This page last updated: 06/14/2010 01:34:24 PM
Note: This page is now closed/retired. Clint is now in charge of this ministry...thanks all!
Next Meeting:
Kinships
are now being restructured as Life Groups Life Group List.
They will run for about 12
weeks at a time - 3 semesters a year.
Different topics, leaders, and
locations will be featured each semester.
Check
the bulletin board in the lobby for upcoming classes.
** See the Kinship Notes page for past notes.**
The
current church bulletin.
(usually new Thursday before the weekend)
The current church announcements - PowerPoint file.
(usually new Thursday before the weekend)
NEW! Dan will
bring a presentation controller base station with his notes and memory stick.
Just plug it into one of the USB slots on the right side of the laptop and place
the base on top of the booth.
Load the power point presentations and
start the presention for Dan as before.
Please stay with the computer in case
something goes wrong during the service.
The
Words Ministry Schedule
May 30 Duncan (with help if needed)
June 6 Bill
June 13 John (Duncan sitting in?)
June 20 Michelle
June 27 Kathy
July 4 Clint John and Kathy gone
July 11 Duncan John and Kathy gone
July 18 Bill
July 25 Michelle
Aug 1 John last time
Aug 8 Kathy last time
Aug 15 Duncan
Aug 22 Clint
Aug 29 Bill
Pastor Dan's Weekend Update May 21-23, 2010
Greetings Vineyard Family!
Encouragement / Exhortation
I’m currently doing some reading on healing (so you can expect a sermon or two coming up!) and want to share with you something I read. This is from Francis MacNutt’s book simply titled, Healing:
“The healing of Jesus, then, is essential to the gospel. Jesus’ healings are not merely “signs and wonders” outside the teachings, pointing to the truth of the gospel; they are part of the very gospel message itself! To deny this is, in effect, to deny the gospel – to change it from good news into good advice which lacks the power to transform us into a new creation. In short, Jesus did not heal people to prove that he was God; he healed them because he was God.”
Isn’t it great to know we serve a God whose desire is for us to be whole – spirit, soul, and body? Jesus healed the sick out of compassion, i.e. because God is love. As agents of his kingdom here on earth, we’re to do the same – love others and pray for their healing – let’s do it!
News & Notes
1. Please remember our special youth missions offering this Sunday. We have several young people participating in short term missions trips this summer who need our financial support. The money collected will be divided between them based on need. Please make checks out to “Vineyard” and write “Youth Missions” on the memo line.
2. This Sunday after the service we’ll all be heading down to the Dumfries Fire Station picnic grounds for our all-church outdoor party. The church will provide the meat, buns, and condiments. We’re asking each person / family to bring a side dish / salad and drinks to share (note: we had a bunch of people sign up to bring chips so we really need some other side dishes). You may also want to bring a lawn chair or two and / or a blanket. We’ll have maps to the location in the bulletin. The picnic grounds are really nice – shaded, with playground equipment and a basketball court – should be tons of fun! A big thank you to Jude Luellen and the folks at the Dumfries Fire Station for making it available to us!
3. May is Life Group promotion month! Six of our summer Life Group leaders have talked about their group, i.e. tried to convince you why you should sign up. We’ll hear from the last of the leaders, Kurt & Frances Koch, during the service on Sunday. Sign up sheets will be available again in the lobby. I encourage each of you to sign up for a summer Life Group – it’s a chance to meet new people, stay connected, and be encouraged in your walk with the Lord – and it’s the way we’ve chosen to “do life” together!
4. Vacation Bible Camp is coming! We’re partnering with St. Margaret’s church again this year to offer an exciting program for kids the week of June 21st to June 25th. Registration is going on now. You can sign your kids up by going to St. Margaret’s website – www.saintmargaretschurch.org – and clicking on the VBC icon. Or you can fill out a registration form at our Information Center and we’ll do the on-line registration for you.
