Our Future with the UMC Information Sessions

As a follow-up to our spring conversations, Tucker First will hold three informational sessions on the options available to congregations amid the ongoing denominational divide regarding the ordination and marriage of LGBTQIA+ clergy and congregants. These sessions are intended to provide clear information about the policies and procedures laid out by the North Georgia Annual Conference and the full range of possibilities for Tucker First as a local congregation.

Sessions will take place on Thursday evenings at 7:00 pm in the Sanctuary. We will have guest speakers offering different perspectives at the first two sessions. The third session will be a wrap-up time facilitated by our church leadership.

• August 25 | Rev. Dr. Byron Thomas, District Superintendent for the Central South District, Head of Clergy Delegation to General Conference

• September 1 | Dan Parr, President of the Wesleyan Covenant Association (WCA) for North Georgia, North Georgia General Conference Delegate, and Lay Member at Dahlonega United Methodist Church

• September 8 | Summary and Next Steps

Church congregants are invited to submit questions ahead of time for our guest speakers to consider and respond to during their presentations. No additional questions will be taken from the floor after the presentation from each speaker.

Please submit your questions by email to Stephanie Shanholtzer at [email protected], by dropping them off at the church office, or by placing them in the drop box located in the narthex. 

Chancel Choir Open House

Do you love to sing?

Do you love to worship through singing?

Do you love the feeling of singing with a special group?

Well, we do too!

The members of the Chancel Choir of Tucker First UMC invite you to their annual Open House on Wednesday, August 17, from 7:30 – 9:00 pm. Come and meet the choir members and Tom Moore, our Director of Music & Arts, and stay for snacks and a little singing.

The Tucker First Chancel Choir is for any adult who wishes to serve the Lord through singing. The choir sings for the 11:00 am Sunday worship service and performs special concerts throughout the year. We sing a variety of music, including classical, traditional, spiritual, gospel, and contemporary. Additionally, there are opportunities for solos, duets, and trios. The Chancel Choir participates annually in the Christmas at Tucker performance with a full orchestra and a dramatic stage presentation. We have also sung Requiems by Fauré, Hayes, and Mozart and Hodie by Vaughan Williams.

Come and join us, and you will find a group that loves to sing as well as have fun and laugh. There is something for everyone, and we have a seat waiting for you - no experience necessary.

Childcare will be provided on request.

Contact Tom Moore, Director of Music & Arts, at [email protected] for more information.

Safe Sanctuaries Training in August

There will be two Safe Sanctuaries training sessions in August. The first is on Sunday, August 28 at 4:00 pm, and the next is on Tuesday, August 30 at 7:00 pm. Both sessions will be in Jenkins Hall. 

The Safe Sanctuaries program is a set of books and guidelines by the United Methodist Church to protect our children and youth from emotional and physical abuse while involved in programs at our church. All adults who work with children or youth need to be trained in Safe Sanctuaries. You must retake the class if your training is over two years old. The training is  1 1/2 hours long.

Questions? Contact Mimi Sanders at [email protected].

Great Day of Service 2022

We hope you'll join us for our annual Great Day of Service on Saturday, September 24, from 9 am – 1 pm. We have project opportunities in our church and in the community including assembling hygiene kits for our homeless population to be distributed by the Dekalb County Police Department, painting fire hydrants, cleaning up the church grounds, assisting at the Friends of Disabled Adults & Children (FODAC) facility, visiting seniors at Benton House, cleaning up Henderson Park, and caring for children supported by Wellroot Family Services.

Online registration will begin around August 29. Find a project that speaks to your heart and join us!

Summer Heat Got You Low?

Lift your spirits by attending the 2022 Women’s “Mini-treat” Retreat on Saturday, August 13, from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm in Jenkins Hall. The study focus is “Walk With God's Love and Know Your Are Beloved” with a scripture backdrop of 1 John 3:1.

The program includes fun moments, hymn singing, and sharing with those who care. We will eat lunch together. Please bring a salad to share. Register by contacting Patti Rioux at [email protected]t. 

Bible Study on Romans



Pastor Anne will host an eight-week Bible study on the book of Romans. The group will meet on Tuesday evenings at 7:00 pm in Room 206 starting September 6. 

If you have any questions or would like to RSVP, please contact Pastor Anne at [email protected] or (678) 325-4033

Pioneers are Back Together Again!

Pioneers is Tucker First UMC's group for senior adults interested in friendship, fun, and faith. The Pioneers have not met since before the COVID-19 pandemic and it's time to gather once again! Join us for a catered lunch and a time to reconnect. We will fellowship and discuss plans for the Pioneer club going forward, Thursday, September 8 at 11:30 am in Jenkins Hall.

RSVP to Rosemary Rose at 770-279-0147 or Doris Latimer at 404-906-2313.

Wednesday Morning Women's Bible Study Celebrating 15 Years!

We are excited to begin another Bible Study this Fall. Our next study will be “The Rock, the Road, and the Rabbi” by Kathie Lee Gifford. With Rabbi Jason Sobel, the book takes you deeper into understanding the Bible through Hebrew culture, language, and the means of connection that opens up an understanding of faith and heritage. This six-week study begins on September 19. We will meet at 10:00 am in Room 202. Participants should purchase their own book and study book.

