Friday Focus
News you need for the week of
November 21, 2025
Advent at DUMC
Advent begins on Sunday, November 30 and here at Dunwoody UMC we have LOTS of ways to get involved...from worship opportunities, music performances, and fun stuff for families, we've got you covered! Also, we can't forget Christmas Eve worship. Just like last year, we're asking everyone to RSVP for your service of choice (that form will open on Thanksgiving Day). So, click the banner below to find out more!
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Current Announcements
Life and Longevity Sunday
On Sunday, November 30 at the 11:15 a.m. service, we will recognize and honor members who have reached the age of 90 years old and older. Longevity is a gift to be celebrated so join us as we honor these special members who have listened to a lot of sermons in their lives, taught many Sunday School lessons, and prayed a lot of prayers in their lifetime. We hope you will join the celebration!
Blue Christmas
While the holiday season is a time of joy and fellowship, it can also be a time of struggle and grief, particularly for those experiencing loss. Join us for this reflective Service of Word and Table on Thursday, December 4 at 6:30 p.m. in DUMC's Chapel, as we remember that Christ is always coming into the world to give us hope. Join us in the parlor after the service for a time of light refreshments and continued fellowship.
Wednesday Night Supper
Join us for Wednesday Night Supper! Dinner begins at 5:00 p.m. and ends at 6:15 p.m. You also have the option of emailing Debbie Collins or by calling at 770-394-0675, ext 111. Reservations are due by the end of day on Monday. Please do your best to adhere to this reservation deadline so there will be a meal prepared for you. Click HERE to register. The cost for Wednesday Night Supper is $10 for an adult meal, $5 for a child meal (3-11 years). Children under 3 years eat for free. There will be no Wednesday night supper during the week of Thanksgiving. The last Wednesday night supper of the year will be on December 10. We will return with Wednesday night supper in the new year on Wednesday, January 7.
Bible and Bourbon
Join us at Moondog Pub & Grub, 5077 Peachtree Rd., Chamblee on Monday, December 8 from 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. for Bible and Bourbon. Explore ancient wisdom with a modern twist from different faith perspectives. Don't miss this unique blend of spiritual exploration and networking. All are welcome! Featuring, Rabbi Brian Glusman of Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta and Rev. Phil Schroeder of Dunwoody United Methodist Church. Free to attend, food and drinks available for purchase. Learn more at atlantajcc.org/bourbon
Stay Connected and Inspired
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VEiL Exhibit and Meet & Greet
VEiL invites you to the library to view the work of their November/December featured artist, Mary Phillips.
Christmas Poinsettias
The Christmas season is the time for poinsettias, and we have them for you to purchase. You can purchase them in memory or honor of someone special, and they will be used to add color in our three worship spaces. You are welcome to take the plant you ordered after the last service on Christmas Eve. The cost of each plant is $12 and the deadline to place your order is Friday, December 12. Click HERE to order. Volunteers are also needed to deliver poinsettias to our homebound members on Tuesday, December 16. This is a great family service opportunity! If you have any questions, please call La'Saundra Anderson at 770-394-0675.
To show support for our Ministry Partners, visit one of DUMC's Christmas Angel Trees to select an ornament representing donations needed in the community. An Angel Tree is located in the Activities Building lobby and one will be in the outdoor Tree Lot. Take your chosen ornament(s), shop for a local charity (the CAC, Hightower Homework Club, Wellspring Living, Wellroot, etc.), and place unwrapped gifts in the donation bin located in the Church Office Reception Area no later than Friday, December 12. Contact Rev. Garrett Wallace with questions.
This Christmas season, join us in spreading joy through the Corners Outreach Christmas Store—a special mission to bless families in our community! Each year, the store allows parents to choose gifts for their children, making Christmas morning brighter for all. You can get involved in two ways: donate new, unwrapped toys (especially for ages 6–12) by Monday, December 1, at the church or Corners Outreach, 1854 Shackleford Ct., Norcross; or volunteer to help wrap gifts and serve families, with 15 volunteers needed at each location. Let’s come together to share God’s love and make this season truly special. Click HERE to volunteer! Click HERE to learn more.
BPBMA has a mission to provide weekend meals to food-insecure children in the Metro Atlanta area to enhance their mental and physical health. Dunwoody UMC is supporting that mission as a Community Buddy. Each week DUMC will have volunteers pick up nonperishable food from the BPBMA warehouse here in Dunwoody. The food is delivered to DUMC and packed by volunteers to be taken to area elementary schools for students to take home for the weekend so that they have food to replace the meals they would receive at school during the week. You can register here to participate in Backpack Buddies. There are three different opportunities: picking up food and delivering it to DUMC for packing, packing meals (approximately 35 meals), or delivering packed meals to Dunwoody Elementary. There are specific times for some jobs and others have some flexibility. Contact Bo Lane for details.
Volunteer with Hightower Homework Club at Crossroads Church (4805 Tilly Mill Rd.) from 4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m., Monday-Thursday during the school year. There are classrooms and plenty of room for the kids to play outside. Children, from kindergarten to 5th grade, receive instruction and homework help from qualified teachers. Volunteers are needed to assist the teachers, give individual homework help as well as provide playground supervision. Volunteers are welcome to make their own hours. If interested contact Rich Reynell or click HERE for more information or to start the process for volunteering.
