welcome in any of the circles.
L.I.F.E. (Living in Full Effectiveness) is Simpsonwood's ministry for empty nesters and older adults. Members and non-members are welcome to join in service projects and social outings, which have included line dancing and pizza, volunteering with the Smart Lunch Smart Kids program, a Gwinnett Braves game, a Low Country Boil with entertainment, a Mayfield Dairy tour, a Delta Museum tour, and supper at Rainbow Village. The group supports Neighborhood Cooperative Ministries each month.
Simpsonwood UMC Preschool
The church operates a half-day preschool for children from 12 months through Kindergarten Readiness. Programs include a two-day Mother's Morning Out class for the youngest, and two-, three-, and five-day options for the 2s, 3s, 4s, and Kindergarten Readiness classes. The day runs from 9:25 am drop-off to 1:10 pm pick-up, with a snack and lunch at school. Before- and after-school care is available based on age and availability. The preschool has been awarded the Program of Excellence distinction by the North Georgia UMC Preschool Association. Tours may be scheduled by contacting the preschool director, Meghan Pesci, at 770-441-9444, extension 107.
Walk Through Bethlehem Since 1991
Each December, Simpsonwood builds an interactive Bethlehem village in Simpsonwood Park at 4511 Jones Bridge Circle. Hundreds of luminaries light the path to a live nativity that retells the story of the birth of Christ. Since 1991, the church has offered this gift to the Peachtree Corners community free of charge. Visiting families are invited to bring canned goods for donation to Neighborhood Cooperative Ministries, with the church's Scout Troop receiving the donations.
Scouting at Simpsonwood
Simpsonwood hosts two Cub Scout Packs (Pack 525 and Pack 575), one BSA Scout Troop (Troop 525), and one Girl Scout Troop, providing space and a community for scouting throughout the week.
Travel Ministry
Simpsonwood regularly offers faith-centered trips in partnership with Educational Opportunities Tours, founded by a United Methodist pastor. The travel ministry has organized Holy Land journeys, the Wesley Pilgrimage in England, the Journeys of Paul, Egypt and Jordan, Celtic Spirituality in Ireland and Scotland, and European river cruises, among other trips. Members and friends of the church are welcome.
Prayer, Care, and Safe Sanctuaries
A weekly prayer group meets to pray for every concern shared with the church, with public prayers in the bulletin and private concerns held in strict confidence. Handmade prayer shawls, knitted and crocheted by members, are given to anyone in need of a tangible reminder of prayer. The Lord's Prayer and the Wesleyan Covenant Prayer are central to the prayer life of the congregation.
Simpsonwood is a Safe Sanctuaries church. Policies, training, and reporting forms are in place to keep children, youth, and vulnerable adults safe across all programming.
Beliefs Rooted in the Wesleyan Tradition
Simpsonwood's beliefs are rooted in the Wesleyan heritage of The United Methodist Church. The congregation teaches God's grace in three movements: prevenient grace, the active presence of God seeking us out; justifying grace, the forgiveness of our sins and the restoration of our relationship with God through Jesus Christ; and sanctifying grace, the ongoing work of the Spirit forming us more fully into the likeness of Christ.
Two sacraments are recognized and celebrated. Holy Baptism is open to people of any age and is performed only once. Simpsonwood and the wider United Methodist Church recognize baptisms from other Trinitarian Christian traditions and do not re-baptize. Holy Communion, also called the Eucharist, is open to all people of all ages. The table of Communion is not a members-only table.
Joining Simpsonwood
Membership at Simpsonwood is open to anyone who professes faith in Jesus Christ, to those returning to active church life after a period away, and to Christians transferring from other United Methodist churches or other Christian traditions. Simpsonwood 101, a Sunday morning class taught by the pastors, is offered for those who want to learn more about the church's vision, mission, and ministries before joining. Each class is followed by a Joining Sunday in all worship services.
Visiting Simpsonwood
There is ample parking around the campus. Visitors to the Sanctuary Service are invited to use the visitor parking in front of Building A or the Lower Lot between Buildings B and C. Those attending the Modern Service will find the closest parking near Building C. The church also has permission for visitors to park in Simpsonwood Park and, on special Sundays, at the Peachtree Corners Swim and Racquet Club. Parallel parking is available along Jones Bridge Circle.
Some come as they are, and some dress up. Visitors are invited to wear whatever makes them comfortable.
The nursery is open during each service for babies and toddlers up to age 3. Activity packets are available for older children during the first half of the 10:55 am service, after which children ages 4 through second grade are invited to Kids Time. The 11:05 am service is livestreamed for those who would rather worship from home.
The office is open Monday through Thursday. The Realm Connect app allows members and visitors to join community groups, register for events, give, and find volunteer opportunities. The Simpsonwood Connection, a weekly email newsletter, keeps the community informed. Giving is available through Realm online, by texting 73256, by check, by electronic bank bill pay, and through gifts of IRA distributions or appreciated stock.