What is a Community Group?
Community Groups are small groups of six married couples or eight individuals of the same gender that meet weekly for fellowship, Bible study, and prayer. They are for adults of all ages, stages of life, and spiritual maturity.
What kinds of community groups are there?
Married Couples
Community groups comprised of married couples in the same stage of life (couples without children, with children, and empty-nesters) and area of town.
Men’s and Women’s
Men and women can join same-gender, singles-only groups or various stages of life groups (married, single, divorced, widowed).
Starting Point
Starting Point is an 8-week conversational small group where people can explore faith and experience community. These groups are comprised of men and women of all ages and stages of life (single, married, divorced, and widowed). Click here for more on Starting Point.
Are there groups that have married couples and singles together?
Starting Point groups are our only groups that contain both singles and married couples together.
Are there co-ed groups?
Our only co-ed groups are the married couples and Starting Point groups.
Is childcare provided for each group meeting?
Childcare is provided on Wednesday evening for groups that meet on the SB campus. Groups that meet at other times will need to determine the best way to handle childcare for your group. The staff may be happy to discuss possible solutions for childcare (sitter names, ideas used by other groups).
When and where do groups meet?
Our groups generally meet Monday through Thursday evenings, with some meeting on Sundays. Most married groups meet in the evenings. While most groups meet in a consistent location (the home of a group member), some groups prefer to take turns meeting in different members’ homes or on the SB campus.
How often do community groups meet?
Most groups meet weekly. Some groups meet for three weeks out of the month and either take off the fourth week or do a social activity together. Due to vacation schedules, groups consisting of married couples with children often do not meet during the summer or meet a few times for cookouts or special events.
How long does a community group last?
Community Groups initially commit to meet for eight weeks as a "Starter Group". After those first eight weeks, the group members decide if they want to continue meeting together for an additional 16 - 22 months. Therefore, the total duration of a typical Community Group is between one and a half to two years.
How long does each group meeting last?
Each Community Group picks the length of time they will meet. However, most groups meet for an hour and a half to two hours.
What goes on at a group meeting?
Though each group differs in how they do things, many groups have a social time in the beginning, then they transition to a time where they discuss the book they are studying and pray for each other.
What does it mean when a group "ends" or "multiplies"?
During the term of the group, the group leader will train an apprentice to be the leader of the next group. At the end of the group, the leader will take half the current group, and the apprentice (after becoming an approved leader) will take the other half of the group. Then they will both add more members to their respective new groups, therefore allowing others to join groups with seasoned leaders.
What do groups study?
Each group picks their own curriculum to study with the help of their Small Groups Director (a staff member who guides the groups). Groups that form at GroupLink are given a starter study provided by StoneBridge Church.
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