Small Group Update for June 2015
“I could never be in a small group. I don’t know the Bible well enough.”
Do you remember back when you were in confirmation? No, really. Think back. If you are like me, you have a few vague memories. Maybe you remember the retreat when the smoke from the fireplace backed up into the cabin and you had to evacuate, or you remember being nervous trying to memorize the Apostles Creed, quite sure you would never remember it all. Then you were confirmed and that was the end of your religious education. It’s not surprising then if you’ve forgotten most of what you learned about the Bible. You are not alone.
I’m hoping that knowing you are not alone will help encourage you to take that step to join with a group of other congregation members to share your faith, grow your knowledge, have a group of people with whom you can share your doubts and frustrations. We all have doubts and questions. Being in a group of people that you’ve gotten to know is a great, safe place to share those doubts and be listened to and encouraged.
What does a small group look like? It is a group of usually 5-10 people who gather for 60-90 minutes. Depending on the group, the time spent together includes prayer, some sort of study or learning, discussion and a time to check in and talk about what is happening in each member’s life. The learning time can be a Bible study on a topic, such as letting go of stress, which incorporates scripture from the Bible. It can be a straight study on a particular book of the Bible. Or you can study ab event or topic that is in the news. There are many options.
If you, or you and a friend are interested in starting a group, I can help you invite others, find a study resource and get you started. I am happy to help.
