Fall 2012 Vision Night at Abundant Life

This is going to be such a great night for our leaders and church members to gather and dream and pray about what God is going to do this fall at Abundant Life in 2012.  If you are not registered I hope you will be able to join us.

Fall 2012 Vision Night

Registering Your Summer Lifegroup

The sunshine and warm weather this week are a reminder that summer is just right around the corner.  It’s time to register your summer lifegroup!  This summer’s lifegroup season is going to be a blast and one of the best times to lead a lifegroup at Abundant Life.  Summer is a unique time of year in the Northwest so the summer season will be a unique season!  We want summer lifegroups to be…

1. FUN:  Choose to build a group around a favorite summer time activity that you would already do during the summer.  (hiking, BBQ, swimming, golf, softball, walking, etc.)
2. FLEXIBLE:  Choose to meet every other week.  That is only 5 or 6 meetings.
3. RELATIONAL:  Choose to put more emphasis on building friendships and connecting with others in the group.
4. SPIRITUAL:  Choose a book to read through together as a lifegroup.  When you get together for your group discuss what you learned from the book while you engage in a fun summer time activity.

Sign-ups for the summer lifegroup season will begin on Sunday, May 13th.  If you are interested in starting a summer lifegroup register your group at www.coolchurch.com/startgroup

Finish Well

I have heard it said that anyone can start strong, but it is how you finish that counts. Anyone who plays sports knows this to be true. It’s the final score, or the time at the end of the race that counts. How you finish the season as a lifegroup leader is important. I want to encourage you to finish well. With just a few short weeks left in the season here are a few ways that you can finish well.

1.  Help Your Group Plan for What’s Next.  As a group leader one of your roles is to help your group members take their next spiritual step.  Keep that principle in mind when thinking about your group as well.  What’s next after the season for your group and those in it?  Here are some tips to help you.

• Set a time before the last meeting to reflect on the current season and talk about what’s next.  What do people want to study?  How could the group look different?  How can we grow and invite new people?
• Talk about who will lead.  If you, as the leader, plan on taking a season off that does not mean your group has to stop.  Encourage others in the group to take the step to lead next season.
• Make sure the group continues.  Commit to keeping the group together the following season even if there is a new leader.
• Create space for new people.  Having new people in your group honestly is one of the best ways to help the group.  If your current group is full look at ways to encourage others in the group to lead a new group to create new space.
• Have a plan.  Don’t end this season without having a plan for next season.

2.  Complete the leader Survey.  Your feedback is very important and valuable.  We want to hear how your season went.  Please take a few minutes to fill out the short survey here.

3.  Party at the end of the season!  One of the best ways to close a season together is to celebrate together and enjoy the friendships that have been built over the course of the season.  So do something fun together.  Go out to eat, go bowling, or do a game night.  Take some time to celebrate the conclusion of the season together.

4.  Communicate your plans for next season.  We would love to know the answers to the following questions as we prepare for a new season:

• Will you lead a lifegroup next season?
• Who is one person in your group that has the potential to be a great leader?

You can email the answer to these questions to groups@coolchurch.com

Great Summer Lifegroup Ideas

This Summer don’t miss out on some great opportunities to grow and connect as a lifegroup.  Because Summer is always better with friends here are some great Summer Lifegroup ideas to help you starting thinking about what kind of group you might lead this summer.

Tour the Farmer’s Markets (or local Farms). Farmer’s Markets are great because many of them offer lunch options, live music and, of course, fun food, flowers and such to purchase! (Supporting local farmers and businesses.) Read through a book together, and become more knowledgeable about how other cultures live and eat… maybe this will inspire your own garden or participation in serving at the garden at the church.

Garage Sale Extravaganza – Meet for coffee, and then trek around various neighborhoods on the hunt for good deals! A great serve option could be hosting your own sale, where profits go to a cause or to help someone in the group meet a goal.  You can talk about the weekend message or discuss a book you are reading through together while you look.

Hiking Group! Pick your favorite trails and enjoy being outside together. Good exercise and exploring creation!  By the way…from a recent survey this type of group has the most interest so far.  A hike is a great opportunity to discuss a book on spiritual growth that you are reading through together this summer or discuss the weekend message.

