Living Faith & Life Together
As Christians, we are all called to share our life in Christ with one another.
When we gather together, we have the chance to be seen, known, and loved, and when we are seen, known, and loved, we flourish.
Each and every Catholic requires a Christian community within which he or she can live and grow, and one of the fruits of the ongoing synod process in our archdiocese is the launching of parish “small groups,” gatherings of 6 – 12 people who navigate Christian life and share in the journey together.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why Small Groups?
- Small groups are an important way for us to form, nourish, and shape our faith lives with others.
- They can help us, our family, and our friends to know, love, and follow Jesus more closely and to live more joyful, abundant Christian lives.
Goals of Small Groups:
- To grow in intimacy with the Lord
- To grow in love of one another
- To share Jesus with others
- To minister in the mystical Body of the Church
- To give and receive support
- To form missionary disciples
- To train new leaders
What to expect in a small group?
- A small group is a group of people gathered in the name of Jesus around the Word of God for friendship, spiritual growth, and prayer.
- Small Groups consist of 6-12 people who meet in homes, offsite at local places, or onsite at St. Joseph.
- Groups commit to sharing life and faith. Life in small groups often leads to connections outside of group meetings.
- Group time will include a time of relational connection, spiritual growth through teaching and discussion, and prayer with and for one another.
What does a Small Group Meeting look like?
Each Small Group meeting will typically include these seven parts:
- Song and Praise
- Personal Sharing about what God has done in your life recently
- Teaching a trusted Catholic Resource
- Discussion about the teaching
- Announcements
- Prayers of Intercession
- Healing Prayer
FAQs
- What is the time commitment?
Group meetings will be 90 minutes long, and will meet a minimum of twice per month, and a maximum of once per week. Specific group meeting days, times, and location will vary depending upon the group. - Who is leading the groups?
Faith-filled parishioners, just like you! We have several parishioners who have completed a training series and have participated in small groups together to prepare for this ministry. New training opportunities will be announced throughout the year. Contact: prichards@stjosephwaconia.org. - What kind of small groups will be forming?
Currently, we have groups for singles, couples, men, women, and seniors. We also anticipate as more people become familiar with Small Group ministry and are equipped to lead a group, our group offerings will continue to grow. - How long will the small groups be offered?
The plan is for Small Group Ministry to be a new normal for St Joseph Faith Formation all year long, to provide a consistent place for people from our community to meet regularly, pray together, share about their lives, and grow in faith together. We hope that you will join a group and try it out at least through a full series of content, and then consider continuing on long term, or perhaps trying a different group that might be a better fit, if needed. - How do I know Small Groups are right for me?
Do you want to grow in faith with your peers? Have you been looking for a place to share about what God is doing in your life without judgment? Are you seeking authentic, Christ-centered friendships? Do you want to be well-connected to other like-minded Catholic adults at St Joseph’s? If you answered yes to any of those questions, then Small Group Ministry is a perfect place for you. - Is attendance required at EVERY meeting?
No, the beauty of Small Groups is they create a place for people to live faith together within the context of normal busy lives. So, regular attendance is encouraged for your own benefit, but your group will understand if you can’t be there occasionally. - Won’t Small Groups just become new parish cliques?
The very nature of good Christian small groups is to constantly invite new people, grow, and expand, in order to provide space for all people to be known and loved. Cliques are the antithesis of quality small groups, and parish staff and Small Group leaders will be working hard to ensure that they do not become exclusive. - What will we talk about in Small Groups?
Discussions in Small Groups will be two-fold:
+ Personal Sharing: Simply sharing what has been done in your life recently, and what you have done for God.
+ Discussion of the meetings teaching lesson - What will the teachings be about?
There will be a variety of teaching resources used over time. Though they may change they will likely have two things as constants: A lesson about a part of our faith, and consideration of how that informs your personal faith response. While there may be times in which small groups are asked to all collectively use a particular teaching resource, perhaps even provided by Fr Stan Mader or other key Parish leaders and parishioners, there will also be times in which small groups can determine their own teaching resource based on their collective interests/needs.
Interested or have Questions?
Email smallgroups@stjosephwaconia.org
Click here to read the Archbishop’s Pastoral Letter