Small Groups at Grace

Small groups at Grace help adults develop close relationships with one another and with Jesus Christ. They seek to provide a chance to grow personally and spiritually, as well as foster congregational spiritual growth. In successful small groups, the spirit of community results. Small groups are places to learn how to relate to and in the world and are usually focused around a common need or interest.
For more information, contact Beverly Blevins, Adult Ministry Director.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Adult Vacation Bible School
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Faith and Church 101
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Prime Time

Christ Care Group Ministry

Even before John Wesley made small group ministry a foundation of the United Methodist Church, Jesus and his disciples were a small group who supported one another, studied scripture, prayed and worshipped, and performed missional service. The old becomes new again in ChristCare Small Groups. Groups are formed around a common interest, passion, or purpose. The group leader generally decides the common interest and individuals express a desire to join the group. The group decides where to meet, how often, and what mission project the group will have. They may meet every week, every other week or whatever works for the group. Groups range in size from 3 to 12 members.

Adult Children of Alcoholics

ACOA is a support group for those from an alcoholic or other dysfunctional environment. This program is grounded in spiritual guidance, but members are welcome from all corners of our community. We meet weekly to share our experience, strength, hope, fear, friendship and understanding.  Meets at 5:30pm, Tuesdays  in the Wesley Center Parlor. Contact   Susan Waller, 480-646-6354

Alliance of Therapy Dogs

Alliance of Therapy Dogs (ATD) is a volunteer organization of dedicated therapy dog handlers and their dogs on a mission of sharing smiles and joy. ATD provides testing, certification, registration, support and insurance for members who volunteer with their dogs. Testing is by appointment only and is held on the 3rd Wednesday at 2:30pm at Grace. Contact Lynn Ealey for more information.

Book of James Bible Study

Meets at 7 p.m. Mondays, Wesley Center Parlor. Examine the relationship between faith and works with this Matt Chandler video series. Understand that good works follow true faith as our beliefs and actions line up with each other. Recognize the importance of praying for one another in sickness, health, suffering and joy.    Contact Kevin Hendrick, 706-836-1584

Brookdale (Sterling House) Worship “God’s Paintbrush”

Grace UMC organizes an 11 a.m. worship time each Sunday, with Grace members providing worship 1st and 5th Sundays in a rotation with two other churches for residents at Brookdale Assisted Living Facility. Supported by the Cokesbury Sunday school class. Contact Sandra Watson through the church office for more information.

Caring and Sharing

Caring and Sharing meets Thursday evenings at 6pm in the Wesley Center Cokesbury Sunday school classroom. We meet to give individuals a safe, welcoming place to discuss situations in their lives they may not feel comfortable sharing anywhere else. We do not attempt to “fix” anyone but offer a safe, confidential place to just talk! Contact John Mullins at 803-215-9123 for more information.

Digging into the Bible

Don’t know the Bible? Want to learn more? Come learn with us! We will be studying the Bible arranged in the order the events actually occurred. Join us for fellowship and digging into God’s word. Meets at 7 p.m. on Tuesdays in the Asbury Building. Contact Cheryl May, 803.341.0255 or Jenn Thomas, 912.547.8123

Faith and Church 101

If you’d like to know more about the Methodist Faith and Tradition then this class is for you! Contact Rev. Wilkes or Haase to sign up.

Fit with Faith

This group meets on Tuesday & Thursday nights and Saturday mornings for devotions, prayer time, and physical  activity to    nourish our souls and bodies.  Exercises are led by members on a rotational schedule in a boot camp style format. The emphasis is on encouraging women to consciously take care of their spiritual and physical bodies through encouraging fellowship and exercise.

Contact Jenn Waller at 706-799-3227 for more information.

GIFTS (Gathering in Fellowship to Share)

This group meets to share devotional time and to create items by knitting, crocheting and sewing, as well as doing other kinds of handwork.  Items created have been provided to the members of Grace, the Killingsworth Home for Women in Crisis, Epworth Children’s Home in Columbia, the local health department, Bolivia, the infant nursery at Georgia Regents University (GRU) Hospital, and oncology units at GRU and University Hospitals. New members are always welcome.

  • GIFTS in the morning meets the second and fourth Wednesday of each month at 10:00 a.m. in the Youth Wing. For information about the morning group, call Mary Jane Wisenbaker (803-441-8433)
  • GIFTS in the evening meets every Wednesday night following the WINGS meal in the Seekers Sunday School Classroom on the first floor of the Wesley Center. For information about the evening group, call Patsy Miller (803-278-1987).

