Eyes on the Road

At the risk of stating the obvious, there is a reason your windshield is so much larger than your rear-view mirror! You are supposed to keep your eyes on the road. The rear-view mirror is important. Our history is important. But our direction is unapologetically forward. We are, of course, headed into a new season as a congregation. Our history is Due West United Methodist Church. It is a history everyone should be proud of. As we celebrated last September, much kingdom work was done in and through this place in its first fifty years. God has done great things and helped establish our identity. And in so many ways, that identity will not change. We will continue to be the church as we always have. But our eyes are focused on the future.

We are now Due West Methodist Church. It is a new start. After a season of uncertainty about the future, we now have clarity. As we do so, let me acknowledge the decision was not unanimous. But so many people who had concerns for the transition have stayed with us. I hope you have heard this, but I say it again: You are loved, wanted and needed here. We are glad you are here. And many of you, I believe, realized that there was a sizable majority that was ready for a new future. You have respected that. I also want to take a moment to say this did not just happen. Many people volunteered countess hours to get us this place. We are grateful for their service.

As we begin, our sermons for the next few weeks will focus on the future to which God is calling us, that is grounded in who we have always been. We will talk about the mission that has driven us, is driving us and will continue to drive us.

And, as you have read, we will be receiving people into membership! Our previous membership rolls approached 5000 names! We couldn’t find all of those people, but they were all members! That number has dropped to zero. We want more than names on a roll. We want people who are active and committed to being the church God is calling us to be. Therefore, we sent out the membership covenant and our beliefs in December. Many of you, who were previously members, have responded that you want to live out your faith as a member of Due West Methodist Church! This month, we will offer opportunities for those of you who have expressed that desire to stand and take membership vows together. It will be a moving and exciting time. If you have not joined yet, we will be sharing dates for a Due West 101 class soon. In that class, you will learn more about who we are and what it means to join. We look forward to those classes.

It is a new year, but also a new day! January will be an exciting month for many reasons. I look forward to seeing where God is leading us together!

If it’s Sunday, you want to be at Due West,

David

January 1 - Church Closed for New Year’s Day; Upward Spring Soccer Registration begins; Membership role opens for DWMC

January 2 – Winter Break Crafting Workshop

January 7 – Recite New Membership Vows during worship; dwCrew meets; Disciple 2 Bible Study begins

January 8 - Disciple 3 Bible Study begins

January 8, 22 & 29 – Ignite meets

January 10 – Music Rehearsals Resume

January 15 – MLK Holiday – Church Closed

January 21 – dwCrew meets

January 23 – Women’s Ministry: Beauty of Fellowship

January 27 – Estate Planning Workshop

January 29 - Applications for Matching Funds scholarship program are due

February 8-10 - Wonderfully Made

February 11 – GriefShare – New 13-week session begins

February 17-20 – High School Ski Trip

February 21-24 – Middle School Disney Trip

Support Groups

AA Open Meeting - Sundays @ 7:00 pm (Bldg A)
AA Women’s Group - Thursdays @ 7:00 pm (Bldg A)
GriefShare - Sundays @ 6:00 pm (Bldg C)
GRASP Support Group - Second Tuesday @ 7:00 pm (Bldg C)
S.O.S. Support Group - Second Thursday @ 7:00 pm (Bldg C)
Parkinson’s Support Group - Second Sunday @ 3:00 pm

Dementia Ministry Meetings

Spouse Support Group meetings are held on the third Wednesday of each month at 9:00 am.
Spouse Group meetings are held on the fourth Wednesday of each month at 1:00 pm.
Family Support Group meetings are held on the fourth Thursday of each month at 7:00 pm.

Currently, all meetings are being held via Zoom. For more information, please email dementiaministry@duewest.org.

Weekly Exercise Classes (Bldg B)

Monday

Tone & Tighten @ 9:30 am (Nursery)

Tuesday

Pilates @ 9:30 am

Wednesday

Cardio-Sculpt @ 9:30 am (Nursery)
Pilates @ 9:30 am
Slow Flow Yoga @ 10:30 am

Thursday

Zumba @ 9:30 am

Friday

Boot Camp @ 8:30 am (Nursery)
Stretch & Tone @ 9:30 am (Nursery)

College Scholarship

This announcement is only for high school seniors graduating in 2024 who plan on attending a Methodist-related college or university.

