Friday Focus
News you need for the week of
MARCH 6, 2026
Ways to Connect with DUMC
There’s a ton happening at Dunwoody UMC this Spring – and we want to make sure YOU know about it. If you prefer print communication, visit a welcome desk to pick up one of our seasonal guides or a copy of The Focus. If you love to scroll – you can follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Get our weekly email―the Friday Focus―plus others by visiting dunwoodyumc.org/email. And there's our website, dunwoodyumc.org. Stay tuned to these channels of communication so you can be in-the-know as we head toward Easter.
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Current Announcements
Join Us for In-Person Worship
We'd love to see you at one of our worship services on Sunday: Chapel Communion at 8:30 a.m., Modern in the Fellowship Hall at 9:00 a.m., and Traditional in the Sanctuary at 11:15 a.m.
Join Us for Online Worship
We offer distinct Modern and Traditional Worship Services online. On-demand streaming begins on Sundays at 9:00 a.m. for our Modern Service and 11:15 a.m. for our Traditional Service on YouTube and Facebook. You can also catch a pre-recorded version of each week's sermon on YouTube. We hope you'll tune in!
Sermon Podcast
If you prefer an audio version of the sermon for on-the-go listening, check out our podcast! You can listen online or subscribe from your podcast app of choice. Search "dunwoodyumc" to subscribe.
Register Your Attendance
Please register your service attendance online. There will be a code on the back of the bulletins and handouts to do this. If you've never used a QR Code before, don't worry...it's easy! Open the camera app on your device. Allow the camera to frame the code until a yellow link appears. Click the yellow box. Complete the form. Or, feel free to click HERE.
Wednesday Night Supper
Dinner begins at 5:00 p.m. and ends at 6:15 p.m. If you would like to register for Wednesday Night Supper, click HERE! This form is updated weekly. You also have the option of emailing Debbie Collins by phone 770-394-0675, Ext 111. Reservations are due by the end of day on the Monday before. Please do your best to adhere to this reservation deadline so there will be a meal prepared for you.
Discover DUMC
If you are interested in joining Dunwoody UMC or just need a refresher on what it means to be Methodist, we invite you to Discover DUMC, Sunday, March 15 at 12:30 p.m. in the Asbury room. This 1-hour interest session is a great way to learn more about the United Methodist Church and hear directly from a DUMC Pastor. If you plan to attend, please click HERE to RSVP.
Easter Lily Memorials & Dedications
Please consider purchasing Easter lilies in honor or memory of someone special. Easter lilies will be displayed throughout the Easter worship services and the cost is $12 per plant. The deadline to order is Friday, March 27. Click HERE to purchase your flowers. Flowers can be picked up after the last service on Easter Sunday. Your Easter lily purchases will be presented in a handout that will be available Easter Sunday morning in the Parlor and Narthex Welcome desks.
Easter Lily Deliveries to Homebound
Volunteers are needed to deliver Easter lilies on Tuesday, April 7 to our homebound members. Contact La’Saundra Anderson at 770-394-0675 to volunteer.
VEiL Exhibit
VEiL invites you to enjoy selected works by Tara Scott, starting Sunday, March 1 in the Library through the end of April. We hope you will also join her there on Sunday, April 12 following any of that Sunday's worship services for an informal Meet & Greet.
The GBHEM Scholarship Portal Is Now Open
The General Board of Higher Education and Ministry (GBHEM) scholarship application portal is open for United Methodist students seeking scholarships for undergraduate and graduate study at colleges, universities, and seminaries, click HERE. In 2025, GBHEM awarded more than 2,500 scholarships to undergraduate and graduate students at over 600 schools worldwide. This financial aid helped students pursue their dreams to serve as the next generation of leaders. You may submit one application each year. The deadline to complete your application is Friday, March 6. Click HERE for more information about how to apply. APPLY NOW.
Stay Connected and Inspired
Sign up to receive resources, news, and uplifting content delivered straight to your inbox. Find encouragement for your daily life, and keep up with the latest happenings across the church through newsletters from United Methodist Communications. Choose to subscribe to one or all of our newsletters and let meaningful, relevant content come to you. Click HERE to learn more.
Serving with the DUMC Hospitality Trailer is a fun way to share the DUMC experience with our community! Sign up to be added to our list of volunteers who pull and set the trailer, who serve treats from the trailer, and/or who provide periodic maintenance to the interior and exterior of the trailer. This is a low-commitment opportunity, based on your availability, and tons of fun! Sign up HERE.
The DUMC Environmental Stewardship Committee (ESC) meets the second Monday of each month at 7:00 p.m. in room 242 at the church. The committee is involved in many recycling initiatives including Wednesday Night Supper, Modern Service donut box recycling, and Food Stock. We are also working on other sustainable projects with the church including solar, composting, and tree planting. All are welcome at our meetings. For more information, contact Ellen Sparks. You can view the tips for March HERE. Sign up HERE to subscribe to the monthly United Methodist Creation Justice Tips.
