Rev. John Wesley believed with his whole soul that Small groups are God's instrument to implement change.
How can we recapture the power of his belief in Small groups?
The secret to letting people know we are not only a welcoming church but that we are ready to walk with them in their life of Spiritual Growth is to have at least one Small Group ready for them to join when we meet them.
When our Christmas Services swell our congregations, we have an opportunity to invite them back into God's "covenant community" with something tailored just for them and their needs.
With this in mind, each and everyone of our small groups needs to be organized around a core idea, a vision of how we live together in Christ and become closer to God in the process.
The focus of these groups may be widely varied and tailored to each surrounding community.
What is imperative is that we begin to plan NOW (before the Christmas Season) to have to opportunities to offer DURING and AFTER the Christas Season.
For example, plans can be in place to offer one or more of the following beginning in January when school resumes: (depending on the availability of leadership and other resources.)
• "Parenting" With Grace Groups - exploring how the Grace-filled, Unconditional Love of Jesus the Christ can change the way see our children and how we parent our Preschoolers, Elementary, Youth and Young Adult Children.
• Women's Faith and Growth Groups - a special outreach to women without friends who are isolated within our immediate neighborhood.
• Men's Faith and Growth Groups - a special outreach to men without friends who are isolated within our immediate neighborhood.
• "Retired Renovator Group - A midweek gathering of those retired and seeking to help around the church with repairs, gardening and general maintenance. (along with a time of prayer for each other and some spiritual journey sharing.)
• "Feeding the Hungry" (or other action oriented service groups) - a regular time to share in the immediate needs of those who are experiencing food insecurity. Thought would be given as to how their spiritual hunger might also be addressed.
• Quiet Prayer and Centering Meditation Group - an alternate way to pray that empties all the "busy thoughts" from our minds and seeks to listen to the still small voice of God calling to us and and transforming us.
• Spiritual Growth workshops - Hearing the Voice of God, Bible Reading for in-depth meaning (Lectio Divina), Walking with God Daily, Forgiveness and Reconciliation, Talking about Heaven with Anyone... and more!
• Faith & Bible Questions for Adults - Disciple Bible Study, Deep Struggles with God, "Companions with Christ" and other studies are all excellent to not only strengthen our knowledge of God's Word, but to make it into something we understand deeply.
• Issue related Adult Classes - Racism, Immigration, War/Peace, Hunger, Poverty, Education, Children in the Community, Aging, Global Climate Change, A Divided America (and what we can do about it.).... and more!
• A Sports/Hobby related group - A gathering focused on a shared recreation: Bicycling, Knitting, Pickleball, Quilting, Card playing, Bunco... and more. While most of the time would be in the recreational activities, time would be set aside to pray for each other, to consider a "spiritual growth topic of the night" and other actions that challenge us to grow in God's love through Jesus the Christ.
Please note: Each of these groups, no matter what their focus, would also be charged to discern a special "mission" that they would support or participate in as an outreach of God's love through them. It's something each group would choose together.
As you can see, the possibilities are limited only by our imagination.
If you would like to have some help in exploring these and more ideas for some "After Christmas Faith Growth Opportunities", please contact me, Rev. Terry Van Hook ([email protected]) and I'd be happy to help you brainstorm how such a recovery of Rev. John Wesley's Small Groups can get you congregation back on track again. 
NOTE: All workshops and Extended Laity Consults are FREE WILL OFFERING BASIS ONLY.
No Offering Needed for an Initial Consultation with Clergy and a few leaders.
661-717-0162 [email protected]
Agapé Journeys
www.agapejourneys.com
661-717-0162 (cell)
1226 Upland Hills Dr. S
Upland, CA 91786
Comments