I’m always looking for ways to get more people involved at East Shore, and one of the best ways is small groups. This is needed now more than ever as more people work from home, live further from family, and loneliness is a growing epidemic.
A new subgroup of the Membership Development Team includes Dave Baumgart, Ann Carden, and myself. We hope to revitalize the Small Group Ministry programs at East Shore! We are looking for groups that are welcoming, accessible, and will build community.
We envision 3 types of groups:
Support Groups: opportunities for people to share their struggles and victories. Led by an appropriate facilitator.
Spiritual Groups: Similar to the Covenant Circle program we are wanting to start a new series – Soul Matters! These are groups of 8-12 people who meet once or twice a month to delve deeper into their own spirituality. We do ask for a one year commitment to a group. Note: current Covenant Circles will continue.
Social Groups: From lunches, walks, arts and crafts, games… the options are endless! These groups are just for having fun and connecting! We would ideally ask for two organizers so the groups can meet if one person is unavailable.
We know there are so many possibilities for types of groups, so we are asking for your help! Please fill out our survey with the types of groups you are interested in. Dave, Ann and I will use this information to prioritize what is needed most.
Are you interested in being a facilitator? That’s great! We are offering various training options. If you would like to learn more about facilitating a group, reach out to me at [email protected]. This is a great opportunity to build skills and help grow our community!
by Nicole Duff, Director of Membership Development