LIFE Group Ministry is the name given to describe a particular small group ministry at Conway UMC which will focus on the five main ingredients of Fellowship, Prayer, Study, Accountability and Service.  They are also the heart of our 5-year plan (Year 1 - Foundations, Year 2 - Relationships, Year 3 - Home, Year 4 - Sending Out, and Year 5 - Building Bridges).  Please visit this link to help you remember details of this 5 - Year plan.

Why LIFE Groups:  We all need opportunities for in-depth spiritual growth, relationship building and service.  Some LIFE groups may grow into prayer groups, into Bible study groups, into service groups or into other functions that fill the needs of its members.  As the groups form and flourish, they become a vital part of strengthening its members and the overall church as purposed in our 5-year plan.

 Why this name: The name, LIFE Group, using the acronym LIFE was created to represent how we grow and express God's meaning in our lives:

L => Learning for the enhancement of our spiritual selves

I => Intercessory prayer for lifting up each other

F => Friendship with our fellow travelers

E => Extensions/expression of our Christianity by service.

The Purpose of Conway UMC's LIFE Groups ministry is to provide for every member of CUMC a loving, caring family of friends to help him or her grow into a more fully devoted follower of Christ.  As we grow, we are more able to reach out to others with Christ’s love.

Our Vision for LIFE Groups at our church is to foster development of a church that is strengthened in love for God and others.  It is to accomplish this by involving members of our community in small groups (or LIFE groups) that focus on Fellowship, Prayer, Study, Accountability, and Service.  Where do YOU personally want to go in your spiritual walk?

Where are we in this process?  A leadership team has been securing hosts and leaders that will, beginning the week of 12 February 2012, hold LIFE Group meetings.  These leaders and hosts will meet on Saturday January the 28th for training on "how to conduct an effective small group" and will use a training manual that has been created.  Host and Leader training will be conducted by Reverend Strickland and his wife Carolyn. If you are interested in participating in this training opportunity, please contact Alison Whitney, Bill Viehman, Linda Pollom, Carl Barrett or Reverend Randy.  We would welcome you!  Perhaps you just want to learn more about Life Groups.

The leadership team is currently getting from these leaders/hosts a definition of where, what day, what time they will hold their LIFE Group meetings. Any particular additional definition of their group is also being obtained. This information will be published so that you can select a group that you will plan to attend.

During the later part of January 2012 we will each be invited to select a LIFE Group that we will attend.   We can all grow by participating in these groups and, by our life experiences contribute to others. Each LIFE Group will meet weekly for about 1 1/2 hours and will include fellowship, relationship building and study material that parallels a sermon series (topic is to be determined) given by Reverend Randy.  When the sermon series completes, each group will be given the opportunity to follow the same format using discussion guides that follow Rev. Randy's sermons or to select a format that matches the group (and leader's) interests.

More information will follow!  Please watch this space!