Small Group
Worship • Learn • Serve
the week of October 24, 2021
Last week’s Small Group can be found at this link.
welcome! Get started with this discussion:
(And keep the discussion to a couple minutes at most.)
The outline that we follow in our small group gatherings is Worship • Learn • Serve. Do any of those three elements surprise you as being part of what we do at these gatherings? Anything missing that you think should be there?
I. Worship
Pick a super-short-term leader so you can speak the following dialogue together.
Leader: Let this be written for a future generation,
Group: that a people not yet created may praise the Lord:
L “The Lord looked down from his sanctuary on high,
G from heaven he viewed the earth,
L to hear the groans of the prisoners
G and release those condemned to death.” (Psalm 102:18-20)
L My mouth will tell of your righteousness,
G of your salvation all day long, though I know not its measure.
L Even when I am old and gray,
G Do not forsake me, O God,
L Till I declare your power to the next generation,
G Your might to all who are to come. (Psalm 71:15,18)
L One generation will commend your works to another;
G they will tell of your mighty acts.
L They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty,
G and I will meditate on your wonderful works. (Psalm 145:4-5)
On your own, write down (in a notes app or on a piece of paper) one thing that you remember Garrett saying in the Sunday message.
Share that one thing with the group.
Worship along with “So Will I” as performed by our church.
II. learn
As we consider our conviction for this week — The Word Alone — consider the profound way that the apostle John begins his Gospel, as displayed in these images.
(They’re clickable.)
Discuss:
If you had to pick one of those images to display somewhere in our church, which would it be? Where might we boldly display it?
Elevating the Word by connecting it to Jesus our Savior is a significant thing for the apostle John to do. This connection, if taken out of context, might even create an unfounded fear in believers that to ever doubt or question a passage of the Bible is to forsake Jesus. However, as Christian professor and writer A.J. Swoboda writes,
Let’s kick the tires.
Below are six questions regarding the nature of the Bible.
Read the six questions and choose three (3) for your group to click on so that you can listen to an explanation from Garrett.
If your group didn’t get the chance to kick a tire there that you were hoping to get to, you can check it out on your own — this material stays online.
DIBS™ approach to reading the Bible
In
By
Summarizing
As you listen to Acts 17:16-34, privately try to put Paul’s words into one thesis statement (one big point).
You must play the following audio file and you may not stop it until someone in the group volunteers their thesis statement so that the group can compliment what they came up with.
III. Serve
As a group, scan the flyer for our church’s recent Family Fun Night event.
Brainstorm:
What are some things that a GVT mission partner (who is available for our next Family Fun Night on December 12th) can do to elevate that next event?
Brainstorm:
What are some things that a GVT mission partner (who is not available on December 12th) can do to still elevate that event?
Speak out loud to one another what things in your life or in your community you are moved to pray about.
Then pray together.
(Keep this prayer session to 5 minutes max.)
Prepare your hearts for lives of service with a song of General Thanksgiving by Liturgical Folk.
(Lyrics are just below the video if you’d like to scroll through them.)
Father of all mercies,
Here, we your unworthy servants
give you humble thanks.
For you are good
and full of loving kindness
Pouring out your love to us
and all whom you have made.
We bless you, Lord,
for our creation,
preservation,
and the blessings of this life.
But most of all
for your immeasurable love—
the redemption of the world
by Jesus Christ,
For the means of grace
and the hope of glory.
And give us such
awareness of Your mercies
that with truly thankful hearts
we may show forth Your praise.
Not only with our lips
but in your whole lives,
Giving up ourselves to serve you,
walking in Your ways.
In holiness
and righteousness
all of our days
And now through Jesus Christ, our Lord,
To whom, with you
and with the Holy Spirit
Raise all the honor and the praise
forevermore.
Amen, Amen.
Reminders before you go…
Saturday, December 11th
Family Fun Night 5:00p-7:00p (tentative time) — Ask how you can be a part— Invite friends and neighbors
Sundays
Service time 10:30am
Trinity Kids (kids church) during the service
Trinity Teens (youth group) 5:00p - 7:00p
Foundations Class (Bible basics) with Pastor Garrett is great for inviting guests and friends to, so they can learn more about Jesus and connect with our church.
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ,
and the love of God,
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all.
(2 Corinthians 13:14)