Re:Groups
Harmony’s Re:Groups exist for one simple reason: To bring people together in Christian friendship.
As God created humanity, God declared, “It is not good for man to be alone.” Humanity is not complete outside of relationship. Sharing life in community is what we have been designed for. Healthy and meaningful relationships are not always easy to find. Harmony’s re:groups exist to connect you to live-changing relationships with people who are also seeking to live faith in Jesus.
Re:Group Guidebook
Now is the time for us to gather safely again and work on our faith in the spirit of community. Small groups are important and an integral part in United Methodist history. John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, believed that group gatherings outside of worship or preaching was integral to the life of a Christian. While he was an ordained priest in the Church of England, he often preached outside in urban and rural landscapes and in “preaching houses”. He drew large audiences to hear him preach the Gospel but felt it was important to develop one’s faith in smaller gatherings where participants could have the conversation.
Wesley believed that these groups embodied life of the early followers of the Christian movement in the Book of Acts and the Epistles. Their habit of gathering during the week centered around the following:
Personal growth within the context of intimate fellowship
Accountability for spiritual stewardship
Bearing one another’s burdens
Speaking the truth in love
Everyone is on a faith journey. Some are traveling at lightning speed, others are taking their time, some may even be stuck. Some feel like they are seasoned travelers and some feel like they are taking their first steps. Gathering in a Re:Group enables us to learn from each other’s life experiences and wisdom, share questions and articulate our faith in a safe atmosphere.
What does a Re:Group meeting look like?
15 minutes of connecting. Part of it is a time to be social. For some who are retired or work at home, this kind of group may be the only other time of gathering outside of church. Make time to hear about each other’s lives because then the group will know how to encourage and how to pray for others in the group. Need ideas for ways to do this? Check out the section on Starters (Page 5 & 6)
Share an opening prayer to center the group. Here is a sample:
Loving God, open our eyes to see what is beautiful, our minds to know what is true, and our hearts to love what is good; for Jesus’ sake. Amen.
Go through one question in this booklet for each gathering.
Read the scripture associated with the question.
Read the Ponder This section.
Share your thoughts on the question and how you may be wrestling with it. Make sure everyone has an opportunity to share their perspective or ask questions.
Share any ways that you have seen God at work since you last met. We are all starving to hear and see how God is active in a world that seems too distracted or preoccupied with other things.
Ask if there are any joys or concerns that the group can pray for then lift them up in prayer after the prayer for that session.
Confirm the next meeting date.
Go in peace!
