New Small Groups
Small Groups in the New Year
We are about to begin a new season of Small Group Ministry!
New small group opportunities are available seasonally. Check back to see the latest groups.
Contact the group leader to register or find out more about new small groups. Still have questions? Contact Pastor Joy or Grant Rykken.
Our Money Stories
“Christians are usually sincere and well-intentioned people until you get to any real issues of ego, control power, money, pleasure, and security. Then they tend to be pretty much like everybody else. We’ve often given a bogus version of the Gospel, some fast-food religion, without any deep transformation of the self; and the result has been the spiritual disaster of “Christian” countries that tend to be as consumer-oriented, proud, warlike, racist, class conscious, and addictive as everybody else—and often more so, I’m afraid.”
― Richard Rohr, Breathing Underwater: Spirituality and the 12 Steps
Join in this Small Group for a safe space to talk about your own life stories and how you have been shaped by your relationship with money. Consider this an opportunity to begin the new year in a positive way. We will use the fuller version of the Our Money Story Study Journal to support our conversation.
Offered by Tim Gray—suggested timing, Sunday afternoons at 4:00—reach out if you’d like to propose different timing
Matthew: The Gospel of Promised Blessings by Matthew Skinner
Planned to begin in January 2026
The Gospel of Matthew portrays Jesus and his message as full of tender compassion and urgent warning. This six-part exploration of an enigmatic Gospel takes readers into the themes, topics, and tensions at the heart of Matthew’s story about the life and work of Jesus. Chapters focus on blessing and comfort, judgment and retribution, the meaning of discipleship, Jesus’ vision for the Church and world, conflicts and complaints, and how the Gospel of Matthew speaks to believers today.
Components include video teaching sessions featuring Matthew Skinner and a comprehensive Leader Guide.
Offered by:
Liv Rosin – on Tuesdays, 1:30-3:00 pm, beginning January 13.
Parents Small Group
This Small Group’s purpose is to gather parents of young (and growing) children to grow in faith together, create relationships with each other, as well as share conversation about the joys and challenges of parenting. We will dig into God’s living word, share ideas, and explore how to form faith together with our children and as a family. All are welcome, including Incarnation Preschool families and those worshiping at Incarnation who have a preschooler. Dates are set to match evenings when there is a pizza supper (5-6 pm) or a Lent meal (5:30–6:45 pm).
ILCKids/Childcare is available for participants of this Small Group with advance registration—to register for childcare, see the link below.
Wednesdays, 6-7 pm on the following dates: January 28 (pizza), February 4 (pizza), February 25 (Lent), March 4 (Lent), March 25 (Lent), April 8 (pizza), April 29
Small Group Leader: Caleb Cordes
Renewal and Encouragement for Caregivers – this group has limited openings, contact Katie or Patty to be added
The purpose of the group is to meet with others in our faith community who are serving as caregivers, share our stories, and to find encouragement and renewal through deep listening and companionship over our month together.
Optional book – Refilling The Reservoirs by Brenda Bos—we will discuss some topics from the book, but it is not required reading.
Small Group Leaders – Katie Solfest & Patty Nilsen, Small Group Room C
Tuesday afternoons in January 6, 13, 20, and 27, 1:00 – 2:30 pm
Practicing Meditation with the Psalms – this group is full, contact Emily to be added to the waitlist
We will meet in the chapel with candles and dim light. Participants can sit in a traditional chair or bring a mat or blanket to sit on the floor. We will listen to one Psalm together and have a short conversation on it. Then we will do a traditional guided meditation, including deep breathing, attention to body, listening, etc. Before the meditation is complete, we will hear the Psalm again and end with a breath prayer. We will all leave quietly.
Small Group Leader: Emily Schwieters
Meeting 5 Monday evenings 6:30-7:30pm. Jan 5, Jan 19, Feb 2, Feb 16, March 2
Hope Comes in Small Actions– this group is full, contact Connie & Patti to be added to the waitlist
If you’ve been wanting to be more involved but weren’t quite sure where to begin, this small group is for you. We’ll dive into a treasure trove of helpful resources, information, and materials for peaceful actions. The best part? Many actions can be done in the comfort of your home rather than protesting in the MN cold! Two local “everyday activists” will join us. They’ll be sharing personal stories, giving you a peek into *how* and *why*, plus offering
encouragement to find your own path to Hope. Our goal is to show how even the smallest actions will leave you feeling an emotional high. Together we can create Hope in a time when it is most needed.
Small Group Leaders: Connie Wikman and Patti Williams
Jan 22, 29, Feb 5
Time: 6:30 – 8:00 pm
Moms of Young Adults – A New Small Group
For moms with “kids” in late high school, college, or early to late 20s. Join us once a month for meaningful discussion and reflection as we navigate the exciting season of launching our children into adulthood while reimagining our own lives. Together, we’ll explore how to embrace new opportunities as our nests empty and discover fresh ways to grow in faith and purpose. Enjoy discussion and relationship-building with other moms experiencing a similar stage of life.
Small Group Leaders: Melanie Ahlstrom & Tracy Strantz
Second Tuesday of the month, 6:30 – 8 PM at Incarnation (launching in February 2026).
A preview of Lent Small Groups
Tell Me Something Good: Grounding ourselves in the good news this Lent
Lent was originally a season for those new to faith to learn and prepare for their baptism at Easter. During that time, they would study what was central to Christianity. What are the core, foundational parts of Jesus’ life and ministry? What makes it good news? Can we trust that the good news is truly good, even when it challenges us?
The good news brings us back to our roots, back to what grounds us: loving our neighbor, caring for the vulnerable, pursuing justice and mercy, and resting in God’s unending grace. The good news grows like a mustard seed that flourishes rapidly into a tree to shelter the birds. It sounds like children laughing. It feels like feet washed with tender care. The good news is alive in the world. When we are grounded in the good news, the goodness of God can infinitely flourish and grow.
We hope this series will provide fertile ground for conversation and worship, rooting our hearts and lives in the expansive goodness of God. This Lent, may the teachings of Jesus lead us forward. Let the good news ground us. And let that good news inspire us to take action in a world desperate to hear, see and taste what is good.
Interested? Sign up at Small Groups table on January 4, 11, 18