One theme that came from our recent membership survey was concern for our small group ministry. The Elders heard your feedback indicating that this area of ministry needs attention and revitalization, and we agree. We believe small groups are a vital part of building authentic community and deepening our faith together. These gatherings provide a welcoming opportunity to connect you with your church family. These connections help us grow spiritually and support one another in this life as we seek the next with our Lord. Whether you are new to this congregation or have been with us for years, small groups offer a meaningful way to form lasting relationships, engage in prayer together and live out our faith in everyday life.
There are currently about ten groups that meet regularly. While each group serves to build relationships, they do not all approach this goal the same way. Groups like the Tuesday Ladies Bible Study and the Wednesday Afternoon Bible study focus specifically on Bible study and prayer. Other groups may use various combinations of singing, devotionals, Bible studies and fellowship meals. Gatherings happen at the building, in private homes, and sometimes at the beach or a park. Separate groups serve specific age groups (Young Adults, Seniors, Teens), or demographics (Men’s and Women’s groups), while others aim to support our broad geographic reach (Navarre, Niceville, San Destin).
While there is variety within the current small group ministries, we believe there may be areas and groups that are underserved. The underlying goal of each group is to serve the Lord’s Church and individual needs within the congregation. Our goal is to have each member connected to at least one of our groups. To that end, we are changing the name of this ministry to “Connection Groups.”
At this time, we are conducting a Connection Group focused survey to gauge current levels of participation; determine what needs are not met by our current groups; understand changes needed in support, locations, times or purposes; or what new groups we might need to form.
