Our Food Ministry staff, along with the amazing Dinner Belles and Beaus volunteers, prepare excellent meals at very reasonable prices. Enjoy fellowship around the table with family and friends. Wednesday, August 20th, is Taco Night. The menu is tacos with a choice of beef or chicken, flour tortillas, a choice of black or refried beans, yellow rice, lettuce, tomato, cheese, salsa, sour cream, guacamole, and dessert. For the kids – the same.

Dinner service hours are 5 to 6:30 p.m., with to-go boxes available from 6 to 6:30 p.m.

The prices for Wednesday Night Dinners are:

• $10.00 for adults (including seniors and from 11 years up);
• $7.00 for children 10 years and younger;
• $30.00 for family meals (nuclear family members only – husband, wife, their children under 18 years);
• $7.00 for salad bar only, which includes the salad bar, a choice of baked potato or sweet potato, dessert and a drink.
  

Credit/debit card payments, as well as cash and checks, are accepted.

Have you ever had a topic that you simply wanted to talk about with others at church but there doesn’t seem to be a class or group to focus on that one thing? Then Simply Something is just the place to be. Join Rev. Dr. AnnaKate Rawles and Rev. Dr. C. Kay Fuino on Tuesday mornings from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. in room F145, located on the 1st floor of the Sheldon Family Life Center, for Simply Something, a weekly discussion place to bring up all things theological, biblical, social, Methodist, or simply on your mind about life in today’s world.

Each week at Simply Something will begin with prayer and a short devotion, followed by discussion about a variety of topics chosen by the group. Join us with your list of topics to plan for our future time together. Bring your coffee, tea or water, and your open mind to learn from each other.

For more information, please contact Rev. Dr. AnnaKate Rawles, Associate Pastor, by e-mail at arawles@duluthumc.org or 770-476-3776, ext. 128.

Make plans to join us on Wednesday evenings at Duluth First United Methodist Church for activities for everyone:

• Wednesday Night Dinners:  5 to 6:30 p.m. in Hinton Hall, 2nd floor of the Sheldon Family Life Center;
• Book Bunch for kids (ages 3 – 4):  6:15 to 6:30 p.m. in the Louise McDaniel Memorial Library, 2nd floor of the Sheldon Family Life Center;
• DuluthKids (ages Kindergarten through 5th grade): 6 to 7 p.m. in the Children’s (C and D wings) classrooms;
• Youth Bible Study (grades 6 – 12): 6 to 7 p.m., room F149, 1st floor of the Sheldon Family Life Center;
• Parent Connection Group: 6 to 7 p.m., room F145, 1st floor of the Sheldon Family Life Center;
• “The History and Archaeology of the Bible” Class for Adults: 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. in room F151, located on the 1st floor of the Sheldon Family Life Center.
  
• Happy Sacks: 6 to 6:30 p.m., room F152, 1st floor of the Sheldon Family Life Center;
• Yarn Art Ministry: 6 to 7 p.m., room F205, 2nd floor of the Sheldon Family Life Center;
• Handbell Ensemble rehearsals: 6 to 7 p.m., in the Sanctuary.
  

Additional information about these activities can be found below.

The Wednesday Night Dinner teams are looking for volunteers – our Dinner Belles and Beaus – to help. No special experience or skill is necessary – just a willingness to serve, make some new friends, and have fun!  Each team volunteers only once a month and on the night that you volunteer you get a free meal! We hope you will consider joining us for some good food and good fellowship.
 
If you are interested or would like more information, please contact Marilyn Scheiwe, Event Coordinator, by e-mail at mscheiwe@duluthumc.org or call 770-476-3776, ext. 111.  We hope you will consider volunteering.

DuluthKids is a fun opportunity on Wednesday nights for kids, ages Kindergarten through 5th grade, to gather together for fellowship, music, Bible study and missions. Programming is age-appropriate with curriculum designed for the kids. DuluthKids meets on Wednesday evenings with fellowship time for everyone (K-5th) beginning at 5:45 p.m. in the Dorothy L. Rainey Fellowship Hall.

The new Children’s Chime Choir, for ages 3rd through 5th grades, is an exciting way to learn music and provide music at worship. This group will learn to play the tone chimes, which are similar to handbells. Children’s Chime Choir meets from 6 to 6:30 p.m. during DuluthKids time.

The Children’s Bell Choir, for ages Kindergarten through 2nd grade, is a place where children will learn the fundamentals of music in a fun group environment! The Children’s Bell Choir meets from 6 to 6:30 p.m. during DuluthKids time.

All of the children (ages Kindergarten through 5th grade) will come back together from 6:30 to 7 p.m. for a time of Bible study and missions.

If you have any questions or would like to be involved in this ministry for children, please contact Leslie Yokeley, Director of Children’s Ministries, by e-mail at lyokeley@duluthumc.org, or call 770-476-3776, ext. 138, or Verena Anders, Minister of Music & Worship Arts, at vanders@duluthumc.org. or 770-476-3776, ext. 116.