Applications for Matching Funds scholarship program will be due NLT January 29, 2024 - turned into Methodist Men’s mailbox in Admin II.

Applications can be found on the church website under Men’s Ministry.

Again- this is for students planning on attending METHODIST-RELATED colleges or universities only!

Membership Rolls

With the recent disaffiliation from the United Methodist Church, we are transitioning from Due West United Methodist Church “DWUMC” to Due West Methodist Church “DWMC.” All membership rolls of DWUMC will be archived.

Due West Methodist Church “DWMC” will begin receiving new members on January 1, 2024. Please be aware that the DWUMC roll will not be moved automatically to the new congregation. DWMC will start fresh. If you were a member of DWUMC and want to be a member of DWMC, you need to let us know! On January 7, 2024, we will celebrate and, for the first time, recite membership vows into the new congregation! Please review our new Member Covenant outlining what membership means. We are also providing our Wesleyan beliefs and core values. If you want to be among the first to join DWMC, please click here to complete the required form.

If you are not on the DWUMC membership role and want to join DWMC, please plan to attend an upcoming Due West 101 class. As we move into the future with new people joining, we want to do everything we can to help you understand what membership in our congregation means. Dates to be announced soon.

We are excited about our new future!

It's time to start thinking about preschool for the 2024 – 2025 school year! The Due West Preschool Ministry will have registration for children who will be new to the school next year beginning in January. We will have registration forms available on our website after January 22nd. You can schedule a tour so you can come to see our rooms, meet the staff, get answers to your questions about our program, and see why we’re certified as a “Preschool of Excellence"! You can schedule a tour by calling the preschool office at 770-590-0982. If tours are completed by January 18th you can be placed on our preferred list. Please reach out to skubek@duewest.org for more information.

Preschool Sunday School

Memory Verse: “The people were amazed at His teaching.” Matthew 7:28, NCV

Preschoolers are learning a lot of important things: How to put away their toys, what is wrong, what is right, and when to say please, thank you, and I’m sorry.

But learning important things doesn’t stop after preschool. It never stops! That’s why we want to make sure preschoolers know that they have the BEST Teacher teaching them important things—the MOST important things— for the rest of their lives. And He wants to be their friend forever! Yes, it’s Jesus! So get ready to search for some CLUBHOUSE CLUES and help preschoolers discover that Jesus teaches me important things.

Elementary Sunday School

Responsibility - Showing you can be trusted with what is expected of you.

Memory Verse: “Suppose you can be trusted with something very little. Then you can also be trusted with something very large.” Luke 16:10A, NIRV

In Psalm 24:1, David wrote, “The earth belongs to the Lord. And so does everything in it.” (NIrV) God is the author of creation, and God has entrusted us to care for and cultivate the world we see around us. We do that by taking responsibility. From work we need to accomplish, to people we meet, to the words we use, life is filled with moments where we can decide to reflect God’s character, take responsibility, and use what we have wisely. When we follow through and do what needs to be done, we can point others to Jesus, the One who took the ultimate responsibility for us and made it possible for us to be with God forever.

dwCrew is a specialized time of fun, learning, and service for 3rd-5th graders. We will be meeting this month on January 7 & January 21 from 12:00-1:30. Lunch is $3 and check-in is just inside the blue dwKids doors.Christmas, God’s people were anticipating a Rescuer who would come and save the world. That’s what makes a countdown like an advent calendar so powerful. It allows us daily moments to stop and reflect on God, who loved us so much and sent Jesus to be our Savior. This December, we’re “decking the halls” and taking the whole month to focus on nothing but Christmas by celebrating Jesus, God’s greatest gift! We can’t wait to shine a spotlight on crucial moments in the story of Jesus’ birth as we countdown to Christmas. Because of Jesus, it’s possible for us to have a relationship with God that will last forever. As we take this month to count down to the fun of Christmas Day, let’s take time to remember the reason we celebrate in the first place: Jesus, the greatest gift the world has ever known.

