by H. Munn
May 11, 2009
The presenter has been boring, not many funny stories, a presentation on a screen that we couldn't see, and finally his talk is winding up.
"Any questions?"
Nobody has any questions.
Then the moment we have all been dreading.
"Now, I'd like you to go into small groups, so please number off and you have ten minutes to talk about what you have just heard. Please discuss the question: 'What does all this mean to me?'"
Nobody moves, in the vain hope he'll give up. But cheerfully the speaker insists. Reluctantly you move your chairs together, look at one another and wait in silence for someone in your group to start. Finally somebody does.
And the next thing that happens, about 10 seconds later is that the speaker is saying, "One more minute! Only one more minute!" But this time everyone is hoping he's not serious. Everyone ignores him. The room is filled with chatter so loud you can hardly hear the person next to you. And you have five more ideas you want to share in the remaining minute, and everyone wants to keep on. The speaker has to shout "One more minute!" three or four times before people will stop talking. Did that ever happen to you? It's happened to most of us.
We hate getting into small groups until we get into one. Then we hate getting out of small groups, because they are so much fun. In a small group there's a chance to share what you yourself are really thinking, and because the group is small, there's a guarantee that people will listen to you. Wow! What a great feeling! And not only do they listen to you and take you seriously, you suddenly find there are other people in the group that are really interesting. And before long everyone feels as if they have formed a little family in which they feel at home.
After all we all started out life in a small group - a baby, an adult or two, and maybe some brothers and sisters. We all grew up in small groups. As adults, small groups don't happen so often, but there's nothing like that opportunity to be known and to get to know.
Church is no different. On Sunday morning the congregation is too big for people to get to know each other very closely. People can sit at opposite corners of the nave every Sunday for years and never speak. It is not because they don't like each other; they just never sit together. Small groups give us a chance to get to know someone better. Everyone is cautious at first, but after we've put a toe in the water of a small group, everyone wants it to go on forever. In a way it will because being with God is the ultimate small group. For God each of us is at the centre of an eternal animated conversation.
I encourage everyone to be part of small groups at St. John's. If you feel called offer yourself for leadership. Ever wanted a group to watch interesting movies? It's easy to do with modern technology in the lounge. Ever wanted to talk about your kids with someone who would understand? There a chance to do that. Have an interest that you'd like to share? Put a note in the leaflet and start a small group.