Upcoming Disaster Response Training & Deployments
If you would like to be informed of upcoming domestic disaster relief trips and training, please visit dunwoodyumc.org/missions to be added to the D.A.R.T. Disaster Assistance Response Team Group. As opportunities arise, you will be alerted via email from the Group Leader. Please see the following upcoming opportunities.
· DARE / DART trips are scheduled for the 3rd week of every month (subject to change).
· Contact Ken Sexton at 678-523-3905 for details.
The Christmas Letters
You may or may not know the story of your birth. If you do, there is something special about hearing your origin story again and remembering how it all began for you. That's why we observe Advent: to celebrate how it all began for us. In The Christmas Letters, Magrey deVega invites you to hear about the miracle of Christ's birth from those who first told the story. The letters in the New Testament, known as the Epistles, contain the first attempts by the church to understand and celebrate the mystery of the Incarnation. They point us to the origins of what we believe about Jesus, fully human and fully divine. By spending time with these holy, ancient words this Advent, you'll come to know the meaning of Christ's coming like never before. Read the New Testament letters, Romans, 1 John, Philippians, and Colossians as your first Christmas letters of the season and find within them an invitation from God to deepen your understanding of the Incarnation and embrace a fuller commitment to Jesus Christ. Starting Wednesdays, November 12 - December 10 (not meeting Thanksgiving week) 7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m., Asbury Room. Led by Rev. David Melton and Rev. Joy Melton. You may buy the book for $15 or purchase from another retailer. Click HERE to sign up.
The Angels of Christmas Online Advent Study
In this three-week Advent study, we will take an hour from our busy days to dive into Susan Robb's book The Angels of Christmas, which explores the angelic visits to Zechariah, Mary, and Joseph surrounding the birth of Jesus. Through video, reading, and discussion we discover what these angelic appearances can teach us about God’s presence in history and our lives today. Wednesdays, December 3, 10, 17, 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m., Meets on Zoom. Led by Rev. Calissa Dauterman. Click HERE to register.
Sunday School Options
We all need people who help encourage us to be more like Jesus. At DUMC one of the best places to find your people, is in a Sunday School class from 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. We have 18 offerings that span every season of life and concurrent offerings for kids and youth. Click HERE to see a full list of options or stop by a Welcome Center on Sunday morning. You can visit a different class every week if you want, and we promise your people are here!
DUMC Music Ministry presents, "The Many Moods of Christmas"
The Music Ministry of Dunwoody UMC invites you to experience the splendor of the Christmas season as we present "The Many Moods of Christmas", featuring the DUMC Chancel Choir, Musica Gloria Chamber Choir, and full 45-piece orchestra. This beloved collection of familiar carols and choral classics by Robert Shaw and Robert Russell Bennett showcases the full spectrum of holiday spirit and the vibrant tonal colors of the choir and orchestra. In addition, the concert will include cherished holiday classics by composers such as John Rutter, Sergei Rachmaninoff, Felix Mendelssohn and more! You do not want to miss this festive musical event, presented at 4:00 pm on Sunday, December 14 in the Dunwoody UMC sanctuary. Admission is free and open to everyone. Nursery will be provided.
DUMC Choirs
The music ministry of Dunwoody UMC is excited to kick off another great season. We ask that you prayerfully consider how you might participate in and support the musical life of this church. We have choirs for all ages, from 3 to 93 and beyond; handbell choirs for 3rd graders through adults; opportunities for instrumentalists in a variety of styles and capacities, and more. We invite you to click HERE to get more information about our opportunities, and to be connected with someone who can tell you more. Also be sure to check out dunwoodyumc.org/music for updated concert and performance information, as well as more information on how you can serve.
You are cordially invited to the DUMC United Women in Faith Green and White Celebration on Saturday, December 6, from 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall. There will be a brunch followed by speaker Diane Moffett, the founder and leader of One Lamb Initiative which began at Peachtree Road UMC. Thanks to a generous anonymous donation, there is no cost to attend this year's Green & White Banquet. However, we are asking all attendees to donate $5 at the door in keeping with DUMC's 5x5 Focus. We will also accept donations to both Murphy Harpst and Wellroot Family Services. Cash or check is acceptable for both (checks should be payable to each specific agency). Amazon, Walmart, or VISA gift cards or gifts appropriate for preteens and teens are also options for Murphy Harpst. Please click HERE to register by Monday, November 24. For assistance, please contact La'Saundra Anderson at 770-394-0675.
Preschool 2026-2027 Admissions Tours
Get to know Dunwoody UMC Preschool! Our accredited program is available for Toddlers (age 1 by 9/1/26) through Kindergarten (age 5 by 9/1/26).
Dunwoody United Methodist Church Preschool provides a developmentally appropriate education in a loving Christian environment where children are nurtured and encouraged to develop cognitively, socially, emotionally, physically, and spiritually to their full potential. Join us for a tour December 4, December 11, January 8, January 13, January 15 at 10:00 a.m. RSVP HERE.
Interested in Communicating Your Event or small group?
Start by submitting a communications request form. This will give us a written record and start the conversation. Need something else? Not sure what you need? We’ll talk through it with you and do our best to help. Reach out to Communications with additional questions.