Wonderfully Made: Loved by God

The preteen years are tough. Changes are happening to them physically, mentally, and emotionally which makes it hard to know exactly what’s going on. Wonderfully Made provides kids ages 10–12 the opportunity to not only ask questions about growing up, but to get faith-based answers as well. This program covers physical development and spiritual connection while helping preteens establish a foundation for their life in Christ.

Wonderfully Made is a 3-day course for 5th & 6th grade students and their parents: Thursday evening (parents), Friday evening (students), Saturday (students in the am, all in the afternoon for lunch)

Coming February 8 - 10; Registration is open now, click the link below to register.

Sign up on Church Center

Ignite Meetings

Ignite will meet from 5:30-7:30 each week, except for MLK weekend! Ignite is open for 6-12th grade students. We offer a meal each week, prepared by our Ignite Volunteer extraordinaire, Brian Lewis! We ask for a donation of $3 to help offset the cost of the purchases. Join us for dinner, worship, a lesson, and fellowship! Bring a friend!

Youth Sunday School

Who do you think you are? You might define your identity around your skills, abilities, and giftings. Those are great ways to start our journey, but they don’t quite reach the center. In the same way, an oceanographer heads into the depths to reveal the ocean's mysteries, we’ll need to prepare to dive deep to discover who we are and who we are becoming. As we venture beneath the surface, we'll look at the formative years of Jesus’ life to see how he began to discover his identity and purpose. Through stories of his personal experiences, habits, and relationships, we’ll find how God helps us understand our identities. We’ll see how God helps us discover who we’re becoming and how God’s words help us discover who we are. We’ll also learn how the right relationships help us discover how to grow and how Jesus helps us discover purpose.

Winter Trips

High School Ski - February 17-20

Our high school youth will ski at Winterplace, in Ghent, WV! We are excited to return to this great spot and stay at the Sleep Inn hotel in Princeton, just a few minutes drive from the slopes. This trips price includes transportation, lodging, 2-day lift tickets, ski/snowboard rental, the REQUIRED helmet, and breakfast and lunch. Students will need to bring money for dinners and stops on the way to and from WV. Registration will close on January 9th.

Middle School Disney - February 21-24

Join us for another magical trip to the happiest place on earth! This year we visit Disney Springs Wednesday night, Hollywood Studios, and Magic Kingdom for a total of 4 days with two park days! Students will be placed in small groups with a chaperone who will take them though the parks! This trip includes transportation, hotel accomodations, theme park tickets, three breakfast meals, and two shirts to wear on park days. Students will need to bring money for food in the parks, food on our travel days, and any spending money on souvenirs. Deadline to register is January 6th and all balances must be paid in full by February 1st.

**Adult chaperones are needed for both trips. Any adults interested will need to contact mskinner@duewest.org to be placed on a waiting list. The amount of chaperones is contingent on the number of students registered. First priority goes to adults who have completed the volunteer application process to work with students at Due West and those who are already volunteering within the youth ministry.

Music Ministry rehearsals resume on January 10th!

This is a great opportunity to join a group for the new year and worship the Lord in song!

Encore

Calling all kids in 2nd - 5th grade! Do you love to sing and dance and perform? Registration is open on church center for “Encore” - a showcase featuring our young artists. Rehearsals are on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4:30-6.

Kindermusik Classes

We are now offering mommy and me (or caregiver and me) classes for babies and toddlers. These classes are offered in partnership with Kindermusik of West Cobb. Please see their site to register www.westcobb.Kindermusik.com

Watercolor Classes for adults

Join us every 1st and 3rd Thursday of the month from 10:30-12 for a fun watercolor class with Annette Lewis. Commit just one class at a time, and no experience is necessary - Annette will guide you step by step. Just bring yourself and your supplies, or if you don’t have supplies just let her know and Annette will provide those for you. Cost is $13 if you bring your own supplies, $18 if you’d like Annette to provide them. Simply send Annette a text at (404)-664-9906 if you’d like to join the class.

Instrumental lessons

We are thrilled to offer you lessons in piano, voice, guitar, bass guitar, ukulele and harmonica. If you are interested in private lessons in any of those things please send an email to Nicole at cfa@duewest.org for more information.

