Life GroupsEveryone is encouraged to be part of a small group that we call a 'Life Group'. A Life Group is simply a handful of Christian friends who are committed to helping each other follow Jesus. The first followers of Jesus met like this in small groups in each other's homes (see Acts 2.42-46). Life Groups are all about being part of a small community and forming deepening relationships with others and are one of the best ways to find support and encouragement in our spiritual journey. They are also a good way to reach out with the good news of Jesus into the local community. Each Life Group aims to grow and then in time to multiply. A Life Group meeting is usually held weekly. Each meeting typically consists of a time of Welcome, which often starts with an interesting question that each person around the group is encouraged to answer. This is followed by a short time of Worship led by a person in the group, to focus our minds on God. There is then a time looking at the Word, when the Bible reading and sermon for the week is discussed, with special emphasis on how we can apply it to our lives. Finally we consider how we might Witness to others in sharing our faith individually and as a group. See the downloads at the bottom of this page for ideas on how you might structure a typical Life Group meeting. If you would like to join a Life Group, please contact the Parish Office - phone 020 8656 3457 or e-mail stmmmoffice@btinternet.com Life Group Testimonies “Thursday nights invariably act like an injection of energy however tired or depressed I feel beforehand. The discipline of a regular meeting with a regular format gives structure to my Christian Life. And the love and the support the group members show for each other is inspiring. I feel all of us have grown as Christians in these last years.” “Encouragement, Support, Care” “The outstanding benefit is getting to know people of different age groups, different outlooks, and different Christian journeys.” “A defined set of values to incorporate, confidence to invest in a group of people in a purposeful way, a structure (4 W’s) to aim for – sometimes a bit rigid but a good guide to ‘ingredients’ for meetings and a springboard for activities and relationships.” “I think it would have been much harder to stay in the Church without the community provided by the Life Groups and I have learnt and applied so much to strengthen my faith and grow as a disciple of Jesus.” “In our group are people who have learnt to practice support and encourage weaker members to participate. Also there are frequent times when one or more need prayer and this results in the confidence of all to bear witness to answered prayer. Maturity in Christ continues to grow.” “Prayer support, friendship, fellowship, encouragement and challenge.” “The opportunity to get to know a small group of people really well; this leads on to knowing their individual needs and helps with the sorts of support people need.” “Cell Church has enabled new people to feel part of our Church and developed many new leaders. it has strengthened our faith and commitment.”
Life Group Ideas - 1 Welcome |