about our small groups ministry

The mission of CCV’s Small Groups Ministry is engaging people in meaningful relational interaction and mutual encouragement regarding their spiritual growth.

Have you ever seen a single grape growing all by itself apart from any others? In the Vineyard we believe that fellowship is basic to what it means to be a Christian. Like grapes in a cluster, people are designed for relationships, and the relationships we share in the church are truly important to our own spiritual growth. The Bible teaches that once we accept Christ, we are not only reconciled to God, but we are also relationally united with other believers in the body of Christ. The Apostle Paul wrote, “Just as each of us has one body with many members… so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.” (Romans 12:4-5)

There are also countless verses telling us how to relate to each other, and the phrase “one another” appears over 60 times in the Bible, encouraging us to do things like… “…love one another…:, “…honor one another…”, “…agree with one another…”, and “…be patient, bearing with one another…”. With verses like this in mind, it seems obvious that the Christian life is meant to be lived in the context of genuine fellowship. Fellowship with other Christians is vital to our spiritual health and growth. So if you are not yet involved in a home group, we urge you to make time for this important priority in your life.

What happens in home group meetings? The typical small group meeting is a midweek meeting in someone’s home that lasts for about two hours. Many of these groups will begin with sharing a meal together, while others may just have coffee and dessert. Some will also include the sharing of communion together. In addition, most groups will also spend some time in worship, Bible study, group discussion and prayer. Occasionally, they may even do fun things together, like attending a movie or a show, and do some type of community service or outreach project together. Through both the formal and informal interaction of a group like this, people have a chance to really get to know one another at a personal level and to encourage one another in their faith journeys.

If you’re a new believer, or new to Capital City Vineyard, you’ll also find that getting connected in a home group context is the best way to grow in your knowledge and understanding of spiritual things. It’s a place to ask questions, share struggles, and learn through discussion and interaction with other Christians. Each one of us needs to be personally connected to other believers if we want to continue to grow as God desires us to.

What do we do with kids? If you have young children we know the dynamics of joining a home group can be especially challenging. Some groups do provide supervision for children during the meeting, but most do not. It’s best to check in advance by calling the leader or host of the group you’re interested in. If childcare is not available for a group you’d like to join, you may even want to consider hiring a sitter on a regular basis so you can still attend. Though it may cost a bit, consider it a worthy investment in your own spiritual health and growth as a parent.

Just below you’ll find a current listing of the home group opportunities currently available to you through Capital City Vineyard. Look over the list and consider which group might best suit your needs. Hopefully, there will be a group that works for you, but if you have a specific need that we’re not currently offering we’ll even work with you to find something else in the community that is appropriate, or we’ll try to get a new group started.

If you choose to visit one of our groups, you will be warmly welcomed and invited to participate to whatever degree you feel comfortable. All of our groups are accustomed to visitors and new people, and no invitation is required for you to check them out. We do advise, however, that you might want to phone the group leader in advance to make sure you know the correct time and place where the group is meeting, and to let the leader know that you will be visiting. You will not have to make a long-term commitment to a particular group right away. You’re free to visit as many groups as you like, and to attend for as long or short a period of time as you want. We do recommend, however, that you work toward selecting a particular group and stick with it for a while. That will give you a chance to really get a feel for the group, as well as to form meaningful relationships with others. Keep in mind that significant relationships usually take some time and effort to develop. Though it may feel awkward at first, down the road you won’t regret spending the time and energy to build into these relationships and get yourself connected in community.

Current Small Group Opportunities:

For the summer, our small groups take a break and we meet twice a month on Wednesday nights for what we call a “Jesus Party Cookout”.  For more information about these gatherings check the online events calendar, or contact the church office Tuesday through Friday from 9am-12pm with any questions.