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Small Groups Offer Parishioners Valuable Opportunities to Grow on their Faith Journey
Gathering together is an important aspect of our faith lives. While we often gather in large groups — most notably, for Sunday Mass — gathering in smaller groups is a great way for us to build relationships with our fellow parishioners, study Scripture, and share our faith journeys with one another. Through our small groups here at Saint Michael Parish, men and women of the parish are able to grow together in faith.
“If you’re not growing in your faith, you’re probably going backward — so the goal is to continually grow in holiness and faith,” says Michaela Moreau, Steward for Evangelical Catholic, Small Groups, and Bible Studies. “It’s so important to find like-minded people of faith who you can go deeper with, and talk about faith and Scripture. When you find friends who believe what you do, it can build you up.”
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The parish started forming small groups about eight years ago and currently numbers 40 groups with about 450 members. The first small groups were formed specifically for six weeks during Lent and Advent — however, many groups enjoyed it so much that they decided to continue meeting year-round. Over time, many new groups have been formed based on the needs of members.
“We first advertise for facilitators, a couple of weeks before advertising for members,” Michaela says. “I get together with the facilitators and we decide what day and time their groups will meet — some meet during the day, some meet in the evening, and they can meet any day of the week. I train the facilitators so they understand the programs and how to run the group, and then we open it up for people to join the group.” As Michaela notes, sometimes people come in already together as a formed group, and sometimes groups are formed from various individuals.
“We have all kinds of groups — men, women, mixed, young adults, even some groups for non-Catholics and fallen-away Catholics,” Michaela says. “We have larger and smaller groups, ranging from six to 15 members. Some meet year-round and others only meet for Lent and Advent. I’ve worked hard to find the right spot for everybody!”
The groups started out by practicing Lectio Divina for the upcoming Sunday’s Gospel reading — Lectio Divina is a traditional monastic practice of reading, meditating, and praying upon Scripture. Over time, the small groups evolved to include reflection videos made by clergy, staff, and other parishioners, as well as discussion questions. Groups typically meet for about an hour and a half, and where they meet depends on the group — some will meet at the members’ houses, and others meet at the parish or other venues.
By forming small groups, parishioners are able to create a personal connection more easily with other parishioners, and grow in their own personal faith journeys.
Groups typically meet for about an hour and a half, and where they meet depends on the group — some will meet at the members’ houses, and others meet at the parish or other venues.
With the onset of COVID-19, the small groups quickly pivoted to meeting over Zoom. Although they weren’t able to gather for in-person meetings, the groups were thankful for technology that allowed them to continue to share in fellowship with one another.
“I set up a Zoom account for the groups, and most continued to meet because they were stuck at home and really needed that connection with the parish family,” Michaela says. “We also found that attendance was often better than when we could meet in person — many group members who had moved out of state were able to join, and group members also invited family members who lived out of state to join virtually. It wasn’t the same as meeting in person, but we were able to make the best use of what we had.”
As the state began to reopen, some groups returned to meeting in person, and others continued to meet virtually based on their needs. Either way, the structure remains generally the same — opening with a prayer, sharing a “God-sighting” they experienced during the week, and practicing Lectio Divina for that Sunday’s readings. They also go through discussion questions, share prayer requests, and watch the provided reflection videos during Lent and Advent.
By forming small groups, parishioners can more easily create a personal connection with other parishioners and grow in their own personal faith journeys.
“We’re a large parish, and by bringing that down into a smaller group, it allows you to actually meet people,” Michaela says. “If you’re in a small group with 10 people, those are 10 people that you know and can recognize at church. Lectio Divina gives them time to read and reflect upon the readings throughout the week, and they come to Mass more prepared and more attentive. The groups also get people praying for other group members, and it increases their prayer lives. The groups are great for couples, too — you gain so much from listening to other group members’ insights into Scripture, and you are able to talk about it and pray together with your spouse.”
Through our small here at Saint Michael Parish, men and women of the parish are able to grow together in faith.
If you would like more information about the parish’s small groups, please contact Michaela Moreau at the parish office at 360-292-7104 or mmoreau@saintmichaelparish.org.
