Serving

Holiday Plans and Group Serving Opportunities

Planning Ahead For The Holidays

We have 1 more week until our Fall Community Group Trimester ends (November 23).

Start thinking now what it will look like to connect before groups begin again in the new year (January 12).

Will your group do a Friendsgiving Dinner, Christmas Party, Serving Project, Men's or Women's night? Something else?

Put a date on the calendar before the Fall Trimester ends, otherwise connecting during break will get lost in the holiday shuffle.

All-Play Group Discussion (February 16 - March 15)

Starting February 16th, we'll be doing a 4-week sermon series teaching our church Biblical principles on money management.

88% of American's have significant struggles with money.

Because this is such a huge issue in our culture, we would like all Community Groups to address this topic during the 4-week series.

We wanted to let you know now as you plan ahead for discussions in the Winter Trimester.

More details to come.

Serve Together This Christmas!

1. Christmas Toy Celebration for Caring Choices!

Come volunteer for a special Christmas celebration for Caring Choices clients!

They will have the opportunity to shop for toys for their children, while enjoying a fun-filled day with their families. While clients shop for free, their children can enjoy pizza, cookies, craft activities, and family photos.

We are looking for volunteers to help set-up, clean-up, shop with parents, run small games, serve food, and do childcare!

We are also seeking donations of wrapping paper and food items for the day of the event! 

Please review the available volunteer slots and needed donations and click the button to sign up. 

  • Date: Saturday, December 7th

  • Time:12:30-2:30 (Please refer to the sign-up sheet for available time slots and donation opportunities)

  • Location: Northridge Church - Brighton Campus, 2090 South Clinton Ave, Rochester, NY 14618

2. MERRY & BRIGHT Baskets for Foster Families!

Build a basket of Christmas cheer to love on foster families in Monroe County! 

This Christmas season, Northridge is partnering with His Ministries to give biological and foster families in Monroe County CPS system “Merry and Bright Pajama Night” Baskets. They would like to offer each family a special snack basket full of holiday treats, snacks, and fun extras they can enjoy during a night out viewing Christmas lights. 

This is a great way to serve together as a family or group!

Email mgerringer@northridgerochester.com to sign up! 

BEYOND BOX FEEDBACK

This year our beyond boxes helped us to understand God's heart for people living in extreme poverty!

We serve a God of ABUNDANCE, who always provides for all of our needs. Savings groups help churches around the world to TAKE ACTION again crushing multidimensional poverty and bring hope to Christians around the world that God has not forgotten their prayers! 

Northridge Church supports savings groups in Malawi and Central America and this year alone 800 FAMILIES were able to join groups through your regular generosity to Northridge. 

We love hearing back from you about your experiences! Please reach out to your coach with questions or feedback!

How Can We Help You?

How is your group going? Are there any challenges or issues you or your group are struggling with? Reach out to your coach to setup a meeting. We'd love to help!

Additional Resources You May Find Helpful

Rethink Childcare For Your Group - 7 Ideas

Children in group are a blessing but also add complexity to healthy group meetings.

We are a family, and one of the joys of doing Community Group is not just adults connecting, but our whole families building friendships together.

If this is a tension for you, consider these 3 tips and 1 of the Childcare options below:

3 Childcare Tips:

1. Assign A Childcare Coordinator

  • Usually this is a parent who’s really organized! It’s not his or her job to do all the childcare, just to keep it organized.

  • The goal is always for the entire group to be sharing the load of caring well for the children.

2. Make House Rules Wherever You Meet

  • Talk with the host(s) regularly about this. If you rotate homes then each new home has a new set of house rules.

  • Some people don’t want children in the bedrooms, while others don’t care.

  • Communicate clearly the expectations to all the children and parents as well as whoever is caring for the kids. 

3. Ensure Safety of Children

  • When sharing childcare among your group, having 2 adults present at all times with kids, ensures accountability and safety for children.

  • Have parents take their own kids to the bathroom and change their own kids diapers, instead of a childcare person.

