ST NICOLAS, NEWBURY

HOME GROUP QUESTIONS

WEEK BEGINNING 17 APRIL 2005

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE

For home groups that would like them, here are some questions based on the talk given at Sunday's 9:45 and 6:30 pm services. You can find the text of the talk here. There's no need to answer them all the questions here - just tackle the ones you have time for. You don't need to stick to the areas mentioned here - feel free to discuss any other issues that arise for you. I would welcome any feedback groups may like to pass on.

1. As we prepare for the church's annual meeting on Tuesday week, we're taking the opportunity to reflect on what sort of church we belong to. Over the last few years, St Nicolas has been about four things which together spell out the word 'LIFE': 'L' for Loving God, 'I' for Involving Everyone, 'F' for Finding Faith and 'E' for Enabling Growth. What do these four phrases mean to you? Can you give some examples of how our church life has been shaped by them?

2. Invite group members to choose up to three things each they would like to see included in a manifesto for the future life of St Nicolas Church. Pause for thought and then share what you've come up with. Are there any common themes?

3. At the moment, the life and ministry of the church is divided into five areas, each of which has a team working to support and develop it - for discipleship, for evangelism, for pastoral care, for worship and for work with young people. In what ways are members of your group involved in these different areas? Are there ways in which they could be better supported? What scope do you see for development?

4. Have a look at Acts 2:42-47. What do you notice about Luke's 'manifesto' for the early church which could apply to us today?

5. I drew out four features of church life from Acts 2:
a) a commitment to learn (a healthy church is characterised by an insatiable thirst for the teaching of the Bible)
b) a commitment to one another (a healthy church is characterised by a freedom to be generous and to give)
c) a commitment to worship (a healthy church is characterised by a dependence on God that is reflected in joyful and reverent worship) and
d) a commitment to grow (a healthy church is characterised by growth that is continual and consistent)
What do you think? Do you notice anything else from this passage?

6. I went on to make four suggestions about our future direction:
a) we need to find ways of praying together more
b) we need to strengthen our home groups and support their leaders more effectively
c) we need to develop new work among people with no Christian background
d) we need to look after our buildings better and work towards reordering the main church
What do you think?

7. "One of the biggest temptations we face as a church here at St Nicolas is to rest on our laurels." Why? How can we avoid this?

8. Please pray for the life of St Nicolas, especially as we come up to our annual meeting. Give thanks for the fact that candidates have come forward to replace Charles Zealey as churchwarden and Douglas Muir as treasurer. Pray for the other appointments that will be made and for the new PCC as it prepares to chart the church's future.

David Stone
17 April 2005