Small Groups

Small groups are where the deeper work of church life happens. Sundays are for the gathered congregation; small groups are for the kind of conversation, study, and prayer that needs a smaller table.

We currently run six active groups across Springfield, meeting in members’ homes one weeknight per week. Each group has 8 to 12 adults — large enough for a real conversation, small enough that nobody disappears.

What a typical meeting looks like

Two hours, roughly: a shared meal or dessert, a chapter or passage of study (groups choose their own material — currently we have groups working through Ephesians, the parables of Luke, J. I. Packer’s Knowing God, and a couple of others), prayer for one another, and time for catching up on each other’s weeks.

Joining a group

We re-form the small-group rosters each fall — there’s a sign-up Sunday in late August where members and friends of the church indicate which night of the week works best, what neighborhood they live in, and any preferences (a group with kids about the same age, a group focused on a particular kind of study, etc.). We try to honor preferences but the matching also accounts for group balance and host capacity.

If you’ve joined the church mid-year and want to be part of a group before the fall reset, email Mark — most groups have room for one or two additions.

Hosting a group

A new group needs a host home (someone whose space can fit 12 adults around a table) and a leader (typically a couple, but not always). If you’ve been at Grace for at least a year and feel ready to host or lead, talk to Mark.