SMALL CHURCH

Our Sunday worship rhythms alternate between our large “All Church” gathering and our home-based “Small Church” gathering, reflecting our convictions that “You cannot go to church. You are the church wherever you are.” (Elton Trueblood)

If you are interested in a small church group, please contact kim@capchurch.ca .

 

SMALL CHURCH: BEAUTY IN THE CHAOS

A Short Post by Janine Coxford, Youth Ministry Director

Chaos usually causes me to fire on all cylinders, to grasp harder, and close in with anxiety rather than open up to receive. Last night when we committed to cooking and hosting four more people for dinner with one hour’s notice, my wonderful husband suggested, “Let’s invite another family!”

This time I responded to the chaos in a different way. My cautious “yes” allowed me to dwell in God’s goodness and grace with dear friends, sharing the abundance of our poorly maintained (yet fruitful!) garden. I’m learning not to reject chaos, but to allow it to change my posture from ‘controlling’ to ‘receiving.’

As September begins I’m excited to be “in the chaos” with my little kids and our Small-Church, with teenagers at Cap’s youth gatherings, and with our whole church at our intergenerational All-Church gatherings. I hope you are too! We invite all Cappers to consider participating in a Small-Church—some are more chaotic than others, and all are full of unique goodness and beauty. Email kim@capchurch.ca to learn more. (Janine Coxford)

Small Church FAQ

What is a Small Church?

It’s a regular gathering where Cappers meet every other week (once or a few times a month) in homes to learn, pray and worship together. A small church group is part of the essential rhythm of our church’s “scattering and gathering.” Materials are provided by Cap leaders that include a video/audio for viewing/listening and discussion questions and other resources.

What would that look like?

On weeks, CapChurch is not having a wider church gathering (ALL CHURCH),

SMALL CHURCH hosts will meet in a home with other Cappers.

They may have a shared meal together and interact with the materials provided which may include reading from the Bible, prayer, and connecting with one another — just like Christians have been doing for centuries.  

Will I choose who is in my Small Church?

Kim or Janine will have a conversation with you, and then suggest an appropriate SMALL CHURCH based on your input. If you are comfortable with what we suggest, you try it out for a bit. We can always make changes if it’s really not working!

How many people will be in each Small Church?

That depends on your comfort level, and how many people fit in the house! A SMALL CHURCH can have as few as four members, or as many as 15-20.

Are children to be included in Small Church?

Absolutely yes. We encourage families with children of similar age to become a SMALL CHURCH group, and to explore what it means to worship together as a family. We plan to create the kind of content that will be flexible for any type of gathering, and adjustable for kids!

Do we have to meet on Sundays?

Sunday is already a day set aside to worship, and so for many that will be the best day to meet.

But if your group finds another day that suits everyone better, go for it.

What if I just attend all-church or just small church?

Sometimes it’s not possible to do both—and this is completely fine! However, know that if you just choose to participate in all-church, you may miss out on a chance for in-depth conversations, it might be harder for your kids to make connections in our community, and it will be challenging to really know others and be known at Cap. If you just stick to small church, you may lose the sense of belonging to the wider family that is Cap, and you miss out on the excitement that bubbles up when we all come together.

WHAT’S NEXT IF I WANT TO JOIN IN OR HAVE MORE QUESTIONS?

Reach out to Kim kim@capchurch.ca for a further conversation!