Fellowship Groups
We know the value of Christians gathering in small groups for fellowship, prayer, worship and Bible study. Several who used to be part of our church and have gone on to full-time ministry in the Church testify that meeting in a small group was foundational to their spiritual growth and in recognising their call. Because of this, one of the key values that we hold as a church is to encourage all members to become part of a home group where people will be committed to one another in prayer, support and time, and which will be open to include and serve those currently outside the Church.
Riverside currently runs several small groups that meet for this purpose either in members homes or in the church buildings. Most groups meet weekly.
What do we get up to? Well, fellowship is about friendship, and we find that we get to know each other quite well as time progresses. But it is not just about human friendships. The purpose of these small groups is to learn more about God, and strengthen our friendship (i.e. faith) with Him. We typically do this by reading small parts of the Bible and learning about Him. The Bible also has a lot to say about how we should be living today.
We also pray - prayer is how we can speak to God. We thank Him for good things and ask Him for help in the difficult things; if people are ill or struggling, we ask him to heal or help them.
The groups normally start with a cup of tea or coffee or other refreshments, but sometimes something more substantial.
The most important role of home groups is to help us grow in our discipleship.
How do I join? None of the groups are a club - you are welcome to come along to any of the groups without any commitment at all. Speak to someone from the church and they will gladly give you more details, and introduce you to one of the group leaders or members, so that you will at least know somebody in the group that you would like to go along and visit.
You can use the contact page to enquire when and where the group meetings are.