You can download the 40 Days Small Group Guide here!

The 40 Days of Faith Small Group Experience 2007 - a quick preview

1. First of all, the 40 Days has always been a great time to get lots of people into small groups that have not yet tried them or who have stopped attending them. So we are having, as you know, a SMALL GROUP FAIR, this Sunday at both sites.  The fair happens immediately after both services.  You'll be given instructions in the service but basically be ready to go stand near your sign (by location) and then be ready to go up to people and meet them and most importantly INVITE them to your group.  Also, be ready to recommend them to someone else's group if yours doesn't work.

2. Secondly, we are developing a Small Group Guide which will be available one week from Sunday.  (it will be posted on the website mid next week and then handed out on Sunday).  This Guide will walk you and your small group through a series of three bible discussions around topics related to "crossing the moat" aka outreach.  We've picked three different areas of outreach to look at which we'd like all groups to discuss. 

3. Thirdly, at the end of each bible study/area of outreach we have written a "How the heck are we suppose to do this" section that you and your group can use to plan an actual outreach activity. As a group you will pick One of these to do and hopefully be well on the way to do this outreach activity by the end of the 40 Days (and if not then by the end of April).

4. Finally, the final week of the 40 days (or when you actually finish your outreach) will be spent debriefing how the experience of "crossing the moat" went.  Our hope is that as a small group you'll decided to make this kind of outreach activity a regular commitment perhaps even taking one of your monthly small group slots!  If we do amend our 101 covenant to include 1 1/2 hours of outreach each month, then this would be a fun way to fulfill this commitment as a group without adding something new to your busy schedules.

"SO YOU WANT TO CROSS THE MOAT?"

Outline for small groups of the six weeks of the 40 Days of Faith

Week 1 (2/25-3/3) Introduction to 40 Days of Faith In the small group newsletter emailed Monday we'll give you some ideas for how to introduce the 40 Days of Faith as a whole and for your small group.  We'll mainly work off of the sermon and the User's Manual.

Week 2 (3/4-3/10) Love the community What are the actual needs in our community?  What does Jesus say about these needs? How could we respond as a group? What benefits might we see as we do this? Appendix A will give lots of ideas on how to jump into this type of outreach.  Stephanie Acker will provide support to any group wanting to plan such an activity. 

Week 3 (3/11-3/17) Love your Six Want to take loving your six to another level? Find some radical Jesus suggestions on how to do this.  It could involve way too much fun for any one person.  Wine and cheese party? Video game night?   Giving away huge amounts of money!  Appendix B will run down some ways to plan an event as a group.

Week 4 (3/18-3/24) Love the Environment Does God really give us responsibility for caring for this planet? Love the color Green?  Want to find a way to make a difference as a group?  Appendix C will give you some concrete options for loving trees (Treebeard anyone?)

Week 5 (3/25-3/31) Choose your own Adventure   This is the week when you've got to choose.  We're suggesting you pick one of the three areas and use its appendix to work out a plan together in small group.  You may choose before this point but after this week the doors to the adventure waiting for you (at least for the 40 Days) will begin to close.  If you choose earlier than this week you may even use this week to do your outreach activity. 

Week 6 (4/1-4/7) Reflection   Each appendix will include a post outreach reflection section that you can use after you've done your outreach.  For some groups you may end up scheduling your outreach for after the 40 Days are officially over (we want to be realistic about the logistics of planning such events especially when the activity partners with another community group).  We are shooting for all groups to have completed their activity by the end of April.  Another goal for the reflection time is that your group might commit to an outreach activity on a regular basis.