Groups Fall 20 - Week 13

City Group Leaders,

Happy Thanksgiving! What a year it’s been. We’re grateful for you. We see your leadership of your groups as a kind working of providence of our Lord. Through you our church family are greatly cared for as they are helped to follow Christ.

This year and Thanksgiving season in particular, the words of Psalm 90 ring in our ears. The first two verses provide a great reminder for us of the care our God has for us. Moses writes, “Lord, you have been our refuge in every generation. Before the mountains were born, before you gave birth to the earth and the world, from eternity to eternity, you are God.”

In a year full of changes and uncertainty, our prayer for you is that you’ve been able to look to and rest in our great God, the creator and sustainer of all things. Whether you’re with family, “distanced,” or alone this Thanksgiving. We’re praying that we all can rejoice in the gift our God has given us. The gift of him being our refuge, hiding place, and salvation. What a wonderful God we serve!

Happy Thanksgiving dear friends!

Gratefully,
Joe and Kaylan

Groups Fall '20 - Week 12

Faithful servants of Christ,

We hope the time your groups have spent in 1 Peter has been fruitful. As we start our second to last week of our 1 Peter study, we rejoice in the knowledge that God has given us all that we need to endure until the end. Praise God for that comforting truth!

As always, we are here to serve you and if you need anything, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us!

Gratefully,
Joe and Kaylan

Groups Fall '20 - Week 11

As we work through 1 Peter 4, we are thankful for the reminder that God enables us by His Spirit to endure trials for His glory and for our good. As we go throughout our weeks within our communities, how can we remind each other of the joy we have in Christ that helps us endure trials?

Prayerfully,
Joe and Kaylan

Groups Fall '20 - Week 10

Good Evening Leaders,

We thank you all for your continued faithful leadership of your groups. As you'll note in the guide, part of this week's passage is difficult to interpret. We've provided some additional commentary to help you and your groups understand this passage. Please let us know if questions arise you would like help answering.

We're grateful for you!
Joe and Kaylan

Groups Fall '20 - Week 9

As we continue in our studies in 1 Peter, we see that our call to holy living in the midst of persecution and trials calls us to fearless Biblical submission to one another. This passage can be a difficult one to unpack if we don’t understand the context of this letter, but we are thankful for your faithfulness in teaching the Word to others.

Please remind the attendees in your group that we are currently in our series of Equip Classes about basic doctrine. We meet on Sundays from 5-6 p.m. at Sessions. The schedule is as follows (each topic for each week): doctrine of God, doctrine of humanity, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. This will be a great time to bolster our biblical understanding of these vital doctrines that should infuse every aspect of our thoughts and lives. For more information or to register for childcare, visit www.citychurchtallahassee.com/equip .

Gratefully,
Joe and Kaylan

Groups Fall '20 - Week 8

Greetings City Group leaders,

How grateful we are that you all continue to serve others and our church so faithfully.

As Dean launches his "We The People" sermon series for the next month, we will head back into our studies of 1 Peter in our small groups which has a lot to say about how we conduct ourselves in light of society, politics, suffering, etc. We pray that the next few weeks will facilitate some thought-provoking discussion based on God's word that will yield much fruit in our lives.

Please remind the attendees in your group that we will begin the next series of Equip Classes starting October 18th from 5-6 p.m. at Sessions. The schedule is as follows (each topic for each week): doctrine of God, doctrine of humanity, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. This will be a great time to bolster our biblical understanding of these vital doctrines that should infuse every aspect of our thoughts and lives. For more information or to register for childcare, visit www.citychurchtallahassee.com/equip .

Gratefully,
Joe and Kaylan

Groups Fall '20 - Week 7

God has given us many gracious gifts to enjoy within His design. As Christ followers, we must avoid the extremes of unnecessary asceticism and sinful licentiousness. Continuing Paul’s thoughts on sexual morality, I Corinthians 7:1-9 focuses on the good gift of sex within the boundaries of marriage between a man and woman and also the gift of singleness. We hope this study of sex, marriage, and singleness has been helpful for your groups.

Gratefully,
Joe and Kaylan

Groups Fall '20 - Week 6

Even though this passage is addressing sexual immorality, what a wonderful reminder Paul also gives us about our union with Christ. Just as a man and a wife become one flesh through marriage and its consummation, so Jesus has become one with His Church through His redemptive work by which He rescued and purchases His Bride. Praise God!

We are grateful for your consistent service for others!

Gratefully,
Joe and Kaylan

Groups Fall '20 - Week 5

It is not an exaggeration when we claim that the gospel changes EVERYTHING! The differences in our eternal destiny and the way we approach our daily lives and everything in between is renewed because of Christ’s work on the cross. The difference made by the gospel should also enable believers to settle disputes within the Church—even if that means allowing themselves to be wronged to preserve unity. We pray that this time together in 1 Corinthians 6 would increase our fervent desire for and commitment to unity.

