Smaller Groups within Kern Road Mennonite Church. In the early church, Jesus' followers knew how important other believers were to ongoing growth in faith, both personally and corporately. Christian community was important...actually it was essential--for ongoing learning, discernment, and support. Both early Christians and Anabaptists (Mennonites) during the Reformation period experienced persecution as a result of their faith commitments. They needed others in community to help them to survive. The same is true today. Perhaps not for survival, but certainly for support in living the Christian life in a world that is not.
Kern Road Mennonite Church affirms the importance of gathering in smaller groups for fellowship, community, recreation, service, study and prayer. Some groups gather around interest areas at various times and in different patterns during the church year. Others commit to meet regularly (once/twice a month) for the church year. Some of these people live in a certain neighborhood. Yet others have a core of people who meet for many years. Largely due to the transitory nature of the urban/suburban environment, however, even these groups change frequently, regularly inviting new members and saying good-bye to others.
Current interest groups include:
Women's Bible Study
Quilting
Sustainable Living
Exercise
Gardening
Young Adults
Scrapbooking
Bible Study
Men's group.
Households living in closer proximity. These groups sometimes have a commitment to their neighborhood thus they are not exclusive to Kern Road attenders, but include folks from other traditions. These groups form around relationships. Meeting is likely to be spontaneous and informal, and perhaps more frequent. Groups may have certain evenings of the week or month when they intentionally meet for fellowship, eating, sharing/prayer.
Groups that meet because they have made a commitment to fellowship and support one another during a given church year. The make-up of these groups generally changes from year to year, but some groups have a core that has met for many years. Responsibility for determining meeting time and agenda varies and is largely left up to the group participants.
When you come to Kern Road, watch the announcement sheets and bulletin board and talk to others. Don't be hesitant to ask what kinds of smaller groups are currently meeting to see if any might "fit" your area(s) of interest or service.