Are you or someone you know expecting a new baby? If so, please click HERE to fill out the New Baby form. Whether it’s a birth or an adoption, DUMC wants to celebrate the new babies joining our community! Our Knitting Group and United Women in Faith circles have joined forces to create a welcome pack for the newest members of our community and their families. Contact Rev. Garrett Wallace for more information.
Need a ride? We have a golf cart team that is happy to get you to and from the building on Sunday mornings. Look for the banners in the parking lot to see the path that the golf cart will drive. Just stand by your car and someone will be by to get you! Our golf cart is currently running three shifts: 9:30 a.m. - 10:15 a.m. | 10:30 a.m. - 11:15 a.m. | 11:45 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
DUMC Nametags
Anyone may place a name tag order HERE. All requested name tags may be picked up on the magnetic board behind the Parlor welcome desk. Feel free to leave your nametag on this board during the week for easy access on Sunday mornings. If you need a replacement nametag feel free to leave your current nametag at any of the welcome desks and we'll get it fixed
Prayer Concerns
Do you have prayer concerns that you would like to share with the church? Email them to our confidential email address HERE, and we will be praying for you.
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.
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!
Travel Ministry Trip to Nashville, TN
Join us on a trip to Nashville, Tennessee! We’ll walk the grounds of Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage, see the homes of country music artists, and explore important sites connected to the history of Methodism. Trip dates are Monday, May 18 - Thursday, May 21. To learn more and register click HERE.
Reformation Tour 2026
Follow in the footsteps of the great Reformers—John Knox, John Calvin, and Martin Luther—on an immersive journey through Germany, Switzerland, and Strasbourg. This inspiring tour is led by Dr. Phil and Elizabeth Schroeder, along with the Revs. David Melton and Joy Melton, and takes place from August 31 - September 12, 2026. For the full itinerary, tour requirements and conditions, and to register, click HERE.
Furman Singers present "Serenade to Music"
The Furman Singers invite you to an evening of beautiful choral and chamber music at Serenade to Music, their Pre-ACDA Tour Concert. This special performance will feature the acclaimed Furman University Hartness String Quartet alongside the choir. Join us on Saturday, February 28, at 7:00 p.m. in the sanctuary. Presented as part of the ACDA Southern Division Conference’s Prism of Voices, this concert promises an inspiring night of artistry and collaboration you won’t want to miss.
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.
The Mountaintop
The Mountaintop by Katori Hall is a magical realist reimagining of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s final night at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, April 3, 1968, following his “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” speech. When a bold, mysterious maid named Camae interrupts King’s solitude, their encounter becomes a revealing, often humorous conversation about fear, faith, legacy, and mortality. This blocked stage reading features Joel P. King as Dr. King and Joy Ducree Gregory as Camae, followed by a post-show talkback. Join us for a 90-minute program—free to attend with registration required. Appropriate for ages 13+. Friday, February 27 at 7:00 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall. Click HERE to register.
Theater 1548 Presents: Clue
Clue is a fast-paced farce based on the classic board game and the cult-favorite film. Six mysterious guests are invited to a remote mansion, each hiding secrets and armed with suspicion. When their host turns up dead, the evening spirals into chaos as the guests race to uncover who committed the murder, where it happened, and with what weapon. Packed with sharp wit, physical comedy, surprise twists, and multiple suspects, Clue is a high-energy whodunit that keeps audiences guessing until the final reveal—proving that everyone has something to hide, and anyone could be the killer. Don't miss your chance to experience the thrill! Friday, March 13 – Saturday, March 14 at 7:00 p.m. and Sunday, March 15 at 1:30 p.m. American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation will be available at the Friday, March 13 performance. Click HERE to purchase tickets and learn more.
Finding Nemo KIDS Summer Camp
Disney’s Finding Nemo KIDS is a 30-minute musical adaptation of the beloved Pixar film that follows Marlin and his son Nemo on an exciting underwater adventure filled with courage, friendship, and self-discovery, featuring new music by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez and favorite characters like Dory, Crush, and the Tank Gang. Designed for rising 1st–6th graders, campers will be immersed in musical theatre through dance, music, and acting with professional instructors, and the week will conclude with a final performance for family and friends. Camp runs June 1–4, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Registration opens on Monday, February 2. Click HERE to register.
Frozen KIDS Summer Camp
Frozen KIDS is a 30-minute, heartwarming stage adaptation of the hit Disney film and Broadway musical, specially designed for elementary students. Featuring beloved characters like Anna, Elsa, Olaf, and Sven, the show includes all the favorite songs from the movie—such as “Do You Want to Build a Snowman?”, “Love Is an Open Door,” and “Let It Go”—along with new songs from the Broadway production, all by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez. During this camp, rising 1st–6th graders will explore dance, music, and acting under the guidance of professional instructors, culminating in a final performance for family and friends. Camp runs June 8–11, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Registration opens on Monday, February 2. Click HERE to register.
