Our goal is to have every Lifegroup meeting once per week. Some groups may choose to meet regularly on Sunday morning and watch the service together, or meet after service over Zoom to discuss the sermon! It doesn't have to be a huge time commitment - just a way to regularly connect with one another. Obviously, stuff happens! There will be times that a large part of the group might be unavailable on the usual day, and it would make more sense to cancel for the week or move to another day. However, our goal is to have the group meet once a week. The groups usually shoot for a 1.5 - 2 hour meeting (for in-person meetings - virtual meetings naturally tend to be a little shorter).
The meeting location is up to your group. Often, the Lifegroup leader will host in their home or backyard. Some groups like to take turns hosting among the members! It is up to your group.**
We are also encouraging groups to meet once or twice a quarter for a social get together. This could be meeting up at a park on a weekend, or doing a virtual game night for example. We recommend scheduling these in advance so everyone can participate!
** During the COVID-19 pandemic, many groups are choosing to meet online via virtual platforms (such as Zoom, Google Meet, FaceTime, etc.). This is a great option if your group isn’t comfortable meeting in-person or if your group has parents who would rather connect after bedtime. If your group still wants to meet in-person during the COVID-19 pandemic, we recommend meeting outside and socially distant from each other. The church parking lot is a great option if no one in the group has a backyard/outdoor space! The church parking lot is a great resource as well...just bring a few folding chairs and you’ve got a great spot! If your group decides to meet inside, the staff team is working on preparing a specific room inside the church that is large enough to spread out in (and with a nice air purifier) that would also be available for Lifegroups to use. Once the weather turns cold again, we will encourage groups to bundle up and continue meeting outside, or to begin meeting virtually, rather than meeting indoors.
Groups who choose to meet in person will be required to sign a safety covenant, which we have developed in collaboration with local health experts to ensure the health and safety of our groups. You can read the safety covenant on our website at highrocknorthshore.org/lifegroups as you make your own informed decision about which type of group you’d be most comfortable joining.**