There is no more important way to get connected at All Saints' than to become part of a small group of people who get together - generally once a week, or once every two weeks - to get to know each other, share their lives (and perhaps a meal), discuss, study, question, pray together, encourage one another and offer support through good times and bad. The bonds that form and the growth that comes are so important that followers of Jesus have been meeting together this way since the earliest days of the Church.

Community Happens

People familiar with Alpha-Beta-Covenant have tasted the supportive, challenging, growth-encouraging community that can develop when a small group of people share their spiritual journeys. Making a commitment to a small group offers the same authenticity, sharing, and sustenance, without being limited by the few short weeks of a class. In a busy, large church like All Saints' - in a busy, large city like LA - joining a small group provides an anchor: a manageable set of people where real connection is possible on a personal level. In the midst of a hectic week, many of us count on our small group meeting as a time to refocus on what really matters - loving God and loving our neighbor.

"My small group has been my lifeline this year. Without them, I would not have been able to get through all my surgeries." - Nancy Traina

Something for Everyone

There are many variations on the small group theme, and one of them is bound to be a good fit with your interests, your availability, and your spiritual journey. Some groups share supper, some meet at the crack of dawn over coffee (or a run on the beach); some study the Bible or another book together, some focus on prayer, some set off to get involved in ministry as a team. Groups include people who are single and partnered, straight and gay, parents, men, women, people of varying ages - and various combinations of all of the above. A few groups meet at the church, but most meet in homes scattered across the 65 zip codes where the people of All Saints' live. Once you fill out a profile with your location, preferences, availability, and interests, we will match you up with the right group of people to form a new group (or, from time to time, to fill an opening in an existing group).

"We have all sorts and kinds of people meeting in all sorts and kinds of small groups at All Saints'. From groups of people that read together to groups of people that run together to groups of people that knit together to groups of people that pray together, there is a group for you at All Saints'."

No Previous Experience Necessary

Everyone ready to take the next step in getting connected will want to make becoming part of a small group a top priority. If you have never done such a thing, you are in for a wonderful surprise. Community takes work - it means time, commitment, and that perilous process of knowing and becoming known - but the rewards are great and lasting. First, you find yourself growing. Then, you notice you are having an impact on others in your group - encouraging them, offering support, praying for them. Before long, you may find that your small group wants to reach out in ministry - using the resources of love, care, and spiritual connectedness that have grown up within the group to make a difference beyond it. No previous experience is necessary - but the experience itself is unforgettable.

"I feel like on Sundays at church we learn math, but on Tuesdays with my small group, I learn how to balance my checkbook." - Glenn German

Two ways to get started:

Contact Glynis Horton at 310-275-0123 x103 or by email at ghorton@allsaintsbh.org.