Recap of Small Group Leader Formation Sessions 1-3

Recap of Small Group Leader Formation Sessions 1-3
 

Session 1

The Small Group Leader Formation series began with a review of Archbishop Hebda’s plan to expand small groups in each parish that will foster personal relationships, build community, and provide formation to help parishioners grow as joyful missionary disciples of Christ. The first step was for each pastor to select and form 12 lay disciples, patterned on Jesus choosing his twelve apostles. The 12 were then tasked with inviting another approximately “72” parishioners to receive the Small Group Leader Formation as potential small group leaders or as supporting members of the groups to be formed next Lent.

Participants then received an introduction to the Parish Evangelization Cells System (PECS), a Church-approved model of small groups that has been effective in many parishes in Europe and the US. PECS small groups were created for parishes, by parish pastors, as a more engaged way of being parish. As the Church exists to evangelize, small groups in PECS exist to assist Christians to evangelize relationally, as missionary disciples, by inviting others into the life of their small group.

Session 2

Session 2 was primarily about evangelization. The Church exists to evangelize, and all of us are to participate in Jesus’ mission, yet we aren’t doing much of it, and we are losing Catholics faster than we can raise them or bring people in through RCIA. In a 2005 study, only six percent of US Catholic parishes believe that spreading the faith is a high priority.

We then were introduced to a style of relational evangelization at the center of PECS small groups - inviting people we know through our families, neighborhood, work, or interests, over time, to at first be touched by our small groups, and then to join them, be drawn to Jesus, and then eventually to enter the Church through our parish. While evangelization is rather foreign and perhaps even fearful for us, this kind of evangelization is much more gradual, and more accessible. We then saw how relational evangelization in the context of PECS small groups, is well-suited to our culture and time.
 

Session 3

Session 3 began by explaining the characteristics and advantages of PECS small groups. They exist on the edge of parishes, with members from the parish, and eventually members from outside the parish who are invited in. Once the group grows too large, it splits to form two new groups, which then repeat the gradual growth process.

Finally, we examined the elements of a PECS small group meeting. They are typically weekly, and meet for only 90 minutes. They begin with praise of God, sharing how we’ve experienced God in our lives and how we’ve responded, a short time of teaching and discussion, and end with intercessory prayer and healing prayer as needed. They help solid Catholic members, as well as newcomers, to grow in prayer, knowledge of their faith, and practical service to each other and beyond.