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Grace Groups

Are you looking for a place to:

CONNECT with other people at the First Church?
LEARN how to be truly authentic in your faith journey?
ALLOW God’s grace to pour into your life through deep, faith-based connections with others?

Allow us to introduce you to FUMCFW’s newest community connection opportunity,

Grace Groups

In these thoughtfully formed small group connections, you’ll find new ways to become more aware of God’s grace in your everyday life. As part of a Grace Group, you’ll connect with others in a profound way as you pray for one another, hold one another accountable, and find new ways to enjoy the process of “doing life together.” Grace Groups give you an opportunity to form the deep, lifelong connections and friendships at our church.

Grace Groups are formed twice each year through opt-in signups based on your location, schedule availability, and life-stage.

Contact: Dr. Zhenya Gurina-Rodriguez | 817-339-5067

Sign Up

Group Leadership Workshops

June 22, 9:00 am - 1:00 pm - Online Small Group Training by the Church of the Resurrection, followed by lunch and discussion

We are participating in the online workshop with the group ministry leaders from the Church of the Resurrection. After their presentations, we will have lunch together to evaluate and discuss how we could continue to grow and improve our own Grace Group ministry.

Register

July 23, 9:30 am - 10:30 am - Praying with your Group

Praying in front of other people could be daunting. Together we will work through some of the common obstacles, practice praying with each other, and learn about the future steps of how to grow in this spiritual discipline.

Register

August 20, 12:00 pm - 2:00 pm - Conflict Resolution within your Group (lunch provided)

When people build meaningful and deep relationships, often conflicts happen. We will learn how to identify and evaluate a conflict when it is simmering right under the surface. We will come up with the guidelines and expectations for your groups, when it happens.

Register

Open Grace Group Meeting

Tuesdays, 11:00 am – 12:30 pm, room 315

Leader: Rev. Zhenya Gurina-Rodriguez, contact email ZGurina@myfumc.org

Our group includes people of different life stages (early 40s to retirement age), some married and some single. We come from different backgrounds, but we have bonded over deep and honest conversations about our faith and our response to what God is doing in us and through us. Visit us to see if we are the right group for you.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I find a Grace Group I can join?

Grace Groups are formed twice each year through opt-in signups based on your location, schedule availability, and life-stage. Sign up online.

What happens during Grace Group meetings?

We start each meeting with a prayer. Then we delve into Discussion Questions based on the last Sunday sermons we heard at church. We also reflect on how our life with God is and how we experience God in our faith journeys. We conclude with sharing our prayer requests and praying for each other. In the meantime, we have fun, eat snacks, and enjoy one another’s company as we build meaningful relationships with people in our church.

Where do Grace Groups meet?

Most Grace Groups meet at homes of people who host the meetings. Some Grace Groups meet at the church. We have found that meeting at restaurants comes with many disruptions and distractions and does not provide the atmosphere for deep, confidential, and reflective conversations that happen during the groups.

Can I join a Grace Group at any time during the year?

Grace Groups are built on authenticity, trust, and deep connections between members. This kind of relationship takes time to form and could be disrupted by a new person joining the group half way through the semester. That is why we have two enrollment windows during the year in August and January.

Do I have to come to every meeting?

Regular attendance is one of the keys to success. In every meeting we share our lives and commit to hold one another in prayer. With every meeting we grow closer together and experience God’s grace in more powerful ways through these connections. Irregular attendance disrupts this growth process and takes away from the experience of the entire Grace Group. Of course, life happens and you may miss a meeting or two. We encourage you to stay in touch with your group leader and let them know if you will not be there.

Is childcare provided during Grace Group meetings?

Children’s wellbeing and safety during Grace Group meetings is our priority. Just like with everything else we do at FUMCFW, we follow Ministry Safe rules for childcare in our groups. We have two options for childcare to choose from, depending on what works best for you personally and for your Grace Group:

Option 1

Your Grace Group meets at the church and the children are cared for by our FUMCFW childcare team, directed by Paula Wagstaff. This option is available for Sundays 9:00 am to 12:00 pm and Wednesdays 6:00 to 8:00 pm. If these time slots do not work for you, please discuss alternatives with Dr. Zhenya Gurina-Rodriguez.

Option 2

Your Grace Group meets at a host home or other location and you arrange for childcare on your own. Since the meeting happens outside our church facilities, we cannot guarantee safety of your children during these meetings. We are happy to provide free online Ministry Safe training that will help you be more aware of potential problems and solutions when you arrange childcare for your kids.

You should not bring children to the place of the meeting. From our own experience and after consulting with other churches about this question, we have found out that even when children are in a separate area of the house, they can still cause distractions for their parents and other group members.

Dr. Zhenya Gurina-Rodriguez is available to discuss with you your particular circumstances and help you make the best decision concerning childcare during your Grace Group meetings.

Contact: Dr. Zhenya Gurina-Rodriguez | zgurina@myfumc.org | 817-339-5067

Grace Group Sign-Up

Grace Groups are formed twice each year through opt-in signups based on your location, schedule availability, and life-stage. Complete the form below to get started!