May 24 was both exciting and sad. This round of our CARE groups met for the last time, awaiting reorganization later in the summer (new leaders, new members, etc.). I'm deeply grateful for the time I had with my group. And my, oh my, we went through a lot together.
We watched people come and go. Some came searching for a place to belong and we made intentional efforts to provide just such a place, while others moved away and took pieces of us with them.
Here's some of what I remember from our time together:
...we celebrated several marriages
...we brought several into fellowship with our church family
...we witnessed baptisms
...we helped one family find a place in a church in their own community
...we birthed a 6 pound 11 ounce, 18 1/2 inch girl
...we watched a teenager and senior saints interact as if there was no age difference
...we moved from one house to another (about 3 times)
...we grieved when one of our kids moved to Germany
...we suffered through job changes
...we encouraged an empty-nester to go back to college
...we cooked for each other
...we laughed and cried together
...we were painfully honest at times
...we opened our homes
...we ate and ate and ate--you name it, we ate it
And we grew closer to God and to one another!
So how about sharing some of your group experiences? How has your group blessed you? What is one of your best memories? How were you challenged? What would you say to someone who has never been in a small group?
Our small group ministry provides opportunities for us to be about as close to original Christianity as we humanly can.
At least that's what I think. --Terrell Lee
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When we first moved to Reidland, your caregroup was Randi and Ali's life preserver. It was the highlight of her week. She got to interact with people who loved her. (I was involved with youth care group at the time.) I would come over after caregroup and we would hang out with Terrell and Teresa until 11 or later. Teresa had already gone to bed. She has to get up early for work. This was a precious time in our lives.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate caregroups. When they are done "right," your relationships grow with Christ and his people. I hope to be involved in a "care" group again.
I love the intimacy that can be experienced in CARE groups. I love when a small group of people can strive together to live out the way of Jesus in their everyday lives. I love how we can both encourage and challenge each other to be more tomorrow than we are today. This kind of "hands-on" Christ-following can't always be done in a service or a class as much as we try. But in a setting like CARE groups there are powerful opportunities for continuing life transformation. I'm grateful to be able to be a part of them!
ReplyDeleteAndy,
ReplyDeleteI remember well those occasions just a few years ago. I'm glad your family was encouraged, but so was I. And that's what loving one another is all about. Spending a little time with each other so that we can learn to care deeply. And brother, I still care about your family. Deeply!
If it weren't for CARE grp. one of my most precious sisters would have not made it through this past year, I would have probably not have met another precious sister and we would not have built some of the most wonderful frienships you could have ever imagined.
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