Duluth First United Methodist Church has stood on the same stretch of Duluth Highway 120 in Gwinnett County for more than a century and a half, gathering three congregations on a single Sunday morning and opening its doors to preschoolers, scouts, recovery groups, and the wider Duluth community throughout the week. From its beginnings in the early 1870s through a sesquicentennial celebration in 2021 and a sesquicentennial-era capital campaign called Crossing the Finish Line, the church has grown into one of the larger United Methodist congregations in the area while holding onto the small-group, fellowship-table style of ministry that has marked it from the start.
Three Sunday Mornings Under One Roof
Sunday is the heart of the week at Duluth First UMC. The church holds three worship services each Sunday morning, all open to visitors and all livestreamed so that members and friends near and far can take part.
- 8:30 a.m. Traditional Worship in the Sanctuary, currently preached by Rev. Dr. C. Kay Fuino and Associate Pastor; livestreamed on the Duluth First UMC Worship YouTube channel.
- 11:00 a.m. Traditional Worship in the Sanctuary, also preached from the Methodist lectionary and livestreamed on YouTube.
- 11:00 a.m. Contemporary Worship in Hinton Hall, led by the Praise Team and livestreamed on the Duluth First UMC Contemporary Worship Facebook page.
Greeters welcome visitors at the doors, and Holy Communion is celebrated on the first Sunday of each month and on special holy days. Children from newborn through Pre-K are cared for in the Childcare Corner during both 8:30 and 11:00 services. Sunday school classes for children, youth, and adults meet at 9:30 a.m., and printed worship bulletins plus song lyrics and children's "Worship Detective and Worship Bingo" sheets are available for each service.
The church reaches an additional 200-plus viewers each week through its YouTube and Facebook livestreams, a number that does not count households watching together on the same screen. Volunteers operate the cameras and run the streaming software, and the church is actively recruiting more camera and streaming helpers.
Sunday School and Small-Group Studies for Every Stage
Sunday school for children runs at 9:30 a.m., with classes grouped by age: three- and four-year-olds in the Childcare Corner, kindergarten through second grade in room C120, and third through fifth grade in room D126. During the 11:00 hour, infants, toddlers, and preschoolers stay in the Childcare Corner. Students in sixth through twelfth grades meet in room F149 on the first floor of the Sheldon Family Life Center.
Adults can choose from a wide range of Sunday morning classes at 9:30 a.m., including the Crossroads Class for younger adults with children, the Forum, Homebuilders, Explorers, S.O.S. (for those attending without a spouse), Christian Fellowship, Abundant Life, and the SALT class, which explores Methodist and broader Christian perspectives. The Gathering, a newer small group led by Rev. Min Lee, meets in rooms F-206/207 on the second floor.
Weekday studies round out the education ministry. On Tuesdays, a women's Bible study meets from 7 to 9 p.m. and the Simply Something class studies the book of Ruth at 10 a.m. On Wednesdays, Disciple Fast Track covers the Old Testament in twelve weeks, and youth Bible study meets from 6 to 7 p.m. in room F149. On Thursdays, the Men Studying Together group digs into 2 Corinthians from 10 to 11:30 a.m., and a women's study called Women Studying Together works through W. Phillip Keller's A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23. A new 22-week adult course, The History of Christianity from the Reign of Theodosius to the Dawn of the Reformation, led by church historian Pete Fleming with lectures by Dr. Luke Timothy Johnson of Emory's Candler School of Theology, meets Tuesdays at 10 a.m. and Wednesdays at 5:45 p.m. beginning in late October.
The Sheldon Family Life Center and a 90,000-Square-Foot Campus
Much of Duluth First UMC's ministry happens inside the Sheldon Family Life Center, the multi-story building behind the Sanctuary that houses the youth center (called "The Fish Tank"), Hinton Hall where contemporary worship and Wednesday dinners take place, the Dorothy L. Rainey Fellowship Hall, the Veterans Memorial Gathering Room, the Louise McDaniel Memorial Library on the second floor, and dozens of classrooms.
