I was grateful that so many attended the First Pres Forum.  It was a great joy to share with you the journey of discernment that the Session has taken together these past many months to define our core values and purpose statement.  It was also fun to begin laying out, in more detail, phase 1 of our Community Building Initiative.  In particular, I talked about the idea of Community Groups, and our plan to initiate some special summer community groups on June 22.

For the summer, there will be seven community groups meeting on campus after church (not every week, but many).  Remember, community groups are regionally based, mid-sized groups of the congregation that exist to build relationships, grow disciples, and give witness to the Gospel.  We recognize that having only seven groups might make them a bit large in number and spread out geographically.  However, our highest value for the summer was to create some exciting synergy in the groups that would sustain the fluctuating schedule of summer vacations and travel.  It’s very likely that the next iteration of community groups (phase 2 of the community building initiative) will include at least twice as many groups.

So, if you missed the First Pres Forum, the groups are organized around high school boundaries.  Here are the seven groups: Roosevelt, Sunnyside & Sanger; Central, Fresno & Edison; Bullard; Clovis West; McLane & Hoover; Buchanan & Clovis North; and Clovis & Clovis East. We know that some of our folks live beyond the borders of these boundaries.  We’re asking them to choose a group that makes sense for them.

Starting June 22, we’ll be meeting in our community groups after worship for about one hour.  There will be leaders for each group that help to facilitate the gatherings, but you can expect them to feel a bit like a large gathering in your home – time when everyone is listening, time when everyone is talking together, time when everyone doing something in groups, and time when everyone is praying.  Our hope is that everyone will move from the worship service into their particular group meeting space (after picking up kids from childcare, of course).  So, would you begin planning now to be together for a few hours during our Summer Sundays? 

I’m going to be talking more this Sunday at our second First Pres Forum about the strong way these Community Groups connect so much with our Core Values and Purpose Statement.  Unless you’re serving during that hour (9:40 – 10:40), I encourage you to be there.

Finally, if you were unable to be at last week’s First Pres Forum, there is an edited version of the meeting available on YouTube.  Click here to watch.

Please keep praying this week that God grows us deep and wide.

P.S.  This Sunday is Pentecost Sunday.  Will you join me in wearing some red to worship?