May 17, 2018

While they were worshipping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.’ (Acts 13:2 NIV) 

I remember the first year of university in Sydney, Australia. There was an Inter-Varsity group on campus (They were called “The Evangelical Union”). Someone more senior than me in that faculty got together with us who were coming in for the first year. We met at the foyer. Then we went out into the green space outside the building. We chatted, discussed a chapter of a book on Christian living and prayed for each other. This was my first small group experience. It was more than a mere Bible study. We did read the Bible and discussed the application of it to our lives. The Bible came alive for me through this small group experience. I was not only learning from others. I was also  contributing to the spiritual lives of others.

Since then I have been involved in more small groups. As a pastor, I have also organised small groups at the churches I have served at. In Acts 13:2, as the leaders of the church in Antioch were having a small group prayer time together, the Holy Spirit spoke to them. The Holy Spirit asked them to set apart Barnabas and Saul (Paul) for the mission work that God had called them to. As a result, Barnabas and Saul set on their first missionary journey together in the Lower Mediterranean. 

At St. Andrew’s Streetsville, we too have small groups. First of all, we have groups of people chatting at coffee hour after the worship gathering on Sundays. We also have small groups that meet for Bible study and prayer. The main small groups of this kind are the Monday night Bible study and the Tuesday women’s fellowship. There is a new initiative starting called a Men’s Group that is starting. Our vision is CONNECT*GROW*SERVE. We will meet once every 2 weeks to read the Bible, discuss it and pray together (every 2nd Saturday, 9-10:30 am). We will start on Saturday, May 26 at 9 am. If you are interested please sign up in the Fireside Room or contact the men’s group team, Bertie Enochs, Mike Murdoch or myself, mensgroup@standrewsstreetsville.ca 

Pastor Pye