We believe in the importance of believers meeting together in small groups on a weekly basis -- groups small enough that genuine ministry can occur in the context of true relationship and spiritual fellowship. We encourage each person, child or adult, to gather weekly for prayer, practical Bible Study, worship, and the twin ministries of Matthew 28:18-20: winning and nurturing people in Christ. Life group ministry is the backbone of our ministry at MECF and we urge each person who attends Sunday Celebration to also take part in a weekly life group. New groups will always be forming, and new leaders recruited as the groups form.

Would you like more information about our Life Group based church? Please fill out our comment card and we will respond to you or check our Frequently Asked Questions Page.

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Monday

• 7:00 p.m. Miracles: A Dialogue with C.S. Lewis

This Life Group will be a fellowship/discussion group. Content will be based on the classic book by C. S. Lewis Miracles. Group members will read this 275-page book, chapter by chapter and meet with one another prepared to respond to Lewis’ content, discuss it meaningfully with Bible in hand and seek to know the Truth.

Our goal is to be better prepared to defend the validity of believing in miracles before skeptics and unbelievers with a view to persuading them to come to faith.

The group is open to adults and teens willing to read, study and interact on 10-15 pages of material each week. No child care. We will meet in homes for 90 minutes each Monday, from January 7 through April. The book costs $13.00 or bring your own copy. Facilitator will be Pastor Rich (277-4854) pastorich@mecf.net

Tuesday

• 7:00 p.m. Discipleship and the Gospel of Mark

Joel & Michelle M host and lead this Life Group which will run until May. The group’s focus is personal discipleship of members and equipping and encouraging them in their personal discipleship of others. Children are welcome to attend with their parents. The group will meet in their apartment.

Wednesday

• 7:00 p.m. Cell Group Ministry

Ed & Marge W will lead this Life Group. It will be limited to eight adults to begin, but the group’s goal will be to grow to sixteen by inviting un-saved, un-churched friends. There will be no child care available for this Life Group.

The study portion of this group will pick up on the message from the Sunday morning prior and will concern itself with the practical implications of the truth shared.

Thursday

• 6:30 a.m. Fit Bodies, Fat Minds

This group will meet in the early hours over coffee and light continental for prayer and discussion of biblical perspectives on various issues from pluralism to premillennialism, consumerism to movies. We will let our topics be led by Os Guinness’ great little book, Fit Bodies, Fat Minds: Why Evangelicals Don’t Think and What to Do About it.

Group members will be asked to read about 10 pages of the text, meditate on the pertinent scriptures then gather for an hour or so a week and discuss the topic for the purpose of encouraging one another in a vibrant and intellectually sound faith.

Pastor Rich hosts this Life Group at the Worship Center, which is open to adults and teens. The book costs about $10, or bring your own. We will meet from January 10th until April.

• Beginning with a shared meal at 6:00 p.m. Forgiveness: Breaking the Power of the Past

An imperfect people living in an imperfect world, we eventually confront in every relationship the need to extend or receive forgiveness. But when the wounds run deep, forgiveness doesn’t come easy. This study deals with the difficult questions of forgiveness, including How can I forgive when the pain is so great? Does forgiving mean I have to forget the past? and What if I chose not to forgive?

As we dig into the depths of God’s mercy in the life of Joseph and the teachings of Jesus and Paul, we’ll discover how choosing forgiveness can free us from a painful past and propel us toward being all that God intends for us to be. Book cost $5.00; no homework involved, but application is encouraged. Child care will be available for preschoolers; older students are welcomed to participate in the study. Group will meet in the home of the hosts/leaders, Billy & Cheryl M (and others’ by invitation).

Friday

• 9:30 a.m. - Mom’s Prayer Group

A group for the busy moms who feel the need to be in with other moms to pray for one another and for their children. This group meets weekly in homes, and for periodic planned outings. Members also plan outings with one another through the summer months as well.

Other Information

• Men’s Fellowship
  Breakfast meeting1st Saturday of the month 8:00-9:30 a.m. - This Life Group is a fellowship/study group of men and boys. A full breakfast is followed by time of prayer and study-discussion. The topic this trimester is Rising to the Call of Leadership.
  
  Elder Billy Mathews will lead the Life Group which will be hosted by several guys who will prepare the breakfasts. Members of this Life Group will be challenged to meet in fellowship with one another in groups of two-three during the rest of the month for discipleship, mutual edification and encouragement. The first meeting is Saturday, January 5.
   

• Women’s Fellowship
  Breakfast meeting 2nd Saturday of the month This Life Group is a fellowship/study for women and girls. Lead this trimester by , the participants gather for breakfast and a devotional study on a variety of topics each month.  Time will be set aside each meeting for meaningful prayer together.
  
  Members will be encouraged to meet with one another in groups of two-three during the rest of the month for discipleship, mutual edification and encouragement. The first meeting is Saturday, Jan. 19.
   

• Mission Brazil – meets
  This Life Group is a mission support group targeting the Gregory Family and PAZ Ministries in Brazil. The primary purpose of the group is to train and prepare the short term mission team who will be going to be with the Gregory’s this Spring, so participation is limited to this team. However, other adults or older teens who are interested in going to Brazil in the future on a short term mission trip are also welcome.
  
  Gary A, who is also the team leader for the short term trip in April, leads this Life Group. Group members will meet in homes and will spend time together praying for the Gregory family, the larger mission work in Amazonia, and wisdom to know how we as a church can serve them best. Answers to these prayers and the research of the April trip will serve to resource the Kingdom Expansion Team for future ministry.
  
  With questions please contact Gary A through the church office (624-6323)
   

• "Beginnings" - This course offers the new Christian or new member of MECF a very helpful foundational study in the basics of the Christian life and teaching. Participants will meet weekly with a same-gender "sponsor" for study in the Word of God, encouragement and discussion of the weekly reading from the book.
  
  This book by Pastor Rich Bersett will help familiarize the student with the practical aspects of life in Christ and at Metro-East Christian Fellowship. Cost for this Life Course is $10, which pays for the book.

• Walking in the Spirit: The Essential Christian Life - This is Unit 3 of the Design for Discipleship program. Pastor Rich leads this study on the power and the multidimensional ways the Holy Spirit works in our lives. The cost is $10 for the notebook. Place, date, and time to be determined.

• How to Enroll in these Life Groups - Register any time at the MECF Worship Center, using the registration form on the back table or call 618-624-6323.
  
  By registering you will help us determine the size of the group and the location of the meetings (based on the number enrolled.)
  
  After your registration is received, you will be contacted by someone confirming date, time and place.