Homegroups
Page last updated
Tuesday 01 May 2012
Homegroup Co-ordinator James Cooke.
Click for the Handout about Homegroups.
Homegroups play an important part in the life of the church. They provide a supportive environment in which people can grow as Christians, for example through prayer, studying the Bible, developing friendships, and reaching out to the local community. Becoming a member of a homegroup is an important step in belonging to our church. Somewhere between 80 and 100 church members belong to these groups which meet on different days of the week mostly in the evening though two meet in the daytime. We will be delighted if there is anyone who would like to start coming to one of the homegroups.
Four W’s describe the life of these Groups :-
- Welcome - a sense of truly belonging to the church often comes from membership of a group
- Worship - most groups pray together when they meet, especially for one another
- Word - studying the bible is a key element of group meetings
- Witness - encouraging group members to witness to those who don't know God, and to reach out to others in need.
Groups continue to provide great support to the work of the church as a whole. The pastoral role has been very obvious this year and it has been good to see how strong this element of caring for one another has been.
Groups have continued to flourish over the last year, with a total membership of over 100. There are 12 homegroups, meeting either weekly or fortnightly in people's homes around the parish as follows:-
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When & Who |
Leader(s) |
Children’s/Youth |
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Group M3 |
Monday afternoons (fortnightly). A group for senior citizens |
Anne Wyatt & Liz Tilley |
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Group M1 |
Monday evenings. Mixed group. |
Paul & Helen McCormick |
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Group M2 |
Monday evenings. Mostly younger ladies. |
Moira Hassall & ?? |
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Group M4 |
Monday evenings. Mixed group, mainly families with children. |
Brenda Morley & Christine Merritt |
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Group Tu1 |
Tuesday evenings (fortnightly). Mixed group. |
Stephen Darvill |
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Tuesday evening Blackheath Group |
Hilary Bateson |
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Group W1 |
Wednesday Evenings, Mixed group |
James Cooke |
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Group Th2 |
Thursday evenings. Ladies group. |
Ruth Fowke & Joan Best |
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Group Th3 |
Thursday evenings. Mixed group. |
Tony Beet & Tessa Auty |
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Group Th1 |
Thursday afternoons. Mixed group. |
Terry Powles? |
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Group Th4 |
Thursday evenings 8pm. Mixed group. |
Gordon Mylchreest |
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Group F1 |
Friday mornings. Ladies group. |
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If you'd like more information please contact James Cooke (01483 276049).
Two new ventures are planned for 2009/10; a joint homegroup for members af all groups, and indeed any church member, to introduce material that we will be studying up to Christmas, and a Lent Course starting Feb 2010.
Homegroups provide support and care for each other and are an invaluable source for the ongoing work of the Care Team in our church fellowship. Some areas of the Care Team that might be additional support for Home Groups in the care for each other are:-
- Confidential prayer chain of people who will pray for any personal, family or friends needs.
- If someone in the group suffers a bereavement of close family member or friend a bereavement visitor can call. The Care Team would like to know even if no visit is necessary so that an invitation to the annual Memorial Service can be sent.
- Hospital visiting or lifts to appointments, meals for families with new babies or during illness or post op.
At the request of the Children’s & Youth Team, the homegroups have each taken on the challenge to “adopt” one of these groups in order to be able to pray for them.
Three of our Homegroups have been formed after recent Alpha Course in Wonersh
We need more leaders who sense God’s call to this immensely valuable work.
