4 Ideas To Help Your Group Grow Spiritually & Connect Relationally

Hi Group Leaders,

I hope your group trimester is off to a good start! If you have any questions or concerns as your group begins meeting, be sure to connect with your group coach. We'd love to help!

As we dive into the group year, here are a couple ideas to help you and your group members connect together and grow in your faith!

1. Story Cards

  • One of the best tools we've found for helping people break the ice and really get to know each other is through using Story Cards.

  • Story Cards feature photos of everyday life, helping give everyone in group an easy way to share their story.

  • As you grow to know each other better, not only will you enjoy your time together more, but you'll be able to grow in honesty and openness that will lead toward growth.

  • Get a box of story cards for your group HERE.

2. Open Baptism & Growth Goals

  • One of the best ways to stimulate spiritual growth in your group is through goal setting and regular encouragement about your goals.

  • There are many people at Northridge who are followers of Jesus but have not yet been baptized. As you set growth goals in group, challenges those who have yet to take that step, to get baptized on October 24th at our Open Baptism service.

3. Older Mentoring The Younger

  • While some of our Community Groups are multi-generational, most are made up of people who are mostly in the same stage of life.

  • While we find much in common with those who are our peers, and it's often easier to connect with them, the Scriptures make clear that the church is strengthened when both older generations and younger generations are in relationship together.

  • We'd love to help facilitate these relationships.

  • If your group would be interested in mixing with an older or younger group, let us know. We'd love to connect you together!

4. Is Your Group Information Correct?

  • As we've worked to connect new people to groups this fall, we've noticed a few groups who's information is out-of-date or missing.

  • Is your group up-to-date?

  • View and edit your group on My.NorthridgeRochester.com.

  • Make sure your meeting time, location, meeting type (in-person/online), group description, and roster are updated. You can even load a group picture.

  • HERE is a short video tutorial on how to make updates to your group.

  • If you need help with this, let your coach know.

I hope the tools above will help new people find community, your group members grow deeper relationally, and for all of us to grow spiritually as we set goals and encourage each other in our walk with Christ!

Additional Resources You May Find Helpful

What thoughts or questions do you have?

Email me or share your ideas on the Northridge Leaders Facebook Group.

What's Coming Up For Community Groups?

I hope you have been enjoying your summer, had some opportunities to get away and get some rest, and connect with friends and family.

I wanted to share a few updates with you as we prepare for a new season of Community Groups.

Fall Trimester

Our Fall Community Group Trimester is just over 6 weeks away, beginning on Sunday, September 19th.

We'll be meeting for 9 weeks, from September 19th to November 20th.

Group Leader Kickoff

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Before our Fall Trimester begins, we'll all meet up together on Sunday night, September 12th, for our Re:Group Leader Kickoff.

At Re:Group we'll be wrestling with the tension of how to care for your group, especially in situations that go beyond what we feel capable of.

We'll meet from 5:00pm-7:15pm with dinner, childcare, and breakouts addressing specific care challenges.

Look for more details soon. If you know of someone you'd like to invite to join you in leadership this year, we'd love to have you invite them.

New Database

The past 8 months we've been working hard on a major project to change our church database. Our previous database was growing outdated and our new database will help us to better track the spiritual growth and progress of our congregation as we seek to make more and better followers of Jesus.

We are excited for the potential it has to help us better disciple those who connect with our church.

Important note:

We just transferred all of the data from our old database to our new database this past week.

With this change, the Groups database you have been using (Group Vitals) is now obsolete.

In the upcoming weeks we'll be sharing access with you to the new database to manage your group roster, attendance, location, description, etc.

You can still access your group roster and communicate with your group in our old database (Group Vitals), but if you have any roster updates or changes you'd like to make before we give you access to our new database, just let us know. We'll update them in the new database so they'll be ready for you when you first login.

This past year of leading Community Groups was one of the most challenging, and yet in spite of the difficulties God continued to work through you to help people find hope in community and grow in their faith.

If you have any questions in the weeks ahead, let me know.

