REMINDERS

• Drinks available
• Contact person responsible for this week’s snack/dessert
• Have name tags prepared if necessary so all will feel comfortable
• Pray for the building of relationships and spiritual growth of the group

All Leaders:

Please email us at groups@stfchurch.com answering the following:

1. What have you enjoyed about being a leader?

2. What challenges have you faced?

3. Is there anything you wish had been different in your group?

4. Using a 1-5 scale (low-high) how would you rate:

Overall quality of homework

Do you think the homework is too long, too short, ideal length?

5. Do you have any suggestions for improving the quality of the homework(how to better encourage spiritual growth & connection with others)?

YOUR PLANS:

For Connection Group next quarter, I’m planning on:

1) continuing in the same group as a leader

2) trying a new group as a member or changing roles in leadership(if so, which change in role)?

MY STORY

1. What was the most fulfilling job or task you have ever had?
2. What is one skill you secretly possess?
3. Looking back over your notes from this week’s sermon, what did you find most challenging or interesting?

DIGGING DEEPER

1.  How does 1 Corinthians 12:4-27 help us appreciate the differences in our roles and clarify there are no little jobs in God’s kingdom? 

Every role is equally important and a gift from God directly to each person out of love

1 Corinthians 12:12-27

¹² Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. ¹³ For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. ¹⁴ Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.¹⁵ Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body.¹⁶ And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body.¹⁷ If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? ¹⁸ But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. ¹⁹ If they were all one part, where would the body be? ²⁰ As it is, there are many parts, but one body.²¹ The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” ²² On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, ²³ and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty,²⁴ while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it,²⁵ so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. ²⁶ If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.²⁷ Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.(NIV)

Describe yourself as a “part” of the body of Christ (hand, eye, foot, etc).  Why did you select that part?

Make note that a chin is useless without a face, as is an elbow without an arm…and yet an arm is greatly compromised when the elbow is missing.

2.How does Peter categorize our gifts and abilities in 1 Peter 4:10-11 and what are their purposes? 

A reminder that the tabernacle of God is now our very own bodies.  We are the house of the Holy Spirit.  (Recall that the tabernacle was where the Spirit of God dwells)  This means that we have the unfathomable power of the Lord within us doing His holy work for His glory when we serve Him.  It is a beautiful relationship to be in His church worshipping Him as we serve Him, being called His temple of the Holy Spirit.

1 Peter 4:10-11

Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms. 11 If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen. (NIV)

Is there one category you tend to lean more toward than the other?

Can you think of any specific examples of these two categories   “projecting God’s grace” as Peter states we should? 

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3. It’s not always easy to serve in our church. How might the following verses help us stay motivated and keep a vision of making a difference?

“Do not grow weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up” Galatians 6:9

Ephesians 2:10

¹⁰ For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.(NIV)

Ephesians 6:7-8

⁷ Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people,⁸ because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free.(NIV)

Matthew 25:37-46

³⁷ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?³⁸ When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? ³⁹ When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’⁴⁰ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’⁴¹ “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. ⁴² For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, ⁴³ I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’⁴⁴ “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’⁴⁵ “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’⁴⁶ “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”(NIV)

1 Thessalonians 5:12-15

¹² Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you.¹³ Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. ¹⁴ And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone. ¹⁵ Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else.(NIV)

TAKING IT HOME

1.  If you had to stop serving for the next three weeks, what might those in the church notice is missing?

This is not meant to be a place of boasting or a place of condemnation but a place for reflection of what that would actually look like for each individual.  Only let those willing to share to do so. 

2.  Here are a few examples of positions of service, are there any more that you can think of or any of the following that you are doing or should do?

• Sunday School teachers
• Middle and High school leaders
• Janitorial and maintenance workers to help employees at the church
• Transportation workers for children or others unable to drive
• Golf cart drivers for satellite parking lots
• Office helpers
• Outreach workers
• Ushers and greeters
• Vocalists
• Musicians
• Music directors, song leaders, etc.
• Audio and video technicians
• Website administrators and social media coordinators
• Kitchen workers/Prep/Cook/Serve/Clean Up/Setting tables
• Nursery workers
• Coffee Cart workers/Serving/Making/Hosting
• Putting out and picking up outdoor signs for parking
• Helping newcomers at the welcome desk
• Security
• Parking lot attendant
• Medical attendant
• Decorating the church for events and holidays
• Tutor
• Missionary Support Team/Writing letters, sending packages to our Missionaries
• Follow up with new comers
• Hosting a community group
• Leading a community group
• Babysitting for couples who are working in the church
• Meal Train

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Dr. Paul Tripp parenting seminar is this upcoming Saturday 10a-3pm.  Cost per person is $10.00 per person and includes lunch.  Childcare is provided upon request.

PB&J Ministry Homeless Outreach

Sept 28 at DI campus 4:30-6p come make sandwiches to distribute to our local homeless community.  This is an ongoing event that will happen every fourth Sunday.

Saturate Tampa

Packing event Sunday, Sept 30 immediately after the 11:15 service in the Fellowship Hall.

There is SO much more!  Find out by checking out the many opportunities at https://stfchurch.com/serve/  and https://stfchurch.com/events/