Fellowship/Community
People today are hungry to belong to a “community.” What is community? Is it a bunch of people looking at computer monitors in a Starbucks? Is it a group of anonymous people blogging on a chat room every day? Or 45,000 sports fans at a stadium to root on their team?
All of us, because we are made in God's image, want to be in relationship with other people. God Himself tells us as much: "It is not good for the man to be alone" (Gen 1:18). Community, then, is something we just do. We can't help it, in a sense.
However, we usually define community by certain characteristics: where we live, our special interests, what we do, what we like, etc. None of this is bad in and of itself. But is it real community?
The Bible gives a different answer. It tells us that, because of what Jesus Christ did on the cross and in rising from the dead, community takes on a radically different meaning. True community can only happen when we receive the forgiveness and new life that Jesus offers for our many sins and shortcomings.
Our vision of community at ACPC is built on the conviction that God's people should love each other, and that love will, in turn, spread outwards. The Bible tells us that we love because God first loved us. He loved us when we weren’t very lovable – that’s God’s unmerited kindness.
At the center of our community here at ACPC is what is called "the means of grace." Fancy word, simple meaning. It means that there is a way to get in touch with God's unmerited kindness and love. We do this by gathering every first day of the week (Sunday), called the Lord's Day, for corporate worship. A true community worships God and not itself. And it learns God’s Word together. And it serves one another. This is what makes the Church different from the world.
Second, we have many opportunities to learn and grow. From adult classes on Sunday mornings to Growth Groups (groups of forgiven sinners who study the Bible together and support one another with prayer), our vibrant, growing community here is intentionally Word-centered.
So community is not just something we talk about - you must be a part of it. We 'do' community, in a sense, whenever we live for Jesus and not our selfish desires. That's true community.
All Church Lunch.
We meet as a congregation on the first Sunday of each month for lunch together. The catered meal begins after the Second Hour, at approximately 12:15 PM.
Prayer Chain
"Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints." (Ephesians 6:18)
Growth Groups
Growth Groups are communities of people who meet in homes to dig into God’s Word, apply it to our lives, pray for each other, and develop encouraging relationships. We believe that meeting together on a regular basis is worth our commitment and time well spent. These groups customarily meet for eight weeks at a time and last for an hour and a half. The groups generally meet from September to November, January to March, and April to June. They do not meet in the summer or during the Thanksgiving-Christmas season.
What is the Required Commitment?
We strongly encourage ACPC members and frequent attendees not only to get involved in a Growth Group but to remain involved in it. Sometimes participants have to miss due to illnesses, vacations, work and school conflicts, but you and the group will benefit most when absences are the exception, not the rule.
How Do I Choose a Group?
Though we recommend that you choose a group based on your “station-in-life”, our groups are not strictly peer-based. Some people choose a group because of location, or the day of the week that it meets; others choose a group based on what they’re studying.
What Do We Study?
Each group uses its own curriculum, chosen by the leader and the host and approved by the Session of ACPC. We have studied the Beatitudes, utilizing John Stott’s small group discussion guide, Peacemakers curriculum, and a book by Michael Horton to name a few.
Whom Do I Contact about Joining a Growth Group?
If you are interested in joining a Growth Group, please contact ACPC’s Office Coordinator Kerri Harris at mailto:kharris@acpc.net