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| Small Groups Connect with new people. Enjoy an activity or interest you share in common. Grow deeper in your faith. Discover new ways to connect your faith with your life. Talk, laugh, discuss, serve, learn, pray, and share stories and insights. Experience a new sense of community. Small groups are designed to do all these things! Whether you simply get to know a few new names and faces or you discover long-time friends, small groups are great places to connect with other people and to connect with God. Check out these small group examples. Keep watching for more new groups throughout the year. What can I expect in a small group?
NOW TAKING REGISTRATIONS FOR FALL! Connecting in Grace for Dads of All Ages Connect your faith with your life as a father. Get together with other dads to take part in the faith study, Connecting in Grace: Living Our Faith. Two new groups are starting this fall to offer a daytime and an evening option. The groups are open to dads of all ages, valuing new experiences and time-tested wisdom. Cover the basics of the faith in a setting where you can learn, ask questions, and connect with other dads. No experience needed. The groups meet every three weeks. Cost: $15. Daytime nursery care may be available for an additional cost with early registration. Daytime group: Wednesdays, 9:15-11:15 a.m. Evening group: Thursdays, 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Where: At Incarnation Crafts & Connections Do you wish you had time to work on your favorite craft project, but never seem to get around to it? Do you have a new project you’ve wanted to start? Do unfinished cross-stitching, knitting, quilting, scrap-booking, or sewing projects fill your closets? If so, here is your chance to set aside dedicated time to work on your project, while connecting with other women! This group will get together for hands-on time to work on your own individual craft projects. There will also be time for devotions, prayer, and to get to know one another. By the time the group ends, you’ll have made progress on your projects and new friends too! Your project must be transportable and take up a limited amount of table space, to allow the group to work together while sharing in conversation. The group will meet once a month on Thursday evenings, from September to May. Cost: only your own project costs. When: Once/month on Thursdays, 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Where: At Incarnation NOOMA Small Group for Women who are Single Grow deeper in your faith in a small group for women, of all ages, who are single. The group will use a faith study based on the innovative NOOMA film series. With NOOMA as the starting point, the group will get to know one another, talk about what God wants for the world and for our lives, and take part in prayer led by the group leader. The NOOMA series begins with everyday experiences and common life stories, and reflects on their meaning from the perspective of Jesus. The group will meet once a month on Tuesday evenings, from September to May. Cost: $5. When: Once/month on Tuesdays, 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Where: At Incarnation Examples of Regularly Offered Small Group Opportunities Connecting in Grace Small Groups Connecting in Grace groups meet just once a month, in informal settings, to talk about faith topics and how they apply to daily life. You also get to meet and get to know other people. The conversations are guided by a faith study written at Incarnation. The monthly groups are designed for today’s busy lives and offer a chance to slow down and connect with others as you talk about your faith together. Connecting in Grace groups meet at a variety of times and places. Some groups are designed for a specific life-stage. The groups are convenient and thought-provoking. New groups start throughout the year. Cost: $15. NOOMA Small Group Connect in a small group and take part in conversations about faith, based on a series of short films, called NOOMA. The NOOMA films cover a wide variety of relevant topics, in an innovative format. Beginning with everyday experiences and common life stories, the films weave in Biblical and faith perspectives, to bring new insights with immediate, practical implications for life today. Using NOOMA as a starting point, this small group will get to know one another and take part in discussions about what God wants for our world and for our lives, and how our lives impact the world around us. There will also be time for informal conversation, prayer (led by the group leaders), laughter, and fun. The group will meet once a month. Cost: $5. LifeKeys: Gift Discovery Small Groups God created each of us with a unique set of gifts to enjoy and share with others. LifeKeys is a discovery process that can help you determine who you are, what you do best, and why you’re here. It’s a chance to discover how to contribute to the world in your own unique way—being the person God created you to be. It’s also a way to find meaning, purpose, and fulfillment in your life. Read and discuss the book LifeKeys in a small group setting. Group members will read short chapters and reflect on the exercises between gatherings. While LifeKeys groups are a great way to discover your gifts, interests, and skills, especially in challenging economic times, these groups are not designed to serve as career counseling or as a job search support group. The groups meet once a week for 7 or 8 sessions. Cost: $15. Photography Small Group Are you interested in a chance to learn about photography and connect with others who share your interest? This group will get together once a month to learn about general photography principles, explore camera features, practice photography, and share experiences. You’ll hear new tips and meet others who share your enthusiasm for cameras and photos. The group is open to people of all skill levels, with both digital and film cameras. It’s a chance to learn from one another, along with various resources. Possible topics are: shooting in available light, outdoor vs. indoor photography, photographing people, aperture vs. shutter speed, and others. The group will also take part in devotions, led by the group leader, and a one-time photo service project. Cost: Your equipment/supplies. Prayer Small Groups Connect more deeply with God by spending time in prayer. Whether you are a beginner or a life-long pray-er, these small groups are an opportunity to talk about prayer and to grow into a richer prayer life. Learn about different types of prayer and explore common questions about prayer. Experience prayer in a group setting and become more intentional in your prayer life (participating in spoken prayers is optional). Prayer Shawl, Knitting, and Needlework Small Groups Prayer Shawl small groups are a place to knit or crochet a prayer shawl (or another gift) while praying for the person who will receive the gift when it is completed. These small groups weave prayers of comfort and support into their gifts to warm and uplift others. There are also Knitting and Needlework small groups where group members come together to work their own projects. While knitting, crocheting, or doing needlework, the group members also get to know one another, reflect on devotional readings, and pray together. The groups meet just once a month. Listening for God Short Stories Small Groups If you enjoy reading and talking about literature with friends, take part in a Listening for God small group. The groups read selections from contemporary writers found in Listening for God, a collection of short stories and essays, and get together for a guided conversation. Take part in a Listening for God small group to listen for God in literature and listen for God in life. Some of the writers may be among your favorites, others may be new to you. The group will get to know one another and discuss how faith and life merge in surprising ways in these writings. For more information on Listening for God go to www.augsburgfortress.org. Spiritual Practices Small Groups Learn about spiritual practices (prayer, sacred readings, Sabbath, silence, and others) and talk about how spiritual practices can be a meaningful part of your faith journey. These groups read and talk about several books, including The Sacred Way by Tony Jones, Sacred Rhythms by Ruth Haley Barton, Soulfeast by Marjorie Thompson and other readings on spiritual practices. Each gathering includes a time to connect with other group members and take part in one of the spiritual practices. Registrations and More Information To sign up or for more information, contact Maryl Wahlstrand or Denise Floe by email or at 651-484-7213. If sending an email, please include the words "small group" in the subject line. Are you interested in a small group, but haven’t found one that works for you? Contact Denise Floe at 651-484-7213 or dfloe@incarnationmn.org. There may be a group planned for the future!
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