Posts with the category “coregroup-discussion-guides”

WelcomeIf we look at the depictions of Jesus in paintings and drawings, we often see him in moods that are calm and serene. The scenes are often peaceful and balanced, yet hard to relate to as we face a world that presents so many challenges. If we imagine what Jesus may look like when considering recent headlines, we may see him displaying something like what we are focusing on this week: the emo...  Read More

WelcomeI’ve got the joy joy joy joyDown in my heartWHERE?!?Down in my heartIf you weren’t already singing the Sunday School song about this week’s topic, well, you’re welcome. Joy, a seemingly simple emotion, can often be tricky to find and tough to hang onto. Religious types love to talk about how joy is more than just happiness. Joy carries a spiritual significance, and so, if we don’t have a to...  Read More

WelcomeHello and welcome to the first week of a new series, Emotional Rollercoaster. In this series, we will explore the ups, downs, corkscrews, and the 360-degree loops of the emotions we experience daily. Emotions can be described as the raw, physiological responses we have to the world around us such as being happy or sad. This life of ours can lead to a full and deep spectrum of emotions and k...  Read More

Opening Prayer An Invitation to Brave SpaceBy Micky ScottBey Jones inspired by a poem by Beth StranoTogether we will create brave spaceBecause there is no such thing as a “safe space”We exist in the real worldWe all carry scars and we have all caused wounds.In this spaceWe seek to turn down the volume of the outside world,We amplify voices that fight to be heard elsewhere,We call each other to mor...  Read More

Opening Prayer An Invitation to Brave SpaceBy Micky ScottBey Jones inspired by a poem by Beth StranoTogether we will create brave spaceBecause there is no such thing as a “safe space”We exist in the real worldWe all carry scars and we have all caused wounds.In this spaceWe seek to turn down the volume of the outside world,We amplify voices that fight to be heard elsewhere,We call each other to mor...  Read More

WelcomeWelcome, friends. For the next three weeks, the discussion guide will look a bit different than usual. There will be time at the beginning to note a few thoughts about the sermon, consider related scripture, and answer a few questions. Ideally this discussion will take about 15 minutes. We want to leave the bulk of our time for a deeper discussion of the Implicit Bias Course.The course has ...  Read More

WelcomeFor the next few weeks, we will dive into a hard topic as a church. The Bible calls out racism as a sin. While many of us would not think of ourselves as racists, we may find that we have biases that we did not realize were in our hearts and minds. It’s an uncomfortable feeling to sit with, but one that we need to sit with and reflect upon. The only way to grow is to dig out what stifles ou...  Read More

WelcomeThe Miriam-Webster dictionary defines the word cacophony as “a harsh or jarring sound…an incongruous or chaotic mixture.” If you look at the Greek origins, the word cacophony essentially means “bad sound” or “bad voices.” In contrast, the word euphony describes a sound that is harmonious, melodious, pleasing, and sweet.This is the final week of our series Cancel the Noise: Take Control of t...  Read More

WelcomeAccording to Greek mythology, there was once a handsome young hunter named Narcissus. Although many romantic interests pursued him, Narcissus turned away their advances and instead grew more deeply in love with… himself… or at least a reflection of his likeness in a pool of water. So obsessed with his own beauty, Narcissus could not pull himself away from his reflection, giving in to a life...  Read More

WelcomeLast week, we thought about how negative voices make us feel, where they come from, and how we feed them. This week, we are delving into what the Bible calls fools. Sometimes a fool is easy to pick out, and other times, not so much. Could the fool in your life be a small voice that’s just constantly playing in the background, on your social media feed, from the news, or even a co-worker? So...  Read More

WelcomeHave you ever dreaded going to a family function because of that one aunt who’s a little too real or honest, as she puts it, about everything going on in your life and the world? Maybe it’s a coworker that sends off bad energy. The kind of people who always find something wrong with the situation, the day, or you. The type of people who seem to fill the space with a lot of negative noise. T...  Read More

WelcomeHello friends and welcome to the fourth week in our series named “Getting ready for Christmas.” So far, we have discussed cleaning our spaces and opening our hearts, decorating as a way to prepare for the season, and inviting people to the celebration of the birth of Jesus. This week we will be discussing actions we can take now that everything is ready. It is truly great to get to this pla...  Read More

Welcome“Are you ready for Christmas?” I have been asked that question at least three times this week.  And the answer is, “Getting there.” Both question and answer have referenced the cleaning and the decorating and the shopping for the physical celebration, but without any thought given to my spiritual preparation. It is good to have this time to focus on what we have done and still need to do as...  Read More

