Forming a community of small groups beyond Alpha, connected through faith
in Jesus Christ and friendship
We have been running Alpha in the parish since 2018 and in that time, hundreds of guests have joined the course. Alpha has helped foster a deep sense of belonging and given us an opportunity to discuss faith, life and God openly and honestly with one another. Bonds of friendship have formed, and, in each other we have found love, support, and encouragement.
Above all, Alpha has helped us find our place in God’s story of salvation and
love for us His people. Hearing this Good News awakens (or re-awakens) a
greater or new desire to know God better:
- In God the Holy Spirit, who reveals Jesus to us and enables us to welcome Him in our hearts,
- in God the Son who died on the cross for us to restore us to fullness of life
and who calls us into intimate relationship with Him,
- in God the Father whose depth of love for us is inexhaustible, ‘for God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life’ (John 3:16).
Why ‘ACORN’?
An acorn is the seed of the mighty oak tree. However small this seed is,
it has tremendous potential for growth and greatness.
In Scripture, the acorn can be seen as a sign of God’s promise. In the book
of Genesis, Abraham welcomed three strangers into his intimacy (home) and
this hospitality gave way to God promising him a son. Abraham’s faith and
generosity would earn him blessings beyond measure! This encounter
happened by the oaks of Mamre (cf. Genesis 18: 1 – 18).
Vision
Following on from Alpha, we have established a more permanent network of small groups called ‘ACORN GROUPS’ which anyone who has completed an Alpha course, Life in the Spirit seminars or similar courses is invited to join.
The vision behind our Acorn Groups is to build a community of small groups connected through faith in Jesus Christ, and friendship. They become an environment that fosters spiritual growth and faith-based friendships in a safe and comfortable space where we are nurtured, encouraged, and equipped to use the gifts God has given us. Acorn Groups are more than a programme, initiative or course; they are faith-based small communities we intentionally choose to adopt as a way of life.
Our Acorn groups are based on four pillars: prayer, Scripture, spiritual reading, and fellowship.
Our prayer is that, through our Acorn small groups, our parish will be
blessed beyond measure as we walk and support one another on our
journey of faith, through:
- our rootedness in Christ through prayer
- our openness to new experiences;
- our desire to share life and faith;
- our hunger to grow in faith;
- our openness to teach and learn from others;
- our love, hospitality and welcome
Members intentionally commit and choose to walk alongside one another sharing prayer, faith and life in a regular and continuous way.
Structure
Our Acorn groups are a mix of structured and unstructured format. The size of our small groups is 8 – 12 people of mixed age and faith experience and each group has a minimum of 2 facilitators although our aim is that, as the group grows, our engagement and participation is freer and more collaborative in order to bear much more fruit. The facilitators receive as much as the members as the support is mutual.
Retreats and Celebrations
We hold two weekend retreats a year:
- a mini retreat (one day) in the parish, usually in the autumn.
- A residential weekend retreat late spring/early summer held offsite. The theme for the residential weekend would usually be around the main theme for the year with times of teachings, prayer, small groups, and fellowship.
These and other gatherings remind us that we belong to one another and are called to community.
Should I join an Acorn Group?
Many refer to Acorners (that’s what we call Acorn Groups members) as family. Though we are not all in the same small groups, we know one another. This is not just someone else who goes to my church; we are friends, we are family. And others have witnessed that sense of familiarity, support, and love we carry for one another. We are comfortable in each other’s company, and we trust one another. We share our joys and our vulnerabilities without fear of judgment or criticism. We build each other up yet lovingly challenge each other to desire more: in our relationship with Christ, for each other, for ourselves.
Commitment to one another and to the journey is important. These groups are not a ‘dip in, dip out’ whenever. To maintain the integrity of the groups and the sharing that is done (vulnerability), it is important that people ‘show up’ for one another.
Here’s what members have said:
“I can neither explain or quantify how often these meetings have lifted my spirits and reminded me that I am not alone, that my Acorn family have my back. The wiser members of the group can always be counted on to provide much-needed reassurance. We have laughed, cried, experienced humility, taught each other how to pray.”
“My Acorn Group is where, together with my steadfast spiritual friends and without fear of judgement, I can explore my faith, try to make sense of life’s suffering, share sorrows and joys”.
“Each meeting is both stimulating and thoughtful and funny – we laugh, we learn, and we pray together. It is wonderful.”
If you:
- want to grow closer to Jesus
- are looking for faith-based friendships
- are open to new experiences
- have a desire to learn from others and grow in your faith
- are open to teaching others
- are willing to commit to this as a way of life
then the answer is YES!
To join an Acorn Group, register by
clicking here to find the form
Or for more information, email us
(at acorn@stpeterswinchester.org.uk)