Our small groups for the year are all starting back up in the next few weeks and if there is one significant step I could encourage you to take in helping you connect with God and others, it will be to make sure you’re part of a small group. It’s THAT important. Maybe you’re continuing with a group you’ve been part of for years (yay!) Maybe you’re looking for something new. Either way, we’d love to help you connect (or re-connect!).
There are men’s and women’s groups, youth and college groups, home groups in Davis, Dixon, and Woodland, morning and evening groups, groups with retirees, groups with babies… just to mention a few!
But here’s a scandalous confession for a pastor touting the goodness of small groups to make: I (we) took six years (and six different groups) to find a small group. Every Fall we signed up for a new group, and by Thanksgiving—six years in a row—our time with that group came to an end. Sometimes the group just petered out, sometimes it wasn’t a great fit for either Jeremy or I or the age/stage of life with kids… but something wasn’t working. Finding a good fit can be tricky, particularly when there are multiple moving parts (and people!) to consider.
But here’s why I want to share my confession with you: despite all those meh experiences, it was worth it that we kept on trying. We did eventually settle into a home group (which we have been in for 9 years now). It’s not a perfect group, and we are far from perfect participants. But the two small groups Jeremy and I have been part of (the 20s group when we first arrived, and now our home group) have been significantly spiritually formative influences on us, serving as spiritual and emotional anchors for us as we’ve navigated the challenges of grad school, immigration, parenthood, and more. In small groups, we’ve been invited and challenged to read God’s word more deeply, to hear and obey what Jesus is saying, to love one another well in practical ways, and to practice faith-forming habits together like prayer, worship, and community meals.
Personal time with God is a wonderful and necessary thing. But community time with God is as wonderful and necessary for our spiritual growth. So join us this Fall: reconnect with a group you’ve been with before, or maybe try a new one. Neil and I will 100% do the best we can to help you find a fit that is spiritually nourishing for you.
Doing all we can to help one another discover faith, grow in love, and live with hope; Bronwyn Lea
Pastor of Discipleship and Women