Middle of May

The spring is flying past, and it feels like there are a thousand things to do.  When I hit periods like this I try to keep the focus on people.  I am active in a couple of the church groups that have started meeting during the last year.  I enjoy the Wednesday evening group quite a lot.  It includes a number of younger professionals, and some of them have kids.  My wife Jean and I help with the food prep most weeks, and sometimes we work with the child care people.  It is good to know some of the little kids in more than a casual way.  I also am active with another group that has been around for several years.  Those meetings lately have been over lunch after church on Sunday.

Someone asked me again about small groups and the meaning of the groups movement.  It really is nothing new, but groups are more important than ever.  In past years we had lots of Sunday school classes that held social events on a regular basis.  Now it is harder to get people to come out for an extra hour on Sunday mornings.  Groups meet at the convenience of those involved.  They provided extended periods of time to build deeper friendships and to root ourselves in a new environment.  Groups are probably more important to newcomers and to people who do not have family nearby.

I read a blog this week that talked about groups in the context of "tribe."  That resonates with me as being right.  People seem to have fewer loyalties to big groups, looking instead to smaller networks of friends for support and encouragement.  I am wanting to do anything that will build community into the life of the church.  We learn more about faith and healthy living in a setting where people are more open and honest with one another.  This is happening in the small group meetings that I experience