BUCKHEAD, Ga. — A one-of-a-kind installation is inspiring awe at an Atlanta church.
Doves circle above the pews at Peachtree Road United Methodist Church.
Channel 2′s Lori Wilson spoke with church leaders about how the doves send a message of peace and love from above.
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At Peachtree Road United Methodist Church in Buckhead, a message without words hangs above the pews.
“The doves are a symbol that is a constant reminder that we are in the presence of God when we gather in this place,” Senior Pastor Bill Britt said.
The church is filled with 1,300 paper doves, installed as part of the church’s centennial celebration.
Britt said the doves get everyone’s attention.
“I’m concerned that people aren’t listening to my sermon very much because they’re staring at the doves the whole time,” he joked.
Director of Evangelism and Hospitality Brittany Charron said the installation, which is one of only three like it in the country, has quickly become a favorite stop during weekly church tours.
“We talk about our beautiful sanctuary, our stained glass windows, and then the doves,” she said.
Each paper dove is sponsored in honor of a member’s loved one who has passed away.
The high-flying birds evoke a sense of peace and even purposeful curiosity in the kids below.
“They wonder how they got here. They wonder what they mean. And it gives us adults a chance to share our faith to our children,” Britt said.
“When you look at them, you feel and see that pattern of flight and you do feel that they are with you, that they are moving, and that they are, as we like to say, taking the peace of God out into the community,” Charron said.
The church holds tours on Sundays.
The installation will be up through June.
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