WelcomeHello everyone and welcome to week two of our current series called Advent: Getting Ready for Christmas. In the first week we discussed cleaning our spaces in order to focus our hearts and minds towards peace and, more importantly, on our relationship with God. This week we will be talking about the decorations we use, or that we enjoy, over the holiday season that add depth to this special...  Read More

WelcomeWelcome to the Advent series – Getting Ready for Christmas. We all want Christmas to be special – something more than a series of shopping trips, seasonal music, food, and family gatherings. We want more than a few familiar carols and a nativity scene. But too easily Christmas can come and go and we are left with the thought that we have survived Christmas again. This series seeks to break ...  Read More

WelcomeThis week we are continuing our exploration of the book of Job. So far we have talked about loving God when times are tough and wrestled with questions such as “Is it okay to be mad at God?” and “Does everything happen for a reason?” This week we will turn to the final chapters of Job to see what we can learn from the text.Opening PrayerDear God, thank you for this time together as a group ...  Read More

WelcomeWelcome to Part 4 of our series in the book of Job. In the past three weeks we have considered some of the uneasy questions about God which Job’s story presents to us. Why do bad things happen, especially why do bad things happen to good people? Does suffering have some kind of purpose or reason? Is God fair or just? And those questions give rise to so many others and to many deep feelings ...  Read More

WelcomeIn the first part of this sermon series, we looked at the story of Job and the question, “Will we receive good from God but not also receive bad?” In part 2 we looked at the first conversation between Job and Eliphaz focusing on the question, “What is the purpose of suffering?” This week we are moving on in the conversation between Job and his friends to ask the question, “Is God fair or ju...  Read More

WelcomeLast week we began our study of Job with an overview of his story. Job was a very successful man – loved and respected by his family, well thought of in his community and among his employees and servants, and a man of great material means.  When suddenly, for no apparent reason, he lost everything, including his health. After what may have been years of suffering and loss, all was restored....  Read More

WelcomeWelcome to a new sermon series, this time on the book of Job! This series focuses on deep existential questions, such as the infamous question of “Why do bad things happen to good people?” This week, we’ll examine our motives in loving God and try to get to the heart of why we truly love and worship God.Opening PrayerHey God, thank you for the opportunity to get together with this group and...  Read More

WelcomeWelcome, friends.  This is the third and final week of the series called “We Hold These Truths: Centering Jesus in a Divisive Political Season.”   In the first week, we discussed the two myths which incorrectly suggested that Jesus was not political, and that Jesus was partisan.  Last week, we focused our attention on an important commandment that Jesus gave which was to love God with our w...  Read More

WelcomeAs the election draws closer the appearance of political signs in yards and windows is becoming more and more common. Raise your hand if you’ve ever judged your neighbor based on their political signs….just kidding! You don’t have to raise your hand. Lets just trust that most of us have done this once or twice. This week we will shift our views from political issues and look at how Jesus wa...  Read More

WelcomeThis week, we begin a new series called “Hold These Truths: Centering Jesus in a Divisive Political Season.” The series is timely as we head into the November election season. It is safe to say at this point that we are being totally inundated with mailings, emails, social media posts, commercials, and water cooler talks with friends, family, and coworkers. It may be hard to find gentle thi...  Read More

Welcome“We talkin about practice. Not a game. We talkin about practice.”In 2002, Allen Iverson, a professional basketball player for the Philadelphia 76ers, sat down at a press conference and said the word practice 22 times (if you’ve never seen the clip, you can watch it here). Iverson did not want to talk about practice, but that’s exactly what we are going to do this week. While it may not be g...  Read More

WelcomeWe’ve been talking about sharing our faith in this sermon series. This week, let’s focus on exactly who we are trying to share our faith with, and how we know when to share. We will examine a few of the ways Jesus shared with others to help inform the ways we share.Opening PrayerDear God, thank you for this time together as a group. We pray you will bless this conversation and help us to un...  Read More

WelcomeLast week we talked about the reasons why it is important to share our faith with others. This week we move on to thinking about the content of our message. Despite countless examples of pushy Christians, there is a way to share your faith that is compassionate, honest, and authentic. Our hope is that this conversation can help each of us discover what this could look like for ourselves.Ope...  Read More

WelcomeWelcome back to another season of CoreGroups at The Gathering! We’re so excited you’re here and becoming a deeper part of this community. Our first sermon series this semester is focused on a faith Worth Sharing. This week we will focus on why we should share, followed by what we should share and how we should share it.We are looking forward to another wonderful year of discussions and woul...  Read More

