Every summer seems to be flying by faster than the prior. It’s hard to believe but it’s nearly half way through summer 2021! Regardless of how this summer pace has been going, we are thankful to be mask less, socialize outside our immediate household and see one another within 6 feet: what a change a year can bring. Believer’s Church Duluth has been aiming to make the most of it through our fellowship, service and Bible study opportunities.
Book Study
In June we kicked off our book study on Disciplines of a Godly Man and Disciplines of a Godly Woman. We were able to get off site and enjoy the Street Level Garage where we meet for dinner and then break off into men and women’s groups with discussion regarding the chapters we cover. Topics have included the gospel, discipline, marriage, and submission.
This past month we tried a new style of small group discussion following our viewing of the Saturate series by Jeff Vanderstelt. These evenings consist of teaching and video’s based on Vanderstelt’s book with the subtitle: “Being Disciples of Jesus in the Everyday Stuff of Life”. The new style of discussion entailed breaking off into even smaller groups with a list of questions that each participant was given the opportunity to discuss and then coming together with our groups for a large group discussion. This unique discussion style afforded a more robust discussion in smaller settings while allowing for each group to share their insights corporately.
Bible Study
We continue to march through the book of Jeremiah on Wednesday’s when we aren’t covering either Saturate or Disciplines of a Godly Man or Woman series. This past Wednesday we covered Jeremiah 33 looking particularly at God’s mercy and desire to love His people; this was particularly timely on the heels of our Romans 3 study the Sunday prior as we were reminded of God’s love and forgiveness as something we are never deserving of or able to earn but only by grace!
Additionally, we had a two week mini-series on prayer by Pastor Jesse as a break from our study through the book of Romans. We looked at both the why and how as it pertains to prayer and it’s vital importance to both our survival and joy. It was helpful to be reminded that Jesus Himself didn’t try to do life without prayer and the difference between saying prayers and praying to God.
Fellowship
Lunch and dinner are back in full swing with some wonderful tasting meals where we are able to come together enjoying our basement café space without the construction zone. The plumbing project during May and June was finally completed and our kitchen is back in order without any dust, pits, or piles of dirt to impede our space! Most recently, however, we were able to come together for 4th of July at the Street Level garage with a game of Fishbowl, Slip ‘N Slide, and fireworks.
Service
Street Level participants have been busy during the past month doing projects at the Street Level Garage and adjacent house. Projects have consisted of painting, flooring and landscaping. Additionally, WOTS participants have been working on getting more distribution at local businesses and locations throughout the Twin Ports.
Media Ministry and Community Group are continuing to meet on a regular basis on Sunday’s. Community Group has been taking advantage of the good weather on Sunday afternoon’s and getting out to local parks to give away drinks as a means of reaching out to whomever God brings along our path that day.
Thank you for your prayers for us both as a church and individually. Please keep our upcoming rummage sale in prayer for later this month. This event is often ranked among a highlight of our year where we come together for some great fellowship, service and outreach both to our community and beyond. Please pray we’d have right hearts, good weather, and the event would draw people to the love of God.
-Matt