Home groups @ St Christopher’s
'Let us be concerned for one another, to help one another to show love and to do good. Let us not give up the habit of meeting together, as some are doing. Instead, let us encourage one another all the more, since you see that the Day of the Lord is coming nearer.' Hebrews 10: 24-25
Why home groups?
The short answers are belonging, caring and growing. At St Christopher’s we encourage every member of our church community to join a ‘home group’, which is a small group (usually between 6 and 12 people) who meet regularly together. In a home group each person has a place to ‘belong’. There, group members can get to know each other beyond a superficial level, care for each other in times of need and grow in their Christian faith - plus have fun and find friendship along the way.
What are our home groups like?
At present there are 25 home groups at St Christopher’s for adults. There are also home groups for our youth and young adults. The smallest home group has four people, the largest has nineteen. Some groups meet once a week while others meet once a fortnight. Some meet in the same home each time, while others circulate around members’ homes. Some are men’s or women’s groups, while others are mixed. In some groups, the members are of similar ages, while some groups have up to a 50-year age range. Some groups meet during the day time, and others meet in the evenings, from Monday through to Saturday. So……the groups are similar but different!
Home group meetings generally take between one and a half to two hours. Each group has a programme which appeals to the people within that group. There are often two leaders for each group but some have just one. Most groups follow a similar pattern for each meeting. First, there is often a time of getting to know one another better by, for example, talking about their week. Worship may be included but may not involve singing – someone might read a poem or bring along a piece of music to listen to. Opening prayer may be a formal written prayer or spontaneous. The main ‘study’ part of the evening is Bible based and may be a discussion on a particular Bible passage using Bible study guides, or it may be watching a DVD. The people in each group decide what and how they would like to study. Prayer is also important and may be a formal closing or a time of sharing of needs and requests for prayer for specific situations.
How do I join a home group?
People are able to join a group by either being invited along by a group leader or member, or by being placed in a group by the Small Groups Coordinator. We find this dual system works well in terms of placing people in groups where they feel most comfortable. We have a diverse set of home groups and it’s important to us to try to match people to the most appropriate group for them.
If you would like to join a home group or find out more about home groups at St Christopher’s, please contact the Small Groups Coordinator:
Pip Mabin
Small Groups Coordinator
Ph: 358-8780
e-mail groups@stchristophers.org.nz