We are excited for what God has in store this fall as we Apply the Bible, Build Relationships, and Care for Each Other in Community Groups!

What thoughts or questions do you have?

Email me or share your ideas on the Northridge Leaders Facebook Group.

RED WINGS GAME DETAILS - FRIDAY, JUNE 18TH

On Friday, June 18th is the Red Wings Baseball Game Group Leader Celebration.

Here are a few last minute details as you plan ahead for the game.

Rain Cancellation?

I just talked with the ticket office, and even though there is rain in the forecast for tomorrow afternoon, they do not believe it will effect the game.

If the weather changes and the game does get cancelled, we can get you your tickets which you can use for a future game.

T-Shirt Give Away & Fireworks

The first 1,000 fans to arrive tomorrow will receive a free Red Wings t-shirt.

They also have a fireworks display planned for the end of the game.

Red Wings Pods & Seating Change

Yesterday, the Red Wings announced that with the new state guidelines, they are removing the vaccinated and unvaccinated sections. That change will not take effect until July.

So for tomorrow, we'll still be seated in the unvaccinated section. We have about 400 seats in our section for about 200 people, so there will be lots of room around your pods to move around.

As a refresher, below are the rest of the details we posted last Thursday:

HERE IS WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW AS YOU PLAN TO JOIN US.

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When should I arrive?

The game starts at 7:05pm. We'll be there by 6:15pm for you to pick up your tickets.

Where do I get my tickets?

We will have a table underneath a blue canopy outside of the main gate behind home plate. Look for the Northridge staff under the blue canopy. We will have your tickets for you and your family.

Where and who am I sitting with?

All of our seats will be located in the unvaccinated section in pods of 5-10 seats.

We did our best to accommodate your requests for who you wanted to sit with.

HERE is a chart displaying the pod of people you'll be sitting with.

Your actual seat numbers will be displayed on your tickets when you arrive.

Do I need to wear a mask?

Here is the Red Wings statement:

Per the guidance of New York State and the CDC, vaccinated fans will no longer have to wear masks at Frontier Field effective for our home opener on May 18. Unvaccinated fans will still have to wear masks. The Red Wings still encourage all fans to wear a mask unless actively eating or drinking in their seat.

Do I need a negative COVID test or proof of vaccination?

Because we are sitting in the unvaccinated section, we will not be required to show proof of vaccination or a negative test in order to enter Frontier Field.

What should I wear?

No dress code is required but we think it would be great if you can wear some Northridge gear (t-shirts, hoodies, hats, etc.).

This will help us represent Northridge and recognize other Northridgers.

You may also want to bring some Northridge invite cards for anyone who might ask what group we are a part of.

What if my kids are age 3 or younger?

Kids 3 and under don't need a ticket unless they need a seat. We'll have tickets for those who are age 4 and older.

What if it rains and the game is cancelled?

If the game is cancelled, we can give you your tickets which you can bring to a future game. They will replace your ticket with a new ticket, or take the value of your ticket off of the price of your new ticket.

Have any other questions?

Email me HERE.

Thanks for leading your Community Group this year! We can't wait to see you at the game.

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Rochester Red Wings Game & Group Serving Opportunities

Red Wings Game - Group Leader Celebration

It's been a long year! Community Groups were never more vital than this past year, but also never more difficult.

One small way to say thanks for your investment is through our Group Leader Celebration.

We want to purchase tickets for you and your family to join us at a Rochester Red Wings Baseball Game!

Last year COVID cancelled our celebration plans. This year we want to bring back the Red Wings game. It won't look quite the same as previous years, but we are glad to be able to offer tickets to you and your family to join us at the game.

Here are the details:

When?

What do fans need to enter Frontier Field?

  • The Redwings are no longer requiring proof of vaccination or negative COVID-19 tests.

  • Masks must be worn by fans 2 years and older at all times, except when eating or drinking in their seats.

  • 2021 Redwings Season FAQs

Who Can I Sit With?

