by Kurt Imbach

Most, if not all, of the Life Groups took time off from their regular meeting schedule during the Lenten season to meet with the whole church in our Wednesday night dinner meetings. These will all reassemble after Easter to continue their small group lives.  This provides an excellent time to evaluate, make changes within your Life Group or even to change groups!  I want to make it clear that I believe in reasonable flexibility of group connections.  I am not asking that groups reshuffle members, reassign groups and reconnect. 

Nor do I want anyone to feel trapped, obligated or forgotten.  It would
not be at all surprising if, after meeting for the past year with your
group, you might happen to feel that you need a change, or would feel
energized by making a change.  This could be because the rest of the
group is moving in a different direction than what you might need at
this time, or because you feel ready to lead or help form a new group,
or your schedule has changed and you need to be able to meet at
another time, or you need something more geographically
compatible, or you just feel out of sync with your group and need a
new start.

It is true that commitment is a key element in the success of any Life
Group.  But if you have put a year into a group, your commitment has
probably been tested.  It might be time now to reconnect and
recommit.   I do not want people to make changes because of some
little issue that Christian love might require us to learn how to work
through, otherwise we could be changing every week!  But I also don’t
want group ruts, or cliques, or people stuck where they don’t want to
be.  We just want there to be the best possible fit without ignoring our
own need to face some changes we personally might need to make.

I will be instructing all evaluators to hold a group evaluation night
when they re-gather their clan.  I will ask all of you to put time into
your input, to be clear in the expression of your needs, and
constructive in ideas you can suggest to improve the health and
effectiveness of your group.  But I would also encourage you to take
this opportunity to make a change if you feel you should, and I hope
all of us will be mature enough to accept the fact that someone might
want to change without taking it personally, and be offended.  Please
don’t feel that you will let the group down if you make a change.  That
is not enough reason to stay together. 

Perhaps this is more confusing than helpful.  I am not telling you to do anything.  I am encouraging everyone to evaluate themselves and their groups, I am freeing all of you to make the Life Groups stronger, better, and healthier by making mature, Spirit-led decisions, and I am asking all of us to respond to one another in Christlike love and acceptance.  Just let me know of any changes so I can assist in any transitions.

                               -- Kurt Imbach