The church offices will be closed on Friday, July 4th, in observance of the 4th of July holiday. All three of our worship services - 8:30 and 11:00 a.m. Traditional, and 11:00 Contemporary - will be held as normal on Sunday, July 6th.

The church offices will reopen on Monday, July 7th. Have a safe and blessed holiday weekend!

Over the past five years, it has been a joy for our congregation to be a part of the Summer Reading Camp at Seneca Street UMC in Buffalo, NY, by packing backpacks with school supplies here in Duluth for the children in Buffalo. The backpacks are then shipped to Buffalo from Duluth and distributed to the children at the end of the two-week Summer Reading Camp for use in their upcoming school year.

This year we will have a new approach to our Backpacks for Buffalo ministry. A portion of the backpacks will be processed as we have done for the last five years, while for the remainder of the backpacks we will buy and collect the school supplies and have a “Backpack Packing Party” - open to all ages - where we will come together and fill backpacks with the collected school supplies.

There are still individual school supply needs that need to be purchased for the backpacks for the students at Seneca Street UMC in Buffalo, NY. The index cards with those needs can be picked up in The Veterans Memorial Gathering Room, The Narthex, and in Hinton Hall, located on the 2nd floor of the Sheldon Family Life Center. Those supplies will need to be brought into the church no later than next Saturday, July 12th, when we will be holding our Backpack Packing Party from 10 a.m. to noon in Hinton Hall. Everyone is invited that day to help us pack these backpacks, and then stay for a time of fellowship and lunch.

There are also some backpacks available to be picked up and filled with supplies. Those backpacks are due back to us by Sunday, July 13th.

School supplies and backpacks can be left at the Backpacks table in the Veterans Memorial Gathering Room, or in Hinton Hall on the tables near the kitchen doors. Thank you for your continued support of this important Backpacks for Buffalo ministry!

Students in the 6th through 12th grades are invited to join us on Sunday nights for Sunday Night Gatherings from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the Youth Center (“The Fish Tank”), located on the 1st floor of the Sheldon Family Life Center. Sunday Night Gatherings include great dinners, fun games, amazing worship, inspirational and relevant messages and life-changing small groups.

Our schedule for the month of July is:

• Sunday, July 6th: Sunday Night Gathering at 5:30 p.m. in the Youth Center (“The Fish Tank”);
• Sunday, July 13th: Sunday Night Gathering at 5:30 p.m. in the Youth Center (“The Fish Tank”);
• Sunday, July 20th: Gwinnett Stripers Baseball game at 1:05 p.m. at Coolray Field - see additional information below;
• Sunday, July 27th: Sunday Night Gathering at 5:30 p.m. in the Youth Center (“The Fish Tank”).

Please click on YOUTH MINISTRY for more information.

Questions? Please contact Rev. Min Lee, Director of Youth Ministries, by e-mail at mlee@duluthumc.org.

The Youth Group is going to see the Gwinnett Stripers play at home against Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp on Sunday, July 20th! This will be a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon with your family and friends. Students, we encourage you to invite your family and friends to this event!

The game begins at 1:05 p.m. at Coolray Field, located at 2500 Buford Drive in Lawrenceville. The cost is $15 per ticket, plus personal spending money for food, merchandise, etc. Please note that we will be meeting at Coolray Field, and pick-up will also be there. We will keep you updated on the pick-up time. 

Please sign up for this event by Sunday, July 13th, so that we can purchase enough tickets for everyone. Sign up at the sign up link -  https://forms.gle/XWqdmCkwB7qAn3XD7. If you have any questions regarding this event, please contact Rev. Min Lee, Director of Youth Ministries, by e-mail at mlee@duluthumc.org, or at 770-476-3776, ext. 119. We look forward to a great afternoon together!

You are invited to join Women Studying Together, the Thursday morning women’s Bible study on July 24th as they begin a new study series on the New Testament Book of Ephesians. This six-week study will continue through August 28th.  

The author of Ephesians makes some rather wordy theological statements while also referring to Jesus as Lord over 20 times. How did understanding that Jesus is Lord affect the Ephesians or us? What behaviors are encouraged/discouraged? Don't be overwhelmed with the writing style. We need both an understanding of what we believe and how we are to live it. This book has much to teach us about the church and the unity of the body. Even in the midst of this 'mystery', we are reminded that grace and faith are expressed in acts of love. After that, there is nothing left to do but praise God!  

There is no book to buy, just bring your Bible and join us. We meet on Thursday mornings from 10:00 to 11:30 am in room F206, located on the 2nd floor of the Sheldon Family Life Center, and discussion is led by Jenny Masterson. As we study, we ask questions, search for answers, share our stories, laugh and pray together. Sometimes, we even sing! We welcome all women. 

If you would like more information, please contact Jenny Masterson by e-mail at jennybobm@comcast.net or call 678-591-0800.

The Book Club invites you to read The Alice Network by Kate Quinn, and then to join  them on Monday, August 11th, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. in room F145, located on the 1st floor of the Sheldon Family Life Center for a discussion of the book. Amy Burk will lead the discussion.

In The Alice Network, an enthralling novel from New York Times bestselling author Kate Quinn, two women—a female spy recruited to the real-life Alice Network in France during World War I and `an unconventional American socialite searching for her cousin in 1947—are brought together in a mesmerizing story of courage and redemption.

“Both funny and heartbreaking, this epic journey of two courageous women is an unforgettable tale of little-known wartime glory and sacrifice. Quinn knocks it out of the park with this spectacular book!”—Stephanie Dray, New York Times bestselling author of America’s First Daughter.

On Sunday, March 30th, Duluth First United Methodist Church celebrated the commissioning of its two newest Stephen Ministers, Sally Southerland and Randy Yokeley. Stephen Ministers are committed Christian people who express God’s care through their lives to others. They receive 50 hours of initial training in important caring ministry skills and concepts; are commissioned as Stephen Ministers after completing their initial training; visit another person regularly and dependably and offer Christian support and care; participate in regular support and supervision under the guidance of trained Stephen Leaders; are committed to preserving the confidential nature of the caring relationship; serve for at least two years; receive continuing education and skill building throughout their years of service.

For more information or to request the support and care of a Stephen Minister, contact Rev. Dr. C. Kay Fuino by e-mail at ckfuino@duluthumc.org or call Stephen Leader Ann Fleming at 678-644-9108.