  • All of our tickets for Northridge Group Leaders will located in the same area. Tickets will be provided in pods of 8.

  • If you have specific people you'd like to sit with, let us know when you RSVP. We'll try our best to accommodate those requests.

Ready to RSVP?

  • To lock in our seats, we'll need everyone to RSVP by May 21st.

Serving Opportunities for Your Group

Clean up the El Camino Trail

  • The El Camino trail is a multi-use pedestrian greenway that was adapted from an old railroad line. The 2.25-mile trail runs from Mill Street in High Falls all the way to the Seneca Park pedestrian bridge. The trail provides a safe, continuous pedestrian and bicycle route accessible to citizens from all walks of life. One of the northern portions of the trail runs along the east side of the Rochester campus' parking lot. This is a great project to do as a Community Group to spend time together, get to know more of our beautiful community, and serve our neighbors.

  • For more information and access to cleaning resources, email Eric Lintala, at elintala@northridgerochester.com.

Build a picnic bench for our partner school, Rise Community School 106!

  • Right down Ridge Road near Kodak, less than a mile from our Rochester Campus, Rise 106 serves pre-K through 6th grade as a part Rochester City School District. The students and faculty would love another 3-4 picnic benches to use during lunches and free time. This is a great opportunity for your community group to come together to serve students in our city with the use of their time, talent, and resources.

  • For more information, please email Eric Lintala at elintala@northridgerochester.com.

Sermon Access Update

Our team has updated when our sermon videos will be available on our website. They will now be posted on Monday afternoons.

The sermon audio will be available on our website by 12:30PM on Sundays.

You can always find our full services on facebook (including sermon) immediately after each service.

What thoughts or questions do you have?

Reply to this email, contact your coach, or share your ideas on the Northridge Leaders Facebook Group.

Upcoming Sermon Series

  • Mind Game (April 11 - May 23)

Trimester Dates

  • Spring: April 11 - May 29 (7 weeks)

Additional Resources

Why Giving Advice Is Hurting Your Group

Why Confronting Is Showing Love and How To Do It Well

What Your Group Members Aren't Telling You

How To Get The Most Out of Your Prayer Time In Groups

In-Person Group Recommendations During COVID-19

14 Outdoor Social Ideas For Your Group

Group Leader Podcast

The #1 Priority In Leading Your Group

One of the most discouraging aspects of leading a group, is seeing group members stagnant, backsliding, or simply repeating the same struggles in prayer time week after week.

How do we help them change and grow?

While there are many ways we can help, what rises above all of them, is the example we set.

Your example will have far more influence than any ice breaker, group discussion, prayer time, or social gathering.

You've heard it said, "show me your friends, and I'll show you your future."

So here is a question, what does the future look like for those you are rubbing shoulders with?

If we become most like the people we spend the most time with, what will your group members become like after spending time with you?

We have boiled down successful Group Leadership to 6 Leader Essentials.

Essentials #1 is pursuing Christ!

Pursuing Christ is always important, and always urgent.

As Jesus said,

"I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." - John 15:5

If we want our group members to experience an active and growing faith, it starts with us modeling it.

Paul challenged Timothy about the importance of his example,

"Set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity...Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers." - 1 Timothy 4:12, 15-16

He didn't just challenge Timothy about his example, he modeled it himself,

“Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” - Philippians‬ ‭4:9‬

Who you are will have far more influence than any role you play.

So take heart, when leading group is a struggle and you wonder if you are making a difference, don't discount the influence of your example when you faithfully pursue Christ.

What are our thoughts? As you think about your own group experiences, who's example has most influenced your own faith?

Share your ideas on the Northridge Leaders Facebook Group.

Upcoming Sermon Series

  • Grace Anatomy (February 28-March 7)

  • All Rise (March 14-April 4)

Trimester Dates

  • Winter: January 17 - March 27 (10 weeks)

  • Spring: April 11 - May 29 (7 weeks)

Additional Resources

14 Outdoor Social Ideas For Your Group

While not overlooking the depth of community we can experience in an online setting, it is not healthy to live in a world limited exclusively to online interactions.

