GRACE Group Leaders
Building followers of Jesus
Christ…
12/6/07
…wherever you go in the world, tell everyone the
Good News. Mark 16:15
GRACE - Compassion for
Others - Accepting the responsibility of reaching
out beyond ourselves to those who have not yet decided to follow Christ, and to
meet the needs of those who are less fortunate than us.
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Winter Small Groups Leader Conference |
It’s time to sharpen your group leader skills! This winter we are joining with thousands of
other small group leaders to learn how to do what we do even better. Many of our GRACE Group leaders are headed to
The Small Groups Ministry will cover the conference costs and
lodging. You would cover the flight and
any meals not at the conference. We need
to hurry though. To get our special
pricing, we need you to register with us by Wednesday, December 19th. Also, we recently found Southwest tickets on
sale for $99/one way. That pricing is
for a limited time and will run out soon.
You can check their website. We
are flying into LAX to get that pricing.
The conference is February 20th-22nd. Many of us are flying over the day before and
returning on Saturday morning. If you
are going to do one thing to make yourself a better shepherd for your group
next year, this should be it. We will
huddle together at the end of each conference day with all of the GRACE Group
leaders to share what we are learning.
I know it sounds like a lot of time and a big commitment. But I promise you will be very happy you
went. No one from Grace has ever been
sorry that they made whatever sacrifices necessary to attend one of these
conferences. We cover so much of the
cost because we believe this is so important.
To register, or if you want more information, call the
Small Groups Office (240-553-1090) or email michael@gracegroups.net . More info is also available at:
http://www.purposedriven.com/en-US/Events/SaddlebackSmallGroupConference/SGOverview.htm
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New in the Small Groups Library |
THE WAY OF A WORSHIPER – 4
Session DVD Study by Buddy Owens (
Are you looking for God? The pursuit of God is the chase of a
life time. In fact, it's been going on since the day you were born. The
question is: Have you been the hunter or the prey?
This small group study is not about music. It's not even about
going to church. It's about living your life as an offering of worship to God.
It's about tapping into the source of power to live the Christian life. And
it's about discovering the secret to friendship with God.
In these four video sessions, Buddy Owens helps you unpack the meaning
of worship. Through his very practical, engaging, and at times surprising
insights, Buddy shares truths from Scripture and from life that will help you
understand in a new and deeper way just what it means to be a worshiper.
As always, you can borrow the DVD from the Small Groups Office
and find the discussion guides at:
http://www.purposedriven.com/en-US/Resources/SmallGroupMinistry/Curriculum/WayOfWorshiper.htm#SeriesID_36
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Home from |
Do the members of your group know that every
time they give to Grace that a portion of their giving supports families
from our church who are serving as fulltime missionaries over seas? From
time to time these families come home to share with us what has been happening
in their ministry and to tell how God has been working in the lives and
hearts of people. It is a huge encouragement to them to be
able to spend
time with people who are making their work possible (even though many folks
don't know even realize that they are already supporting these missionaries.) Let
me tell you, it is always an incredible blessing to meet them and hear
their stories! What better way to help your group talk about and
understand better what it means to have “Compassion
for the World?”
Your small group has
the opportunity to meet the McMahans who are
currently serving in
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Weekend to Remember |
If you are a group of couples or even a group with lots of couples, you might be interested in the upcoming “Weekends to Remember” by the folks at Focus on the Family. These weekends are great for investing in your marriage whether you just got married or have been together for thirty years. Couples from Grace who have attended in the past have given it very positive revues. There is a significant price break if 5 couples sign up together. It might be a great opportunity for your whole group. There are 5 dates coming up in the area:
February 15-17, 2008
February 22-24 Marriott Hunt Valley MD
February 29- Mar 2 Hyatt
March 7-9
Hyatt Reston VA
March 14-16
Lansdowne Resort -
For more info: http://www.familylife.com/conferences/marriage.asp
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Helping Up |
Many of our GRACE Groups and families have been blessed by serving at the Helping Up Mission. It is a joy to see so many being fed, provided with a warm place to sleep, and receiving the spiritual training and guidance they so need. God is truly working through this ministry. It is a great place for a GRACE Group or an individual to serve. Grace is currently looking for a person with a calling and a heart for this type of ministry to head up our efforts at providing, delivering and serving a meal to the Helping Up Mission. Is there someone in your group who this is suited for? If so, please email Diane Richards at mrichards4@msn.com or call her at 410-988-5878. There is a brochure available at the Information Desks that contains many other ways for groups or individuals to get involved in helping our community.
Thanks for all you do!
Information, questions, comments.
240-553-1090 ext. 111
Please feel free to share this newsletter with the members of your
G.R.A.C.E. Group.