Grace Groups

1.22.23 Discussion questions
1.15.23 Discussion questions
1.8.23 Discussion questions
1.1.23 Discussion questions

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.

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.

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.

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