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at Bethlehem Lutheran
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Join one of our
ChristCare Groups |
| Leader |
Group
Name |
Meeting
Time & Day |
- Pat
Hyndman
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- Promise
Seekers
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- 10:45am -12:15pm
- 2nd
& 4th Sunday
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| Frank
Brodale |
Faithbuilders |
9:15am - 10:45am
2nd & 4th Tuesday |
| Lynette
Hyndman |
SonBeams |
4:00pm - 5:30pm
1st & 3rd Wednesday |
| Jim
Mohn |
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6:30pm - 8pm
1st & 3rd Thursday |
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CHRISTCARE
GROUP MINISTRY
I
was cleaning out notebooks and files some time ago
and discovered
interesting material in an Evangelism Committee notebook from several
years back. The committee at that time had done a survey of members to
obtain feedback on their thoughts and needs. As I read the compilation
of results from that “I Wish” survey, I noted
several items in the
survey which can be addressed through Bethlehem’s new
ChristCare Small
Group Ministry and in which we as a congregation can continue to grow:
*
Many individuals wished that the church would pray for them
*More Bible Studies
*A wish for the congregation to be more welcoming and more open
*A wish to know how to make Christ Lord of their lives
*Many people expressed the wish to know the other members of Bethlehem
better
*A wish for more people to become active in the church.
The
premise of ChristCare, reflected in the logo to the left, is
“circles of
care, with Christ at the center”. In these small groups, we
have an
opportunity to get to know others at Bethlehem better, to offer and
receive prayers for needs and concern, to study scripture to learn
God’s word and see it applies to our lives, as well as to
care for
others outside of our group and for those outside the walls of
Behlehem….all parts of ChristCare Ministry.
Christian
small groups have several purposes. One of them is spiritual growth-a
ChristCare group will help members grow as devoted and mature followers
of Jesus.
Another
purpose is care- group member have the opportunity to know and care for
others in the group.
A
third purpose-the members of the group will seek God through the
central activities of Biblical Equipping and prayer.
A
fourth purpose-staying connected with others outside the group by
sharing Christ’s love with them through missional service.
The
ChristCare groups offer all of us rich opportunities to deepen our
faith and share with other Christians. Come and join us!
In
Christ, Vicky Brodale. |
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| CHRISTCARE
EQUIPPERS ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS |
Q:
What is the next step in continuing the growth of the ChristCare Small
Group Ministry in your
congregation?
A.
Right now we are recruiting more ChristCare Group Leaders. ChristCare
Group
Leaders play a crucial role in our congregation’s ChristCare
Group
Ministry, and we are looking for people whom God is calling to serve in
this way. Because this is such a key position, they need to be people
who are gifted in the areas of nurturing and leadership, and who are
willing to commit to serve for a minimum of two years. |
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Q:
What do ChristCare Group Leaders do?
A:
First, they complete ChristCare Group Leader training, where they learn
to lead, facilitate, and nurture ChristCare Groups. Then they are
commissioned by the congregation to serve as ChristCare Group Leaders.
After being commissioned, they work to recruit members for their own
ChristCare Groups. They begin meeting together regularly with a group
of three to twelve people in order to grow in their relationships with
Jesus Christ and with one another. During this time, they also meet
with other ChristCare Group Leaders and ChristCare Equippers on a
regular basis in SEA (Support, Encouragement, Accountability) Groups.
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Q:How
do I begin the process of becoming a ChristCare Group Leader?
A:
First,
read Psalm 32:8 and pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Second,
review our congregation’s “ChristCare Leader Job
Description" available from Vicky
Brodale 225-5595 or the church office 225-4969.
Third,
read Proverbs
19:20-21, seek the counsel of trusted Christian friends, and pray that
the Lord will direct your path into the ministry God plans for you.
Fourth,
get an “Application to Serve as a ChristCare Group
Leader” from Vicky
Brodale or the church office. Complete and return this application.
Then an Equippers Team member will contact you about your application.
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Q:
I’ve never led a small group before. What if I run into
problems in my group?
A.
That’s what SEA Group are for. ChristCare Group Leaders and
ChristCare
Equippers meet twice monthly for ongoing support. During those
meetings, you will have the opportunity to present any problems you are
experiencing in your ChristCare Group, to get encouragement and
feedback from other SEA Group members, and to search with them for the
most effective next step.
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Q:
I’m looking for a ministry challenge in my life, Is
leadership of a ChristCare Group going to challenge me?
A:
Definitely! The job of facilitating a group of three to twelve people
with diverse needs, goals, struggles, and outlooks on life is always a
healthy, doable challenge. You will have the opportunity to get to know
these people, to walk with them on their faith journey, and to provide
a place where your congregation can care for and nurture them.
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Q:
How will my role as a ChristCare Group Leader touch others’
lives?
A:
When you step forward as a ChristCare Group Leader, others will follow.
