Building Community
St. Anthony of Padua Parish (Vancouver) is excited to be able to offer Life Groups that allow members to experience the fullness of life in Christ through building a community of disciples.
Why?
Across the world, leaders struggle with ways to bring a greater sense of community to their parishes. Groups are an amazing way to help both people and parishes grow
Christian community is not primarily a structure, but a set of relationships in Christ. The only skill required is the capacity to love others.
Purpose:
We need to make it a purpose in life to build up those who belong to the same body of
Christians:
1 Thessalonians 5:11
Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, as indeed you do.
After submitting our lives to the Lord, the commitment to serving our brothers and sisters is first.
We also need to establish practical ways to love others as Jesus Christ has called us to:
John 15:12
This is my commandment: love one another as I love you.
Format:
The Life Group meeting ideally happens every two weeks, Each Life Group consists of 4 to 6 members, to help ensure that everyone will have ample time to share and discuss in a deeper way their personal journey of faith. Being part of a Life Group entails a certain level of commitment as it is important to always be there with each other, and for each other.
1) Opening Prayer - each group should involve some time for prayer and worship. Start with a prayer and if possible, with a song of worship to set the tone (15 minutes).
2) Main part of the Life Group meeting:
a) Formation discussion - we are trying to form people in the Catholic way of life. One of the main things we want to ensure is that people talk about specific formation discussions (teachings) of our Catholic faith. To be formed and not simply be informed. (5-10 minutes per member).
b) Personal sharing & input – as we grow in our personal relationships with one another, in place of formation discussions (teachings), the time can also be used for sharing one’s personal faith journey (duration – same as #2)
4) Closing Prayer (5 minutes)
To be a Life Group member, although it is not necessarily required, it is ideal that one should have already attended Alpha, or the Discovery teachings under the Faith Study series.
You can find out more about Alpha and Faith Studies through the following links:
