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We all know that with the holidays approaching, our schedules get very busy – for everyone. However, we shouldn’t let the busy-ness stop our Small Groups from fulfilling our purposes. If we’re intentional, December can be a month full of meaningful celebrations, worship, service, learning, and outreach. Below are 5 ways fulfill your Small Group purposes together during the holiday months, despite busy schedules:
Celebrate together
Whether you have a Christmas potluck, cookie exchange, or white elephant party – make sure your group gathers together for a time of fellowship and celebration. Celebrate the relationships that have grown throughout the year. As a group, reflect back and thank God for all that He did within this past year. You could also combine this celebration with the next idea, have a Small Group pot luck before you go to Worship together!
Worship together
Does your Church have a Christmas concert or Worship night? If so, plan for your Small Group to attend together. This way, you can enjoy the fellowship and worship together. Here’s another idea: invite another group to join you! Wouldn’t it be great to see ALL the small groups represented, together?
Serve Together
The holidays are a time to be focused outward. Come up with a way for your group to serve together during the month of December. What can your group do to help brighten up someone else’s holiday? Check with your church administration and find out if there is a family in need and choose to “adopt” them – your group can come up with a gift basket to deliver to them. There are various ways you can serve, both within your church and outside – pick one and commit to serving once during December.
Learn Together
The book of Luke has 24 chapters. Encourage your group to read through the Gospel of Luke this month (you don’t even need to meet to do this); and encourage each person to share something that gets impressed upon their hearts throughout the week, whether by text message or email to the group. By Christmas your group will have read through the entire account of Jesus’s life and wake up on Christmas morning knowing the real reason we celebrate. What a great way to you’re your group members grounded in His Word and connected, even if you’re not meeting in person.
Invite Outsiders together
Challenge your group during the holidays to reach out and invite non-believing friends, family to join your group for any of the above ideas! Who doesn’t love a good celebration?? We should never underestimate the impact of the relationships within your Small Group, and how they might leave a lasting impression on a visitor! Invite them to join your group when you start back up again in January. You can also invite them to attend your Church’s worship night and/or Christmas service. In addition, why not let others know that your group is having a collection to serve a family in need, and extend them the opportunity to help make a difference? Finally, extend a non-believing friend/family member the opportunity to join you and your group as you read through the Gospel of Luke. Pray that God’s Word would speak to them, teach them, and show them the real reason for Christmas. Watch and see what God will do!
Challenge your group to consider each of these five purposes and how they can fulfill them. You don’t even need to meet as a group each week to do these — but commit to doing what you can….. and build from there. When you meet again in January, ask your group to reflect upon what was done and how this impacted everyone, both personally and as a group. Share praises for what God did and also pray that God would continue to help you do these things not just during the holidays, but all year long!
Related Article: 5×5 Holiday Outreach Guide