Missions Newsletter - January

Check out our missions newsletter to learn more about all the church wide mission projects we have going on here at Due West!

Reverse Advent Calendar Challenge - A Family Missions Project

Backpack Program Food Drive (Jan 14 to Feb 14)

We are asking specifically for donations of:

Hearty canned soups

Canned ravioli

Beanie weenies

Spaghetti O’s

Successful Christmas Gift Drives

Mission Trip Dates for 2024 Coming Soon!

Click HERE to read the Missions Newsletter for January.

Click HERE to have the monthly email newsletter delivered directly to your email inbox!

Did You Know?

“Abraham left everything he owned to Isaac.” - Genesis 25:5

Did you know that the concept of a “Last Will and Testament” dates back to Biblical times when Abraham left everything he owned to his son Isaac? Regardless of your age or net worth, the New Year is the perfect time to create or update your will, beneficiary designations and power of attorney and Georgia Advance Directive for Healthcare. Maybe you have gotten married, been blessed with the birth or adoption or a child or grandchild or moved to a new address. Our Legacy Ministry committee offers several estate planning programs throughout the year to help protect your family and provide for causes that you care about. The next workshop is scheduled for January 27th. You can sign up here. For more information about legacy giving simply go to www.duewest.org/legacy.

An Estate Planning Educational Opportunity

Besides managing Due West’s endowment, your Legacy Ministry committee is responsible for doing what we can to educate the church about legacy giving. As a reminder, we have developed a whole webpage devoted to legacy giving and their benefits for church members, stewardship, and of course future generations. As part of this greater educational effort our committee will sponsor a free estate planning workshop taught by an experienced estate planning attorney on Saturday, January 27 between 2 and 5pm, Bldg. C, room 242. So-called “Living documents”, specifically healthcare directives, living wills and legal powers of attorney for individuals in attendance will be drafted, witnessed, and notarized as appropriate at no cost. We strongly encourage individuals with or without wills or these living documents to attend this free session to learn more about these and other estate planning issues. Please sign up by using this link so we can prepare for your attendance. The workshop is limited to 14 individuals. For questions, contact Bill Coffeen at billcoffeen@gmail.com. We look forward to seeing you on the 27th of January.

Disciple Bible Studies

Disciple 2 Fast Track:

Meets Sundays from 5:30-7:00 pm, in Building C Room 232. First meeting Jan. 7th. Sign Up now on Church Center.

Disciple 2 is called: Into the Word, Into the World. Into the Word helps readers deepen their understanding of Scripture and make connections between what they already know and what they are reading. Each week you will encounter three spiritual disciplines, learn what they are, and how you can engage those disciplines. The first discipline varies from week to week, then moves into Sabbath and prayer. In every session, you commit to how you will respond to Scripture in terms of ministry in the world.

Into the World identifies some needs in the world for which ministry is needed and suggests possible responses, then invites participants to summarize the scripture message that will shape their ministry and to decide what response and commitment to make to that message. Each week you will be guided in experiencing the gift of Sabbath rest and renewal. Classes meet for a total of 24 weeks, studying Genesis-Exodus and Luke–Acts for 12 sessions each. Daily preparation is manageable, with 3–5 chapters of the Bible to read each day.

Disciple 3:

Meets Mondays from 7-8:30 pm, in Building C Room 242. Starts Jan. 8th.

Disciple 3 Remember Who You Are is the third study in the four-phase Disciple program. The driving idea in this study is the connection between memory and identity as the people of God. The word You in the title is meant to be heard both in its singular form (the individual) and its plural form (the community). We are a community of memory. Participants in this 32-week study will read the major and minor Old Testament prophets, with the exception of Daniel, and will read the thirteen Letters traditionally attributed to Paul. To establish the historical context in which the prophets spoke for God, daily reading assignments draw also on the books of Deuteronomy through Chronicles.

Several themes weave their way through the study – the call to remember; the call to repentance; the need for renewed vision; and the place of community. The prophets and Paul are continually calling hearers and readers back to their God and to a sense of who they are as a people "set apart."