WelcomeIn the time between 626-612 BC, there was great instability and uncertainty among nations due to powerful armies laying waste and destruction on places that included parts of Israel. It is said that these armies were ruthless to an extent never seen before and terror itself was weaponized. Instead of turning to God for help and guidance, the Bible tells us that the Israelites relied more on...  Read More

WelcomeWelcome!  Ready for another Uncomfortable Truth?  Our study of the Minor Prophets, a group of individuals who delivered specific messages from God to the people of Israel, has given us an opportunity to confront the same kinds of behaviors and communal practices that still exist today. These include practices related to the way in which we extend equitable mercy and justice to others, how w...  Read More

WelcomeHave you ever experienced an event when you witnessed a friend struggle with a life issue and a thought of “glad that's not me” enters your mind? You may have noticed it from a distance or learned about it from another person. That experience is usually followed by a feeling of relief and maybe even a prayer of thankfulness to not be in that situation. The uncomfortable truth though is that...  Read More

WelcomeLast week we began a study of some of the minor prophets of the Old Testament. Amos was one of the individuals who spoke some uncomfortable truths to Israel regarding harmful and hurtful practices that had become common within the community. Pastor Charity asked us to consider who it is in our individual lives who might speak uncomfortable truths to us and how we do at receiving such news. ...  Read More

WelcomeOk, we need to talk. It’s time to get honest. You may not want to hear it, but something needs to be said. Ugh. We have all had times like these when someone is about to tell us some difficult news. Those times are usually not fun, but the information is often something we need to hear. This week, we are starting a new series called Uncomfortable Truths. It is a series intended to challenge...  Read More

WelcomeIt’s our final week of the Screen Time series! We’ve discussed lots of topics, including binge-streaming and tuning out the world, social media and unhealthy comparisons, dualistic thinking (believing that things can only be black or white), and the impact of each of these things on our mental health, relationships, and faith. This week, we’ll talk about how we can decipher between the “tru...  Read More

WelcomeTechnology has made our world more connected today than it has ever been in the history of civilization. The pandemic helped us improve and embrace the ways we can communicate virtually. If your job suddenly became completely remote or you were supervising a kid in Zoom school, you also experienced the shortcomings of virtual interactions. There are both tangible and intangible parts of in-...  Read More

WelcomeYou can’t do a sermon series on Screen Time without talking about social media. “Doom scrolling” – spending too much time endlessly scrolling and focusing on the negative things you see on social media – has become an epidemic in our culture today. It’s so easy to get lost in a feed of entertaining videos, products you HAVE to buy, photos of peoples’ “perfect” lives, distressing news from a...  Read More

CoreGroup Guide | Screen Time - Part 1Written by Denee Bowers and Parker PattonWelcomeDualistic thinking, or black and white thinking, is a common type of reasoning where we see only two distinct options. For example, we may think something is entirely good or entirely bad, and there is nothing in between. This can easily be the way we view technology. In the Bible, though, Jesus regularly invites...  Read More

WelcomeHappy Easter! This week we are reflecting on the Resurrection, the fulfillment of God’s promise in Jesus and the central belief of our Christian faith. But first, a quick wrap-up from last month.Ice BreakerIn our previous sermon series, we learned about the disciples of Jesus, his entourage, his crew. Each of these people taught us something different about what it means to follow Jesus.  I...  Read More

WelcomeThis is the fifth and final week of the Entourage series. How has God spoken to you through this series so far? Which of these well known (and not so well known!) members of Jesus’ crew have been the most compelling to you in your own journey of following Jesus? In this final week of the series we focus our attention on Mary Magdalene, one of Jesus’ most beloved disciples.This is also Holy ...  Read More

WelcomeWelcome to week 4 of our Entourage series, where we take a deeper look at the people surrounding Jesus during the last weeks leading up to his crucifixion. This week, we are focusing on Peter and the unexpected ways God works in our lives.Opening PrayerHey God, thank you for the opportunity to come together and focus on your presence in our lives today. As we discuss your friend Peter, stir...  Read More

CoreGroup Guide | Entourage - Week ThreeWritten by Dan Hutti and Parker PattonWelcomeThis week’s discussion guide continues to focus on Jesus’ entourage. We first discussed the sisters, Mary and Martha, then Judas, and now Simon of Cyrene and Joseph of Arimathea. The biblical descriptions of these two people are limited, but we can still learn from them and their sacrifices for Jesus. Let’s get st...  Read More