The Family Life Center was built as part of the Crossing the Finish Line 2022-2028 Capital Campaign, which the congregation launched to retire a $1.3 million mortgage with monthly payments of $20,000. Recent major work has included replacing the chillers and boilers in the Sheldon Family Life Center and upgrading the heating and air conditioning controls across the entire facility at a combined cost of $360,000.
Tucked into the center of the building is the Memorial Garden, established in 2002 as a place for members to inter cremated remains. Personalized memorial bricks can be purchased through the church office, and the garden is always open as a quiet place for prayer and remembrance.
Children, Christian Beginnings, and Acolytes
Duluth First UMC takes a deliberate, year-round approach to children. The Childcare Corner, run by Childcare Director Linda Wettlaufer and her staff, is open during worship services, Sunday school, and many weekday programs - including Bible studies, choir rehearsals, and women's groups - so parents can say yes to a class without worrying about childcare.
The weekday program is Christian Beginnings Preschool & Kindergarten, an accredited school for children ages 6 weeks through 5 years that operates Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Christian Beginnings has won the "Best of Gwinnett" award in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, and 2023, and the "Gwinnett Daily Post Reader's Choice" award in 2019. Leslie Yokeley, Director of Children's Ministries and Christian Beginnings, oversees the school along with Assistant Director Pat Szathmary.
Older children are woven into worship through the Acolyte program: third, fourth, and fifth graders who light candles, assist with baptisms and communion, and help with the offertory. Children's Music (Kindergarten through second grade), the Children's Bell Choir and Children's Chime Choir (third through fifth grade), and Book Bunch story time for three- and four-year-olds all meet on Wednesday evenings during the school year as part of DuluthKids, the Wednesday-night children's program that runs from 6:30 to 7 p.m.
Student Ministry: The Fish Tank and the Rooted Retreat
Sixth through twelfth graders have a ministry of their own. Rev. Min Lee serves as both Director of Youth Ministries and Contemporary Worship Music Director, and his team runs Sunday Night Gatherings from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. in The Fish Tank youth center on the first floor of the Sheldon Family Life Center. Each Sunday night includes a meal, games, contemporary worship, a teaching time, and small groups. Bible study continues on Wednesday evenings from 6 to 7 p.m. in room F149, and the year-round Sunday school class for students meets at 9:30 a.m. in the same room.
The Genesis Youth Choir rehearses Sundays at 4:30 p.m. in the Don Lee Music Suite, and any student in grades 6 through 12 can join without an audition. Each fall the youth group heads to the Rooted Retreat at Glisson Camp and Retreat Center in Dahlonega for a weekend of worship, small groups, and outdoor activities, with scholarships available so every student can attend.
Music and Worship Arts
Music is woven through nearly every ministry at Duluth First UMC. Verena Lucía Anders, Minister of Music and Worship Arts, leads a program that includes:
- Chancel Choir, the primary ensemble for traditional worship, open to high-schoolers and adults; rehearses Wednesdays 7 to 8:30 p.m. from August through May.
- Praise Team, the primary ensemble for contemporary worship; rehearses Sunday mornings at 8:45 and 10:30 a.m.
- Chamber Chorale, a smaller ensemble that sings more challenging and a cappella repertoire; rehearses Mondays 7 to 8:30 p.m.
- Treble Ensemble and Tenor-Bass Ensemble, rotating Wednesdays 8:30 to 9 p.m.
- Hand Bell Ensemble for high-schoolers and adults; rehearses Wednesdays 6 to 7 p.m. in the Sanctuary under Johnathan Ancell.
- Genesis Youth Choir for students in grades 6 through 12.
- Children's Bell Choir (K through 2nd grade), Children's Chime Choir (3rd through 5th grade), and a new Children's Music program for K through 2nd graders, all meeting Wednesday evenings during DuluthKids.
Seoyoung Lee serves as the church's organist and Susan Johnson as pianist. Anders, who grew up in Baltimore and has served as Director of Worship for the North Georgia Conference, also founded Atlanta Voices, a community choir focused on social justice.
