Postcards from ChristCare: One Year Later

by Caroline Duffy

It’s been a year since our Lenten experiment when ChristCare leaders led small group discussions in an attempt to “sample” the ChristCare experience with parishioners.   As we reflect on that lickety-split format, we group leaders agree that it was like trying to get engaged after one round of speed dating!

Caroline Duffy

Today, we have three vibrant groups, each unique in its focus and membership.     In contrast to our Lenten experiment, these groups have come together naturally and have developed their “personalities” over time.  One meets weekly, the others meet twice a month.  One serves young mothers, one serves women in “prime time” and yet another includes men and women of varying ages and backgrounds. The idea is to extend the church experience to where you live- both literally and figuratively.

The common denominator is the structure. Each group determines its own schedule and decides together on its book study.   Every group also has an opt-out clause- members can decide if they want to stay or leave at the end of each study.  So far we are adding rather than retracting! Generally the meetings last about an hour and a half – just enough time for lively discussion, shared fellowship, prayer and faith building. It’s a very personal way to make our church feel like home and a place where the cupboard is always stocked with “spiritual food.”

In some communities, the word “fellowship” has become a euphemism for coffee and donuts. Fellowship can-- and should be--so much more.   It’s people connecting and experiencing life together, much as Jesus did with his disciples.  Fellowship can involve worship, but worship itself is too big for fellowship.  Fellowship happens in small groups where everyone feels comfortable sharing.  Remember 1 Corinthians 12:12: “The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ.”  No part is more important than another, but all parts must work together to keep the body of Christ healthy. Envision Christ Care groups as small cells that join with other guilds and groups to help our church to remain relevant and strong in the face of competition.

How is ChristCare different from other small groups at St. Martin’s?  For one, ChristCare groups truly are small- 12 people or less.  This size facilitates comfortable sharing and faith exploration. And it allows for groups to form that are targeted to specific needs or goals.  Parents, Seniors, Youth, Couples, Men and Women might have different requirements and interest levels.  All groups sign a covenant to address regular attendance and confidentiality.  And, they are intentional about spiritual development.  We have fun, but our discussions apply scripture to contemporary themes.  The idea is to equip members to know more about their faith, support their daily walk with God, and deepen their spiritual development.  

Here is a postcard from my group, to give you an update on our journey.
We began meeting last May, but it seems like we’ve been together much longer.  Our members are people I’ve known casually for many years, as well as church members who I didn’t know two years ago.  We also have a couple new to our church- recruited on Rally Day!  Our lives are different:  some of us are married; some of us are not.  Some of us have children at home; some do not. Some bring spouses; some do not.

When we began, we shared our faith histories.  We have some cradle Episcopalians as well as some former “Baptholics” and Presbyterians.  We look around the room and call ourselves “normal.”

Over the last 12 months our group has experienced cancer, job losses, divorce, the death of family members, and serious challenges with people we love.  It sounds dramatic, but I’ll bet it’s merely a snapshot of what any small group would reveal if given the chance to open up.  These challenges have provided specific subject matter for our prayers, and we have loved watching God answer them!

Can you imagine how cool it is to know that 10 other people are praying specific prayers for you every day?  I love that mental picture.  Together, we continue to learn that God wants all of us to pray without ceasing.  Everything clogging our minds, troubling our thoughts or breaking our hearts- it’s all stuff God wants.  We are learning to watch Him do his thing- in his own time and with his masterful, amazing grace.  We are learning to accept disappointments as part of the journey on God’s magical, mystery tour.  We are also learning that despite these uncertain times, worry and discouragement are not the will of God.

This July, my group will venture out on its first shared mission: making meals for Project Open Hand.  We look forward to serving together.  We will start our fourth book next fall!

Postcard from ChristCare Roswell- by Patsy Smith
"If you build it, they will come"!  After ChristCare training, I was looking forward to beginning a group.  September came and went and there seemed to be no interest in the Roswell area, but then a wonderful thing happened after church one Sunday.  I was approached by someone I knew to speak to, but didn't know well.  She said she was interested in being part of a CC group in this area.  Gradually, others expressed an interest and “lo and behold” our group was formed and a date set to have an initial meeting.

After our group met, we agreed on a covenant  for the  time, date, frequency, confidentiality, and study.  There were seven of us initially.  We lost one member early on as she went back to work temporarily, but promised to return when she was done!  Then there were six.  Our study was the book,  Everybody's Normal Till You Get to Know Them.  Everyone agreed it was a good study and they each said they would recommend the book to another group.  As in all ChristCare groups we began and ended with prayer, asking for God's guidance.  We selected a Biblical Equipping® verse to meditate on and connect with our lives when we were apart, and we cared for and supported one another. We also prayed for others in need or sickness.

There was a sense of community, well being, and acceptance.  Each of us come with differing backgrounds, education, interests, ages and perhaps we would never have gotten to know one another on a deeper level, but for ChristCare.  There was a wonderful sense of community and focus. We agreed that we would take the summer off and consider a focus of study, reconvening in September.  

We were excited for one of our members who will be participating in a trip with “Hearts for Africa” to Swaziland,west of South Africa.  She will be working with and helping orphans of parents with HIV/AIDS related illnesses and deaths.  Our group will make a contribution to support that trip.

Postcard from ChristCare in Byrnwyck, a Women’s Group, by Sally Nail

My Christ Care group started in the spring of 2008 with just a group of two, another woman and me, both seeking to strengthen our relationship with Christ and to learn more about where we are on our spiritual journeys. Well, now we have just ended our third book together and our group has grown to six! I have found myself looking forward to my time with these women, who are eager to learn more about themselves and where they are in relationship with God. We have learned to listen, accept each other unconditionally, learning from the unique insights and experiences we each bring to the group.

Some quick facts about the group are as follows. It is a group for women that meets once a week. We will choose a day that fits best into everyone’s schedule. This spring we met on Friday mornings, 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. In September we are beginning a study that will hopefully take all our worries away (ha!), Calm my Anxious Heart, by L. Dillow. It has a companion journal, My Mercies Journal.  I am very excited to begin this book and to take the time to do some journaling, something I have always meant to do, but have not.