His name was Fred and he was dying. Sitting with him in the hospital for a few days as he suffered from congestive heart failure, the doctors suggested we get his family to come. In the meantime, I asked Fred, who do you want to be with you here? His answer brought tears to my eyes and a warmth to my heart: “I want the small group.”

Fred had been part of our small group for the last year. And in that year, our group had grown amazingly close as groups do. Beginning with learning, we had soon begun to share prayer requests which got more and more personal as we learned to trust and love each other. And eventually the Group had become so important to Fred (and to the rest of us) that they were the people he wanted with him in life’s most important moments. 

Small Groups (or Life Groups, or Growth Groups) are unique in the ministry of churches and often in the lives of their members. Small Groups are people gathering regularly to grow together in relationship and in their faith. While Bible Studies are about learning and Teams are about leading, Small Groups are about relationships. They take many forms, meet at different times and frequencies, and accomplish different things, but no matter what Small Groups are about building Christian relationships.

This spring (2020) we will be rolling out a new Small Group ministry led by our Pastor in Residence Zachs Gaiya. Zachs has both training and experience to lead us well in this new endeavor.