Our Savior's Way Lutheran Church - Doing Life Together

Doing Life Together – Small Group Ministry

What small groups are available?

Jesus Christ has called us to live in community. He summarized God's purpose in life this way:

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." (Matthew 22:37-40)

Faith is all about relationships. There is no such thing as a solo faith experience. Faith always leads us into a closer relationship with God and with those around us. In the book of Acts the early followers of Christ were described as devoted to community and to learning God's Word:

"They devoted themselves to the apostle's teaching and to the fellowship. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their numbers daily those who were being saved (Acts 2:42a, 46,47)."

As our congregation grows larger we also need to grow smaller. Our desire is to find ways to help people connect with God and with each other. This is what "Doing Life Together" is all about. Our hope is to provide a place for every person to experience Christian community where they can spiritually grow, find comfort and support in life, and experience the joy of serving Christ so others might experience His love for them.

Want to become a small group leader? Training begins Fall 2010

Training for new small group leaders is starting this fall. Click here for the training schedule.

Have questions about small group ministry? See our FAQ.

Why are small groups important for me and for our congregation?

Small groups follow the pattern that Jesus established with his disciples. He lived with them and helped them apply their faith in God to their daily lives. At Our Savior's Way, our desire is to help people make friends and feel connected to our community. Small groups allow us to grow larger as a worshipping community while still maintaining the intimacy of a small congregation. Small groups help connect us to God and to each other.

What is a small group?

It is a group of 5-15 people who decide to meet regularly to grow in their faith in Christ and to apply their faith to their lives.

Is a small group a Bible study?

Small groups have a variety of formats that express the desires and interests of the group members. Small groups have 5 components:

Worship
Fellowship
Spiritual Growth
Service
Outreach

Each group may choose to emphasize one of these components more than the others. Some groups may focus on studying the Bible, some on fellowship, others on serving.

How do I know which group is right for me?

See which group matches your passion, needs, interests, and learning style. Pray about it and then choose the group that fits you.

How can I learn more about the small groups that are being offered at OSW?

Look over the list of groups on this page, see what groups interest you, then contact the group leader. You might as the leader if you could attend one of the group sessions to see if this group is a fit for you.

Who will be leading the group?

The groups are led by committed Christians who have been trained to lead a small group. All our leaders have a heart to serve the Lord and have a love for people.

Do you have to be a member of OSW to participate in a small group? What if I have a friend who would like to attend a small group with me?

By all means, bring your friend. All small groups are open to anyone in the congregation or community. Our desire at OSW is to provide a community for everyone to grow in their faith in Christ. Each small group has an empty chair which symbolizes its openness to share the Gospel with those who do not know Christ.

Will I be embarrassed because I do not know about the Bible or know the answers to questions about the faith?

No! Small groups provide a safe and caring environment for everyone to grow in their faith in Christ. Small group leaders are trained to care for people and help participants feel welcome.

How can I become a small group leader?

One way is to join a small group and volunteer to help the group leader. Or take the small group leadership training when it is offered.

Current list of small groups

If you don't see what you are looking for, please let us know and email . Please also feel free to contact the group leaders to find out more or to sign up.

Click here for a presentation on all of the small groups.

Group	Description	Leader	Meeting Times
246 Young Adult Fellowship	We seek to be a community where young people ages 20-29 can make friends and discover a closer relationship with the Lord and make Him known to others. Based on Acts 2:46, "Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts".		1st and 3rd Tuesday each month
Golden Girls for God	Bringing mature women together to care for and share with one another through bible study, servant projects, outreach, and fellowship.	Roxie Sullivan	Wednesdays 10:30am-12:30pm
John the Beloved	Women of any age will use the Beth Moore Bible Study, The Beloved Disciple: Following John to the Heart of Jesus	Penny Payne (and Mary Miller)	Twice a month (TBD)
Starting Over	Begin again with your walk with God, renew your faith. The stresses and disappointments in life can drain us of our energy and leave us wondering where God is and why he is not listening. This group is for anyone who is struggling with a life changing event or who has doubts about their faith and want to move into a higher relationship with God.	Cissi Burtner (and Rick Burtner)	Weekly initially, then twice a month.
Let the Children Come (Mark 10:14)	For families with children where child care will be arranged at the home where we meet. This group is geared towards spiritual growth, fellowship, and support for parents raising children in the Christian faith. The foundation for all of these activities is the Word of God and we will work to apply it in our daily lives.	Darren Broemmer	2nd Saturday and 4th Tuesday each month
Growing a Marriage through Faith	This group is for couples, 30+, focusing on strengthening relationships with each other and with Christ.	Craig Hutula (and Gretchen Hutula)	1st and 3rd Wednesday each month, evenings
A Weigh to Live	Are you ready to make some changes? To have Christ in the First Place of your life? This is the perfect opportunity to relearn healthy eating habits, in a loving place with people that understand. Our first Bible study will be called BEGIN WITH CHRIST. It's included in the membership kit. Membership kits will be purchased after the New Year. Please contact Nikki Deacon with questions and interest! Also see the website at A Weigh to Live.	Nikki Deacon	January 18, 7-8:45pm. We will discuss what day/time is best for everyone in the group.
Personal Discovery Group	This is a group expedition to discover the process of life alignment. This group is for anyone who wants to learn the processes involved in identifying and evaluating one's own personal strengths, abilities, interests, and spiritual gifts for the purpose of matching those strengths and preferences to fulfilling life work in any setting. The secondary value of learning these processes is they can also be shared with others. The group sessions are focused on Self Discovery, Finding the Match, and Winning the Match. This expeditionary group is for adult Christians of all ages, from high school and college students, to thirty-somethings, to middle age, to retirees.	Todd Klopp	Sunday mornings at 9:30am (during Grace Place hour)
Cooking with Spirit!	This group is for men and women who are interested in cooking and Christian fellowship.	Mary King	Twice a month (TBD)
Body and Spirit	As the group evolves, we have changed our focus! Come join our family as we grow stronger in Christ through prayer, Bible study, and our service to others.	Marie Pfancuff	2nd and 4th Thursday of the month at 7PM in the Church library
In His Steps	Want to grow in the Word, experience nurturing prayer, caring, and fellowship while finding how God can use your unique gifts? Our Sunday morning group provides Bible studies and discipleship activities chosen to assist us in our personal faith journeys. We also provide direct assistance to mission and ministry projects at OSWLC and the community both near and far.	Bill Pfancuff	Each Sunday at 9:30AM - Room #LL6
4-1-1 Men's Ministry	In Proverbs 27:17 it says, "Iron sharpens Iron, so one man sharpens another." The purpose of 4-1-1 Ministry is for men (18+) to meet for one hour once a week to encourage and strengthen each other in their life journey with Jesus Christ.	Eric Peterson (Mike Germinario, Todd Klopp, and Randy May)	Mondays 7-8am at Panera Bread (Shellhorn Rd, Ashburn), Thursdays 6:45-7:30am at IHOP (Ashburn Village Blvd)
The West Enders	This group is seeking families that live west of Leesburg to meet for Bible Study, Prayer, and Fellowship.	Greg Lynch	Twice a month, Sunday afternoons
Path-levelers	Path-levelers comes from Proverbs 4:26: "Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm" and from the words of John the Baptist, "Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight paths for him. Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill made low. The crooked roads shall become straight, the rough ways smooth. And all mankind will see God's salvation (Luke 3:4-6)." This group is for anyone who desires to walk together to live authentic Christ-centered lives and for those who desire God to use their lives for His greatest good.	Mike Germinario	Thursday evenings at 7:30pm

For more information contact Pastor Peterson at .