Wednesday Night Dinners and Family Fellowship
Wednesday night at Duluth First UMC is its own weekly tradition. Chef Kenny Lewis, the Food Ministry Manager, and a team of volunteers called the Dinner Belles and Beaus serve a full meal in Hinton Hall from 5 to 6:30 p.m., with to-go boxes available until 6:30 p.m. Prices are kept accessible: $10 for adults, $7 for children 10 and under, $30 for a family meal, and $7 for a salad bar with a baked or sweet potato, dessert, and a drink. Credit and debit cards, cash, and checks are accepted.
The Wednesday Night Food Drive for the Hands of Christ Duluth Co-Op runs alongside the meal. Each week members bring a specific item - peanut butter, canned fruit, pasta, or canned vegetables - to the food drive table outside Hinton Hall. The dinners also feed into the church's many Wednesday evening programs: DuluthKids for children, youth Bible study, the Hand Bell Ensemble, Chancel Choir, Parent Connection, adult studies, and Stephen Ministry support groups.
Care, Prayer, and Stephen Ministry
The Ministry of Care at Duluth First UMC reaches into nearly every corner of congregational life. It is co-chaired by Tracy Brinker and Linda Tonge, and includes:
- Stephen Ministry, a lay-caring program in which trained Stephen Ministers walk alongside people experiencing hospitalization, grief, job loss, divorce, illness, or other transitions. Stephen Ministers receive 50 hours of initial training and ongoing supervision and commit to at least two years of service.
- GriefShare, a 13-week support group led by Stephen Ministers for people grieving the loss of a loved one. The next session begins in early January and meets Wednesdays 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in room F153.
- Surviving the Holidays, a special class held two weeks before Thanksgiving for those navigating the first holiday season after a loss.
- Caregivers Support Group, meeting online via Zoom on Sundays at 2 p.m.
- Prayers and Squares Prayer Quilt Ministry, which sews and ties prayer quilts for members facing serious medical illness. Quilters meet the first Tuesday and third Thursday of each month, and finished quilts are displayed for the congregation to tie knots and pray over.
- Hugs for Soldiers, which mails care packages, hygiene kits, cards, and Christmas packages to deployed U.S. troops.
- Timeless Blessings, a visitation and communion ministry for members in assisted living, memory care, or at home.
- Bereavement Meals, Card Ministry, Wednesday Night Meal Delivery, and Sermons to Go audio CDs for homebound members.
- Blood Drives held three or four times a year, in partnership with the American Red Cross.
AA meetings are held in the Scout Hut at the rear of the campus Monday through Friday from noon to 1 p.m., and Narcotics Anonymous meets there Sundays at 7 p.m.
Missions Near and Far
The Missions Ministry, coordinated by Rev. David Burchett, takes the congregation well beyond its own walls. Locally, Duluth First UMC is a founding member of Hands of Christ, a Duluth cooperative ministry that addresses food insufficiency in the 30096 and 30097 zip codes. The church supplies food, funds, and 50 annual service hours to maintain its voting seat on the Hands of Christ board. The Happy Sacks program packs about 150 weekend snack bags each week for school children who rely on free and reduced-price meals; in the 2025-26 school year the congregation packed and delivered 4,133 Happy Sacks, bringing the total since 2012 to more than 44,000.
Other local partners include Rainbow Village (a transitional housing community just down the road on Duluth Highway 120, where the church supports a growing 66-apartment campus for families experiencing homelessness), Family Promise of Gwinnett, Sheltering Arms daycare, Good Samaritan Health Centers of Gwinnett, Friends of Refugees in Clarkston, Wellroot Family Services, Murphy-Harpst Children's Center, and the Duluth High School Care Team for students experiencing homelessness.
Mission work extends nationally and internationally. The church partners with Seneca Street United Methodist Church in Buffalo, New York, sending adult and youth mission teams each year and raising money through the annual Bundle Up for Buffalo craft fair to help with heating bills - last year enough was raised to make Seneca Street a warming center for neighbors whose heat had gone out. The congregation supports UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief) with 100 percent of designated gifts going to relief work. Through Rev. C. Kay Fuino, the church has long-standing ties with the Reverend Charlene Kay Fuino Foundation Elementary School in Liberia, which educates about 60 children in pre-school through sixth grade in the Kpelle Town community. The annual Operation Christmas Child shoebox campaign aims for 80 online shoeboxes for Samaritan's Purse.
