Tag: Minnesota

December 10, 2024 Believers Church Duluth

At Believers Church Duluth, we’re part of a story. It’s the story of God bringing a bunch of sinners together, teaching them to love and serve, and inviting them to live lives of purpose. What you’re about to see are the newest pages that have been written. God has been very good to us the last few months, providing opportunity to engage each other and our local community. Keep scrolling to see what we mean.

FALL FEST

Chester Bowl, a local park and ski hill in town, holds Fall Fest each September. Around 10,000 people from the community attended the art and craft fair this year. There were also a handful of food trucks, including our coffee trailer. A group of us worked in shifts to take orders, pull espresso, steam milk, and serve a variety of drinks. By the end of the day we were all the good-kind-of-tired. Events like this teach us to work together as a team, help us make connections in the community, and raise money for missions.

YOUNG ADULT MINISTRY

Our young adult ministry is a group for those who are post-college but not yet over-the-hill. We took a trip on the Brule River and paired up for a total of 12 canoes. Some of us were veterans on the water, and some of us were not. Some folks got soaked and some got scraped. Needless to say, the four hour trip was a bonding experience because we made it to the end…together.

In October, our group set up a brunch tailgate at one of the UMD football games. We cooked pancakes, bacon, and eggs on a grill and camp stove in the parking lot. Later on, we closed up shop and headed over to the stands to watch the game. Hot breakfast + thrift store blankets + football = cozy Fall vibes.

CAMPUS OUTREACH

A new Fall semester means Street Level is back in session on Monday nights in Superior. Other than being physically located close to campus, we’ve been meeting students through JacketFest (an org. fair for students held at the beginning of the year), as well as regular tabling at the student center.

Across the pond, we’ve had a few tabling events at UMD. In the past, we’ve brought plant clippings for students to add a little green to their dorm rooms. It was a huge success, so we’ve turned it into an annual event. We brought as many plants as we could this year, pallets worth, and still ran out before the afternoon.

At our next UMD table, we gave out stickers instead of plants. It was incredibly eye-catching because it was fun to sort through them and look at all of the designs. There were stickers for every interest: star wars, hiking, animals, vintage, and more. We met a lot of new students as well as connected with some who knew us from the plant giveaway.

INTERNATIONAL POTLUCK

In November, we gathered at the Streel Level house and garage for a potluck to beat all potlucks. Some folks brought dishes from their home countries, and some others made dishes inspired by a country of their choice. The evening couldn’t have been better–enjoying good food and good friends.

LIFE TOGETHER

On occasional Sunday afternoons we gathered at a trailhead not too far from church. It’s a decent length to stretch our legs, but the best part is the new dairy store (with ice cream!) at the turnaround point. You know we spend a lot of time together when we start dressing alike.

Our game night brought out the diehard boardgame players and those more or less there for the junk food. Either way, we had a great (and late) night.

We are studying the book of Acts on Sundays, and we have a rotating schedule on Wednesdays: verse-by-verse through the Old Testament, men’s and women’s studies, and rewind small groups. Our Old Testament study is currently in the book of Daniel. The stage production group Sight and Sound recently released Daniel as a filmed version of the stage play. We watched it as a group, and boy did it inspire all of us. The quality was top-notch and truly brings history to life.

Last, but not least, we celebrated the 15th anniversary of our church being in its current building. So much has happened over that time, and God has been intimately working through it all.

If the last few months (and last 15 years) are any indication, God is writing a pretty great story. We are thankful for what’s behind and eagerly await what’s ahead.

September 10, 2024 Believers Church Duluth

In Duluth, we sure love summer…but we love each other more. The last few months provided great opportunity for fellowship. On Sundays we’ve been learning about the building of the church in the book of Acts, and it’s given many parallels to the growth of our rag-tag group. Keep scrolling for just a few examples of what we’re thankful for lately.

Young Adult Hike

In early June our young adult group hiked ten miles that concluded in Jay Cooke State Park. It built comradery and character, similar to adventures written by Tolkein himself. We didn’t get lost, thanks to the trusty map, and all of us were still smiling at the end.

Park Point Rummage Sale

Duluth’s Park Point neighborhood hosts a two-day, miles-long rummage sale event at the beginning of each summer. We brought the coffee trailer for both days, met the community, and fueled them for bargain shopping. This opportunity accomplishes so much in a short amount of time: we get to work shoulder-to-shoulder, meet new people, and raise money for missions. No wonder why we look forward to it every year.

Annual All-Church Bike Ride

In July, we took our annual bike ride. We began in West Duluth at the church and rode all the way to Lester Park on the east side of town, a little over 20 miles roundtrip. There were a few scrapes, a flat tire, and a little bit of rain, but they did not detract from a great time.

Walking + Working

We took advantage of the beautiful weather as often as we could. This included fireworks, walking for ice cream, and a handful of Sunday evenings at Gordy’s restaurant in Cloquet. As we moved into August, we started working on our ‘back-to-school’ plans at the local college campuses. There is a lot in store, and we are looking forward to welcoming new and returning students.

All-Church Campout

The end of the summer concluded with the infamous all-church campout where we joined the Menomonie and River Falls groups for a family reunion of sorts. We are blessed beyond measure to spend time with them camping, laughing, and eating…lots of eating…oh and walking, too. After a weekend like this, we are ready to hit the ground running in our local community.

We are excited for what God has in store for us, knowing there are both ups and downs to navigate. We have a lot to be thankful for and, boy, does it show.

June 10, 2024 Believers Church Duluth

As summer kicks off here in Duluth, we’re excited to share some of the great things that have kept us busy over the past few months. It’s been a time filled with growth, connection and plenty of fun that’s brought our community closer together and built up God’s kingdom. Here’s a peek at what we’ve been up to.

March: Fun and Fellowship

We kicked off March with a game night, featuring some of our recent favorites: Bananagrams, Organ Attack, and Settlers of Catan. It was great to see both familiar and new faces enjoying the evening together.

Later in the month, our Young Adult Ministry had a pizza night followed by roller-skating at a local rink. Some of us were new to skating, but it turned out to be a great time for everyone. We ended the month with a members retreat, which was a great break, offering a chance to relax and recharge.

April: Outdoor Adventures and Creative Outreach

April brought warmer weather, perfect for a post-church hike on a local trail. It was a small but glorious taste of the summer weather to come. Our Young Adult Ministry also had a bowling night, where we discovered who the real bowlers were—though everyone had fun regardless of skill.

As the school year ended, we said goodbye to several students moving on to new adventures. We celebrated with a grill-out at the Street Level House, sending them off with our best wishes.

May: An Action-Packed Month

We got to do so many awesome things in May! We started things off with a work day where we put a fresh coat of polish our coffee trailer, did some yard work and installed a giant neon sign on the top of our church. We’re happy to share that you can now clearly see us from the local freeway!

Since hauling a huge sign like that up to the top of the church was something of a feat, we’re glad that God blessed our efforts and kept everyone safe and sound.

We hosted our annual rummage sale in May as well. This is always a great day of serving together and raising money for missions, both domestic and international. We also saw lots of returning customers, as many people make a point to stop by every year! We served breakfast, bakery and lunch from our coffeehouse, and espresso drinks and coffee from our coffee trailer.

Looking Forward to Summer

As we look towards the summer, we’re excited for everything God has for us. Please keep us in prayer as we enjoy the warmer weather together, get outside more and make friends in our communities. Until next time!