5. The Men’s Lifelong Legacy Discipleship Group meets this Saturday at 8 AM in the Community Center. This is a great opportunity for men to join together to support and encourage one another in our roles as husbands, fathers, and followers of Jesus. This is an ongoing Life Group so you can jump in at any time!
Weekend Schedule
Sat – 8 AM – Men’s Lifelong Legacy Discipleship Group in the Community Center
Sun – 8:45 AM – Pre-Service Prayer in Room 206
Sun – 10 AM – Worship Service
2nd Offering: Youth Missions
Sun – Noon – All-Church Outdoor Party at Dumfries Fire Station
Dan Davis
Lead Pastor
Vineyard Christian Fellowship
Woodbridge, VA
703-491-2288, ext. 223
"W.A.L.K. with Jesus at the Woodbridge Vineyard"
Pastor Dan Davis – August 16, 2009
Importance of connection
-
Give main points from Connection
sermons
Talked about importance of
connection last month
-
How God designed us for
relationship – with him and with one another
-
How so many people feel
disconnected in our society despite all the communication technology available
to us
-
How people look for connection in
the wrong places & go after poor substitutes
-
Defined real connection as:
Something powerful in us touching something good in someone else
-
As we abide in Jesus, the vine, his
life flows through us via the Holy Spirit
-
Gives us real power to make a
difference in someone else’s life
Real connection rarely
happens on Sun AM
Facilitate connection
through small group ministry
-
Small groups always been big part
of the Vineyard
-
Place to learn & grow together
– to encourage one another – to develop relationships with one another
-
Called them “kinships” in our
church
Background
Although kinships always
been major component of our church life, have sensed the need for a change for
quite a while
-
Become stronger over the past year
-
Heightened by some of the
challenges we’ve encountered coupled with perceived changes in our culture
Important point before going
on: traditional way of doing small
groups (kinships) is not “bad”
-
We’ve had kinships for years –
many have been blessed – me included
-
Researched various models &
found this out: just like there are
no perfect churches there are no perfect small group models
o
Believers Chapel story –
“forced” us to do sermon-based group
o
Initially resistant (rebellious)
but turned out ok
-
Need for change also not reflection
of current / past kinship leaders
o
They’ve done a great job –
poured their lives into their groups
o
Encouraged them to continue to lead
groups in the future
But we have had issues
-
Difficulty connecting new people
-
Difficulty starting new groups
-
Difficulty identifying qualified
& available leaders
-
Difficulty keeping things
“fresh” – avoiding inward focus, spiritual stagnation, & leader
burnout
Despite these issues, I’ve
had strong conviction that small group ministry is vitally important to the
spiritual life of all believers
-
Came to believe need more than
minor tweaks to current system
-
Needed a major change
Process:
-
Presented new model to elders in
Jan
-
Prayed together, discussed, &
debated over next couple months
-
Agreed that advantages of new model
/ system were worth effort & risk of change (& believe me change does
involve effort & risk)
-
Decided together to put new system
in place in fall of this year
-
Presented to the leadership team in
May (most were enthusiastic)
-
Gave you a glimpse of new model
this summer w/ Summer Study Groups
-
Have been working behind the scenes
– will have signups for new Life Groups in September with groups scheduled to
start last week in September
Exhortation
Will talk to you today about
the specifics of the new Life Group system – what they’ll look like, how
they’ll operate, what’s expected of you
But first – an exhortation
Big change for our church
-
Change is rarely easy
o
Some might be upset if we just
changed the name from “Kinship Group” to “Life Group”
o
But we’re making big changes to
the way we’re doing small groups
-
Anticipate newer people will
probably be ok
-
My exhortation is more for
longer-term members
o
You’re used to the kinship model
o
Many of you have been blessed by
involvement in kinships
o
Might find yourself naturally
resistant to a new model
o
Will be challenging conventional
wisdom on small groups as well as changing what you’re used to
-
Keep in mind a couple things
-
1 – We’re not scrapping small
groups – just changing the way we implement them
-
2 – My new favorite saying:
Change is inevitable; growth is optional
o
Things are going to change –
it’s the nature of life, esp. life in the
o
Growth requires something from you:
an open mind, a humble & teachable spirit, trust in God
-
I’m asking you to give Life
Groups a chance – you may just find yourself growing through the experience
Differences
Primary differences between
Kinship Groups & Life Groups (list then explain)
Kinship
Groups
Life Groups
Meet indefinitely (no
start/end date) Semester-based (start &
end date)
Focus on Core &
Committed
Focus on Congregation & Crowd
Fixed format
Flexible format
New people invited in
Everyone signs up
Limited leader opportunity
Increased leader opportunity
Difficult to “multiply”
Grow by adding new leaders
Indefinite vs.
