The Duluth First UMC Library Book Club will meet on Monday, November 16th, discuss The Five Wishes of Mr. Murray McBride, a novel by Joe Siple. The Library Book Club will meet at 10 a.m. in room F145, located on the 1st floor of the Sheldon Family Life Center.

The international bestselling novel is about Murray McBride, a lonely 100-year-old man who’s outlived just about everyone he's ever loved. With all his family and friends gone except an estranged grandson, retired Major League ballplayer Murray is looking for a reason to live. But when he meets a boy awaiting a heart transplant, Murray may learn something about finding meaning in life again.

He finds it in Jason Cashman, a spirited 10-year-old boy with a terminal heart defect and a list of five things he wants to do before he dies. Murray is determined to help Jason fulfill his dreams. Together, they race against the limited time each has left, ticking off Jason’s wishes one by one. Along the way, Murray remembers what it’s like to be young, and Jason fights for the opportunity to grow old. But when tragedy strikes, their worlds are turned upside-down, and an unexpected gift is the only thing that can make Jason's final wish come true.

Join us for a time of study, fellowship, and prayer! Our Tuesday evening Women’s Bible Study group meets from 7 to 9 p.m. in room F145 (located on the 1st floor of the Sheldon Family Life Center), primarily following the school year calendar. Together, we explore faith through engaging studies by well-known authors. Some studies are topical and pull from several biblical themes and others are a deep dive into a particular book of the bible. Join us on Tuesday, September 15th, as we resume our studies by studying the book Perfectly Flawed: God Transforms Our Weaknesses into Strengths by Lisa Toney.

Studies are normally 6 to 8 weeks and incorporate a book or study guide, an in-class video and group discussion helping us grow deeper in God’s Word and in community with one another. All women are welcome—come as you are and be encouraged!  For additional information please contact either Ashley Johnson by e-mail at Ashleycscape@outlook.com or Jackie Grube by e-mail at Grubeland@gmail.com.

The Thursday morning Women Studying Together group is studying the classic Christian book, A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23: Discovering God’s Love for You by W. Phillip Keller, along with our Bibles for reference. Author W. Phillip Keller grew up in Africa, the son of missionary parents. He worked in agriculture, owned and worked with sheep, which gave him special insight into the details of Psalm 23. He thoroughly explored the relationship between the sheep and shepherd, giving us reassurance that we are in the care of the Good Shepherd. The study will continue through November 19th.
  
A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23: Discovering God’s Love for You is available from many new and used bookstores and online as well. The price for new copy is about $5. There have been many reprints of this book, so do not be concerned over the particular edition you purchase. 
  
Women Studying Together meets from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. in room F145, located on the 1st floor of the Sheldon Family Life Center. Class discussion will be led by Jenny Masterson. As we study, we ask questions, search for answers, share our stories, laugh and pray together. All women are welcome to join us. If you have any questions, please contact Jenny by e-mail at jennybobm@comcast.net.

A new adult class, The History of Christianity from the Reign of Theodosius to the Dawn of the Reformation, will be held on Tuesday mornings and Wednesday evenings beginning October 20th, and October 21st. You are invited to attend whichever day works best for your schedule. The class will last 22 weeks, concluding near the end of March. Each class session will last 1.5 hours and will include a 30-minute lecture by Dr. Luke Timothy Johnson, Professor Emeritus at Candler School of Theology, Emory University, followed by one hour of discussion.

Some of the lectures include Expansion Beyond the Roman Empire, the Rise of Islam, the East-West Split, The Crusades, the Great Plague, and many others. Participants will encounter a thorough grounding in the development of Christianity for its first 1,500 years.

The Tuesday morning class will begin at 10 a.m. in room F153 and the Wednesday evening class will begin at 5:45 p.m. in room F145. Both rooms are located on the 1st floor of the Sheldon Family Life Center.  Pete Fleming, our church historian, will lead the class. No books are required, although Pete will introduce a comprehensive bibliography throughout the series, and he will also provide articles from various authors on related subjects from time to time.

People wishing to participate in the The History of Christianity class should contact Rev. Dr. AnnaKate Rawles by e-mail at arawles@duluthumc.org, or Pete Fleming by e-mail at lfleming3832@att.net.

The Men Studying Together group meets for Bible/book studies on Thursday mornings from 10 to 11:30 a.m. in rooms F206/207, located on the 2nd floor of the Sheldon Family Life Center. This study is led by Rev. Terry Tippens. The group is currently studying 2nd Corinthians.

All are welcome to join us, any time, and every class time will allow for individual input and group discussion. Please contact Tracy Brinker by e-mail at tbrinker@duluthumc.org or at 770-476-3776 for more information.

Join us on Wednesday evenings, beginning August 19th, for 12 weeks of studying the Old Testament with Disciple Fast Track, an overview of the books of the Bible in a shortened study. Have you wanted to learn more about the substance of the Bible but could not commit to a long-term study with lots of reading during the week? Does thirty-four weeks of study seem like an eternity? Your body just cannot sit through a 2 ½ hour class no matter how good it is? Then Disciple Fast Track is just what you are looking for to learn about what it means to be a disciple by learning the biblical narratives of our faith.

This new format for Disciple Bible Study is perfect for busy people. It uses much of the content of the original Disciple Bible Study, a small group study that has made a difference in thousands of lives since 1987. The class time and study time have been adjusted to fit our busy lives today.  We are scheduling the sessions to fit a time when your youth are also involved in their activities and childcare is available for younger children.

The cost is $20 per person for the study book. You will also need a study Bible.  The class will meet from 6 to 7 p.m. in rooms F206/207, located on the 2nd floor of the Sheldon Family Life Center. Questions? Please e-mail Rev. Dr. AnnaKate Rawles, Associate Pastor, at arawles@duluthumc.org.

Our Simply Something classes are simply moving on to new things this year. We will study the book of Ruth, one of only two books in the Bible named after a woman, a woman named in the lineage of Jesus Christ. This short but important book has some interesting themes of honor, love, and commitment. If you want to know more, then Simply Something is just the place to be. Join Rev. Dr. C. Kay Fuino for Simply Something on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday mornings at 10:00 a.m. in room F147, located on the 1st floor of the Sheldon Family Life Center.

Please bring your Bible and handouts will be provided. Come with your coffee, tea or water, and your open mind to learn from each other. For more information, please contact Rev. Dr. C. Kay Fuino, Associate Pastor, by e-mail at ckfuino@duluthumc.org or call 770-476-3776, ext. 117.