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SAM's Lambs |
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============================================== Newsletter Update as of November 8, 2002 Hello Lambs, We are in the process of developing small groups and other activities and would like to invite you to our first Social event – a Sharing Dinner and Cabaret! Event on November 16th. Coming Events: Did you know Monroe County has 82,042 single
households? November 16th: Our first sharing dinner & Cabaret! event - in the Fellowship Hall.
Our regular Tuesday schedule: So far we have had two evenings of small group discussions and we are working out our "M.O." - that is - what the content and structure will be in our Tuesday night groups. Our Tuesday night groups are meant as peer support & social meetings, not therapy groups, so we are very flexible and relaxed on how the groups will go. For the first few weeks we will have thought-starter articles available each Tuesday night, but if the small group participants decide to digress, the church rafters will not begin to shake. While we want to provide educational experiences for singles, our mission is also to provide a way for singles to get to know each other in a healthy environment, and show them that coming to church can be a fun and loving experience. Of course we don’t want to digress into the bottomless ‘potholes’ of political or religious debate, but we can be flexible enough to allow normal conversation flow if everyone is finding it worthwhile. It is part of our meeting process that the group will make a consensus on how they will proceed – whether to stick with the article provided or to use it only as a thought starter for conversation, where we can exchange input – and – get to know each other, and maybe even help each other out. The communication skills of listening, as well as talking, that we learn in groups can be a help to us in our individual personal lives too. Compline: We will always have a practice of having Compline (closing prayers for about 15 minutes) in the church after groups are finished. This is optional for all, but all are invited and we hope that you will join us and take home some peace and love with you. When Father Lance is present, as he was last Tuesday, he will lead us in Compline, but otherwise we will have a volunteer single (someone who is used to reading lesson on Sundays). Post-Meeting: We will end our evening however the groups decide – adjourning for coffee somewhere or just heading home for shuteye. Future Groups: At present we are having 2 or 3 small groups each Tuesday with a
mix of ages and marital status, but we want to work to a level of
having small groups dedicated to a variety of ages group or life
stages. This will develop from the suggestions in the group, and from
those interested enough to participate and get their interest taken
care of, i.e. never marrieds, or under 30’s group, or divorced, or
widow/widowers group. Our future group calendar will gradually take more concrete shape, but the tentative plan is: First interest groups meet 11/19 –open to anyone – just show up. Well, that's all for now folks. Be a Lamb - just join us on Tuesdays and let's get the ball rolling. ‘with gladness and singleness of heart’, Betty Van Volkenburg
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