Housegroups

Are you still thinking about joining a House Group?
Our new series starts in the week beginning 20 September 2010, and it is possible to join at any time in the year - although best to get in from the beginning if possible!. The main Housegroup programme runs until the end of May, although many groups continue to meet through June as well.

Housegroups meet fortnightly, avoiding school holidays. The full pattern of weeks can been seen on the Housegroup Weeks page, which include school holiday dates as well.

Please contact Margaret Whitton via the Church Office for information.

Housegroups 2010
There are several strands in our Housegroup Programme, catering for all elements of our church family.

Enquirers
Using Emmaus material, for those keen to find out about the basics of Christianity.

Christianity Explored
A course for new Christians based on Mark’s Gospel; to introduce Jesus - who he is, why he came and what it means to follow him.

Youth HouseGroup
Something NEW is being planned for a WEEKLY Youth Housegroup for Yics & Tics. Details available any day soon! Rob, Ruth, Roland or Christine may have the information!

Christian Discipleship
An exploration of the book of Daniel based on the commentary by Bob Fyall (who is coming to visit Christchurch this year).

Rob Hilton writes:
Anyone with any element of management to their life knows the need to discern between what’s urgent and what’s important. We can so easily miss what’s important because we attend to what’s urgent all the time. That’s why I like the Old Testament prophets, they often put to one side what was urgent, especially what the people thought was urgent, and attended to what was important, especially what they discerned from God was important. That’s a good reason to study one of those prophets Daniel, in the housegroups this autumn. A man who had many worldly cares, his job, his vocation, his home and income, yet who maintained and developed his faith in a way that meant he could keep his integrity and yet continue his job, and fit in to what was for him, a very alien experience.
We are studying Daniel because he developed his faith through changing times. I believe we live through changing times in Britain, in many ways the nation we thought we knew seems to be subtly changing around us – many of us are asking the question ‘Do we still live in a Christian society and nation?’ There are many, many complex answers to that question, but as a church with a heart for mission we must wrestle it. This requires our faith, our intellect, our spirituality and, above all, it requires us to think in ways perhaps Christians have not thought for over a thousand years in Britain.
August 2009