Group Life with St. John's

St John's Lutheran Church, La Grange IL 60525 (LCMS)

St. John's Lutheran Church and School
47th Street and Brainard Avenue, La Grange, Illinois 60525

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Group Life

Group Life at St. John’s is purposely designed to deepen the community within the church and to expand our reach to the community around the church.

Group Life will help us…

Meet Jesus through Bible study in a small setting among friends;

Experience the Support of a Church by providing personal connections as we get to know our church family better;

Live as Disciples by fulfilling God’s calling through exciting opportunities to serve in the church and community.

Group Life has become in a short time a core ministry in our vision for Reaching Farther. Group Life provides a smaller setting (usually 8-10 people) growing deeper in relationships within the church and beyond the church. Because Group Life happens in 40 day cycles it also offers a format that ﬁts a variety of seasons and schedules as well as the opportunity to move around and form new relationships through different groups.

Group Life is more than a study group. Group Life is a community built around Jesus where people experience the support of the church through worship, study, prayer, fellowship and service together. Many will attest that Group Life communities are life changing. Group Life’s prayer and service attributes, in particular, are deepening our relationships beyond St. John’s and into the community.

40 Days of Lent (2013)

In this upcoming season of Lent, our congregation-wide focus will be "Jesus, I Will Ponder Now." St. John's invites you to go deep this Lent in your relationship with Jesus and the fellowship of our church.

There are three core components to our Lenten journey. They combine as a package to take us through the Gospel of Luke together. we invite you to join us with a commitment to

Daily reading of scripture and our devotional book;
Weekly home group gatherings;
Weekly worship, "better together," every Sunday morning.

What’s Next?
Beyond the Lenten cycle, Group Life will continue to help us grow in our relationship with God and each other, and in our service to the church and community. Check back for upcoming groups in 2013.

Debbie Arfsten, Group Life Ministry

Group Life

Our next All-Congregation Group Life emphasis, "Jesus, I Will Ponder Now" will be our 2013 Lenten journey. Lent is deeply personal, yet profoundly tied to the faith communities where we shared those journeys. Many of those growing experiences took place right here at St. John's.

"A 6 week commitment to small groups, and 2 years later, here I am. The St. John’s family has given me opportunity to do more than I have ever done before. Unique ways to serve, like the Prayer Walk really opened my eyes to all the things I can do.

You are so welcome at St. John’s whether you are a member or not. There is no pressure. That was a real foreign concept to me since the church I grew up in, well you just don’t “visit” church. I was looking and St. John’s was the drastic difference I was looking for. I felt a stone rolling down a hill; I kept picking up speed here at St. John’s. I realized I was in the right place.

Service has carried over to my work life. I have always been someone who did more than expected, but I’m finding areas to serve at work now, that previously, I didn’t recognize. I encounter many people at work while participating in service opportunities that has opened doors to me being able to witness to students. Service has always been some part of my life. But now, I have reprioritized and service is at the top of the list.

Service is a journey for life. I now see all the service opportunities God is showing me. In service, I am leaving a legacy for my children and for their children too. Service is a learning experience. I learn so much from people, get to know people and get to share my faith. I get so much more than I am giving." Laura (Worship)

"The Small Group Ministry has not only transformed me, but I feel it has transformed the whole congregation of St. John’s. I was raised Catholic and this used to be foreign to me. I feel a real sincere effort has been put into a grass roots movement that has redefined St. John’s.

I have developed extremely close, personal and spiritual relationships with the Small Group Ministry. I truly love the people I am in group with. I have reconnected with scripture. I was raised with scripture and have always had some kind of connection to it; however, 30 years later, it is so much more meaningful now. I am spiritually stronger and grounded in my faith.

I have developed a deep spirit of service that was instilled in me as a result of being involved in Small Group Ministry. I am so much more aware of the opportunities available for service and have an ongoing commitment. Thru the “BEDS” program, a LaGrange service organization, I have been united with others in a desire to help the homeless. I meet a lot of nice people who are just products of their environment and circumstances. One night I met a woman who told me “There is such a light that comes from you.” We shared our faith amidst doubters and mockers, but, a few others were moved by the conversation. Faith can really get you by in this cruel world. We need to nourish the body and the soul. I am so committed to that. I enjoyed our time together, because now we both were able to go out into the nasty world with a smile.

Small Groups Ministry has created a deep desire and drive to help others and has also lead me to joining in and studying the bible in a year. As long as I can see Jesus, that is where I am going to be. St. John’s is an enabler in all of this. What St. John’s does had drawn me back into the church. At first I felt a little uncomfortable, but the constant sending out is a powerful driving force in the mission of what St. John’s is all about." Glen (Small Group Ministry)