Welcome to Fall 2019 Community Groups!

This week we kick off our Fall Community Group semester.  Your first meeting will include a potluck dinner, time to get acquainted, as well as time to discuss your Community Group Covenant.  The Study Guide has been shortened this week to allow ample time to accomplish this.

To prepare for this week’s meeting, take some time to focus on the questions below and be prepared to share your answers with the group.  Have a great first meeting as you come together to connect, encourage one another to grow and to see God change your lives from the inside out!

GETTING TO KNOW YOU

1.  What’s something you did this past summer that was fun or enjoyable?  (i.e. going to a concert, swimming, family gathering, vacation, barbeque, etc.)

2.  What is a favorite pastime or hobby of yours – and when was the last time you were able to participate in it?

3.  Who was your most memorable teacher in elementary school and what made him or her so memorable?

4.  Looking back at your notes from this week’s teaching, was there anything that particularly caught your attention, challenged or confused you?

LAUNCHING YOUR COMMUNITY GROUP QUARTER

One of the key reasons we meet in Community Groups every week is to gain the encouragement and support we each need to keep our focus on Jesus and live our lives for him. Before you go over the Covenant in your group, take a moment and write down your response to the question below:

What are you looking forward to in your Community Group this quarter?

COMMUNITY GROUP
COVENANT STF

Leaders ____________________________
Ph.#_______________________________

Hosts ______________________________
Ph.#_______________________________

Small groups thrive on participation! The purpose of this covenant is to help you to discuss and clarify your group’s goals, expectations, and commitments.

COMMUNITY GROUPS: THEIR PURPOSE
Community Groups exist to promote spiritual maturity and personal growth through meaningful Christian relationships and study of God’s Word (Romans 8:29 & Hebrews 10:24, 25). We’ll do this by focusing on four primary activities:

SHARE
Each week we’ll take time to share what is happening in our lives. At first this sharing will include planned “sharing questions”. But after the first few weeks, it will become more informal and personal as we feel more comfortable.

STUDY
Each week we’ll study a section from God’s Word that relates to the previous weekend’s sermon or an appropriate personal growth topic. Our goal is to learn how to live out our Christianity in everyday life.

SUPPORT
Each week we’ll learn how to take care of one another as Christ commanded (John 15:9-13). This care can take many forms such as prayer, encouragement, listening, challenging one another, and meeting real needs.

SERVE
Spiritual Growth is fostered not only by what we gain through the support and input of others, but also through service to others. The role each of us fills is important to the health of the church and for us to be the hands and feet of Jesus to our community (Ephesians 4:11-16). Throughout the quarter, it is our hope that you can find and/or be affirmed in the ways God has designed you to serve, and make a difference in God’s Kingdom.

FIVE MARKS OF A HEALTHY GROUP
For our group to be healthy, we need to . . .
Make spiritual growth our number one priority (Romans 8:29).
Accept one another (Romans 15:7).
Take care of one another (John 13:34).
Treat each other with respect (Ephesians 4:25-5:2).
Keep our commitments to the group (Psalm 15:1-2, 4b).

GUIDELINES & COVENANT
1. Dates
We’ll meet on ________nights for ______weeks. Our final meeting of
this quarter will be on ________________________

2. Time
We’ll arrive between__________&______ and begin the meeting at________. We’ll spend approximately_____ minutes in singing (optional),_____ minutes in study/discussion, and ___________minutes in prayer/sharing.

3. Children
Group members are responsible to arrange child care for their children. Nursing newborns are welcome provided they are not a distraction to the group!

4. Study
Our studies will focus on the same topic covered in the previous Sunday’s sermon or an appropriate personal growth topic. Our goal is to learn how to live out our Christianity in everyday life.

5. Prayer
Praying for one another.

6. Study Guide & Attendance
Joining a Community Group requires a commitment to attend each week and do the study guide ahead of time. Obviously, allowances are made for sickness, vacation, work conflicts, and other special events—but not much more!
If we cannot come to a meeting, we will call ____________________________________

7. Desserts –

8. Social & Service Project(s) 

ANNOUNCEMENTS/WAYS YOU CAN SERVE

Women’s Bible Study

We’d love for you to come along as we study the book of Genesis with author and teacher Jen Wilkin. In “God of Creation,” We’ll meet Monday nights and Tuesdays mornings (September 9 and 10 – November 11 and 12) at the Davis Islands Campus.

REGISTER FOR MONDAY

REGISTER FOR TUESDAY

Missions Connect – Sunday Sept 1, All Campuses at BP

Reaching out to others in Jesus’ name is a major part of our DNA at South Tampa Fellowship, and we do that in many ways, locally, nationally and globally. All STF campuses will meet at our ballast point campus that day to hear a special guest speaker from the International Mission Board and we’ll have a missions fair in the Fellowship Hall to highlight the ministries of our many mission partners. Please join us for this very special event.