Book Bunch, a story time for kids ages three and four-years old, meets Wednesday evenings from 6:15 to 6:30 p.m. in the Louise McDaniel Memorial Library, located on the 2nd floor of the Sheldon Family Life Center. Kids will hear a story being read from a guest reader and they will have an opportunity to check out a book from the library.

If you would like to be a volunteer Book Bunch reader, please contact Leslie Yokeley, Director of Children’s Ministries, by e-mail at lyokeley@duluthumc.org or call 770-476-3776, ext. 138.

We invite students in 6th through 12th grades to join us for Bible Study during the school year as we dive into the Word of God and grow together as a community! Bible Study is held on Wednesdays from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. in room F149, located on the 1st floor of the Sheldon Family Life Center.

For additional information or questions, please contact Rev. Min Lee, Director of Youth Ministries, by e-mail at mlee@duluthumc.org.

Parent Connection, our small group for parents, meets weekly on Wednesdays from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. in room F145, located on the 1st floor of the Sheldon Family Life Center. Everyone is welcome to join us as we share in the joys and struggles of parenting children of all ages. Please contact Rev. David Burchett by e-mail at dburchett@duluthumc.org for more information.

A new class entitled “The History and Archaeology of the Bible”, offered twice each week for 24 weeks, is led by Pete Fleming,

• 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. on Tuesdays in room F154, located on the 1st floor of the Sheldon Family Life Center;
• 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. on Wednesdays in room F151, located on the 1st floor of the Sheldon Family Life Center.
  

Choose the one that best suits your schedule.

The course will include a video each week produced by National Geographic and featuring lecturer Jean-Pierre Ishbouts, a professor in the Social Sciences PhD program of Fielding Graduate University in Santa Barbara, California, and an archaeologist, author, screenwriter, director, and producer of works addressing various historical periods, particularly the time period of Jesus and that of Renaissance and post-Renaissance art. During the course, he will visit many of the places mentioned in the Bible.

Participants will be encouraged, but not required, to purchase the book Who Wrote the Bible by Richard Friedman. It can be purchased on Thrift Books for under $10.00. Pete will present excerpts from this and other books and articles each week. If you are interested in attending this class, please contact Pete by e-mail at lfleming3832@att.net or call 678-575-3761.

Chancel Choir Rehearsals

Our church’s Chancel Choir, the primary worship ensemble for traditional worship, is open to anyone high school age and older who feel called to serve through music. No audition is required. Rehearsals are Wednesdays, 7 to 8:30 p.m., August through May, in the Don Lee Music Suite. Childcare in Childcare Corner is provided. Please contact Verena Lucía Anders, Minister of Music & Worship Arts, by e-mail at vanders@duluthumc.org for more information.

Handbell Ensemble Rehearsals

Our Handbell Ensemble is open anyone high school age and older as spaces are available. Prior ringing experience is not necessary, but helpful. Rehearsals are Wednesdays, 6 to 7 p.m., August through May, in the Sanctuary. Childcare in Childcare Corner is available. Please contact our new Director of the Handbell Choir, Johnathan Ancell, by e-mail at jancell@duluthumc.org, for more information.

Treble Ensemble and Tenor-Bass Ensemble Rehearsals

The Treble Ensemble and Tenor-Bass Ensemble meet in rotation on Wednesdays, 8:30 to 9:00 p.m, August through May, in the Don Lee Music Suite. We have a great time singing a wide variety of music and sing for worship several times during the year. Childcare in Childcare Corner is available. Please contact Verena Lucía Anders, Minister of Music & Worship Arts, by e-mail at vanders@duluthumc.org for more information.

For those who crochet or knit, the Yarn Art Ministry (affectionally known as YAMs) is a place to share your talent. When someone has a baby, this group makes a welcome blanket for the child. Blankets from the group also supply our nursery. A variety of items are made to be sold at Bundle Up for Buffalo, the fundraising event that raises money to heat our sister church, Seneca Street UMC in Buffalo, NY, during the cold winter months. Sometimes we send blankets directly to Buffalo to keep them cozy.

There are two Yarn Art Ministry meetings a week:

• Mondays at 11 a.m. in room F149, located on the 1st floor of the Sheldon Family Life Center;
  
• Wednesdays from 6 to 7 p.m. in room F204, located on the 2nd floor of the Sheldon Family Life Center.

Come share your talent! You are also welcome if you would like to learn how to knit or crochet. For more information, please contact Rev. Dr. AnnaKateRawles by e-mail at arawles@duluthumc.org, or call 770-476-3776, ext. 128.

It’s time for Family Promise of Gwinnett’s annual “Night Without a Bed” Fundraiser. Over the last four years you have helped raise over $49,000 to help Family Promise of Gwinnett in their mission to end family homelessness in Gwinnett County. Once again, Rev. David Burchett will be participating in this fund-raiser during the month of August.

PLEASE NOTE: Due to thunderstorms being forecast for the evening of Friday, August 1st, David will kick-off the fundraiser by sleeping on the church playground on Friday night, August 8th. If you would like to stop by the playground Friday evening, August 8th, or Saturday morning, August 9th, to “heckle” David and donate to Family Promise, you are invited to do so. If you would like to spend the night on the playground with David, you are invited to do so for a donation of $100.