  • Have childcare take place in a room with windows and that is more public.

7 Childcare Options:

1. Rotate Between Men's, Women's, & All-Together Nights

  • Groups that do a 3 week rotation, only need to provide childcare 1 out of every 3 weeks, on the nights the whole group meets together.

  • On the men's and women's nights, families take care of their own childcare.

  • It’s important you regularly do whole family times (men, women, children) to maintain connection with everyone. 

2. Take Turns Caring For Children

  • Part of being in community is sharing the load of childcare, even for group members with out children.

  • Rotate between 2 men and 2 women from your group.

  • Instead of assigning a couple to do childcare, having 2 men or 2 women, gives those 2 people a chance to connect.

  • Having 2 adults also ensures accountability and safety for the children in that they are not left alone with 1 adult.

3. Hire A Sitter to Watch The Children

  • Often this could be teenagers.

  • It’s important to explain expectations to them and make clear any house rules.

  • EVERYONE should help finance this – even those without kids because we are all making this possible:

  • Group members can Venmo or give a cash donation to help cover expenses

  • If there isn’t enough cash coming in, then bring it up and challenge the group (not just those with children) to do more.

  • If you have more than enough, just keep the extra for future weeks.

4. Ask A Responsible Older Sibling From The Group

  • Everything from option #3 usually applies, though you might pay them less.

  • This can lead to tension if there are problems with their performance but deal with it directly.

  • For safety, it is wise to have 2 responsible sitters in the room with the kids at all times.

5. Take An Offering For Home Baby Sitters

  • If just 1 or 2 families in your small group have children you can decide to make donations each trimester to help them care for the expense of hiring a sitter in their home.

  • It’s unrealistic for most families to absorb the full expense on their own – but in some cases this is a good option as long as you are dealing with just 1 or maybe 2 families. 

6. Have Childcare In A Different Home Nearby

  • This can often be a good option if you can arrange it for children that have trouble leaving their parents alone or if you have a LOT of kids.

  • Give the sitters everyone’s cell numbers or the number for the host home and if there’s a problem Mom or Dad are just a call away!

  • This can really work well with 2 groups that might share a sitting home.

7. Don’t Do Any Childcare

  • If everyone in your group has free childcare available (family, older kids), then these groups can leave their children at home when they meet each week.

  • Some groups don’t do childcare because everyone in the group has children that are older or perhaps the group is made up of single adults without children or young married couples with no children yet.

  • But once children are involved it is important that you make a plan that makes it possible for these people to be involved with your small group. 

How Can We Help You?

How is your group going? Are there any challenges or issues you or your group are struggling with? Reach out to your coach to setup a meeting. We'd love to help!

Beyond Box Details for October

This October we are switching things up with a Beyond Box for every group!

This Sunday October 13th, group leaders can pick up their boxes in the lobby at their campus (only one box per group, so coordinate between co-leaders). 

This Beyond Box is all about God’s heart for people in poverty and how the church can come alongside people in poverty. 

Together your Northridge community group will simulate a savings group in East Africa using a one hour video led experience by Hope International. 

Pick a group meeting in the month of October to do the Beyond Box Experience!

Complete the survey at the end to let us know your feedback on the experience!

To get prepared: 

Encourage your group to PARTICIPATE! GET CREATIVE! 

Praying groups have fun and feel more deeply connected to the global church and the work Northridge is doing!

Michelle Gerringer

How Can We Help You?

How is your group going? Are there any challenges or issues you or your group are struggling with? Reach out to your coach to setup a meeting. We'd love to help!

Additional Resources You May Find Helpful

1 Easy Way For Your Group To Serve and Connect

Hi Group Leaders,

One of the most frequent comments we get from our end-of-the-year Community Groups survey, is that people wish that they could have more connections together outside of their group meetings.

Well, here is one opportunity for your group to connect together and impact others; an opportunity to be missional with your group.

Our Brighton Campus Launch is just 1 month away, but there is a lot that needs to happen before then.

