A Small Group Series for Local Churches

A Daily Devotion Small Group Series for the Jubilee

Dear >

Every day we send out a reading, reflection and wee prayer to over 4,000 people to help us all in our daily discipleship.  For some time I’ve thought these readings and reflections would make great resources for church small groups and I’m pleased to say that the first set, from a forthcoming series on our Jubilee, are ready for use.

This series, of four sessions, reflects on: our music and desire to include, our ecumenical calling, various challenges in our life and mission, and some musings about our future.  Each session has the opportunity to: sing hymns, all bar one written by a URC member (some from Rejoice and Sing, others outwith that book), read some Scripture together, hear some reflections, discuss questions arising from the reflections, and pray together.  

We’re aided in our thinking with reflections from: Susan Durber, Darnette Whitby Reid, myself, David Thompson, Lindsey Sanderson, James Breslin, Kirsty Thorpe, Fleur Houston, John Ellis, David Cornick, John Bradbury and Fiona Bennett.  The hymns, older and newer, reflect a range of styles and themes but all reflect on our life and challenges.  We will also have, in due course, recordings to download for the hymns enabling a group to sing along or listen to the hymn.  The material can be found here https://devotions.urc.org.uk/small-groups/

Mid-week small groups are a mainstay of many of our churches.  They give a chance for prayer, fellowship, reflection and learning; in an era of fewer ministers, however, they may be harder to organise as ministers often feel they have to duplicate what they offer in one congregation in the others they serve and, after a while, this becomes very difficult.  We hope that some “centrally” produced material will help.  They can be used by anyone – not just ministers – and we’ve made them very flexible.  You could use them as 

  • a patten for four mid week sessions in church
  • a basis for a day together at a hotel or retreat centre
  • a resource for a Zoom meeting for folk across a group of churches

We have a leader’s set which has everything the person leading the group needs and four participants’ notes to download which will help those taking part in the group.

As an experiment we’re also making these sessions available via Zoom twice a week for up to 12 people at each session.  An afternoon session will take place on at 2pm, and an evening session will take place at 7.30, on Tuesdays 18th and 25th of October and on Tuesdays 1st and 8th November.  If you’d like to take part in this place go to this form here and leave your name and email address and I’ll send you a Zoom link and participants’ material in due course.  

I hope, soon, to have another series ready to go to mark Advent.

with every good wish

Andy

The Rev’d Andy Braunston
Minister for Digital Worship

 

Comments are closed.