Book Club. Have you had a book that you have always wanted to read, but just didn’t have enough time.  This summer is a great time to read through a book with friends and discuss it together.  We will have some suggestions available shortly if you are looking for some ideas. Group meetings could take place at homes, restaurants, or parks.

Pool Time – If you have a pool, than meet there, or find someone who does or meet at a community pool (which could be loud). Spend the summer in the sun, poolside. Reading and visiting by the pool can be very relaxing. Pick a study that encourages discussion, with some longer reading elements. You could read a book about some of the water missions in the world (focus on social justice) and think through creative ways to give to missions that work to provide healthy water (dig wells) or maybe it’s a focus on reducing waste in your own home. Maybe it’s also an opportunity to focus on prayer: praying for the kids at the pool (if in the public) or having a list of prayer needs.

Photography – have people bring their cameras and go to various places to take pictures of nature, the city or each other. This could be a cool activity to concentrate on praying for others, praying for the city, or just reflecting on creation, etc. Take the best pictures and make a photo book to remember the summer. Enjoy a new hobby.

Pray for Schools… For each meeting, visit a local school – hang out nearby or if they have a public playground or track, hang out there. But pray for the kids, the families and parents for the teachers, the administration. Many of the schools the local area – Reynolds, Gresham-Barlow, Milwaukie, even Clackamas – need our prayer! Educate yourself on some of the big issues facing the schools, and pray specifically. Maybe a serve option could be doing a special project or collecting school supplies for the Fall. We have many teachers at ALC that could be prayed for and blessed by your prayers.

Sports Groups such as…Volleyball, Badminton, Crochet, Bocce Ball, Kick Ball, Softball, etc.  pick your favorite outdoor sport and team up! Would also work with bbq’s, picnics and potlucks. Follow along with the Sunday message or choose a book to read together.

 

Believing in Others…Helping People Take Their Next Steps!

Have you every had a time when someone believed in you? Someone spoke words of encouragement. Someone believed you could do something that you didn’t think you could? Someone challenged you beyond what you thought was possible? How did it feel to know someone saw something in you that you didn’t see in yourself?

Chances are it breathed new life into you. It caused you to take a step you didn’t think was possible. It gave you the confidence needed to grow.

Did you know that as a lifegroup leader you have the opportunity to have that kind of impact in someone’s life?

This month I want to challenge you as a leader to look at the people in their group and ask the following questions:

1. What next steps do those in the group need to take? (maybe it’s praying out loud, leading a discussion, or even leading a group next season)
2. How can I (as their leader) communicate that I believe in them? (maybe you take them to coffee, maybe you send them a card, maybe you affirm them in your group)

This month be intentional about challenging your group to take their next steps. Specifically, I want to challenge you to look for at least 1 person in your group who you can challenge to lead a group this summer. Every group has at least one person who is ready to take this next step. All they need is a leader who believes in them!

This week I sent out a survey to everyone participating in a lifegroup this season. When asked if you would be willing to lead a group next season, one couple responded like this. “We will lead a group if our leaders do not lead a summer group next season!”

You have people who are ready to take their next step in your group. Will you be the one who believes in them, giving them the encouragement and confidence to take this next step?

If you have someone in your group who would be a great lifegroup leader next season would you please send me their name so we can pray for them as they consider taking this next step? You can email me at groups@coolchurch.com

Thinking From the Inside Out, not the Outside In This Summer

One of the principles behind  doing semester based small groups at Abundant Life is to Think From the Inside Out, Not the Inside In.  The leadership challenge with this principle is to continue to look out beyond the walls of your current group.  To recognize that the purpose of groups is not just to care for those who are already connected.  But the bigger purpose is to help those who are not yet connected find a place to connect and grow within the church.

Inside Out leaders are always looking beyond the walls of the group.  Inside out leaders are always looking at ways to help new people connect to a group.  Inside Out leaders are committed to raising up new leaders in order to help more people get connected.  Inside out leaders are willing to risk their comfort in order to help others find a place to connect and grow.

The Summer Lifegroup Season is designed for Inside Out Leaders.  There is a strong temptation in the nice weather months of summer to take a break from leading a lifegroup.  There are vacations, camping, outdoor activities, and busy schedules.  However, summer is also one of the most important lifegroup seasons for helping new people get connected.  Easter services and the spring season bring a lot of new people to church.  The summer season provides the best opportunity for those who are new to Abundant Life or were not connected curing the spring season a great opportunity to get connected, make new friends and grow spiritually.

