By Su Rider
For quite some time, Halifax UMC has dreamed of having a robust adult small group ministry, but for various reasons the timing just hasn’t seemed right. God has worked in unique and wonderful ways in this pandemic season to bring this dream to life.
As the reality of COVID set in, forcing us to move to exclusively online worship and to suspend all church activities, we wrestled with the dilemma of how to create opportunities for people to stay connected. We also experienced a major uptick in the need for pastoral care and counseling specifically related to how the pandemic affected peoples’ jobs, relationships, security, and general mental wellbeing. God made it clear to us that this was our season to launch an adult small group ministry, as these groups had so much potential to address the pressing need in our church family for connection, support, and discipleship even in this valley season of pandemic. Our prayer was that small groups would equip our people not just to go through the valley, but to grow through the valley. On a practical note, the small groups also made a way for people to continue meeting safely and responsibly during periods of “shutdown” due to COVID.
Our attention turned toward the small group curriculum. What would we study? We wanted the common thread of a single study to unite all the various small groups that were forming. God made a way here as well. Ron Reitz, one of our church members, had been working for a few years to write a book about his spiritual journey through tragedy and challenge. The book, Why vs What, challenges readers not to ask “why” they’re facing challenges, as these answers will often never be revealed. Rather, readers are challenged to ask “what” God wants to accomplish through that challenge – in their life, in the lives of others, in the world. What an amazing connection to our prayer that people would not only go through the valley, but to grow through the valley!
Ron, the author, had been encountering many obstacles in the process of getting his book written and published. However, we were reminded that God’s timing is so perfect – Ron’s book was finally published in spring 2020, just as COVID took hold in our country. We realized the subject matter was extremely relevant to our church in its new pandemic context. And just like that, God had provided us with the perfect time to launch a small group ministry, and gave us the perfect study curriculum for it. A team of laypeople collaborated to develop a reading plan and discussion guide for the book, and the pastors recorded video introductions for each study module.
After recruiting and training small group leaders, it came time to recruit participants. We weren’t sure what to expect because of all the COVID related disruption and uncertainty our people were experiencing. But praise God – we now have eight groups with nearly 50 people engaged and growing in the Lord through small groups!
To supplement the small group study, and to draw in people who weren’t able to join a group, we’re also doing a sermon series called “Great Questions”. For many, this pandemic season has raised some deep and serious questions about God and how He relates to us. So many of these questions have come up in pastoral counseling in the past months. For example; why does God sometimes seem distant, or uncooperative? What do we do when God’s timing seems off? What about unanswered prayer? How do I experience God’s presence?
Without a doubt, this season of pandemic has been difficult, even tragic, for all of us. However, even in this valley God has shown Himself to be good and faithful at Halifax UMC. He has brought together people, resources, and dreams in a way only He could, and He is indeed helping us not just go through this valley, but to grow in the valley.