Semester-Based
By far the biggest change
& most important change
-
Traditional model (kinships) –
groups meet indefinitely
o
Leader & members make on-going
commitment
o
End only when leader steps down,
group splits, or pastor ends them
-
Life Groups – will be
semester-based
o
Mirror academic year – fall,
winter/spring, & summer semesters
o
Semesters will last 10-12 weeks w/
stated start & end date
o
Topics, leaders, and members can /
will change each semester
Advantage:
Increased Participation
-
Primary advantage of semester-based
system
-
Change in culture – people more
hesitant about making commitments (have you noticed?)
o
Everyone busy – time limited
o
Priority given to their own needs
& their own family
o
Consumer-oriented – How do I
benefit? What’s my ROI?
-
Much less likely to commit to group
with no end date – don’t do that with their other life commitments (kids’
sports, college class, work seminar)
-
But are much more likely to commit
to a 10-12 week semester
o
“I can give this Life Group a try
during the fall semester”
o
“If I don’t like it at least
there’s a way out!”
o
But I believe if they try it
they’ll see the benefit and sign up for the next semester
-
Talk about how we grow:
Stress & Release – that’s how we’ve been conditioned – think
about it – how we’ve been taught to learn
Includes Congregation
& Crowd not just Core & Committed
-
Related to increased participation
– this is who we’re going after
-
Explain groupings (diagram?)
o
Core (smallest group) – key
leaders (elders, board members, ministry team leaders)
o
Committed – “regulars” –
attend regularly, tithe (or at least give regularly), & serve in one or more
areas of ministry
o
Congregation – call the Vineyard
their church home but attendance, giving, & service is not always consistent
o
Crowd – Those who are here
“checking us out” – may be “church shopping” (may not even be
Christians yet)
o
Community – residents of area
with no connection to our church (or really any church)
o
Goal is to move people along from
Community & Crowd toward Committed & Core (with brief stop at
Congregation)
-
Traditional kinship model focused
primarily on Core & Committed groups (also pull in some from the
congregation – inconsistently)
o
Not necessarily “bad”
o
Spiritual growth important for them
– kinships help lead people deeper & mature in their relationship with
Jesus
o
But if those are the only people
we’re reaching with small groups we’re missing something
o
Typically only about 30-40% of
congregation (maybe 50% for us)
o
Should we be satisfied with that?
o
No – unless we’re only thinking
about ourselves
o
What about the other half of the
church?
o
If we believe small groups
important, shouldn’t we want everyone to get connected in a small group?
-
By moving to semester-based Life
Groups, we can come closer to meeting that goal
o
Can pull in people from the
Congregation & the Crowd
o
Can see people here today who have
been attending for a while but haven’t plugged into a kinship
o
Believe they’re much more likely
to sign up for a semester-based group
Flexible Format
-
Another difference & advantage
contributing to increased participation & pulling in the Congregation &
Crowd is the flexible format of the Life Group
-
Kinships will fairly fixed – met
weekly – included worship, bible study / discussion, prayer ministry time,
food & fellowship
-
Life Groups will be more flexible
– different types of groups with potentially different elements included
-
Envision groups for men, women,
young adults, couples, newcomers, over 50
-
Can be based on common interests:
music, art, apologetics, the OT, recovery, prophetic, Christianity in the
workplace, running, Ultimate Frisbee, or even golf, dog training, & fly
fishing
-
The possibilities are limitless
o
Group forming for the fall that
will base discussion on Star Trek Next Generation & Nooma videos (might
guess who’s leading that one)
-
Do you see how this flexible format
will help us pull in people from not only the Congregation, but also the Crowd
(& even the Community)?
