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 for our Advent study as we study the book Whispers of Hope by Gretchen Saffles and Annie VanderHeiden.

We all know the stress and struggles of the Christmas season, clamoring for every second of our time and attention. Amidst all the hustle and bustle, how do we seek out the still, small voice of God? How do we find rest—and, ultimately, hope—this time of year?

Journeying through twenty-five psalms, this devotional study helps us turn down the noise and learn to listen to the whispers of Christ in Scripture. With bite-size readings and thoughtful reflections, you’ll grow in pondering, praying, and praising this season, treasuring Jesus as the greatest gift of all. Even when the calendar is bursting and energy is scarce, we can come and quiet our souls in him—the answer to all of life’s longings.

This study will continue through December 15th, and then we will take a break until the beginning of 2027. 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 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.

You are invited to join the Duluth First UMC Library Book Club on Monday, December 7th, from 10:00 a.m. until noon in the Youth Center (“The Fish Tank”), located on the 1st floor of the Sheldon Family Life Center, for Speed Dating with Books! Be a part of the Library Book Club and help select the books for next year’s reading list. Bring a friend, participate in Speed Dating, and then enjoy a refreshment or two as you discuss which books you would like a second date with.

Please Contact Amy Burk, Volunteer Librarian, by e-mail at amycburk@yahoo.com if you have any questions.

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.