Life Group Leaders Weekly
WEEK THREE (October 1-7)
OUR MISSION
"TO CULTIVATE MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIPS CENTERED ON GOD'S WORD AND PRAYER"
LIFE GROUP UPDATE
Greetings Leaders!
I have been hearing some great things from many of you about how your groups are going. For that I praise God! I have been especially encouraged in our groups prayer time, affording us the opportunity to raise our collective joys and concerns to our God.
For our TRAINING PORTION this week, I would like for us to focus on four things:
1. Prayer - If you read nothing else today, please read this! I have written up an article in your Planning Center entitled "The Most Important Job as a Life Group Leader - Prayer." The essence of it is in the title. Please take a moment to look that over. It is definitely worth the time. You might even want to read through the last section entitled "Life Group Tips on Group Prayer" to your group...
2. Our Mission: Let me provide you with a universal truth - "Mission Creep" is real! Mission creep is the idea that despite articulating a mission or vision over time it will turn into something else. In the context of groups, we can eventually find ourselves spending the majority of our time on meaningful issues like: answering all the questions (this is a big one), evangelism, discipleship, or issues in our society and world. Good leadership is not as much about choosing between a good choice and a bad choice as it is choosing between two good choices. Everything I mentioned above is important, but ensure that your group is spending its time on what matters MOST to group time - "To cultivate meaningful relationships centered on God's Word and Prayer."
3. Group Care - Just a reminder that if people in your groups find themselves in the hospital, moving, or going through transition, mobilize your group to care for one another - make meals, make hospital visits, send letters of encouragement, and do all the kind of things a family would do! This will bless you, and them, richly! Nothing will expedite growth as a group as meeting legitimate needs for one another in the context of Christian love and service.
4. Leaders Page - Remember that everything you need can be found on the First CRC Leaders page. That is there for YOU!
Also, a shout out to Julie Mendes who has done a great job with the homework! Remember that she will work hard every week to formulate good questions, but at the end of the day it's not about the homework questions! It's about God's Word and the relationships that are being built around it. Share that with your group often.
Let's get into the logistics for this week...
In Christ,
Pastor Justin
THINGS TO REMEMBER
1) LEADER/HOST TANDEMS - Remember that you are encouraged to meet together as a Leader/Host team each week independently of group time for planning, mutual encouragement, and post-group meeting evaluation. Remember that you are a TEAM! Lean on one another.
2) DRINKS WHEN PEOPLE ARRIVE
3) NAMETAGS - This might be helpful for one more week for the sake of your newcomers. Learning one new name is easy for most of your group. Learning 10-14 new names is hard for a newcomer.
4) COVENANTS - Week 3 is finally here! This is the week that you get your group to sign the Life Group Covenant. Remember to use the last page of the Leaders Covenant: One page for all participants to collectively sign.
Hosts, keep this covenant visible each week. Laminate it, put it in a picture frame, or lay it next to the coffee pot each week as participants arrive as a visible reminder of our collective commitment.
GOALS FOR THE GROUP MEETING
- Build Relationships! Continue to provide ample social time for group members to mingle and to get to know one another. Consider 15 minutes at the very beginning with a 5 minute call out to give folks time to transition to group study time.
- Discuss Homework - Remember the techniques on how to ask questions. See the Planning Center Resources for helpful tips. This is a good time to explain the MISSION of Life Groups. That will help answer questions such as: Why are we doing these questions? Why is the homework so important?
- Prayer - Remember to make time for what matters most! Either be committed to watching the clock and ensuring there is enough time for prayer, or do what some groups do and pray immediately after social time to make sure it's a priority.
- Finalize Planning For Service Projects & Socials
IMPORTANT DATES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
ATTENDANCE ROSTERS:
- Heather has asked me to give a big "THANK YOU!" to all the groups. You are doing a great job getting those rosters in. Keep up the good work!
SERVICE & SOCIALS:
- Your SERVE projects should be finalized.
- If you haven't done so already, begin talking about SOCIAL event ideas
- Talk to your group about the Serve/Social contest for a chance to win the $250 gift card to Fugazzi's
- none this week
THIS WEEK
James 3:1-12
Title:
"THE RUDDER OF OUR LIFE"
Notes:
The tongue. An incredibly powerful part of the body. Pastor Lambert will be leading us in what James teaches about how we ought and ought not use our tongues.
As many of you will recall, our church went through an assessment and made a commitment to declaring First CRC a "Safe Place" where conflict is handled biblically, where we will forgive as we have been forgiven, and where gossip and slander is not tolerated. This is all related to the tongue. Thus, we have identified this topic in particular as an area of growth for our congregation. We will have an opportunity in our groups to prayerfully ask the Lord to continue that good work in us until it reaches completion in Him.
LIFE GROUP SERMON GUIDE NOTES - From Julie Mendes
- A PDF is on our "Life Group Leaders Page" website.
- The link is also below:
SERVE/SOCIAL CONTEST - #CRCLIFEGROUPS
Leaders and Hosts, as you meet with your teams to complete your service projects and social events, be sure to take lots of pictures and videos! After that, here are two more things you can do:
- Send your pics and videos to Heather Thomas at: hnthomas.2002@gmail.com, and
- Post your pics and videos on Facebook with the hashtag #CRCLifeGroups. Also, be sure to express why you love your Life Group in the post.
Once all 10 groups have completed their service projects we will do a random draw for every individual email with videos/pictures to Heather and social media interaction from your group (max of 2 per individual).
The winner will receive a $250 gift card to Fugazi's for your entire Life Group for a group social event.
Share the news with your team!!!
The Life Group Coordinator Team
Sharon Johnson
Amy Breslow
Amy manages all training events along with Life Group promotions and sign-ups
Julie Mendes
Julie makes sure the homework guides are prepared for your weekly Life Group gatherings.
Heather Thomas
Web Manager
Heather will run the Life Group webpage and manage the 'Service' and 'Socials' aspect of Life Groups.
LIFE GROUPS
Pastor Justin
Justin will work with the team to carry out the vision of First CRC and will assist Coordinators in their respective tasks and objectives.
About Us
Email: hanfordcrc@comcast.net
Website: www.hanfordcrc.org
Location: 2175 Leoni Drive, Hanford, CA, United States
Phone: (559) 582-4423
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HanfordCRC/