Upward Spring Soccer

Registration is now open for Upward Spring Soccer that begins the first of March and goes through May. This league is for children age 3, by Sept 1. through 8th grade. We are looking for coaches and offer a discount for Head Coaches. For more information contact Joyia Buckelew at jbuckelew@duewest.org.

Due West MC has its very own fitness program offering classes for all levels and open to anyone age 12 and up. Classes are $4.00 (includes childcare on Monday, Wednesday & Friday) and you can find our class schedule on Facebook at Due West Adult Fitness Classes. Punch Cards are also available and cover 11 classes for $40.00. These cards are available from the class instructors.

College Care Ministry Signup

Parents, help us stay in touch with your college students! We would like to send them periodic mailings to remind them how much they are loved and supported by our Due West family!

Complete the online form through the link below to be sure your student is included. This form must be filled out each year to ensure we have the most current address.

If you have any questions, contact Michelle Zerkle 678-230-7313 or send an email to collegecare@duewest.org.

Click this link to fill out the form.

Congregational Care Ministry

Our Ministry is ready and waiting to be there for you and assures complete confidentiality. We are committed to sharing the love of Christ and the love and support of your church family with you. To be assigned a CCM, please contact Pastor David Campbell or Lay Leader, Brenda Wyatt at bwyatt66chs@gmail.com, cell 770-605-3709.

Matthew 25:40, “ Truly, I tell you whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine you did for me.”

In His Service by Your Side,

Brenda Wyatt

Congregational Care Minister

GriefShare - Comforting Others

After the funeral, when the cards and flowers have stopped coming, most of the people around you return to their normal lives. But your grief continues and you feel alone. Often friends and family want to help, but don't know how. That's the reason for GriefShare. Our group is led by caring people who have experienced grief and have successfully rebuilt their lives. We understand how you feel because we have been in the same place. We will walk with you on the long path through grief toward healing and hope for the future.

GriefShare is a nationwide network committed to biblical concepts for healing from your grief. To learn more visit the GriefShare website at www.griefshare.org.

What to Expect:

GriefShare is a group that meets weekly for 13 weeks. There are three key parts to the group.

· Video Seminar

· Support Group

· Workbook (Provided)

The next 13-week cycle starts February 11, 2024. Click here to join the group!

If you have any questions or are interested in participating, please contact Connie at cmm10500@gmail.com or 904-651-2732.

Click here to learn more about GriefShare

Due West’s Pack and Troop 540 Celebrate 60 Years

Come one and all when we celebrate 60 incredible years of Scouting during the day and evening of February 10th, 2024, reflecting on “Then and Now on the Green” 1964-2024. All four of our charter units will be camping and participating in activities out “on the Green” between the Family Life Center and Pavilion. We encourage all members to drop by and see Scouting in action. All former Scouts and Scouters over the last 60 years are invited to a special campfire Saturday night by first honoring our country with a flag retirement ceremony and then those who have served Scouting here at Due West over the years. If you can attend, please contact Bill Coffeen at 770-757-8147 or billcoffeen@gmail.com to receive a special anniversary patch.

For those who like to get up early, you are welcome to attend a Youth-led worship service below the Pavilion Sunday morning on February 11th, at 8am.

Sunday School Volunteers

dwKids Sunday School Volunteers - Contact Alicia Iles at ailes@duewest.org for details.

Join Our Usher Team

We are in need of ushers for the 11:00 am church service in Building A. If you are interested in learning more, please contact Dianne Harrison at cdharrison830@gmail.com or 678-522-4909.

January 2024 Newsletter

Keeping you updated as we gather, grow and go!

Due West Methodist Church

Sunday Service Times

January 2024 Newsletter

Keeping you updated as we gather, grow and go!

Pastoral Update

Seasonal Events

Ongoing Events

General Announcements

dwPreschool

dwKids

Youth

Music

Center for the Arts

Missions

Legacy Ministry

Discipleship

Recreation Ministry

College Care Ministry

Congregational Care Ministry

Scouts

Volunteer Opportunities

February 2024 Newsletter

December 2023 Newsletter

Due West Methodist Church

Sunday Service Times