Questions? Contact Kathryn Jackson at [email protected]. 

St. Hildegard Night at Tucker First

St. Hildegard von Bingen was a 12th-century writer, composer, theologian, preacher, herbalist, healer, and mystic. Learn about this incredible woman and let her inspire your faith life. We’ll listen to Hildegard’s music, taste one of her recipes, create a unique Hildegard craft, and leave with some Hildegard-inspired spiritual practices. 

To RSVP, please contact Pastor Anne at [email protected] or (678) 325-4033.

Open Door Sunday School

Begins New Book Discussion

You are most welcome to join the book review of Jesus, the Stranger. The Man from Galilee and The Light of the World.

This book is a laity focus on Jesus’ humanity in a way that looks at the numerous oppositional characters and groups reported in the gospels, the hometown folks, family members, religious leaders, and politicians. We’ll take a close-up view of the parts and, on the whole, the grand theme. 

The Open Door Sunday School class meets on Sundays at 9:45 am in room 209.

Questions? Please contact Joe Kilpatrick at [email protected]. 

Youth and Parent Planning Meeting  

All parents and youth are invited to attend a planning meeting on Sunday, August 16 at 6:00 pm in the Wesley Center. We will discuss programming, retreats and missions for the upcoming school year.

Questions? Contact Chris Moss at 770-883-3095 or [email protected]

AcolyteTraining and Lunch

On Sunday, August 21, there will be an acolyte lunch in Jenkins Hall following the 11:00 am worship service. We invite all current acolytes and those wishing to become an acolyte to attend. Following lunch, there be training in the Sanctuary which will include baptism, communion, and gospel procession procedures. This program is open to all children and youth in the fourth grade through high school. 

Question? Please contact Mimi Sanders at [email protected]. 

2022-2023 Confirmation Class

Another Confirmation season at Tucker First is quickly approaching. Our next Confirmation classes begin on September 18.

Confirmation preparation is the act by which persons make their first public profession of faith. In this sense, they confirm their faith. Confirmation classes offer students time to learn more about the Christian faith and the United Methodist denomination they are a part of. 

At the end of the Confirmation season, they will have an opportunity to make that public profession. If your student has not been baptized, this is a great opportunity to do so before they receive full membership into the United Methodist Church. 

All middle school youth who have not been through confirmation are invited. Questions? Contact Chris Moss at 770-883-3095 or [email protected].

3rd-5th Grade Retreat

All 3rd-5th Graders are invited to go on retreat to Camp Glisson September 16-18. The cost is $150.00. Scholarships are available. If you have questions, want to register, or chaperone, contact Mimi Sanders at [email protected].

Let's Go Camping!

October 7-10 is a school holiday for many area schools. So let’s have fun together on a Family Camping Trip. The trip is scheduled from Friday, October 7 to Sunday, October 9 at Hard Labor Creek State Park off I-20. Early Bird Special of $30 per person if paid before September 5.

Sign up at https://tinyurl.com/TFUMC-camping.

Questions? Contact Mimi Sanders at [email protected].

Northlake Clothing Closet

Eleven members of the TFUMC Men's Fellowship worked at the Networks Clothes Closet on Wednesday, August 11.

They sorted, sized and hung apparel for men, women and children who are unable to adequately clothe their family! 

Here are some facts about the Clothes Closet:

• Located at Northlake Church of Christ, 1625 Cooledge Road, Tucker. 770-414-8717
• In the first 7 months of 2022, the clothing closet has clothed 631 people. In 2021 it served 825.
• It is open the first, second, and third Wednesdays of each month, from 4:00-6:00. It is open to anyone desiring assistance. A picture ID is requested. 

The closet is extremely short of the following:

• good tennis shoes (men, women, children)
• men's pants (any size)
• men's small shirts
• men's belts
• ball caps

Donations can be taken directly to Northlake Church of Christ (call ahead) or placed in room 209. The men's fellowship will gladly get your offerings to the closet.    

Support the Good Samaritan Fund

The Good Samaritan Fund supports the emergency benevolence needs of members and neighbors in the community. Funds are used to provide Kroger gift cards that can be used for food or gas and emergency hotel stays. Please consider supporting the fund. Donations can be placed in the labeled box found in the narthex, or you can give online or in the church office.   

Blood Drive Volunteers and Blood Donors Needed for Next Blood Drive

Show the best of yourself and human kindness, and donate blood in October. Our next Red Cross Blood Drive will be on Thursday, October 13, from 2:30 – 7:30 pm in the Wesley Center.

​Blood donors can sign up using the green "Donate Blood" button and the site code TUCK1UMC.

Volunteers are needed to greet donors and manage the snack table. The volunteer shifts are two hours each. Click the button on the right marked "Volunteer Sign Up."

Questions? Contact Evelyn Burkett at [email protected] or 404-727-1582 if you have any questions.

Breast Cancer Pillow Workshop

Wednesday, August 17

Breast Cancer Pillow Workshop

Wednesday, September 21

Church Council Visioning Day

Saturday, September 10

Great Day of Service 2022

Saturday, September 24