Our basic assumptions
1. Our God is a caring God who wants us to experience the richness and support of a caring community.
2. The church is to be a caring community that offers close, accepting relationships through careful listening, forgiving attitudes, personal care, and encouragement for Christian discipleship.
3. Personal care and community become most concrete and meaningful in small groups of 12 or less. At BMC we call these Small Groups.
4. Small Groups are the key caring structure of our church. Small Group leaders are supported and supervised by our pastor for providing an environment of care for each member.
5. BMC’s leadership invites all attendees to become part of a Small Group!
Qualities of a Small Group
* Has five to twelve members.
* Comes together around a common interest or need.
* Meets regularly (usually twice a month).
* Is people-centered. Meetings include building relationships.
* Groups agree to confidentiality. Nobody criticizes behind another’s back.
* Group members listen to, care for, laugh with, and support each other.
* Groups are encouraged (but not required) to consider ways of doing study together and to consider ways of offering service outside of the group.
Small Group Options:
starting SPRING 2024:
See the new Small Groups brochure and send your choices to info@bouldermennonite.org
Spring 2020 – Spring 2022
Most small groups are meeting virtually – please reach out to the leader(s) if you are interested in joining!
1. Midweek Check-in
Leader: Pastor Randy (randy (at) bouldermennonite (dot) org)
When: Wednesdays, 5:00 – 6:00 pm
Where: Virtually
A space to center ourselves and pray together as a faith community halfway through the week. Pastor Randy leads a guided meditation with group reflections on scripture and readings. We take time to share concerns and gratitude and simply to see how each is doing in this interesting time.
2. Meditation/Centering Prayer Group
Leaders: Ellen Morrison (3/955-1422, ellendelano (at) comcast (dot) net), Mary Jungerman (3/494-6846, mcjungerman2 (at) gmail (dot) com)
When: 1st & 3rd Thursdays, 11:00 am – 12:15pm
Where: Virtually
A Zoom invitation is sent by a group member a day or two prior to each meeting. A leader follows by sending a prayer or Bible verse as the focus. At 11am in our own homes, each person meditates. At 11:30 am, the group gathers on Zoom for 40 minutes of sharing led by Mary or Ellen.
3. Monday Evening Bible Study
Leaders: Terry Mast (terry (dot) mast (at) gmail (dot) com), Eldon Mast (three oh three / four seven ate – 2673, eldon (dot) s (dot) mast (at) gmail (dot) com)
When: 1st & 3rd Mondays, 7:00 – 8:30pm
Where: Virtually
Our group enjoys a 90-minute session twice a month. We make time to check in as we gather, then read and reflect on a scripture passage and a bit of commentary from a shared book resource. Before closing, we take 30 mins to share about our lives in order to be of support to one another. No advance preparation is required and participants enjoy the chance to dive a bit deeper into key passages with group input. All are welcome!
4. Centering Ourselves in this Changing World
Facilitator: Jan DeCourtney (coloradojan97 (at) yahoo (dot) com)
When: 2nd & 4th Sundays at 2:30pm
Where: Virtually
This group is meant to be very informal and flexible. It’s about current events, our own lives, the ways the world is changing, and our thoughts and feelings about any and all of those things. How can we stay peaceful and centered if/when life becomes very tumultuous? How do different Mennonite thoughts and practices help? What can other traditions teach us about change? How can we support each other if things in our nation and the world happen to get worse? We take a little time to be quiet and/or journal about some of these issues and then share our deeper, intuitive insights.
5. Book Discussion Group
Leader: Becky Neumann (3/661-9857, bneumann428 (at) gmail (dot) com)
When: 2nd & 4th Sundays, 12:15 – 2:00pm
Where: Virtually
Join a book discussion group reading contemporary authors on what it means to follow Jesus. The books will be chosen by the group. Authors we may explore include Barbara Brown Taylor, Richard Rohr, John O’Donohue or others that are recommended by group members. We will also share each other’s joys and burdens as we get to know members better.
6. Games & Puzzles Small Group
Leader: Jen Dudenhefer (3/931-9385, jenurich (at) hotmail (dot) com)
When: 3rd Tuesday of each month, 7 – 8 pm
Where: Virtually
For lovers of board games, puzzles, and fun company! We’ll meet once a month, and spend some time checking-in with each other, offering support and care as well as having fun with games. This Small Group will determine a service project or a BMC-related project.
7. Singing Our Journey: Voices Together
Leader: Pastor Randy (randy (at) bouldermennonite (dot) org)
When: 2nd & 4th Wednesdays, 6:30 – 8:00 pm (not currently meeting; hope to restart sometime in 2021)
Where: Meeting at the church (or TBD)
Meet around the piano (and with other instruments, if available) to create music and to sing songs new and old, especially from our new hymnal Voices Together, to be in our pews in the Fall of 2020! Group members are invited to bring any instruments to join in the fun, or just come to sing. Enjoy good company and wonderful music. Possible Service Projects may be to teach and sing some of the music in our regular worship services at BMC and to offer music in other venues (retirement home, social justice events, shut-ins). Our time together will begin with personal check-in time and meditation/prayer.
8. The Periodically Pious Pickers
Leader: Jonathan Falk (3/506-5364, jonathan (at) jwfalk (dot) com)
When: 1st & 3rd Thursdays, 6:30 – 8:30 pm (not currently meeting; hope to restart sometime in 2021)
Where: Meeting at the church (or TBD)
A group of musicians that meet to sing familiar and new songs that are roughly in the “folk/bluegrass” space with occasional dalliances into rock, gospel and blues. Singers and instrumentalists welcome! We will play during BMC’s worship service once or twice/month.