Connected Community Carnival
We are excited to invite all of our Kings & Queens from Night to Shine back to DUMC on Wednesday, March 4, 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. for a Connected Community Carnival! Join our Connected Crew (ages 14+) for an evening filled with games, food, a silent disco, and meaningful fellowship. Come learn more about our Special Needs Ministry and discover how you can get involved in this joyful and welcoming community. Register HERE. Many volunteers will be needed for this event, click HERE to sign up! To learn more contact Connected.
Connected Sunday School
Join us for a small group Sunday school class focusing on life lessons and spiritual growth. To learn more contact Connected.
Connected Community Fellowship
Join us weekly on Wednesday evenings. We share a meal, participate in a social activity, and engage in fellowship. View our upcoming dates HERE. To learn more contact Connected.
UWF and New Horizons in Christ invite you to attend the UWF Circles Lunch & Learn on Sunday, March 15, from 12:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall. This engaging workshop, “Strengthen Yourself with a Personal Plan for Greater Hope and Happiness,” will be presented by Dr. Holly Middleton, Ph.D., ABPP. Participants will enjoy a light lunch while gaining practical tools and encouragement for personal growth. All UWF members are encouraged to attend and invite a friend. Please click HERE to RSVP. For any further questions, please contact Sharon Conway.
Are you a reader and do you like to discuss books you've read with others? Then join us, the UWF Book Club. We meet every other month to read and discuss books that are part of the UWF reading program. You don't have to be a member of UWF to participate. Everyone is welcome! Our next meeting is Monday, March 16 at 7:00 p.m. in the library to discuss, The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict. If you have questions please contact Book Club chair Amanda Masters.
Calling all moms! While the kids are in Wednesday night programming, take a moment for yourself. Learn and grow with other moms in one of our midweek meetups. Join us in Room 251 at 5:00 p.m. (look for the signs) for a casual, drop-in session of sharing and study. Contact Rev. Calissa Dauterman to learn more.
DUMC offers 8 Circles representing all ages and stages that meet monthly for fellowship, mission work, bible study, and devotions. For information, contact Donna Houseal, Membership Chair, at 404-247-4071, or visit dunwoodyumc.org/women to learn more.
Join us for the 3rd Annual DUMC Men’s Ministry Retreat, March 20–22, at the Tree Topper Lodge at Forrest Hills Resort in Dahlonega, GA. This small-group retreat offers a time of spiritual renewal as we explore scripture in fresh, interactive ways that deepen faith, clarify God’s purpose, and strengthen fellowship. “Call to Me and I will answer you and tell you great and hidden things you have not known” (Jer. 33:3). Click HERE to register and learn more. For questions, contact Jim Labus at 404-217-1007.
Join the Men's Ministry for a round of golf before driving to the Men's "40 Hour" Retreat. We will tee off on Friday, March 20 around 11:00 a.m. at the Achasta Golf Club, 639 Birch River Dr, Dahlonega. The cost is $120/player which includes cart and range balls. (Pay at Golf Course). We will begin tee times around 11:00 a.m. and after, will confirm times a week before retreat. Achasta is 25-minute drive to Forrest Hills. Please bring your personal belongings with you if you are going to the retreat following play. RSVP HERE.
The 18 Steps to Spiritual wHoleness group will be meeting Friday, March 13 at 7:00 a.m. for a full breakfast and study in the Epworth Room. Scott Heath will be discussing Psalm 23. RSVP by noon the preceding Thursday, and make sure you RSVP for invited friends, too. Please bring your loose change to donate to CAC through the Mission Ministries of the Church. Click HERE to RSVP.
Men: Are you hungry for spiritual growth? BEST MAN Bible Fellowship starts with hot coffee, breakfast, and fellowship at 6:45am in the Fellowship Hall followed by an in-depth scripture lesson from 7:00 a.m. - 7:30 a.m. and guided small group discussion from 7:30 a.m. - 8:00 a.m. We end promptly at 8am so you can get on with your day. Led by our pastors, we encourage each other to prioritize JOY in our lives - Jesus, Others, Yourself! No registration or RSVP needed. Don't miss a Tuesday due to travel or absence; join via Zoom HERE: Meeting ID: 840 8951 4181 Passcode: 668875. Take a step this Tuesday to become your BEST MAN!
Playtime is DUMC Nursery’s weekday drop-in childcare program for children ages 6 months to 5 years, open to church and community families. Available Monday–Friday, 9:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m. during the school year, Playtime offers a safe, loving, and fun environment with indoor and outdoor play. It also complements the DUMC Preschool schedule, with early drop-off options available. Learn more by clicking HERE or email Meredith Dunn.