o
Someone checking out our church
might be attracted by one of the Life Groups
o
Maybe they’re an avid fisherman
– connect with others from our church who fish – get to know them – make
friendships – barriers broken down – eventually come to church
o
Or maybe you know someone at work
who loves to run but is resistant to church or bible study – can invite them
to the running group
-
Something for everyone – commit
for a limited time
Concerns
Other advantages I want to
mention
First want to address some
questions / concerns you may have at this point
Are we going too far?
Are we losing the focus of
what small groups are all about?
How will a running or
Ultimate Frisbee Life Group help people grow spiritually?
What’s the line between
being culturally-relevant & culturally-compromised?
So glad you asked!
Answers:
1. All Life Groups will
include at least 2 small group elements (Worship, Biblical Discussion, Prayer,
Fellowship)
-
Can do 3 or 4
-
One element common to all groups
will be praying for one another
o
This was one of the concerns we
discussed as elders
o
Don’t want to lose that first
level of care & opportunity to pray and see God move in each other’s lives
o
All Life Group Leaders will go
through training – all will be trained on the prayer model – how to listen
to the H.S. and effectively pray for one another
-
Other elements will depend on
nature of group, e.g.
o
A “Hearing God” group will
probably want to incorporate worship
o
A Running group might include a
scripture reading / devotion after running together
2. What is real purpose
(best purpose) of small groups?
-
Conventional Wisdom: To form
intimate relationships
-
Reality: To form godly friendships
-
The “elephant in the room”
-
Thinking goes like this:
If main purpose of small group is to form intimate relationships the
group needs to meet indefinitely to give time for people to bond & become
intimately involved in each others’ lives – so group meets from now ‘til
Jesus returns!
-
But the truth is this: intimate,
mutually accountable & encouraging relationships are important BUT they
don’t typically happen in the context of the small group meeting
-
True that we will share more with
our group over time but we’re not gonna’ share the most intimate details of
our life with 15 people
-
Small groups are a place for godly
friendships to be made – then from there intimate relationships can develop
-
But those relationships are carried
out outside the small group
-
My
-
Nothing stopping you from seeking
after mentoring / accountability relationships with one another – go for it!
3. You’re not losing
anything!
-
We’re staying committed to small
group ministry
-
It’s the way we’re gonna’ be
doing life together
-
Will still be meeting weekly to be
encouraged, strengthened, & challenged
-
Can still meet with the same people
(decide together what group and sign up for it)
-
We’re just doing small groups a
little differently
-
-
You’re primary relationship is
still with Jesus – still need to be spending time with him in prayer and
reading his word
-
I really believe we’re not losing
anything & we’re gaining so much more!
-
But here’s a question:
What if you were losing something?
o
Would it be worth it?
o
Would it be worth it to you to give
up a little of your comfort zone, a little of what you’re used to, in order to
see many people brought into a closer relationship with Jesus and with one
another in our church?
o
Would that be worth it?
o
Jesus’ heart broke for his people
that were scattered and wandering – like sheep without a shepherd – how
about you?
Two More Advantages
Mention two more advantages
of Life Groups because they’re important
1. Increased Leader
-
Under kinship system, had
difficulty finding qualified and available leaders
o
Either their life wasn’t quite
together enough to provide the pastoral care necessary
o
Or they were too busy to take on
the responsibility – esp. since it was an indefinite commitment
o
Or if they did take on the
responsibility how do we avoid burning them out?
