Always want to make sure you’re up-to-speed on the latest Parkview Life Group info.  There are two big opportunities that I want to make sure you know about:

First…GroupLife Midwest 2012 (see below for more).

Second, there will be a life group study that goes along with Pastor Tim’s next series: Buts of the Bible.  Great title!  The series covers 5 of Jesus’ teachings from the Sermon on the Mount where He said, “You’ve heard it said, but I say to you…” (Matthew 5:21-48).

Here are a few things you need to know about the study:The weekend message series begins on February 11th and 12th.The Life Group study guide will be available on the 11th and 12thThe life group study guide will be available in two formats: (1) Downloadable  from the Parkview website (we’ll have the link next week) and (2) Available for pickup with RSVP at the Community Life Booth (Orland) and Guest Information (Lockport).  See below for RSVP instructions.

RSVP Instructions:

Update your group’s information to show that your group is doing Buts of the Bible.  It’s easy to do.  Just follow these steps and update by Friday, February 10th at noon (that’s when we’ll run the report and add your name to the pickup list):

1. Log in right here.
2. Click “Your Groups.”  If you have more than one group, click on the name of the group that will be doing Buts of the Bible.
3. Click “View Settings” in the right sidebar.
4. Click “Edit Details” in the right sidebar.  Change the description to “Buts of the Bible.”  You can add additional details after that, but the first phrase should be the series title.
5. Scroll down and select “Buts of the Bible” from the list of Custom Fields.  While you’re they’re, deselect any other study that might be selected.
6. Scroll to the bottom and click “Save Changes.”

It’s going to be a great study!  We’d love to include your group.  Be sure and follow these simple steps.  If you get stuck, contact your coach or Email Leslie for a next step.

GroupLife Midwest 2012: You can join us whether you’ve preregistered or not.  If you can only come Friday, come Friday.  If you can’t make Friday but you can come Saturday, do that.  Send a group member who needs to grow into helping make it happen.

Here’s the scoop on the conference.  Hope you’re planning on joining us!

Thought you might appreciate a little more info about GroupLife Midwest 2012, our upcoming life group leader training and development event.  Here are three things you need to know:

First, we love it that you’ve stepped out and opened your home and heart to lead a group!  We all know that the best environment for life-change is around coffee tables and dining room tables, in circles not in rows.  And you are making that happen every time you meet!  We love it…and we’re so thankful for you.

Second, you may not think of it this way…but as a life group leader there is a real sense in which you play the role of a shepherd, responsible for a little flock.  And much like the shepherds that Jesus talked about, it’s only right that deep down you’ll want to take care of your sheep in a way that hears the Master say, “Well done!  Great job!”

Third, we have the sense that we’re responsible to work hard to help you develop into the kind of life group leader that hears, “Well done!”  And that is why we’re really encouraging you:

• to attend GroupLife Midwest 2012
• to invite group members that share in the role of leading your group
• and to sign up those who will come with you.

GroupLife Midwest 2012 is coming up quickly!  Here’s a little bit more about it:

Friday, February 3rd, 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. (general session)

Saturday, February 4th, 9:00 to 2:00 p.m.

You can find out about each of the speakers  and their breakout topics right here.  You can also sign up other members of your group who really need to come with you to the event.

Conferences with speaker lineups like this regularly cost over $100 per person anywhere else.  Seriously.  But for you, it’s FREE!  Even lunch is free for Parkview attendees.

Don’t miss this training and development opportunity!  We really want every Parkview leader to take advantage of it.  And you can sign up right here.

I want to invite you to make plans today to join us for GroupLife Midwest 2012: Staging Ground for the Leadership Expedition!  February 3 & 4, 2012 at the Orland campus of Parkview Christian Church.

We’ve lined up a great speaker (Steve Gladen, Small Group Pastor at Saddleback) and an all-star cast of breakout speakers (that is no exaggeration…these are some of the best known small group experts in the country):

• Bill Donahue
• Rick Howerton
• Mindy Caliguire
• Garry Poole
• Eddie Mosley
• Casey Tygrett
• Jason Anhalt

Friday night, 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. and Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.  February 3-4, 2012.

You can find out more, register for the event and choose breakouts right here.

Hey Life Group Leaders!  Wanted to take a last shot to make sure you know about “You’re Not Crazy!”

Monday, March 7th, from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. there’s a great event featuring Tim Sutherland from Community Christian Church in Naperville (Tim’s been our weekend teacher many times).  If you’ve ever wondered if you’re crazy for putting in the time and energy you do to make your life group happen…and who doesn’t…this event is for you!

I’ll be there.  Tim Cullnan will be there.  A lot of our coaches will be there.  It will be a great time.

You can find out more right here: http://parkviewchurch.com/not-crazy

You can RSVP by clicking right here

iLead: Renew your strength, refocus your vision

Orland AND Lockport!

2 to 3 times a year we’ll be pulling our small group leaders together (leaders, co-leaders, hosts, facilitators, etc.) for encouragement, a look ahead at what’s coming in the next 6 to 12 months, and some important skill training.

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I’d really like to hear from you today about your plans to join us this Sunday.  If you haven’t responded, please do that right now.  Much as we’d like to call you…it’d just be better if you’d respond.

Click here to RSVP

Click here if you CANNOT attend iLead this Sunday

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Our first chance to get together this year will be Sunday, May 2nd, from 12:30 to 2:00 p.m.

• Pastor Tim will be sharing some exciting news about what’s coming this fall.
• You’ll be able to preview the new and improved small group finder that will launch in mid May.
• You’ll be able to connect with other small group leaders and hear what’s working.
• You’ll learn how to use the Purpose Driven Life Health Assessment and Plan to encourage and challenge your group members.

I hope you’ll make this hour-and-a-half meeting a priority. I know the weather’s getting better, there’s a lot going on, and the Sox will be playing the Yankees…but I really want to encourage you to join us. What you’re doing is very important. We all want to make sure we’re leading in a way that will hear “well done.”

At this weekend’s Small Group Connections we’ll be launching a number of brand new groups.  This will allow us to add to the over 1,000 adults who are already connected at Parkview!  Very cool.

At the same time, there are usually questions about how a Connection works and whether it might be a source of new members.  Here are the most common questions:

• What is the purpose of a Connection? Basically, a Connection is an hour long event that is designed to launch new groups.  Connection attendees are sorted out by affinity (geography, life stage, type of group, etc.) and then led through a process that helps them connect with a group of adults looking for community.
• Is there a way for me to use the Connection to find new members? The Connection process is not designed that way.  We will do everything we can to help Connection attendees get connected into a new group the day of the Connection.  At the same time, some who sign up will not attend and some who attend will not find a perfect fit.  We’ll do everything we can to help these people connect with an existing group.
• If I can’t use the Connection to find new members, how can I find a few new members? The simple answer is to make it a group project.  That is, everyone in the group ought to be on the lookout for unconnected people.  For a more thorough answer, see How to Find New Members for Your Group?