The purpose of our Gathering Groups at Lakeside is to build relationships through Christian friendships. Our Groups are flexible and fluid, and focus on social activities. Here are some key things to know about Gathering Groups:

 

• You may be a part of more than one Group.

 

• You are encouraged to "visit" with Groups in order to find the best fit for you.

 

• You may stay with a Group as long as you like.

 

• Groups meet usually once a month for a social gathering. These may include game nights, meals at a Group member's home, meals at a restaurant, day at the beach or park, or any other social activity that the Group members enjoy together.

 

• Groups set their own rules, as long as they are consistent with the teachings of Jesus Christ, Lakeside, and the United Methodist Church traditions.

 

• People are encouraged to invite friends and neighbors who do not yet belong to Lakeside or who have belonged to Lakeside in the past.

 

• Groups can be as large or small as the members find comfortable. Some Groups may close their membership in order to stay small and intimate, where others continue to expand.

 

• We encourage you to periodically birth a new Group, just to meet new friends at Lakeside.

 

• For simplicity sake, Groups are named in the order of the Books of the New Testament.

 

• Once you join a Group, you agree to be placed in the rotation for selecting a month to plan an activity and contact everyone with the details.

 

• Not everyone will be able to attend every activity, every month. Scheduling of activities is usually based on the best date available, knowing that not everyone will be able to be there. 

 

• Activities are meant to be fun, but should be chosen with the understanding that the Group does represent Jesus Christ, Lakeside, and the United Methodist Church.

 

• If you have any questions about joining or starting a Gathering Group, please contact Lisa Mangus at gatheringgroups@lakesidefellowship.org.

 

 Other Types of Groups at Lakeside

 

These groups focus on growing more deeply in their faith through Bible study, prayer, book studies, and covenant groups.  Due to the deep nature of the relationships shared in a covenant group, these groups are encouraged to remain small.  It may also be healthy for them to close their membership at some point so that they can retain a higher level of intimacy. 

 

These groups focus on gathering to accomplish specific mission and outreach projects.  These groups can include church staff, lay leadership, worship team, as well as groups that choose their own mission focuses. 

  

We encourage every group to include new members, to add each gathering, growing and sowing into their group life, change from a gathering group into a growing or sowing group, and to start new groups.  Groups also have lifecycles that correspond to the human lifecycle.  They are born, grow, age, and in some cases die.  Our goal at Lakeside is to provide as many opportunities for relationships to begin, deepen, and bear fruit for Christ’s Kingdom as possible.