Cenacles | Small groups
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Welcome!“Invest in Christian friendship. It took four men to carry the paralytic [Mark 2:3-11]. We are not going to get very far living this mission on our own. Meet with these peers regularly, pray together, share your hearts -- your fears, struggles and joys."
Bishop James P. Powers
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VisionThrough small groups, participants make strides toward sanctity, confidence and passion in their vocation, physical and mental wellness, relational maturity and depth, and professional effectiveness.
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MissionSmall groups help individual grow as disciples of Jesus through weekly meetings that include practical formation, vulnerable discussion, concrete goals, and intercessory prayer.
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Format - How it works
- The group meets virtually once a week (with rare exceptions); meeting bi-weekly makes it tough for the group to gel and form substantial, trusting relationships
- Meetings last 60 minutes; it takes dedication and leadership to keep meetings to this length, but it is critically important to honor everyone’s schedules by doing so.
- Every small group should have a clearly designated facilitator. This individual should receive training to effectively fill this role. See ‘Effective Small Group Leadership’ guide and Lisa Brenninkmeyer’s Small Groups training at reviveparishes.org.
- Ideally the first meeting is held in person, lasts an hour or two, and includes the following:
- A meal (preferred but not required)
- Get-to-know-you games/activities
- Sharing both personal and ministry-related SMART goals for the year
- A time of prayer, dedicating the group's year of mutual discipleship to the Lord together
- The meeting begins with a short scripted or extemporaneous prayer by that week’s facilitator (2-3 minutes)
- The facilitator asks a specific person to start by checking in on how they did on their goals and sharing any highs from the week. The facilitator should go last so he or she can segue to the next item. (3-4 minutes per person – no more than 5)
- The facilitator very briefly introduces the topic for the week and asks the group to respond to the discussion questions one at a time going in the same order as the goals check-in. (20-30 minutes) Please note: The other participants can ask clarifying questions as each member shares, but this isn’t a time for a big open exchange of ideas and dialogue
- The facilitator wraps up the discussion by synthesizing the various ideas, asking any final questions, making any encouragements for how the group can practically live the discussion out, etc.
- The facilitator then asks the group for their goals for the next week. Members should show up to the meeting already having made goals – though the conversation may have prompted another.
- The final 10 minutes of the gathering is reserved for intercessory prayer. The facilitator asks each participant to share what he or she themselves needs prayers for this week. Participants can share prayer requests for others in the group text or at other times. The intercessory prayer at the end of the session is for the group members’ needs.
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Hallmarks of healthy small group culture
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Positivity – small groups are not the place for ‘venting’; the sharing of struggles is good and healthy, but only if it’s charitable and with an eye toward growth.
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Vulnerability – members need to be open to sharing their hearts, their joys, and their struggles.
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Leadership – the group needs to be open to calling each other onward – sometimes very specifically. Examples of this would include:
- Willingness to call out gossiping or other toxic behaviors in the group.
- Willingness to move the conversation along when a participant is monopolizing the group’s time.
- Willingness to check in on members who are not attending regularly.
- Willingness to ask clarifying questions when participants are vague or non-committal.
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- Investment – Participants need to be committed to making the small group a priority. That means the following:
- Doing the reading consistently and thoughtfully – assignments shouldn’t take more than 20-30 minutes to get done.
- Considering prayer requests and goals for the week thoughtfully ahead of time.
- Praying for the other members and their specific intentions throughout the week.
- Investment – Participants need to be committed to making the small group a priority. That means the following:
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Resources for formation
- The purpose of the small group is to help create a rich, Catholic community of mutual discipleship – with each member making significant strides in holiness.
- Picking a resource that meets the group members where they are at and is pertinent to their growth in discipleship and ministry is crucial. Great resources include:
- Searching for and Maintaining Peace, by Fr. Jacques Philippe
- Discipleship Quads, from Franciscan University of Steubenville
- Start with Jesus, by Julianne Stanz
- Foundations for Discipleship, by Edward Sri and Curtis Martin
- Rescued, by Fr. John Riccardo
- The Office of Evangelization & Missionary Discipleship is grateful for opportunities to help groups pick the right resource. Please reach out!
- Please note: It is imperative that the preparation time be reasonable – no more than 20-30 minutes. Otherwise some members will have a hard time getting it done and that would defeat the purpose.
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Contact Us
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churtubisecatholicdos.orgDirector of Evangelization & Missionary Discipleship
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