After your initial six sessions... and your retreat... and your vows, our suggestion is that you meet monthly to keep each other accountable to the vows, to forgive each other and to encourage each other.
This on-going contact with one another provides great opportunities for reflection; grace-filled accountability; as well as encouragement and challenge in equal measure. Find a day and time each month that group members can meet for about two hours.
A suggested pattern for the meeting:
Having different group members taking responsibility for the various aspects of the evening is a great way to ensure a variety of approaches and that everybody participates in the life and well-being of the mini-order. Participation, trust and openness will grow steadily over time. It is also important from the outset to stress the need for confidentiality regarding anything that group members share in the small group setting. The only time when confidentiality cannot be promised is if something arises in the group that relates to a safe-guarding or legal protection issue. It is preferable for a mini-order to be securely linked and accountable to a broader church structure that has specifically trained safeguarding officers.
Also a mini-order is intended as a discipleship group for those who are already committed to faith in Jesus; it is wise to be connected and accountable to the pastoral structures of a church (or group of churches) that has a clear statement of faith and belief. This will give the mini-order a shared foundation of belief and clear reference point in the discipleship journey.
The retreat day and the taking of vows (see Retreat and Vows tab) are two practices that can be repeated annually as part of the on-going life of the mini-order.
This on-going contact with one another provides great opportunities for reflection; grace-filled accountability; as well as encouragement and challenge in equal measure. Find a day and time each month that group members can meet for about two hours.
A suggested pattern for the meeting:
- Someone brings cake and/or biscuits, and everyone enjoys something to eat and drink as the group gathers and catches up
- ‘How are we all doing?’ – someone prepares an activity to help the group members reflect on how their different commitments are going (the good and the not so good)
- Chance for discussion and study – this may be based on a Bible or theological book the group has agreed to read, or be generated from questions and concerns group members have. For the first year the ‘Onwards’ group called this the ‘theology slot’ – but it has evolved and been a variety of things over time
- Time to pray – a group member prepares a prayer activity for the rest of the group
- Organising arrangements for the next meeting
Having different group members taking responsibility for the various aspects of the evening is a great way to ensure a variety of approaches and that everybody participates in the life and well-being of the mini-order. Participation, trust and openness will grow steadily over time. It is also important from the outset to stress the need for confidentiality regarding anything that group members share in the small group setting. The only time when confidentiality cannot be promised is if something arises in the group that relates to a safe-guarding or legal protection issue. It is preferable for a mini-order to be securely linked and accountable to a broader church structure that has specifically trained safeguarding officers.
Also a mini-order is intended as a discipleship group for those who are already committed to faith in Jesus; it is wise to be connected and accountable to the pastoral structures of a church (or group of churches) that has a clear statement of faith and belief. This will give the mini-order a shared foundation of belief and clear reference point in the discipleship journey.
The retreat day and the taking of vows (see Retreat and Vows tab) are two practices that can be repeated annually as part of the on-going life of the mini-order.