Would your group be willing to do a Brighton Campus serving project?

If so, reach out to our Brighton NYM Resident Josh Myles to coordinate: jmyles@NorthridgeRochester.com

Below is a list of some of the things we are working on and groups may be able to help with, including a meal train for the workers who are doing the finishing touches on the building.

  • Hanging all the TV's and connecting them to Chromecast and Network

  • Vacuuming every room

  • Vacuum brown furniture for the green room

  • Cleaning the gym floor

  • Setup and lint roll all of the auditorium chairs

  • Clean the bathrooms

  • Assemble furniture

  • Assemble cubby units for kids ministry areas

  • Set up tables and chairs in classrooms

  • Go room by room and clean/dust/set things up appropriately

  • Wipe down the kids playland with clorox wipes

  • Move toy bins from closet into appropriate rooms (wipe down bins)

  • Setup cubicles and desks in the office spaces

  • Build the shelves for the cafe prep area and set them in place

  • Check on the gas attached to the stove in the kitchen and make it work

  • Find high top tables for the kids min check ins, connect and gathering room

  • Setup the connect space, t-shirt racks or something for drip to sit on

  • Fully clean kitchen, wipe down everything

  • Wash windows inside and out

  • Stretch fabric on 6 acoustic panels for the auditorium

  • Dust or wipe down the ceiling in the auditorium

  • Inventory cleaning closet 

How Can We Help You?

How are your first few weeks of group going? Are there any challenges or issues you or your group are struggling with?

Reach out to your coach to setup a meeting. We'd love to help!

2 Opportunities For Your Group To Serve Our Community

This past Sunday we preached on being a church that cares beyond its walls.

But we don't just want to preach about it, we want to take action.

We want to move as a church toward those who are hurting, in need, struggling with poverty, addictions, and broken relationships with God and others.

Community Groups provide an incredible opportunity for us to learn about and move to meet those needs together.

In order to move our church toward caring beyond our walls, here are 2 things we are asking all groups to do.

1. Group Discussion about Hope International in Malawi The Week of November 6th.

In place of sermon discussion on the week of November 6th, our Beyond team put together a discussion guide and videos for your group to watch and discuss.

To make sure this discussion goes smoothly as a group, we suggest you test out playing these videos on a TV ahead of time.

We are working on additional options for video playback.

2. Find a Beyond Partner to Serve With As A Group

There are numerous ways for your group to get involved in serving our Community.

Here are 2 opportunities for your group to serve together shared with us from our partners:

Trunk Or Treat

  • Saturday, October 29th

  • 10:00-11:30am

  • Northridge Rochester Campus

Northridge Church is hosting our annual Trunk or Treat to help strengthen the families of our Beyond Partners David's Refuge & RISE Community School 106! The premise is simple... A bunch of us band together, deck out our trunks with creative themes, and are ready with candy and fun interactive activities for kids! Families will move from car to car, collecting candy and playing games at each stop. Costumes are encouraged!

Compass Care Monthly Mailing Teams

Here are the days and times are available for groups to come in or pick-up mailings:

  • In-person groups: A 3-4 hour block between the hours of 9AM-9PM

    • Monday, October 24th through Thursday, November 3rd (except Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays)

    • Thursday, November 17th through Thursday, December 8th (except Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays)

  • Pick-up: M-F from 9am-5pm

    • Friday, October 21st through Tuesday, November 1st

    • Thursday, November 17th through Thursday, December 8th

CompassCare is educating the community on the equal value of all human life, from the womb to the tomb, and what it means to be human under God. The Production Team is a critical component to delivering these resources through monthly mailings. Groups interested in participating in prepping mailings can contact Dan Prouty at (585) 559-0241 and dan.prouty@compasscare.info.

If you have further questions about opportunities to serve with our Beyond Partners, check out the link below or contact Michelle Gerringer mgerringer@NorthridgeRochester.com. 