Thank you for your faithfulness!

Gratefully,
Joe and Kaylan

Groups Fall '20 - Week 4

We’re back in 1 Corinthians for the next few weeks, specifically focusing on the body of Christ. We hope your groups are encouraged in these passages.

Gratefully,
Joe and Kaylan

Groups Fall '20 - Week 3

As we study 1 Peter, remember that Peter’s goal in writing these words is to encourage his original audience and us toward a single aim in our lives. He calls us to put our hope completely in Christ and as we do live lives that testify to the holiness of our great God. By focusing of what we will receive when Christ returns, we are equipped to face many trials with hope and endurance. Christ has secured our hope and is worthy of our lives.

We appreciate your faithfulness in serving others!

Gratefully,
Joe and Kaylan

Groups Fall '20 - Week 2

Greetings group leaders,

In this week’s passage, we are reminded that in the midst of trials and suffering, God’s mercy abounds in Christ and He will see us through the end. The invitation to joy and hope that God holds out to us through this passage is not one that defies circumstances, but views circumstances rightly. There is nothing that can separate us from God’s love and our union with him. Though persecution and trials may come and our lives or livelihoods threatened, our hope and life in Jesus is secure. This is the faith that overcomes the world. Faith that will one day be transformed into sight when we behold Jesus face to face. What a wonderful passage we can study together this week!

Gratefully,
Joe and Kaylan

Groups Fall '20 - Week 1

Greetings Leaders,

Here we go! Thank you again for leading your groups in these strange times. We’re excited about where we will be moving this semester. 

This week we will begin our study of 1 Peter. To help us dive in, we’ve attached 2 documents. The first is a brief introduction and overview of the letter containing a brief summary of the letter and highlighted themes. The second attachment is the discussion guide for next week. 

Gratefully,
Joe an Kaylan

Groups Summer '20 - Week 7

Greetings Leaders,

Next week will be our last official week of Summer City Groups. We will take our normal break for the month of August. You may continue to meet if you'd like, but we will break from publishing discussion guides to get ready for Fall groups.

With concerns over COVID-19 still heightened, if you break for meeting, we encourage you stay in touch with your group members. Though many are coming back on Sundays and resuming some normal rhythms, we want to make sure we are staying in contact with those we can to ensure they're best served and prayed for.

Next week's guide is attached. Also, I've attached another document that provides some commentary on 1 John. It is provided to help you and your groups better understand 1 John and how it ties into our current sermon series.

Thank you for you leadership. Please let us know if you have any questions.

Gratefully,
Joe and Kaylan

Groups Summer '20 - Week 6

Greetings Leaders,

Instead of following the sermon text for the next couple of weeks, we will instead move through a short study of 1 John to complement the sermon series. This week’s main idea is that the surety of our faith is rooted in our knowledge and love of Jesus.

Groups Summer '20 - Week 5

Greetings All,


Here is this week's guide. This is the last week of our "Certain" series. Next week we will turn our focus to what it means to have "Legit" theology and why that's important.

We hope this series has encouraged you. Please let us know if we can do anything for you.

Gratefully,
Joe and Kaylan

Groups Summer '20 - Week 4

This week, our focus is on how Jesus intercedes for us. When we don’t know what to pray, we can be confident that Jesus Himself is interceding for us. The discussion guide is aimed at pointing out that reality discussed in Romans 8 and Hebrews 4. We are so grateful for you all and all that you do!

Gratefully,
Joe and Kaylan

Groups Summer '20 - Week 3

This week, our focus in on our adoption. Our great God has brought us into his family and given us an abundant inheritance. We are praying that your time in Romans 8 this week continues to be a blessing and provide much growth!

Gratefully,
Joe and Kaylan

Groups Summer '20 - Week 2

Good Morning Leaders,

Here's the guide for this week. This is the last week of our Foolish Joy series. As you read this passage in Philippians, we hope that your groups are encouraged in seeing that it is Christ who secures our joy and hope and inspires us to witness and live lives that testify to Him .

Next week we will begin a new series called "Certain." This will be a study of Romans 8:30 and other texts to look together at the security we have in Christ.

I hope you and your groups have a great week.

Gratefully,
Joe and Kaylan

Groups Summer '20 - Week 1

This marks the first week of Summer City Groups. I've heard from several of you that are getting in touch with your group members in hopes to meet physically soon.

If you're able to meet this week, would you let us know how it goes? We’re praying the Lord would use our efforts this summer to glorify Himself and grow our church.

Gratefully,
Joe and Kaylan