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Week One - Connection

Week One

Connecting

Connect with Story Cards

How do you get a group of people to start talking? How do you get them to start being real? Story Cards are an exciting way to encourage people to share about their lives and spiritual journeys. You’ll be surprised by how Story Cards draw your group into deeper reflection and more meaningful conversations.

  • Ask each person to pick a card that describes their response to this question: Which picture best represents how you think or feel about beginning this group? 

  • Go around and have everyone share the number of the card they chose and explain why they picked the card they did.

  • If you are meeting online, have the member share the number of the card they chose so you can share your screen so everyone can see which number they chose.

Together time

Play the Welcome Video

In this session, Pastor Chris High welcomes you to Dinner Groups at Hoboken Grace. He explains what a dinner group is and your host, Sarah Neral, challenges group members to show up, join in, and be real.

Video run time: 8 minutes

Dinner Group Overview

It's important for you and your group to all be on the same page. We find it's best when the leader has a conversation the group as to the overview of the dinner group. Here are a few items to discuss.

  • What will your group look like?

  • What can your group expect each week?

  • When will you meet? How long will you meet?

  • Are there specific requests related to how you meet? (Example if you meet online are they encouraged to mute when they are not talking?)

  • Roles within a dinner group:

    • Individuals – Own their growth

    • Group – Supports the growth

    • Leader  – Encourages the growth

    • Church – Partners in growth

SHOW UP. JOIN IN. BE REAL.

While it's not imparative to discuss this the first night it is worth covering by the end of your second week together.

Walk through the Dinner Group Guidelines and discuss as a group what it means to show up, join in, and be real.

Prayer

Take some time to pray as a group. Pray for your time together and those that will join over the next 10 weeks.

For the first few group meetings, be prepared to lead the group prayer yourself. Praying out loud can be intimidating for many people, so it may be wise to wait a couple of weeks before asking if anyone else would like to lead your prayer time.

After Group

You did it you made it through your first night as a group together! Pat yourself on the back. A few things we would recommend coming out of the group:

  • Take attendance.

    • You should have received an email 10 minutes prior to group. All you need to do is check off who was able to attend.

  • Send a text or two.

    • Was there anyone you want to thank for joining you tonight at group? Perhaps someone said something meaningful you and want to celebrate that. Affirmation outside of group goes a long way at creating the culture you’d like to encourage inside of group.

  • Preview Week Two

    • If you’d like to get a jump start on the next week you can find that here.

Additional Support

DinnerGroupLeader.com

After several years, we’ve learned and heard a thing or two that we think can help you as a leader and help your group, too. Within this toolbox is everything we think you might need to feel prepared, equipped, and encouraged to lead your dinner group each week.

GroupLeaders.org

This site from our partner church network is loaded with tons of great resources to support and develop you further as a leader.

Planning Center

Planning Center is where you are able to manage your group, group members, and report attendance.