Christmas Contest + Christmas Social and Serving Ideas

As we move into our winter Community Group break, we would encourage your group to stay connected before our new group trimester begins on January 14th. 

The holiday season can be a challenging time as many of us interact with broken families, as we are reminded of friends and family that are no longer with us, as we face unique temptations, and as we deal with the anxiety that comes along with this season.

Group may be on break, but our relationships shouldn't. In fact, we may need each other during the holidays more than ever. 

As you celebrate the holidays, we'd love for your group to participate in our Community Group Christmas Contest by sharing your group experience with us and your friends.

Community Group Christmas Contest

Christmas Community Group Option 3.jpg

Post a Christmas picture on Facebook or Instagram with your Community Group between December 10th-23rd using hashtag #ChristmasWithMyGroup and tagging @NorthridgeRoc.

We will have 3 prizes. Your group can win one of the following categories by being the group with the: 

1. Most Creative Post

2. Most People Included in a Picture

3. Most Liked Post

So, start planning now for how your group can win.

What are some Christmas ideas for your group to connect together?

10 Group Christmas Ideas

  • Have a gingerbread house building contest with hot cocoa and Christmas music.

  • Watch a Christmas movie like "Elf," "It's A Wonderful Life," or "The Nativity."

  • Make and give away Christmas cookies.

  • Go caroling.

  • Get outdoors - skiing, sledding, hiking, or have a snowball fight.

  • Go ice skating downtown.

  • Bring your kids to see Santa at the mall and grab a meal together.

  • Attend a Christmas concert.

  • Sit together at the Christmas Eve service (see times HERE).

  • Serve together (See ideas below).

Connect with your co-leaders and set a date on your calendar this week; then you can start brainstorming with your group what your Christmas celebrations might look like.

Looking for a serving Idea?

7 Group Serving Opportunities

  • Open Door Mission

    Fill out a volunteer inquiry form for Open Door Mission to find out more about their seasonal serving opportunities. https://opendoormission.com/getinvolved/

  • Basketball Tournament

    Youth For Christ is hosting a Christmas basketball tournament and can use volunteers to help run the event and participate. www.northridgeserves.com/blog/trunk-or-treat-and-a-christmas-basketball-tournament

  • Christmas Basket Giveaway

    Mission Share has Christmas related service opportunities such as their Christmas basket giveaways and their Christmas Hope Gifts Program. Northridger Patrick can help you find out more details and connect: www.northridgeserves.com/our-team/patrick

  • Pack Hygiene Kits

    Pack hygiene bags for Supports on the Streets or hygiene/cleaning kits for Genesis House with a Christmas themed twist (such as including Christmas cards for those receiving the bags). Contact Allie for Supports on the Streets (http://www.northridgeserves.com/our-team/homelessness) and Leanne for Genesis House (http://www.northridgeserves.com/our-team/youth).

  • Christmas Carols and Cookies for neighbors

    You can put together some cookies or other goodies as a group and pass them out to your neighbors and optionally sing Christmas carols too.

  • Kids Care For Northridge Youth Ministry

    NYM provides childcare each week on Wednesday nights for our volunteer youth leaders. You and your group can take care of a group of children from infant to 6 years old. Contact Justin Laskowski for more info: jlaskowski@NorthridgeRochester.com 

  • Serve at Northridge

    Contact your Campus Pastor or the Ministry Leader in the area you already serve to find out what opportunities Northridge has for Christmas Eve or the holidays.

Enjoy the break. Get some rest. Have fun connecting. I look forward to seeing your Christmas posts! #ChristmasWithMyGroups

See you January 7th at 5PM for our Group Leader Mid-Year Kickoff and some Outlaw Baked Potatoes!

Jason DeGraaffCommunity Groups PastorLife Is Better Connected

Jason DeGraaff

Community Groups Pastor

Life Is Better Connected

 
 
 
Community Group ABCs Logo and Letters Rectangle.png

Northridge Church Office | 2052 Saint Paul St. Rochester, NY 14621 | (585) 338-7810