As an uncharacteristically warm winter comes to an end, it’s a perfect time to reflect on the life of our church community here in Duluth. From fun events and gatherings to weekend retreats and serving togethering, we’ve covered a lot of ground in the first few months of 2024. Here’s what we’ve been up to!
We celebrated the New Year with a festive game night featuring a crock pot buffet filled with delicious food. The next day (aka literally just several hours later), we kicked off the first day of the year with a wintry hike. We had a great time and enjoyed ringing in 2024 together.
In January, the Young Adult Ministry embarked on an ice fishing trip. They enjoyed a beautiful frozen landscape and even reeled in a few catches, adding an extra thrill to the adventure. Afterwards, those who were interested got a tutorial in how to clean a fish.
Our college-aged ministry, Street Level, remains active on Monday nights as we gather for a meal followed by working through the book of Mark. We read it together during our sessions and then have a group discussion. Welcoming several new faces, these meetings have been a great chance to get to learn more about the Bible and get to know each other.
We also hosted an international cooking night at the Street Level house, where a diverse gathering of people came together. It was a memorable experience, filled with flavors from around the world.
Members of Street Level also joined our larger counterparts from Menomonie in Chetek, WI for a weekend of fellowship. The ministry as a whole dedicated Friday night and Saturday to addressing cultural barriers that prevent sharing the Gospel. Large group sessions focused on relevance, relationships, and repentance, while small groups allowed us to share testimonies and simple gospel messages. Practical prayer was weaved into the weekend and greatly emphasized. We prayed together for ministry opportunities, boldness, obedience and each other.
We served coffee at Ice Fest in Superior, though the lack of snow and warm temps turned it into more of a mud fest. Which was okay by us, because it meant we didn’t have to bundle up as much as usual! Nevertheless, it was a successful event where we connected with many people, raised funds for missions and even managed to enjoy a round of free mini golf.
Some of our singles attended a Regional Christian Singles Retreat in Chetek, WI hosted by Believers City Church in Menomonie. During the retreat, they delved into sessions by Andy Stanley, focusing on making Godly decisions, all while enjoying the camaraderie among attendees.
In February, we enjoyed watching the Chiefs beat the 49ers at our annual Super Bowl Party. For those of us who aren’t into football, we had plenty of games and tasty treats.
Several of us joined a team on a trip to New Orleans to help renovate a church. This was a rewarding experience that left us feeling immensely blessed to be part of this important work. Wrapping up February, we enjoyed another game night filled with snacks and laughter.
On Sundays, we started going through the book of Acts, placing a special focus on the transformative work of the Holy Spirit. Meanwhile, our Wednesday evenings keep things fresh with a rotating schedule. Whether we’re delving into verse-by-verse Bible studies through Lamentations, exploring the life of David in men’s and women’s groups, or engaging in insightful ‘rewinds’ to discuss recent sermons, our time together has been enriching. We even took one Wednesday evening to watch “The End of the Spear,” a film about the sacrifice of several courageous missionaries.
Looking ahead, we’re excited for all the upcoming months will have in store. With endeavors such as our community Bible studies for young adults and a missions trip to Mississippi, we’re excited to set out on new adventures together. And let’s not forget a fun-filled rollerskating outing planned for our Young Adult Ministry!
If you’ve been supporting us through prayer, thanks so much. If you’re not and would like to do that, we would greatly appreciated it!