You can give by:

• Clicking on FAMILY PROMISE FUNDRAISER;
• Scanning the QR codes that will be on the Mission’s bulletin boards, and in The Sunday Supplement weekly newsletters (beginning August 3rd);
• Leaving a check in the offering plate made to Duluth First UMC with Family Promise in the memo line.
  

Please contact Rev. David Burchett by e-mail at dburchett@duluthumc.org for more information.

Our Food Ministry staff, along with the amazing Dinner Belles and Beaus volunteers, prepare excellent meals at very reasonable prices. Enjoy fellowship around the table with family and friends. The menu for Wednesday, August 27th, is baked ham, macaroni and cheese, green beans, turnip greens, corn muffins, and dessert. For the kids – hot dogs and French fries.

Dinner service hours are 5 to 6:30 p.m., with to-go boxes available from 6 to 6:30 p.m.

The prices for Wednesday Night Dinners are:

• $10.00 for adults (including seniors and from 11 years up);
• $7.00 for children 10 years and younger;
• $30.00 for family meals (nuclear family members only – husband, wife, their children under 18 years);
• $7.00 for salad bar only, which includes the salad bar, a choice of baked potato or sweet potato, dessert and a drink.
  

Credit/debit card payments, as well as cash and checks, are accepted.

GriefShare Support Group, led by the church’s Stephen Ministers, will walk alongside you through the loss of a loved one. GriefShare is a safe, welcoming place where people understand the difficult emotions of grief. Through this 13-week session, you’ll discover what to expect in the days ahead and what’s “normal” in grief. Since there are no neat, orderly stages of grief, you’ll learn helpful ways of coping with grief, in all its unpredictability—and gain solid support each step of the way.

Our next session of GriefShare Support Group classes will start on Wednesday, August 27th, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in room F153, located on the 1st floor of the Sheldon Family Life Center. Gain access to valuable resources to help you through your grief. GriefShare also offers Bereavement Candlelight Services the Monday before Thanksgiving, and a “Surviving the Holidays” class on Wednesday, November 19th.

For more information, please visit the GriefShare website at griefshare.org, or contact Tracy Brinker, Bereavement Coordinator, by e-mail at tbrinker@duluthumc.org, or call 770-476-3776.

Mark your calendars now for Sunday afternoon, September 7th, from 5 to 7 p.m. for an awesome block party coming your way. There will be something for everyone - hamburgers, hot dogs, inflatables, a DJ, Toofpick the clown, cotton candy, and a lot of fun and fellowship! What a wonderful opportunity to invite our community to join us in a wonderful afternoon! Additional information will be made available closer to the date of the event.

We are excited to be participating in The Rooted Retreat (North Georgia UMC Conference Retreat) hosted by Glisson Camp and Retreat Center for our Youth Fall Retreat, on Friday, October 24th, through Sunday, October 26th. It will be an incredible weekend with powerful worship experiences, dedicated youth group time, fun activities, and food and lodging at Glisson Camp and Retreat Center. We are looking forward to a meaningful and fun fall retreat together!

The cost is $195 per student, and we want every student to be able to attend, so scholarships are available if needed. You can pay by cash, check, or online. Register online by Sunday, September 7th, by clicking on YOUTH FALL RETREAT REGISTRATION.

If you have any questions, please contact Rev. Min Lee, Director of Youth Ministries by e-mail at mlee@duluthumc.org. For additional information about the Glisson Camp and Retreat Center, please visit their website at https://glisson.org.

BSA Troop 419 will hold their 9th Annual “Cars for Campouts” Fundraiser Car Show, Cruise In, and BBQ on Saturday, October 4th, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the church’s front parking lot. If you have a special vehicle (all years, makes, models) – muscle cars, classics, resto-mods, exotics, bikes, and one-offs – if it rolls, please bring it and participate.

Preregistration by October 3rd is $20, and registration on the day of the show is $25. Register at https://tinyurl.com/cars4campouts-2025. Sixty participant-judged awards will be presented. If you just want to see some cool vehicles, feel free to attend as admission for spectators is free.

Food and beverages will be available. Enjoy great food, hots dogs, BBQ (available on-site or for take home) snacks and beverages.

If you have any questions, please send an e-mail to carshow@bsatoop419.org, or call Mike Ringham at 770-815-4206. All proceeds from the event help make BSA Troop 419’s program one of the best in the council, and with your support, will continue to do so.

Crafters, potters, artists, and bakers of all kinds – your talents will be needed in November! It may seem a long time from now, but it really isn’t and it is not too soon to be thinking about our annual missions fundraiser, Bundle Up for Buffalo, on Saturday, November 15th, and Sunday, November 16th. All proceeds from the Bundle Up for Buffalo fundraiser help our sister church, Seneca Street United Methodist Church in Buffalo, NY, keep the heat on their facility during the winter months which fall from October 2025 through April 2026. This helps provide a safe, warm, after-school location for neighborhood children to go to.

You have been so faithful in prayer for this “pocket of poverty” in the North for many years. Please consider what you can make, and something that others would enjoy purchasing.  Thank you for your support.