Dear Small Group Leaders,
Attached is this week’s discussion guide for the first message in our new series on Remembering Our Baptism: Questions For A Disciple, “Do you renounce evil?” Please forward the guide and usual link to the sermon videos to your small group members- www.christchurchsl.org/sermons. Please also include the full services video link http://christchurch.yourstreamlive.com as the sermon videos are not yet posted on the church website at this time, hopefully soon 😉. Remember to bring printouts for everyone for the meeting and at least one Bible to read from for the “A Related Scripture” section.
Here is the discussion guide- 9-9-18 Sermon Discussion Guide- baptism- do you renounce evil
Leader Tips:
#1 If it is more convenient for you for viewing or printing, the attached discussion guide and Leader Tips presented below are also available at www.smallgroupleaders.net. There you can also fill out the email subscription to have it sent directly from the website to your inbox whenever a new post is made as well.
#2 Discipleship Leader’s Breakfast This Tuesday at 8am in Jacob’s Well in the Gathering Hall. This is for leaders in discipleship ministries of Christ Church (yes that’s you!) who are interested in ongoing spiritual learning, fellowship and prayer with a pastor and other discipleship ministry leaders. Initially, I will be offering devotional messages on approaches to ministry which Jesus modeled for us in the gospels. This is primarily to support you in your personal walk with Christ but also to provide support or guidance for your ongoing discipleship ministry as well. We’ll have Jacob’s Well coffee and tea available as well as breakfast tacos which I am planning to bring in. Whether you are able to attend or not, please RSVP at the evite link for food planning purposes- http://evite.me/CVSutP9mBj. If you have trouble with the evite- you can just email me. FYI- even if you don’t choose to start a free evite account after responding, I will still receive your evite event response.
#3 New Small Groups– This week and next we are encouraging anyone at Christ Church not yet connected to a small group, Bible study or Sunday school class to fill out a small groups card and get in a group! I received cards in the basket today and we will have the cards in the bulletin again next Sunday. If there are participants in your small groups whom you believe would serve well in the role of leader or co-leader in a new group this semester, please email your suggestions. We may need some new small group leaders soon and usually the place to find the best prospective leaders are in existing small groups that are functioning well! If they are nervous about the idea of leading, please share with them announcement #4 below- God does not call the equipped, He equips the called!
#4 I will be leading the first of five sessions of the Small Group Leader’s Equipping Track course this Wednesday at 6:30pm in Faith Corner in the Gathering Hall. If you have not done the course in the past, please consider joining us as we review the most important base of skills and knowledge for small group leaders for successful meetings. Leaders of other discipleship groups such as Sunday school classes and Bible studies are also welcome. We will be discussing small group best practices, unique characteristics of the Methodist tradition, the meaning of the gospel, discerning our own faith stories, spiritual gifts and an overview of the Word of God. Potential leaders are welcome too! Please email me if you are planning on coming.
#5 It is time to invite others to small group! Remember, the fall semester is about 8-10 weeks which ends the week before Thanksgiving week. If you have some friends or neighbors you have been thinking about inviting to small group, now is the time! You may wish to emphasize the limited timeframe of commitment of one semester to encourage them to give it a try!
I am praying for you all and for your small group meetings this week!
Blessings!
Dan Conway
Pastor of Discipleship & Outreach
Christ Church