Life Group Leaders Weekly
WEEK ONE (September 17-23)
OUR MISSION
"TO CULTIVATE MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIPS CENTERED ON GOD'S WORD AND PRAYER"
LIFE GROUP UPDATE
Greetings Life Group Leaders!
The wait is officially over! Fall Life Groups will officially begin this Sunday with 10 groups and 121 adults planning to participate, 14 of which have never been in a group before.
Remember that each week you will receive a s'more mail from yours truly with some important information. Be sure to mark this message as safe and place in your inbox so they never fall into your junk or spam folders. You should get these on Thursday afternoons/Friday mornings every week in preparation for the following week.
Especially during the first couple weeks, be sure to focus on the relational element of Life Groups. Allow our mission statement to inform what is of greatest value when we gather together. If we focus on this on the front end, it will pay dividends by the end of the semester.
Thanks Leaders! I hope you have a great first week!
In Christ,
Pastor Justin
THINGS TO REMEMBER
1) CONTACT EVERYONE IN YOUR GROUP expressing excitement that they have joined your group! Also, remember:
- Potluck - As expressed before, we strongly encourage you to do a potluck the first week. You should have already reached out to the members in your group via a phone call or email reminding them that the first meeting will be a 'potluck/social'. Be sure to consider the strategy of asking people to bring specific items that night to incentivize that they, in fact, show up to that first gathering. Share your enthusiasm and excitement that they have decided to join your group!
- Give details about your first meeting (i.e. What to bring to the potluck, address, cell number, start and end time, what else to bring, etc)
2) LEADER/HOST TANDEMS - 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. You can do this on Sundays, immediately after groups (to look back - 'How did it go tonight?' and look forward - 'What do we need to discuss for next week?'), or at another time that works with your schedules.
3) LIFE GROUP ESSENTIALS TRAINING - Remember that our training is coming up THIS SATURDAY, September 16th, starting at 8:30am in the Social Hall. Breakfast and snacks will be provided.
4) SERVE OPPORTUNITIES - If you want to see what serve projects are available, check out the "serve" page on our website at:
http://hanfordcrc.org/lifegroups/serve-opportunites
Remember that this is 'first come, first served.' Four groups have already picked their serve project. We intentionally limit the number of serve projects so that we can fill all the commitments we have made to these organizations we are going to be partnering with.
GOALS FOR THE GROUP MEETING
- Relationships! Provide ample social time for group members to mingle and to get to know one another.
- Hand out and go over group covenants - your group will sign these during the 3rd week, but be sure to go over them as a group before the end of the first night.
- Service Projects - Hand out the service project fliers and begin a discussion regarding what project looks interesting to your group.
- Consider the uniqueness of your group and celebrate how the Lord has brought you together. Also, if there are new members in a pre-existing group, do everything you can to be accommodating as a group (i.e name tags, ice breakers, no 'insider jokes/comments', etc.) Please be extra sensitive to 'insider' talk with newcomers in your group. Ensure they feel welcomed and part of the group.
- Discuss Homework - Time permitting, go over a few questions in the sermon guide. Highlight the vital importance of doing our homework for the sake of group discussion.
- Prayer - Thank God for how he has brought your group together.
IMPORTANT DATES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
COVENANTS:
- Be CERTAIN to go over the Life Group Covenant during the first meeting. You do not have to sign it at that meeting (do that on week 3), but you most certainly should go over it together on the first night to establish goals and expectations as a group. You should all have hard copies from Life Group Essentials Training.
- Also, be sure to utilize the "Leader's Guide" Covenant. Those are for you to help flesh out that discussion. Remember that it is the last page of the "Leaders Guide" that entire group will sign.
ATTENDANCE ROSTERS:
- Get them in! Every week we will remind you ;) If you need assistance, please contact Heather directly.
LEADERS WEBPAGE:
- Remember that the "Leader Tools" web page is available to you always. There are lots of resources there, along with the most recent "Life Group Leaders Weekly." Be sure to check it out each week.
SERVICE & SOCIALS:
- Once your group has decided on a service project, contact Heather right away to reserve your spot.
- none
THIS WEEK
James 2:10-13
Title:
"THE COST OF MERCY"
Preacher's Notes:
We don't often consider the incredible cost of God's mercy for us. James reveals to us that it is precisely the act of considering the costliness of mercy that enables us to love our neighbor as ourselves.
LIFE GROUP LEADER NOTES - From Julie Mendes
- A PDF is on our "Life Group Leaders Page" website.
- Nancy will also print off hard copies of these and place them in your mailbox.
- The link is also below:
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/