How long is the life of a group?
All Groups run for a term. Part of the way through this term we will catch up with you and see if you want to run the group again next term. We will also look at how healthy you feel your group is and how the 3DM Rhythm of your group is going.
How many people should be in a group?
There is no set number that we think a group needs to be. We don’t count success by size, but by health. We would probably say a healthy size is from 5-12. If it can be displayed that the group of people is healthy and has a good 3DM rhythm then we are really happy to continue.
How often and where should we meet?
There is no set time, place, or frequency that groups need to meet, it will depend on your vision and mission.
We would actively encourage you to meet in venues that are in the community that you are trying to serve as part of your group. Certainly it will be key for most groups that they are not meeting in the church building or in homes! Coffee shops, pubs, community centres, parks, sports halls….anywhere where people congregate! Try to make it as natural as possible.
What about pastoral care?
Groups should be the primary place of support, both spiritual and practical. Increasingly the aim is to wean Christians off expecting a paid staff visit as a mark of the church demonstrating care. This is a vital process, as it allows the church to grow without there being a bottleneck caused by the availability of the staff/elders. Of course if big issues are coming up that you think are beyond your groups ability to care through or you feel the leadership should be aware of then please feed this back to either the group coordinator or an elder.
There will be opportunities to meet with the group coordinators to make sure we are effectively caring for the body.
What if people leave my group for another one?
Our model of groups is to allow people to be part of a group for a set period of time. We see this as a natural rhythm within life.
We will have sign ups each term at which point we will ask people to commit for a term to the vision of the group. We believe this will create health and the ability to grow community across the church.
Be thankful for the time they were in your group and ask God to add more people in.
Can groups close or be shut down?
It is ok and natural for groups to close. We have a termly sign up process to enable this to make this more natural. This is to give people chance to step down and for groups to have natural beginnings and ends.
This is not a defeat and we want to celebrate people who have stepped up and led.
Can I join more than one group?
Yes! However we would ask that you prayerfully consider your capacity and make sure you are able to sign up and to be fully committed to the group.
Other Questions about group life?
Feel free to contact us on the form and ask any question you have. One of the team would love to hear from you.
