What is the plan for Northridge groups this summer?

Next week is the last week of our Spring Community Group trimester.

Normally we'd be heading into our summer break encouraging groups to occasionally gather for BBQ's, picnics, beach days, baseball games, movie nights, or sitting together at a Night of Worship service.

But this summer isn't normal.

While we usually encourage groups to take a break from weekly meetings over the summer, what about this summer? 

Here are our thoughts at this point:

1. Take A Break From Weekly Meetings

Many of our groups have been meeting every week since January 13th. Usually by this time of year, everyone is looking forward to a break. 

While COVID-19 has left us all feeling more isolated and craving community, virtual group meetings week-after-week can get old. For many, if not most groups, the summer break is much needed.

2. Keep Pursuing Community

We often say, the purpose of Community Groups isn't meetings, it's to provide Biblical Community. 

Weekly meetings are only one avenue to develop community.

Call each other, share pics on social media or via text messages, use an app like Marco Polo to share quick videos together, or do a shared Bible reading plan on YouVersion. These are just a few of countless ways to stay connected and experience community.

Just because you aren't meeting, it doesn't mean your relationships need to stop.

3. Try A Summer Semester

Every group has unique needs and different capacities. For some, taking a break from weekly meetings until the fall may be best. But for others, that is too long, especially with our Stay-At-Home guidelines.

If your group would be interested in meeting for a 3 or 4 week summer trimester, let us know. We'd love to resource you and potentially pass people along to your group who are looking for community.

Northridge will also be offering several new Summer Groups for people who have not been part of a group. This helps us make sure anyone new to Northridge doesn't have to wait too long to connect into Biblical community.

Interest in a Summer Trimester? Please email me and let me know.

4. Can We Meet In-Person???

With a lot of talk about re-opening in our nation and community, there are so many questions about what that will look like, including how this might impact Community Groups.

Can we still do BBQ's together? Can we go to a park together? Can we have some kind of in-person gathering?

Honestly, there is still a lot of uncertainty at this point. Our staff team is continually monitoring the recommendations of our state and local authorities and strategizing next steps for our church as we learn more.

At this point, we would encourage groups to follow the suggested federal, state, and regional guidelines. 

While this may allow for some groups to gather for some kind of in-person gatherings, we would encourage you to exercise caution and do what is most loving and caring for those in your group.

5. Follow What Is Certain

Though much of our future is uncertain, we can be certain of our calling as Christ followers. 

We were created know God and make Him known. We were created to make disciples!

That calling is still true. 

While this summer may look different, let's make the most of it by continuing to pursue Christ ourselves in addition to helping our group members feel loved, cared for, and grow to look like Jesus.

Do you have any questions? Is your group interested in a short summer trimester? Let us know. Just email me HERE.

6 Ideas To Make The Most of The Spring Group Trimester...While Social Distancing

Are you ready for this?

Our last trimester of the Community Group year is about to begin (April 12 - May 23). At the beginning of the groups year, none of us could have predicted it would end like this.

While Community Group members often begin to check-out near the end of the group year, this season feels different. Actually, it doesn't just feel different, this season of social distancing restrictions is different. It is hard to predict the future, so as we look for the best ways to care for and connect with our groups under COVID-19 restrictions, we are taking it one week at a time, one day at a time.

As we prepare for the next 6 weeks of group, here are:

6 Ideas To Make The Most of The Spring Group Trimester

1. Continue to meet...online.

Many of you have already been connecting with your group online with a variety of video platforms and have worked through some of the kinks. If you still have questions about how meet with your group online, contact your coach, or check out our "How To Lead An Online Group" page. We want to help every group figure this out!

2. Meet for a shorter amount of time.

A typical in-person community group meeting usually lasts for 90 minutes to 2 hours. That is long for an online group meeting. The sweet spot for an online group is somewhere between 45-60 minutes.

3. Continue to discuss the sermon.

You may be wondering, what should my group meeting look like online? We would suggest your group continues to use the same format of an in-person meeting. Spend 10-15 minutes catching up, spend about 30 minutes discussing the sermon, and then wrap up by sharing prayer requests and having someone pray.

Some of you have asked, "Where are the sermon discussion questions?" 

Our Northridge website has been updated with pertinent info in this COVID season, so the way you may normally navigate to find the questions has changed a bit. You can always find the sermon discussion questions in the same place right here on our Group Leaders website. They are posted each Sunday morning at 8:00am.

4. Update Your Group Description.

As people look for a group on the online Group Finder, please make sure to update your Group description on Group Vitals to let people know you are meeting online instead of in-person.

How do you update your description? Watch THIS short video. 

5. Include your kids.

Say what? How is that supposed to work? 

While Community Group meetings are designed for adults to experience Biblical Community, those with kids at home also develop relationships with the other kids in group. 

With groups unable to meet together in-person, your kids may actually be missing group more than you!

Here is one way some groups have helped their kids connect with each other during this season:

Instead of having the men and women meet all-together in one online meeting, they have separate men's and women's nights. At the beginning of those meetings, you can take the first 5-15 minutes for the kids to connect, be silly, see each other's faces, and talk, and then have either the man or the woman in the house watch the kids while the other connects in their meeting.

6. Change it up.

While we are encouraging groups to function as normal with a typical community group schedule of connecting, sermon discussion, and prayer; taking a week or two to change it up will keep your group from growing weary or stale. 

This may be especially true if you met for all 3 weeks of the trimester break.

Here are several ways we have seen groups try something new to connect during this season:

• Playing games together online with the website: https://jackbox.tv/.

• Doing a Netflix Watch Party: www.netflixparty.com/.

• Delivering/Hiding Easter eggs in different family's yards (w/ their approval).

• Doing separate video chats with the men and women to dive a little deeper.

• Sharing short video messages together with apps like the Marco Polo app. 

What would you add to the list? What has your group tried? Email me and share your ideas. I'd love to pass them along to other groups!

We are praying for you as we begin a new group trimester! Please let us know if you have any questions or there is anything you need!

Thanks for helping people still experience Biblical Community in these unique times!