Looking and Leading Ahead: Weekly Ways to Equip Your Community Group

A Word of Encouragement

I hope you are encouraged this week as you go to your groups to spur them forward in being outward-focused.  There is a lot of excitement in the air as the deacons of mercy have had time to gather together and discuss how to best equip Seed Leaders in their work to inform and equip their community groups in loving their neighbors.  We dream of what it would look like for our community groups to be more outward-focused and service oriented, and we are hard at work to see this come to fruition.  So pray for Sojourn’s mercy and benevolence team as we continue to seek God’s vision for Seed, and ask the Lord to show you how you can better spur your group on to a deeper and fuller vision of the gospel.  One way you can lead is by reflecting on the Questions for Reflection and answering questions in such a way during your community group time that you encourage discussion about service.

HandyMan Ministry is Launching

Is your community group looking for a way to get involved in service?  The HandyMan ministry is one avenue for your group to consider.  Saturday, February 13th, 2010 will be the first work day and we need 2 community groups to help complete home repair projects.  No special skills are required and a HandyMan Team Leader will be provided to guide you through the work.  Each group should have at least 5 volunteers who can commit at least 2 hours for the project.  Please contact Andy Robinette if you would like to get your group involved (ca.robinette@gmail.com or 859.948.3966).

Porterbrook Training Update

Starting Sunday, January 24 (self-study).  Our Porterbrook training, which was set to begin Sunday, January 17, has been pushed back to this coming Sunday, January 24.  For those of you who approached the welcome desk last Sunday, we apologize for not informing you of this update sooner.  But the folders are now here and ready to go, so they will be available for pick-up at whatever service you attend this coming Sunday.

What is Porterbrook?  Porterbrook is Sojourn’s new teaching material that we are *very* excited about.  It is a three-month study that will guide you through how to grow in your Christian character.  It is unique in that it is a self-study, so you can go through the material whenever you have the time.  You can sign up for the material online, and your binder with materials will be ready for you at the Connect kiosk during the morning and evening services this Sunday.  We are asking our Seed Leaders to attend the Feed & Seed on Sunday, February 14, to review the assigned portions and to help us assess the training materials.  The teaching material for this three-month period is $25.  If you are unable to pay for the class, email jmoss@sojournchurch.com and we can walk through other options.

Mercy 101

Mercy 101 will take you through the basics of Mercy Ministry at Sojourn.  You will, among other things, review Sojourn’s benevolence policy, walk through several case studies, and unpack the theology behind our Mercy Ministry.  This course is required of all Seed Leaders.  If you want more information about the class or have any questions, please email jmoss@sojournchurch.com.

Germantown Campus: Starting Sunday, January 24 (9am – meet in the lobby). At the Germantown Campus this four-week course will begin the third Sunday of every month, so you will have ample opportunity over the next six months to take this course.

East Campus: Starting Sunday, January 31 (12 noon – 1:30pm in the auditorium).  At the East Campus this course will begin on the Last Sunday in January and will culminate in Feed & Seed East on Sunday, February 28, from 12noon-2:30pm.

Mercy Monday Training

Due to popular demand, we created a Mercy Monday class to accompany the outreach that takes place.  This class is completely optional and it is not required that you attend it in order to go out to visit the neighborhood from 6:30-8:30pm. Classes are always open to anyone who wishes to come and is always applicable to your visit into the neighborhood, so jump on board.  This training will equip you to live out the gospel and will carry heavy implications for the way you lead.  So Monday nights will be outlined as follows:

• 5:30pm till 6:30pm.  Join us as we read Scripture, train, pray, and get equipped to visit and minister.
• 6:30pm till 8:30pm.  Join us as we put feet to the message of the gospel and minister to our neighborhoods.

Get Involved in Service

Here are some ways you can get involved in service at Sojourn Community Church:

• Consider bringing your Community Group to Mercy Monday this week.  We have a time of teaching followed by going out into the neighborhood to serve our friends and neighbors in Germantown.
• Begin looking at opportunities where your community group meets to serve your neighbors.  Find a local nursing home or community organization that you could serve in.  If you need ideas, contact jmoss@sojournchurch.com
• Serve the poor every Saturday – Every Saturday afternoon, a group of Sojourners serve meals with Bates Memorial Baptist Church to needy families in Shelby Park neighborhood. Read about it here at the Seed website and contact David Taliferio for more information at david.taliaferro@summitenergy.com