Name Change – Oakhurst to Eastside
In the midst of a dramatic increase in attendance from across the eastern half of Metro Atlanta, Oakhurst Church is changing its name to Eastside Church. The church remains in its location at 630 East Lake Drive, near Family Dollar and Harmony Park.
Since the church opened in August 2011, regular attendance has nearly doubled, to about 150 per week. Some members live in Oakhurst and surrounding neighborhoods such as Kirkwood and East Lake, but many come from farther away. At a recent service, church officials displayed a Google Map that visually represented the geography of the church’s current membership. The dots on the map were distributed throughout the Eastside of Metro Atlanta.
The new name will change none of these things. It will simply reflect the widening area that Eastside Church has the privilege to serve.
The map—along with testimonials from various members—shows that location is only one of several reasons the church has grown. While Eastside Church is built on a solid United Methodist tradition, it’s geared toward the young and the forward-thinking. No one dresses up unless they feel like it. Free fair-trade coffee is served in the lobby and enjoyed in the sanctuary. The worship band features a wide array of musicians who might play a historic hymn one moment and a Sufjan Stevens or Regina Spektor song the next. During the worship service, an artist paints on an easel by the stage. Sermons address everything from the difficult contemporary issues of modern day slavery, economic injustice and gender inequality, to the historic Christian themes of redemption, salvation and resurrection.
The new name will change none of these things. It will simply reflect the widening area that Eastside Church has the privilege to serve.
“We want to thank the neighborhood of Oakhurst for letting us share its name for the past 18 months,” said the Rev. Timothy Lloyd, lead pastor of the church. “We love being here, and we look forward to seeing more of our Oakhurst neighbors on Sunday mornings at 11.”
You can view Tim’s presentation at the Congregational Vision Meeting Below