Sharing life together is vital to our growth as disciples. At Saint Patrick's, we invite people into our parish life through common meals, retreats, and all kinds of informal gatherings. However, the core of our life together is community groups.
One of the easiest errors to make about growing as a disciple is that it is essentially about learning more and more content. As important as content is, what’s more important is Christ-centered relationships. There are two key reasons why Christ-centered relationships are central. First, in disciple-making, more is caught than is taught. We learn as we grow in friendship and model for one another how to live as disciples. We all need a place where we can practice imitating Christ as we imitate each other(1 Corinthians 11:1). Over the long haul, who we relate to has more influence on our ability to live as fully devoted disciples than the amount of doctrine we have memorized.
The other reason Christ-centered relationships are central is because growing as a disciple is not a linear process. There is no cookie-cutter pattern the Holy Spirit follows as He works with each of us. Each journey is unique and personal. Yet no one can make the journey alone. Everyone needs a place of love, support, connection and even accountability to grow as a disciple. We need a group of other disciples who come alongside and walk with us through the challenging seasons of spiritual growth. This is why we have community groups.
Community groups typically meet twice a month and have 8-12 members, and they are always open to newcomers. There is no single pattern for groups; some groups may be coed with kids while other groups may be for men or women only. The group hosts are responsible for leading, organizing, and shepherding the community group. In our community groups, we do three things: eat, pray, and discuss scripture.
Common meals bring together our entire parish for food and fellowship. Whether it's our Fat Tuesday pancake dinner or a summer picnic at a local park, these meals are a great way to meet new people and connect with old friends.
Getting away for a day or a weekend of rest and renewal is a tradition in our parish. These group retreats provide an opportunity to go deeper in our walk with Christ while building lasting friendships with one another.
Whether it's Christmas caroling, showcasing your talents at our arts night, marching in Lexington's Saint Patrick's Day Parade, or serving together at a local mission, our one-day events are an easy way to have fun and meet new people.