We were created to walk side-by-side, face-to-face, in the presence of others physically and not just digitally.

But, it's the middle of winter in Rochester and we are still in the middle of a pandemic.

55% of Northridgers are attending in-person at our Rochester and Webster Campuses, while 45% of Northridge is attending the Online Campus.

Gathering in-person with other's is still a challenge, but many people are willing to meet in-person in an outdoor context.

So, as you look to create community with those in your group, here are some ideas for you to meet in-person, outside, where you can do life side-by-side with each other.

14 Outdoor Social Ideas For Your Group

  1. Go for a Walk

  2. Go for a Hike

  3. Go Snow Shoeing

  4. Go Sledding

  5. Go Skiing

  6. Go Snow Tubing

  7. Go Ice Skating

  8. Visit A Nature Center

  9. Visit the Zoo

  10. Go Fishing

  11. Go Hunting

  12. Celebrate Maple Syrup Weekend

  13. Grab a Hot Drink and Go to A Park or Playground

  14. Visit A Garden and Enjoy The Flowers in the Spring

Have you tried any of these? What would you add to the list?

Share your ideas on the Northridge Leaders Facebook Group.

Upcoming Sermon Series

  • How to Be Rich (February 7-21)

  • Amazing Grace (February 28-March 7)

  • The Courtroom (March 14-April 4)

Trimester Dates

  • Winter: January 17 - March 27 (10 weeks)

  • Spring: April 11 - May 29 (7 weeks)

Additional Resources

8 Ideas To Help Your Group Engage The Bible

Several years ago, the Willow Creek Church Association did a massive study to examine how churches were doing at developing mature disciples.

They found that the number one influence on a person's spiritual growth was engaging the Bible for personal application.

While God grows our faith through a variety of influences (private disciplines, providential relationships, personal ministry, practical teaching, pivotal circumstances), engaging the Bible is at the top of the list.

The first goal of Community Groups at Northridge is to Apply the Bible.

If helping your group engage the Bible personally will influence their faith more than anything else, how is that going?

Here are 8 ideas to help your group engage with God's word.

  • Starting Point - (Sunday mornings in-person, Thursday evenings online)

    • Do your group members have questions about the Bible you don't know how to answer?

    • Starting Point is designed for those who are newer to faith, exploring faith, or reengaging with faith, to ask any questions they have about God, faith, and the Bible.

    • Invite a group member to join you in a Starting Point Group (online or in-person). They'll have an opportunity to engage the Bible and ask any question they have!

  • Equip Class "How to Read the Bible" - (Sunday mornings Online & In-Person, February 7 - March 28)

    • Many of the people in your group have tried to read the Bible but found it confusing and discouraging as they struggle to understand it.

    • Invite your group members to join you for this class so you can learn together how to not just read the Bible, but understand and apply it.

  • RightNow Media

    • Pick a RightNow Media study on a Book of the Bible and watch and discuss it with your group each week.

    • Many of the studies include free discussion guides to help you walk through the Biblical text together, understand it and apply it.

  • Shared YouVersion Bible Reading Plan

    • The Bible has never been more accessible than now with the YouVersion Bible app.

    • Search through a list of Bible reading plans and invite your Group Members to join you.

    • You can see each other's progress, and even share takeaways as you engage the Biblical text together.

  • Bible Project Home Study

    • Sign up for the Bible Project weekly Home Study email.

    • Each email includes a short video (you can watch together with your group), Scripture readings, a short audio message, and discussion questions.

    • Your group members can watch, listen, and read before the group, and watch the video and discuss the questions in your weekly meeting.

  • Book of the Bible Study Guides

    • Here is a list of recommended study guides to read and discuss a book of the Bible together as a group.

    • Have your group members purchase a study guide, and then read the Bible passage during the week and answer the questions in the guide. You can use the guide to discuss what you learned in your next meeting.

    • You could also pair one of these study guides along with RightNow Media series on the same book of the Bible.