-
Will be much easier under
semester-based Life Group system
o
People will more readily commit to
a semester
-
Also, people will be able to lead a
group on something they’re passionate about
o
E.g. from Summer Study Groups –
o
What are you passionate about?
Are you willing to lead a group for a semester?
o
Only have to call this your church
home, come to the training, and be willing to commit for a semester
o
Who’s the next
2. Easier to Add Groups
-
Difficult to do with kinship groups
-
Conventional theory: group grows
until too big then splits
-
But nobody likes that term
“split”
o
Conjures up “bad hair,”
relationships that don’t end well
o
Can make it sound better by using
“multiply”
o
But reality is the same –
unnaturally forcing a separation of people
-
Life groups will multiply naturally
by adding new leaders & groups
o
More will qualify to lead
o
More will catch the vision
o
More will have the opportunity
Conclusion
We are making a big change
in the life of this church
We’re changing how we do
life together – in Life Groups vs. Kinship Groups
We’re becoming a church of
small groups vs. with small groups
Consciously reduce the
number of “options”
-
So as not to compete with Life
Groups for your time
Most of our ministry will
flow through the Life Group system
We’re asking everyone to
connect in a Life Group
-
If you call this your church home,
you’ll be in a Life Group
Will have fall Life Groups
firmed up by the end of the month
-
Catalogue put together
-
Sign ups will occur during
September
-
Officially start the last week in
September
We’re changing the way we
“do life” together
I’m asking each of you to
embrace the change
Next
time we meet for Harvest Banquet at church and have our regular meeting:
TBA
Next time we serve at the homeless shelter:
TBA
Next Game/Potluck Night (a 5th Thursday of the
month):
October 29,
December 31st (New Years Eve Party?)
When
John and Kathy next do announcements at church:
TBA
New Life Anointed International Building
Marumsco Plaza
14001
Jefferson Davis Hwy,
Woodbridge, VA
Service begins at 10:30am
(Near
our NEW church - Longview/Prince William Parkway and Hwy 1/Jefferson Davis Hwy
DIRECTIONS
(Right behind 5 Guys.)
Stuff saved for later...do I HAVE to recreate the web
map for our next visit to the Smith's?
Oh I think not!! So there! By the way...what are you doing
reading stuff down here typed
in blue on blue...that is very strange behavior!
You may come and serve, or contribute to the purchase of a load of Costco food
for 25-30 people:
Lasagna, A veggi, Bread, Lunch food (Sandwiches (Turkey/Ham/PB&J), mayo,
coffee, sugar, chips
cookies and fruit), two gallons of milk .
VOA shelter - 14945
Jefferson Davis Hwy,
Woodbridge, VA
- (703) 680-5403
Arrive around 6:15pm for dinner at 7:00pm (clean up should be done by 8:00-8:30pm).
Details: 8601 Norfolk Ave
Annandale,
VA 22003-3627,(on
the SW corner of Norfolk and Wakefield Dr.)
Phone: 703-764-5280
Map of 8601 Norfolk Ave Annandale, VA 22003-3628, US
Also Memorial Day at the Smith Kinship
Details: 8601 Norfolk Ave
Annandale,
VA 22003-3627,(on
the SW corner of Norfolk and Wakefield Dr.
Phone: 703-764-5280
Map of 8601 Norfolk Ave Annandale, VA 22003-3628, US
)
Ashley's House
Her address is 9450 Cloverdale Court, Burke, VA 22015.
Her phone number is 310 714-3925. MAP!
Hello All!
I look forward to having you at my house tomorrow night. I live in a
neighborhood with limited parking so here are a few parking spots that
I've already previously gotten permission from my neighbors to use
from time to time. You'll see numbers on the curb at each spot and
these are okay to park in: 24, 20, 21, 81, 74. Otherwise there is
open parking on Box Oak and Torrence which is a few hundred yards from
my home.
Ashley