They will want to learn what being in a ChristCare Group can mean. As a
ChristCare Group Leader, you will help group members live out
Jesus’
Great Command (to love others) and Great Commission (to make
disciples). Through personal contact with your ChristCare Group members
and by equipping and encouraging them to reach out to others, you will
help them accomplish what Jesus has told all Christians to do.
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Q:
As a ChristCare Group Leader, will I have the opportunity to care for
others, or will I be kept too busy with administrative details?
A:
Caring, leadership is what being a ChristCare Leader is all about. As
you lead your group and facilitate group meetings, you will learn about
group members’ problems, needs, joys, and sorrows. By keeping
in
regular contact with each group member, you will stay attuned to how
you and the group can best care for him or her.
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Q:
Where can I get more information?
A: If these questions lead you to ask other questions, please contact
Vicky Brodale 225-5595 or the church office 225-4969. |
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| Congregation
Support and Involvement |
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| ChristCare:
How can you become involved? |
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Pastor
Jim, Vicky Brodale, Ruth Allen, and Pastor Delmar & Zona
Carlson
will be attending a ChristCare Series Equipper’s Training
Course to
learn how to direct ChristCare Group Ministry. But that is only the
first step of involvement in ChristCare. Once they return, they will be
recruiting, selecting and training ChristCare Group Leaders. Once group
leaders are trained, Equippers and Group Leaders will be organizing
ChristCare Groups and recruiting members for those small groups. These
are all opportunities where others can get involved in this exciting
ministry. Think and pray about the role you can play in ChristCare
Group Ministry.
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| Help
wanted! |
ChristCare
Group Ministry needs your help to become established, grow, and thrive
in our congregation. Keep up-to-date on this new program over the
coming months, and consider how you might become involved--as a
ChristCare Equipper, a ChristCare Group Leader, or a ChristCare Group
member. And, regardless of your other involvement, please be a prayer.
Ask God to guide, bless, inspire, and control our ChristCare Group
Ministry so that all we do will bring glory to Jesus.
ChristCare
Group Leaders will be gifted and committed people from our
congregation. They will help ChristCare Group members feel included and
cared for. They will organize activities that help group members grow
in faith and discipleship. Through special training, using materials
from the Stephen Ministries organization in St. Louis, these
individuals will learn how to lead interesting and productive
ChristCare Group meetings. When our Equippers Team returns from the
Equipper’s Training Course, they will begin the process of
recruiting
and selecting individuals to be trained as ChristCare Group Leaders. Is
the Spirit calling you to be a ChristCare Group Leader? Pray about this
calling, and look for more details in the coming weeks.
ChristCare
Group Ministry will play a big part in our congregation’s
future. As we
begin exploring how ChristCare Groups can benefit our members and
ministry, Pastor Jim, Vicky, Ruth, Pastor Carlson, & Zona will
assume leadership roles. Please pray for them as they help develop
ChristCare Groups as a way we at Bethlehem can be all we are called to
be.
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| Benefits
of ChristCare Groups |
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| Open-Door
Policy |
Sometimes
our friends who don’t attend church are unwilling to attend a
Sunday
service, but they might say yes to an invitation to a ChristCare Group.
When you invite a person to attend church with you, you will also be
able to invite that person to attend a ChristCare Group. You may
recommend either your own group or another group that you think would
suit the person’s interests or needs. As our ChristCare Group
Ministry
develops, our ChristCare Equippers will inform you about how to refer a
person to an appropriate group.
Flexibility
is a key element in ChristCare Groups. As people move away and new
members join, as our congregation’s staff changes, as our
membership
grows, ChristCare Groups can become the mortar that binds us together
as we weather changes. Jesus commanded the storm to stop when his
disciples’ boat was threatened. Jesus works in and through
ChristCare
Groups to bring calm to his current disciples when they are threatened
by life’s storms.
Bethlehem
is a congregation that reaches in and reaches out. We care for one
another, help one another grow in faith, and equip one another for
meaningful ministry. Then we carry the love we have received out into
our world to bring Jesus’ care to people who are lonely and
searching.
ChristCare Groups are an excellent tool for those tasks. Thank God for
our ChristCare Group Ministry.
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| Dependable
care |
Each
day our congregation feels the urgency of ministry: people needing
attention, staff members needing resources, pastors needing to serve
more people than they can. ChristCare Group Ministry will help in all
these areas. ChristCare Groups are an effective tool to help us be all
God calls us to be. Please pray for this ministry, and ask the Spirit
to show you how God wants you to be involved.
Mission-minded
churches know that small group ministry is an effective tool to extend
Christ’s care to people outside their church. The ChristCare
Series
equips people to feel comfortable about reaching out to neighbors and
acquaintances with love and concern. Consider how a ChristCare Group
can help you.