The Nursery's Playtime program offers care for children aged six months through five years. If you are interested in using Playtime to help with your weekday childcare needs, please contact Meredith Dunn.
Dunwoody Kids invites families to prepare for the excitement of Easter with fun for the whole family on Sunday, March 29; 2:30 - 4:30 p.m. Enjoy a family Easter activity, egg hunt, petting zoo, play games, and share treats while connecting with other families. All are welcome!
June 22 - June 25
This summer, kids are invited to jump in, make new friends, and be part of something fun and meaningful. Through crafts, science, games, and hands-on activities, kids will explore faith in a way that feels real, relatable, and connected to their everyday lives—at home, at school, and in their community.
VBS is for rising Pre-K–3rd graders and is high-energy, creative, and designed to help kids feel seen, included, and excited to show up each day.
For our big kids, VBX is a 4-day mission-focused day camp for rising 4th–6th graders, featuring hands-on service projects, active Bible experiences, and plenty of movement and teamwork.
VBS and VBX share the same weekly themes, making it easy for families to keep the conversation going all week long—no matter where you’re starting from. You don’t have to be part of our church to join—just come ready to have fun and be part of the team. Click HERE to register!
Club 45
Club 45 Evenings offers 4th and 5th graders a monthly meeting aimed solely at their age group. We’ll use the monthly Kid’s theme used in all other programming for the month, but delivered in a single worship service. In addition, the kids will fellowship across a meal and participate in interactive activities aimed at digging deeper into the lesson and building community. Club 45 meetings are 5:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, March 8 at the Kids Suite downstairs near the gym. Please walk your child in to drop them off, and walk in for pickup at 6:30 p.m. RSVP HERE to help with food orders.
Wonderfully Made
Wonderfully Made is a course about the human body guided by a certified facilitator. It is open to 4th and 5th graders. This course goes beyond the basic school physical education and handles it from a spiritual perspective with an emphasis on bodies being wonderful creations of God. Join us, Friday, March 27, 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. (Parent Orientation) and Saturday, March 28, 9:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. (Kids Session); 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. Parents and Kids summary. If you’d like to preview the curriculum, contact Tambryn Freund. Register HERE.
Join us on Sunday, March 29 at 10:00 a.m. in the Epworth Room. Current 5th Grade Parents are invited to join the Dunwoody UMC Youth Team to learn about important dates and events this Summer and Fall, key things to know as you enter the youth ministry, and info about special events just for rising 6th graders! If you have any questions, reach out to Brooke Freeman.
We want to celebrate your student on Sunday, May 17 in both of our worship services (9:00 a.m. & 11:15 a.m.)! If you have a high school senior, please click HERE to fill out this form with your student's name, high school, plans for post-graduation, and attach a senior portrait or photo by Wednesday, April 1. We would like these seniors to be recognized in the church bulletin for Senior Recognition Sunday. For any more details on the morning, reach out to Brooke Freeman. We hope your student and your family will join us for this special day!
Morning Blend is our version of Sunday School. We have a light breakfast and a lesson. Each week is a little bit different - from local missions projects, to worship experiences, to games days. It’s an awesome time to be with your friends while learning more about Jesus. Sunday Morning (Year-Round) 10:00 a.m. - 10:50 a.m. | Youth Lounge | 6th-12th Grade
DUMC is the place to be on Sunday Nights! Our Worship night is filled with engaging games, dynamic speakers, a live worship band, and some of your favorite small group leaders. Plus, there is FOOD! Sunday Night (August - April) 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m., Youth Lounge, Gym & Fellowship Hall 6th - 12th Grade.
New Friends
New Friends is a group of widows and widowers who enjoy lunch out together once a month. Please join New Friends (Widowed) as they dine out at Maximos, 4947 Winters Chapel Rd Suite 1, Dunwoody on Monday, March 9 at 11:30 a.m. for fun and fellowship. Please RSVP by Saturday, March 7 with Betty Moreland at 770-641-8519.
Beat the traffic on GA 400 North Friday afternoon and enjoy a beautiful walk in the woods! We will hike the Indian Seats loop trail in Sawnee Mountain Preserve on Friday, March 20, from 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. The “moderately” strenuous trail is 4 miles long with 508 feet of elevation gain and breathtaking views from the top. Click HERE to RSVP.
Creating the environment to Listen and Hear the voice of God through active and enjoyable experiences in nature. Please join us as we get outside to hike, kayak, fly fish, bird watch (and more) as we explore God’s creation together. Each activity in which we participate brings new people. You are welcome regardless of outdoor experience or where you are on your faith journey. To get on the mailing list, please contact Jim Labus.
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.