WNE yr 2 - groups
The first Wednesday I presented the 12 options, explained them, and asked people to write their top three on a slip of paper. On the second Wednesday we set up group meeting areas for the six most popular groups and let people gravitate where they wanted. We had directions like those I've posted for games, service, and headline news at each station.
As it has turned out, the groups that formed are as follows:
- Basics of Faith group: meets at the church for visitors and newer Christians
- Book Discussion group: chose "Same Kind of Different as Me" for their first book
- Service group: has already written notes to our shut-ins and college students and visited one of our shut-ins; has plans to put up flyers in the neighborhood for "Helping Hands" handyman services.
- Live Music group: several of us play live bluegrass music at the coffeeshop on the corner, and usually have several others come to chat. This format really does a good job of inviting interaction with the patrons.
- Movies/Headline News: the same set of folks were kind of split between these two topics and have been a little hit or miss in attendance. I'm still waiting to see if the group solidifies or not.
[Update: February, 2011]
6. Group Home Guys: the small group with guys across the street has resumed. They come over for dinner with their house manager and mix and mingle with us, then several church volunteers lead them in a small group study and prayer.
7. Tutoring: some kids from down the street come before dinner and meet one on one with several church members (including one 5th grader!), who work on homework, reading, and other school assignments. The kids have been staying for dinner and the children's programming, and their parents have come along a couple of times as well. We are trying to recruit some more church volunteers so we can expand to some other children the elementary school counselor has indentified along with one of our chief school volunteers.