What challenged you to consider being part of “Small Group Ministries”? Was it for the opportunity to get to know other people in this church better? Was it for the opportunity to learn more about the Bible in a relaxed friendly way with people that had the same interest and perhaps the same understandings as you? Was it to be with people you hoped would be concerned about your concerns, prayed and encouraged each other? Great your going in the right direction. Better than that, the Bible encourages us to do exactly that (read Acts 2:42)
The time and effort that you are about to invest is commonly referred to as a “Pilgrims Journey”. Basically, your interests will bring you into new areas, and hopefully you’ll discover things (some personal) that you never knew before.
Before it’s over, you’ll meet people on the same journey as you. Some further along, willing to share what they discovered ahead of you and encourage you to press on. Overall, you’ll be richer for having done so.
The apostle Paul reminds us in Ephesians 3:10 that the Church is Gods equipping place.
Our church Purpose Statement is "To Know, Grow, and Show God’s Grace through our living".
Therefore, the leadership at Grace Community Evangelical Free Church is being intentional in its shepherding approach to equipping (teaching training, coaching) Small Group members, and encouraging sustainable personal growth.
Ephesians 2:10 - For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
For us to do is literally “in order that we might walk in them”. The purpose of these prepared-in-advance works is not “to work in them” but “to walk in them.” In other words, God has prepared a path of good works for believers which He will perform in and through them as they walk by faith. This does not mean doing a work for God; instead, it is God’s performing His work in and through believers (cf. Phil 2:13). This path of good works is discussed by Paul in Ephesians 4-6(1)
(1) The Bible Knowledge Commentary, Walvood & Zuck, Pp 624
*Copies of our church “Purpose Statement” are available upon request.
Fall 2011 Small Group Line Up
Women’s Groups
Monday
Kay Arthur Precepts on The Gospel of John
Beginning Sept 12
Held at the Home of Shelly Mitchell at 6:30 pm
Contact: Beth LaChance 603-256-6654
Thursday
Kay Arthur Precepts on The Gospel of John
Beginning Sept 15
Held at Trinity Christian School at 3:30 pm
Contact: Beth LaChance 603-256-6654
Friday
The Gospel of John
Beginning Jan 20
Held at the church 9:30 to 11:00 am
Child care provided
Taught by Liz Nelson
Contact Liz: 603-809-0298
Super Mom's
Beginning September 7
Held at the church Wednesdays 10 am to 12 noon
Contact: Jill Grant 603-256-8586
Child care provided
Mom's In Touch Prayer groups
In Brattleboro Mondays at 8:45-9:45 am
Community Bible Chapel (behind high school).
Contact: Laura Burdo 802-254-3360 or plburdo@myfairpoint.net
In Keene 10:00-11:00 am
At Karen Wells home 331 Pako Ave
Contact: Karen Wells 603-352-4990 or karenwells1957@gmail.com
Men's Groups
Host: Bill Fleming; Leader: Various
Subject: Iron Sharpens Iron
Time: Tue Eves
Tue Lunch at Armadillos in Keene
Subject: Growing in Christ
Led by Tom Burns
Tue Breakfast in Brattleboro 6 am
Subject: Bible
Leader: Various
Thurs Breakfast in Brattleboro 6 am
Subject: Bible
Leader: Various
Young Adults
Leader & Host: TBA
Subject: TBA
Time: TBA
Tri-Village (Spofford, Chesterfield, W. Chesterfield) Groups:
Leader & Host: Bafundi
Subject: Navs 2.7.
Time: Thurs. (2nd & 4th) 7:30 starting Sept 8th.
Leader & Host: VanHoudt
Subject: Marriage
Time: Mon Eve
Westmoreland/West Chesterfield/Poocham Road Group
Leader & Host: Lybarger
Subject: The Prodigal God
Time: TBA, evenings
Winchester Group
Host: Millers
Subject: How People Change
Time: Friday eves
Walpole Group
Leader & Host: Ryan & Hubbard
Subject: TBA
Time: TBA
Putney, Vt Group:
Julie & Greg Winchester
Subject: Marriage Matters
Time: January 2011
Keene Groups
Leader & Host: Powers at Ritchie's
Subject: TBA
Time: TBA.
Leader & Host: Wells
Subject: TBA
Time: TBA
Leader & Host: Fleming
Subject: Old Testament with RC Sproul
Time: Thursday nights, soup @6, study @7
For more information, contact our Director of Small Group Ministries, Tom Burns, at 603-363-4277 x 103 or email him at tburns@gracefreechurch.org .
Small Group Ministries