Lawrenceville, July 14, 2026 — The Lawrenceville First United Methodist Church (UMC) is inviting local teachers and school faculty located in the city of Lawrenceville to "Fill their cups" with classroom supplies provided for free by the church at a special Sunday service event.

Every year, Lawrenceville First UMC hosts many different back to school events from July to August in an effort to get local teachers and students geared up for the upcoming school year. One such event is its annual Teacher Recognition Sunday which is a special Sunday event the church incorporates into its weekly worship to celebrate local teachers and school faculty. This year, the event will take place on July 26 with the theme of "Fill Your Cup", which will not only give local teachers some well deserved recognition, but also provide a cupful of free school supplies for any teacher that needs it.
 
According to a report released by the National Center for Educational Statistics in 2021, the average teacher will spend nearly $459 on classroom supplies out-of-pocket without reimbursement. Given that the average teacher salary in Georgia is $59,253 (indeed.com), which is about $4,937 per month, that $459 paid out-of-pocket makes up a not unsubstantial percentage of their monthly paycheck.

The city of Lawrenceville is home to over 20 different Gwinnett County Public Schools, which collectively employee around 3,000 of the school system's approximate 24,000 employees (gcpsk12.org). Through its Parents First Initiative and School Engagement programs, Lawrenceville First UMC has supported many of those teachers in Lawrenceville schools including: Central Gwinnett & Discovery High Schools, Moore Middle, Jordan Middle, Jenkins Elementary, Lawrenceville Elementary, Baggett Elementary, Simonton Elementary, and Rock Springs Elementary Schools. Thanks to this Sunday service, many local teachers will now be able to spend more time working on lesson plans and less money stocking their classrooms this upcoming school year.