Scouting at the Church
Duluth First UMC sponsors a full slate of scouting programs, making it a hub for youth in the area. Cub Scouts for kindergarten through fifth grade meets Monday nights from 7 to 8 p.m. during the school year. Girl Scout Daisies, Brownies, Juniors, and Girl Scouts are active at the church. Scouts BSA, open to boys and girls in fifth grade through high school, includes Troop 419, whose annual "Cars for Campouts" classic car show fills the church's front parking lot each fall and raises money to support the troop's program.
United Women in Faith and Circles
The church's United Women in Faith chapter (formerly United Methodist Women) is led by President Sue French, with Vice President Linda Kepler, Treasurer Gail Waigand, and a full slate of officers. The chapter supports a wide range of mission giving, including the music ministry, baby recognition through Wellroot, a High Tea benefiting Family Promise, Christmas gifts for Hugs for Soldiers, vegetable seeds for the East Central District, and a UMCOR relief bucket.
Several circles meet monthly: Agape Circle on the second Saturday at 9:30 a.m. in members' homes, Mary-Martha Circle on the second Thursday at 7 p.m. in rooms F-145/146, Rainbow Circle on the first Wednesday at 11:30 a.m. for a covered-dish luncheon, and Hannah Circle, a flexible group that welcomes drop-in participation. The Yarn Art Ministry (YAMs) knits and crochets baby blankets for the nursery and items for the Bundle Up for Buffalo sale; the group meets the first and third Mondays at 11 a.m. and Wednesdays during the school year at 6 p.m. in room F147.
Stewardship, Giving, and the Crossing the Finish Line Campaign
The church runs a "Grow One Step" stewardship approach, encouraging each household to give 1 percent more of their income to the church each year on the way toward tithing. Online giving is available through ShelbyNext Giving for the General Fund, Building Fund, Long-Term Facilities Maintenance Fund, Memorial Gifts, Miscellaneous Gifts, and the Christmas Gift Fund. Text-to-give is also available by texting the word GIVE to 1-770-343-3608.
The Crossing the Finish Line 2022-2028 Capital Campaign is paying down the remaining $1.3 million mortgage on the Sheldon Family Life Center, with the goal of making the congregation debt-free for the first time in decades. Once the mortgage is retired, monthly payments of $20,000 can be redirected into ministry. Pledges can still be made online or by paper form.
The Pastoral Team
The pastoral team is led by Rev. Terry Tippens, Senior Pastor since June 2016, a Duke University graduate and Emory Candler School of Theology M.Div. who has served in the North Georgia Conference since 1981. Rev. Dr. C. Kay Fuino, an Associate Pastor and Stephen Leader, preaches, teaches, and oversees the prayer ministry and the Simply Something study. Rev. Dr. AnnaKate Rawles, Associate Pastor, joined the staff from the Louisiana and North Georgia Annual Conferences and focuses on families with young children, youth, missions, inclusion, and creation care. Rev. David Burchett, Assistant Pastor, preaches the contemporary service and oversees scouting and missions. Rev. Min Lee serves as Director of Youth Ministries and Contemporary Worship Music Director, having previously worked in California churches before joining the staff in 2015.
Verena Lucía Anders leads the Music and Worship Arts Ministry, Leslie Yokeley leads Children's Ministries and Christian Beginnings, Johnathan Ancell directs worship technology and the adult Handbell Choir, Ken Willi serves as Director of Communications, Linda Wettlaufer directs the Childcare Corner, and Pat Szathmary is Assistant Director of Christian Beginnings.
Visiting Duluth First UMC
The church office is open Monday through Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The mailing address is 3208 Duluth Highway 120, Duluth, GA 30096, and the phone number is 770-476-3776. Christian Beginnings can be reached at 770-497-1743. Visitors who want to know more before arriving can watch the welcome video, browse the church library catalog online, or follow the church on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. The MinistryOne app puts sermons, giving, the church directory, and contact information in one place on a phone or tablet.