    • Here are some best practices from other Group Leaders who have done this.

  • Sermon Discussion

    • Help your group not only hear God's Words taught on Sunday, but read them together in group, and learn how to apply them.

    • Have you had mixed success with this? Review these sermon discussion tips.

    • Find Sermon Discussion Questions HERE.

  • Set Bible Engagement Growth Goals

    • Make Growth Goals a regular rhythm each group trimester.

    • Set goals on when, where, and what to read in the Bible.

    • Set scripture memorization goals.

    • Ask each other about your progress regularly.

Which one of these 8 ideas can you try this winter to help your group engage the Bible?

Upcoming Sermon Series

Here are the tentative dates for our upcoming sermon series:

  • Silver Linings - (January 10-31)

  • How to Be Rich (February 7-21)

  • Amazing Grace (February 28-March 7)

  • The Courtroom (March 14-April 4)

Trimester Dates

  • Winter: January 17 - March 27 (10 weeks)

  • Spring: April 11 - May 29 (7 weeks)

Additional Resources

Making A Hard Call

The point if this post is that I'd love every Group Leader at Northridge to go all out to invite others to join them in their group!

Simply stated, my goal for this post is that you would grab your phone and call everyone in your group who is not attending your meetings, and invite them to check out your group, or a group. 

Most groups have people on their group roster that either have:

  • never attended

  • not attended in a long time

  • only attended a few times

  • or just expressed interest in group for the first time. 

On top of that, each Sunday our services are full of people who lack relationships with other Christians who could help them grow in their faith.

Why do I want every group to go all out to invite those disconnected to connect? 

Why go to the trouble of finding time in our busy schedules to pick up the phone and call these people?

Because people can't grow spiritually if they don't connect relationally. 

And people can't connect relationally without first establishing a relationship.

Relationships begin with an invitation. 

When Jesus began his ministry, he found a few men and said, "Come, follow me."

Then those men called their friends and family and invited them to come and follow Jesus.

Jesus’ relationships began with an invitation.

In a season when people are more disconnected than ever, we want to go all out to help as many people as possible step toward relationships, not away.

Picking up the phone can be hard. But will you make the hard call?

As Groups Coaches, we are going to work more diligently this fall to track those who are not connecting, and help them connect.

You'll likely be hearing from your coach in the weeks ahead asking you about people disconnected from your group. 

Thanks for helping us make disciples through phone calls.

Relationships begin with an invitation. Thanks for making the hard call!

P.S. Many people don't listen to their voicemail anymore, so if you get a voicemail, try sending a text after. They may be more likely to see your text than hear your voicemail. 

P.S.S. If your group doesn't work for them, let your coach know. We'd love to find a group that does work for them.

Additional Resources:

Still deciding on curriculum? Here are some suggestions:

Sermon Discussion

  • A Tale of Two Brothers (September)

  • The Life of Moses (October - November) 

The Bible Project "Church At Home"

  • A free study for small groups, churches, and house churches to help you continue to engage in Scripture with a multi-lesson Bible study

  • Access a weekly video, podcast, Scripture, and discussion guide HERE

Anthology

  • Free video studies from Andy Stanley and Northpoint Church 

  • Viewable on Roku, Apple TV, Google Chrome, Apple and Android devices

  • Access all studies HERE

  • If Money Talked

Right Now Media

I Said This, You Heard That

  • This 6 session video study explores how your wiring affects what you say, how you listen, and how others hear you

  • Watch video series on Youtube HERE

  • Access discussion guide HERE

Book

Book of the Bible

  • HERE are some recommended discussion guides for discussing a book of the Bible together

Miss Re:Group or want a refresher? 

Watch or listen here:

Have you checked out our Group Leader Podcast?

  • Listen to our past Re:Group Leader Training content: large group and breakout sessions

  • Access HERE

Have any other questions? 

Contact your coach or search the rest of our our leader page.

 
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Northridge Church Office | 2052 Saint Paul St. Rochester, NY 14621 | (585) 338-7810