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| Ten
Benefits of ChristCare to Bethlehem |
ChristCare
Groups will:
- 1.
invite and challenge each of us to become more actively involved with
our Lord and with one another;
- 2.
provide a sense of Christian community for people in and around our
congregation;
- 3.
provide a place where each member of our congregation fits in and feels
comfortable;
- 4.
keep our members involved and active in the church and cut down on
back-door losses;
- 5.
be an ideal starting point for many people who don’t have a
church
home--we can comfortably invite neighbors and friends from our
community to join;
- 6.
give each of us a sense of acceptance and the knowledge that we need
not struggle alone through life’s difficulties;
- 7.
increase our response to people during life’s ups and
downs--people will not become disillusioned because nobody cared;
- 8.
provide a place for individuals to discover their gifts and talents,
and provide a place to begin developing and using those blessings;
- 9.
equip people to live their faith in daily life; and
- 10.
encourage us to be caring Christians.
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| Growth |
Flowers
and plants need care and nurturing to grow. People do too. Being part
of a ChristCare Group can provide you with that special kind of care.
Watch for more information about how you can get growing!
Relationships
are a trendy topic for books and talk shows. We’re concerned
about
relationships with spouses, children, friends. But what about
our
relationship with Jesus Christ? The ChristCare Group Ministry that is
coming to Bethlehem Lutheran will help you strengthen your personal
relationship with your Lord.
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| Power |
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Real
power for living doesn't come from money or position but from the Holy
Spirit. Experience the presence and power of the Spirit in a ChristCare
Group. Be part of ChristCare Group Ministry--coming soon to our
congregation.
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| Learning
to Love |
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We
learn to love in safe, secure places. A ChristCare Group is just such a
place. You'll be able to learn more about love from the Christian
perspective by becoming part of the ChristCare Group Ministry here at
Bethlehem when it begins later this year.
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| Caring
and Sharing |
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Giving
and receiving. Studying and praying. Learning and listening. These are
only some of the facets of the ChristCare Group experience.
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| ChristCare
Groups |
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Will
they be for me? Yes! ChristCare Groups will be for everyone who wants
to participate: the new Christian as well as the lifelong believer; the
unassuming person as well as the outgoing; the happy
individual as
well as the hurting. When our groups begin, Vicky, Ruth, Zona, Pastor
Carlson, & Pastor Jim will help you find your niche in our
congregation’s ChristCare Group Ministry.
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| Wellness |
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Just
as a balanced diet and regular exercise promote physical wellness,
ChristCare Groups help promote spiritual wellness. ChristCare Groups
offer people a safe, nurturing place to grow spiritually, emotionally,
and relationally. Be sure to obtain your needed doses of care,
encouragement, prayer, Scripture, and accepting love. Watch for more
details about our ChristCare Group Ministry.
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What
Is the Scriptural Basis for the
ChristCare Group Ministry? |
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"Bear
one another’s burdens” is the apostle
Paul’s message in Galatians 6:2.
ChristCare Groups can become the caring arms of Christ--arms that reach
out to comfort and share other group members’ burdens.
Through
ChristCare Groups our entire congregation will be armed to care and to
share Jesus’ love with others--both inside and outside of the
congregation.
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| Consistent |
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"Rejoice
always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for
this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1
Thessalonians
5:16-18). Consistency and commitment are important parts of
God’s plan
for our lives. ChristCare Groups are places of consistent care, prayer,
study, and fellowship that will help us increase our level of
Christian commitment. Watch for more details soon.
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| Phenomenal
growth |
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In
the book of Acts we see how the early Christian church grew by leaps
and bounds. That phenomenal growth didn't happen because the apostles
organized big publicity campaigns or stadium-size events, but because
they drew believers into smaller groups that met regularly. Our
congregation is following this early church strategy so we can reach
out with Christ’s warmth and care to those who
don’t yet know Jesus.
Pray for our outreach. Think about how you might become involved.
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| Great
Commission |
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"Go
therefore and make disciples of all nations . . .” (Matthew
28:19).
Jesus' Great Commission calls us to respond with his life-changing love
to needs we see in our world. Our congregation's new ChristCare Group
Ministry will provide a variety of ways for our members to put their
faith into action, to become better disciples, and to help others
become faithful followers of Jesus.
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Information - Small Group Ministry |
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Stephen Ministries’ Small Group Ministry System:
The ChristCare® Series |
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The ChristCare Small Group Ministry System provides the structure, training, and resources that congregations need to organize a lasting, effective small group ministry (called ChristCare Small Group Ministry) in the congregation. |
ChristCare Small Group Ministry Information |
Why Use the ChristCare Series?
There are many small group ministry approaches out there, and countless books, seminars, and classes about organizing a small group ministry. Why use the ChristCare Series?Very simply, the ChristCare Series provides the most complete approach to small group ministry. It provides everything we need to succeed. |
Why Use the ChristCare Series? |
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