“For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” (Matt 18:20)
Build Christian community by sharing questions, thoughts, and stories.
Learn about our faith.
Become “hearers” and “doers” of the Word of God!
Make our big church feel smaller and more intimate.
Make new faith-based friends.
Connect our faith and our lives
Small Group Sample Format:
Opening prayer/scripture reading (15 minutes)
Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in us the fire of your love. Send forth your spirit and we shall be created and you shall renew the face of the earth. O God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant that by that same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever rejoice in your consolations, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Content Overview (20 minutes)
Faith sharing, discussion and questions (45 minutes)
- When have I recently been most aware of Christ’s presence in my life?
- What has helped me grow spiritually since we last met?
- How was I an example to others?
- How did I encourage others to be more Christ like?
Closing prayer and prayer intentions
- We give you thanks, Almighty God, for all the benefits you have given us, You who live and reign forever and ever. Amen
- Close with an Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be, lifting in prayer all who are present, and all who could not be present. Pray for each other and any who need our prayers.
Small Group Commitment:
- As a member of this faith sharing group, I agree to abide by the following:
- To commit to this gathering for one book/video series, making it a priority. Discussions are most meaningful when all attend.
- To call or email if I will be late or cannot attend.
- To get to know my small group fellows and allow myself to be genuinely interested in their well-being.
- To participate in the discussion at some level, even if that level is minimal at first.
- To be respectful of where each person is on their spiritual journey.
- To allow time for all group members to share.
- To allow space for silence. Silence is an important part of the faith sharing process and gets more comfortable the more you allow for it. Some people will only feel comfortable sharing after they have had a moment for silent reflection.
- To keep confidential all that is shared in confidence. It allows each person to share honestly.
- To allow the work begun in my small group to affect my day-to-day life.