ChristCare Groups are gatherings of  3 to 12 persons meeting regularly to develop close personal bonds with one another and with Jesus Christ.  Note:  the frequency of meetings is determined by the group covenant; groups do not have to meet weekly.

As God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.

Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.

Above all, clothe yourselves witih love which binds everything together in perfect harmony.

And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body.  And be thankful.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God.

And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Colossians 3:12-17  NRSV

Circles of Care with Christ at the Center

Christ is central to ChristCare Groups.  ChristCare Group members meet Jesus in their fellow group members, in the Scriptures, in prayer and worship, and through their missional service.  With Jesus at the center of all that the group is and does, group members grow as Jesus' disciples, increasing in faith, joy, and love.

ChristCare Groups are circles of care.  ChristCare Group members care for one another with the love of Christ.  As a ChristCare Group member, you never have to go through a tough time alone, be it a major crisis or just the bumps and bruises of daily life.  Your fellow group members are always there for you.

When ChristCare Groups meet, they do four kinds of activities:

· Community building and care;

· Biblical Equipping;

· Prayer and worship; and

· Missional service.

The Holy Spirit works through these activities to make ChristCare Groups into “Circles of Care with Christ at the Center.

Four good reasons why ChristCare Groups are necessary for our congregation to be all God calls us to be...

Reason 1:  Christ's Own Example

Much of Jesus’ most significant ministry took place with the small group he formed at the beginning of his ministry—-the twelve disciples.  In this intimate setting Jesus shared the truth and wisdom of God, teaching them about prayer, holy living, faith, hope, and love.

Reason 2:  Building Community

In a world where people often feel isolated, there is a strong need to have a place “where everybody knows your name."  In ChristCare Groups, people feel loved and accepted and can share when they are happy or hurting.

Reason 3:  The Renewal of the Church

Whenever the church has experienced renewal, small groups have played a key role.  Groups help open members to the Spirit's work through prayer and praise; Bible study; encouragement and support; equipping for ministry and witness; and service in daily life.

Reason 4:  The Growth of the Church

The early church multiplied by involving people in groups that met regularly for worship, mutual support, and growth in faith.  Today ChristCare Groups help our church grow by assimilating new members, evangelizing, preventing inactivity, and increasing attendance at Sunday worship.

The ChristCare Series provides our congregation with...

A Sound Framewor-A Flexible System

For our ChristCare Group Ministry to work well and last, we need a strong yet adaptable system.  With more than two decades of experience, Stephen Ministries has designed and refined this system to do just that.

Equipping and Training of Leaders

"Training the trainer" helps us to ensure successful small group ministry.  Key leaders from the congregatio-called ChristCare Equipper-gain the know-how and confidence to begin ChristCare Group Ministry and keep it going.  The Equippers will comprehensive manuals and resources from Stephen Ministries to recruit and train ChristCare Group Leaders and establish successful ChristCare Groups.

Ongoing Support

Stephen Ministries will provide ongoing support for Equippers through telephone consultation, the ChristCare Equipper's Resource Pages on the Stephen Ministries web site, newsletters, special mailings, and a continuing supply of fresh ideas.  They will help our Equippers and ChristCare Group Leaders keep our ChristCare Group Ministry responsive to our congregation's changing needs.

Missional service ideas for a ChristCare Group

Missional service is part of every ChristCare Group.  The type of missional service is limited only by the group’s creative and imaginative resources.   The following are examples of how some ChristCare groups are serving.

 Prepare lunches for Habitat for Humanity workers at the work site.

 Provide clothing for an orphanage.

 Provide clothing and/or school supplies for children of needy families.

 Serve as the “welcoming group” for  visitors to the church.

 Carry meals on wheels at the Senior Center.

 Serve as church greeters/ushers.

 Sit with care receivers so the caregiver can take a break.

 Prayer groups.

 Planning and serving in a new contemporary worship service for MUMC.

 Nursing home visits.

 Helping homeowners to do minor maintenance and repair on their homes.

 Reading programs.

 Mentoring programs through various types of sports and tutoring services.

 Local/foreign missionary interests.

 Common interest groups to increase community awareness about specific subjects.

 Spiritually hungry women's and men's groups.

 Hospitality group for new members of the community.

McCormick UMC ChristCare Equippers

Rev Bobbie Taylor

Norma Cooper

Sally Updegraff