Fall Meeting Rhythm and an Invitation
Hi friends! The fall is here and God is on the move. Below is an update about our meeting rhythm and our plan to start a Spiritual Friendship small group in November. Whether you’re on this email list because you’re interested in getting involved with SJVC, or you’re joining us as partners in prayer, we’re grateful for you and want to keep you updated about what’s going on with St. John the Beloved!
Where we’ve been
Since August, we’ve been able to meet in a handful of different ways: worship at Edgewater Park, an interest meeting, a picnic, and starting to meet twice a month for dinner and worship.
Stages of patient growth.
Where we are
At the interest meeting, we shared our value for patient growth. Patient growth starts small and begins with building friendships, which is the stage that we’re in now. Eventually, building friendships will develop into forming culture and inviting neighbors as we build mutual trust, care, and delight in one another as we seek God together. But right now, building friendships is our focus.
At the interest meeting, we shared our value for patient growth. Patient growth starts small and begins with building friendships, which is the stage that we’re in now. Eventually, building friendships will develop into forming culture and inviting neighbors as we build mutual trust, care, and delight in one another as we seek God together. But right now, building friendships is our focus.
Where we’re going
To create more space for connection, our bi-monthly gatherings will shift from dinner and worship to a small group gathering. In November, we’ll start a small group series on Spiritual Friendship from the Order of the Common Life. The series will create space for conversations like how we experience friendship with others, with God, and how we can extend friendship to each other. We think it will give us a really great shared language and experience for us to take forward as we form as a community.
We also feel drawn to meet in Tremont or Ohio City to pray over the neighborhoods that God has invited us to on either the 2nd or 4th Sunday of the month this fall. Something like: meet up, pray together, and then hang out at a local spot in the neighborhood. We haven’t landed on a date or time, so we’ll share more about this idea as it gets fleshed out!
The invitation
Join us in prayer over the Spiritual Friendship small group.
If you’re local and getting involved with SJVC, how does this land with you? We want to hear from you as we discern how God is leading us as a community. You can bring questions or thoughts with you on October 18 when we'll gather at 6:30pm to make space to talk more about this, and share in lectio divina and communion together.
If you’re local, will you consider joining us for the Spiritual Friendship small group?
Grateful for you, friends. Be loved,
// Wendy, Mike, Anna & Brian
Co-Pastors
St. John the Beloved Vineyard Church
belovedvineyard.org