summer

SUMMER UPDATE for Lake City Small Groups

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Are you joining a small group this coming year? Here are a few things you need to know about the upcoming 2013/14 year!

Summer of Coaching

The pivotal season has arrived in our unfolding small group coaching/infrastructure plan. After praying, strategizing and building relationships with leaders, the five coaches will seek one one-on-one meetings with each returning leader this summer, to achieve two purposes: 1.) To hear from them and pray with them; and 2.) To work through the exercise in Small Group Vital Signs #4 – A Healthy Group Has Proactive Leadership, so that 100% of our groups have a clear unique but aligned vision for 2013/14.

Fall Series: “Why Am I Here?”

You are now the first to know the title of this fall’s all-church series!  “Why Am I Here?” is going to be a great one; created in-house, for the people and community of LCCC.  This direction and title are fresh off the drawing board; so give us a little more time, and we will roll out all the exciting details.

You Are Wanted!

We want you, your children, your neighbors and friends to join a Lake City Small Group this fall.  Lake City Small Groups are our best representation of the New Testament Christian community for which Jesus shed His blood to establish.  You will engage in great things. You will be cared for, and care for others. You will be on a mission with brothers and sisters.

Here are the important dates:

  • August – Small group leader recruiting
  • Late August – Small group leader training begins
  • Early September – Small group signups begin
  • September 14 – Our third annual Ministry Summit (learn more by looking at last year’s details, here)
  • Week of September 21/22 – Small Groups officially kickoff
  • September 28/29 – “Why Am I Here?”, Part 1
  • [October-November] – “Why Am I Here?” continues
  • November 16/17 – “Why Am I Here?” Finale
  • Week of December 8 – Small Group Fall Semester ends

Discipleship Path

Finally, also coming soon is the long anticipated “Discipleship Path.”  A discipleship path provides an easy answer to every person, in any demographic or life stage, to the question: “How can I grow in Christ at this church?” It ties together all the already excellent things our groups, families, ministries do, into one, clear, aligned path towards connecting and growing in Jesus, together.

Those are your updates. Enjoy the rest of your summer!

Blessings on our Church Family,

Pastor Reg

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Maximizing Summer

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Maximizing Your Small Group’s Summer

Small Group Leaders and friends, isn’t it great to be in the ministry of shepherding people towards Christlikeness!? For most of you, the bulk of your work for the 10/11 season is over. But, don’t limp across the finish line! Fly across it like a champion by MAXIMIZING your summer!  Here’s how.

In my last blog post I attached this document (Here it is again): What Have You Got Planned This Summer.  I recommend you print it out for your next meeting, and make a note of your top ideas to suggest; then talk over with your group as you make plans for the summer.  

Sample Group Idea!! – Sarah and I were excited to receive some recent insight from small group leaders John and Shari Schock about how their group maximizes summertime. At the end of the small group year (which is about right now!) they pass out a sign up sheet for their summer get-togethers, which are twice per month.  Each group member or family plans whatever they want to do for their night.  In the past they have gone bowling, roller skating, served together, done a progressive dinner, and I can’t remember any more, but the list went on and on 🙂

This plan is wonderful: It is amenable to summer schedules; it’s fun and energizing; it helps share the leadership load; it’s welcoming to new members; and, maybe most importantly, it keeps the Christian community of a small group thriving.

Maximizing Our Church’s Summer

Another healthy use of your small group summer is pitching in to maximize the summer of our entire church. Here are a few things LCCC is doing this summer which all our small groups are needed to help maximize:

Summer  Community Outreach

Join in as a group with LCCC’s outreach events this summer, or come up with a few of your own.  Here are some suggestions.

  • Do “Servant Evangelism” in the community.
    • Our 2nd annual FaithInAction weekend is being planned for July 30/31, pending leadership. Would your group like to help head this up? Contact Pastor Jim!
    • Throw a block party in your host home’s yard and invite the entire street or neighborhood to party with you – Christian style! 😀
    • Other service project ideas are best identified by polling your group members for ideas close to their hearts.
  • Piggy-back on a local community event.
    • LCCC will have a booth at SummerFEST again, June 24-26! Last year we gave out almost 600 emergency preparedness packets and balloons, and painted hundreds of faces. The SummerFEST administrators are eager to have us back!
    • There are other summer events  in the area, such as American Lake Park. What else do you know of?

The sun is shining as I type this. Can you feel summer and the rush of serotonin coming?! Let’s use it to maximize our effectiveness with the gospel.

Blessings on your homes,

Reg