Good Morning to All You Great SG Leaders!
I wanted to update you on some things that are brewing in the area of Small Groups at TSCC:
§ Our May SG Leader Training will be held on Sunday, May 20 during second service (10:30 am) in the Resource Center. Session 6 is up next on our Life Together study – it’s hard to believe, but that is the last session in the Life Together study!
o Several of you weren’t able to join us on 4/22 for the Session 5 study – not to fear! You have the audio of the session in your books, so just pop it in, give it a listen, and let me know if you have any questions.
§ I’ve got a little surprise for each of you on May 20th as well – be sure and make the last session so you won’t miss out! J
§ We talked at length last session on how to use the summer months for community building in your group. There were lots of good ideas shared, many of which involved cutting back on the heavy-hitting study time, and maybe doing some fun activities to involve the families. Sharing ideas like these are great ways to help each other be better group leaders, and serve to make our meeting time more valuable.
§ Here is the monthly SG Leader Training article for April. It’s actually a post from a blog that really speaks to me. Mark Waltz is the Connections Pastor at Granger Community Church in northern Indiana (http://gccwired.com/ ). His blog is entitled Because People Matter (link: http://www.markwaltz.typepad.com/ ), and the article is “Remembering Why” – I thought it might encourage you in your ministry:
Remembering Why...
As I've been leading workshops over the past several days, I've been amazed at the response as people remember "why". I need to frequently remember "why".
The pace of leading a church, a ministry, a team, a life... is fast and furious. There are strategies to develop, initiatives to plan, goals to accomplish, meetings to prepare, and reports to review. It's busy. Fast. And the work is never done. Of course, that's true in any business, any life. And the pace clouds - everything.
We forget "why". I forget "why".
The clouds lift and my focus gets clearer when I remember...
· Gary and Cheryl being baptized.
· John coming to Jesus.
· Deb's story of coming out of the parking lot.
· The DaVinci painting filled with names of people giving their lives to Jesus for the first time.
· Andrew's face coming out of the water at baptism.
· Pam and Steve's story of a saved marriage.
· Dave's 180-degree turn to come back home to God.
The focus gets clearer when I remember that God has invited me to be about his kingdom, his agenda to transform the planet. I get to be in on his work to redeem the people he created and loves. And, I get to do so with people who I really care about, who make me better... who help me remember "why."
People really do matter.
That’s it for now – thank you for all you do to help make disciples, as Jesus taught. May we be known as a people of God who believe that Life is Better Together!
Peace of Christ!
Mike
(Home) 849-4462