The Summer Lifegroup Season is a very important season, but it’s also a very different season.  The warm weather provides a great opportunity to do something different as a lifegroup.  Here are some suggestions for how to make the most of the summer season:

1.Take a Break…But Don’t Stop Meeting:  The Summer Season is a great time to encourage someone who has been in your group previously to consider leading.  This is a great opportunity to raise up a new leader allowing you to take a leadership break, but not take a break from the group.

2.  Keep It Active:  Summer is a great time to be active and to enjoy the great weather.  So consider doing something active that you might participate in already.  Just invite some friends to do it with you.  You might consider an activity group such as walking, jogging, biking, hiking, boating, disc golf, golf, volleyball, backyard BBQ’s, parks, etc.  The point is if you have a fun summertime activity try making a group out of it and invite some people to join you.

3.  Keep It Fun:  The summer is a great time to have a blast.  So make your group fun.  Take time to enjoy each other.  You might go on a picnic together, go camping or hiking together, roast marshmallows around a fire.  Think of ways to simply enjoy each other.

4.  Keep it Flexible:  People are often busy with vacations, travel, and other activities in the summer.  Be sure to keep the summer season group flexible to accommodate the varying schedules in the group.

5.  Keep It Less Frequent:  It’s important for a group to meet often enough to be able to build friendships together, but that doesn’t mean a group has to meet every week.  You might consider meeting every other week or twice per month during the summer season.

6.  Keep It Open:  The Summer Season is a great time to meet new people and to help someone who is new to Abundant Life take their next step of getting connected.

The Summer Lifegroup Season is a very important season for helping people take the step of getting connected.  I want to encourage you to think from the Inside Out this summer by choosing to lead a group.  We want the summer season to be fun, flexible, and impactful in a way that fits your schedule.  Don’t miss out on the Summer Season at Abundant Life!

 

Leaders Anticipate the Future

Growing leaders are people who anticipate the future.  Peter Drucker said, “The best way to predict the future is to create it.”  Leaders are thinking ahead to what is next.  As a lifegroup leader I want to encourage you to start thinking ahead to what’s next.  It’s never too early to start thinking about the future.  Specifically, I want to encourage you to begin anticipating what is next beyond this season?

The spring lifegroup season will come to an end in April.  But the summer season will begin right around the corner.  In the NW the temptation is to take the summer off when the sun comes up.  But the summer is actually a really great time to grow and build on the momentum in your group this spring.  The summer is also a great time to focus more relationships and doing something outside the box.

As a lifegroup leader I want to encourage you to stay engaged during the summer season, and begin to anticipate an opportunity to grow the relationships that are forming in your group this spring.

Here are some creative summer groups ideas:

1.  Activity Groups.  Form a group around your favorite outdoor activities such as ultimate frisbee, frisbee golf, volleyball, walking/hiking, biking, shooting (yes we have had one of these groups before).  Have a favorite summer activity…chances are someone else enjoys the same things.

2.  Park Groups.  Great for families.  Gather families for a picnic and opportunity to connect at different parks during the summer group season.  Great way to involve the kids.

3.  Summer Book club.  Have a favorite spiritual growth book that you have always wanted to read.  Read it with friends and meet up to talk about it.

4.  Backyard BBQ group.  Love to grill?  I’ll bet you have some friends who love to eat.  Put that grill that has been gathering rust during the winter too great use and have some friends over to share a meal and talk God and life together.

5.  Study group.  The summer is also a great time to dive into a new study that you have always wanted to do.  Why not invite some friends to jump in with you?

6.  SERVE groups.  Do you have a heart for the homeless or simply a heart for a cause.  Use the summer season to partner with friends and commit to making a difference together.

The summer is an incredible time to lead a group!  My prayer is that our summer season would be just as strong as the spring.  So I want to encourage you as a leader to anticipate the future and pray about what type of creative group you might lead this summer.

By the way…the summer is also a great time to raise up a new leader.  So if you are not able to lead a group this summer chances are there is someone in your group who is ready to take the next step.  They just need someone like you to believe in them.