Foster Parents Support Group

Meets at 7:00pm the 1st & 3rd Thursdays of each month in the   Asbury Building Conference Room. Group time includes Bible study,  prayer, and support.  Contact Laurie Matthews at 803-507-1263 for more information.

Grace Messengers

We reach out to members who miss several consecutive Sundays to let them know they are missed and have an important place in the body of Christ. We send bereavement cards several months after a loved one’s passing. We meet monthly to share devotions and prayer requests.  Contact Anne Comer at 803-221-5920 or Dave Redmond at 803-278-1307.

GriefShare

GriefShare is a 13 week, Christ centered support group seminar that a grieving person can join at any time. Each session has a video followed by small group discussion. Between meetings, group members complete a daily Bible study and practical workbook exercise to help them heal. Cost: $20 (includes the workbook). Two, 13-week cycles are offered usually beginning in  September and February. 

Home Touch Delivery/Mailings

Each week 85 or more “Home Touch” papers are received from the church office with the church name, address, and phone number stamped on them. Some of the papers are hand-delivered to the residents at Brookdale Assisted Living Facility and the “Newsletter Folding Crew.” The remaining papers are mailed to members who are unable to attend church activities, have moved away, are currently experiencing illness/loss, or need support and encouragement. Currently the mailings not only go to our local community and state, but expand to five additional states. Funding for these mailings is supported by the Cokesbury Sunday school class, the Sunshine Circle, and individual donations.

Ladies Bible Study

This group of Ladies meets on Tuesday mornings at 9:30 for various Bible studies, usually dvd driven. Mary Chris Newell is the contact person.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Coffee and Conversation
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Ukelele Group
 
 
 
 
 
G.I.F.T.S Group

Mission Friends

This group’s purpose is to grow in Christ through Bible study, prayer and living out His love for one another by serving others. We meet at 4:30 the second Wednesday of each month In the Journey Sunday school classroom. We are currently a group of about eight women of various ages who prepare and serve food once a month at the Garden City Rescue Mission. We also put together “Blessing Bags” for the homeless usually in December and collect various items needed by the mission throughout the year. We are happy to include children and grandchildren in our volunteer service and strive to support each other with love and trust. New members are welcome to join us in serving others as Jesus instructed in John 13:14-17. Contact Kay Poss at 803-221-5369.

Pastor’s Happy Hour

Please join us after a long day at work with our new coffee session once a month in the early evening beginning at 5:00, usually on the first Monday of the month at Stone Roastery on Five Notch Rd. The coffee is delicious, the cake is outstanding, and the conversation is stimulating! It’s 5:00 somewhere, let’s do it there! Contact Rev. Randall Haase.

Prime Time

This time of fellowship is held on the fourth Tuesday during the months of September-May at 11:30 a.m. in the Wesley Center  Lunch is $6.00. Please make reservations through the church office by 12:00 Monday prior to meetings.  Watch the newsletter for more program, travel and service opportunities.

Short Term Bible Studies

Short Term Advent and Lenten Bible Studies will be offered by the Pastors during these special times of preparation for Christmas and Easter. Other short term bible study offerings will be announced throughout the church year. See the church bulletins, newsletters, and/or web site for these offerings. 

TACO’S

(Thriving as Christians Outside the Service) This group is open for ANY adult (single, married, divorced, separated, with kids, without kids, empty nesters….) As a group, we are looking to be part of a Christian community where we can thrive as Christians and have the ability to grow in our relationship with Christ through bible studies, life experiences and fellowship. As we grow and thrive we can reach out through our learning and carry God’s presence into our day to day activities. Meets  in Classroom D of the Wesley Center on Tuesday evenings from 6:30-8:00 p.m. Contact Michele Picciano at 803-278-6203.

Ukulele Group 

This fun group meets every other Tuesday at 6:00pm in the Asbury Building Journey Classroom. We learn basic chords on the Soprano ukulele and then go out and share music with others. Contact Beverly Blevins. 

Upper Room Encouragers

Now in its tenth season, this group seeks to be encouragers through prayer, cards, visits, or phone calls to those in their acquaintance who are facing challenges. You are invited to join other Grace UMC and community folks on Wednesdays from 10-11 a.m. at the home of Joe and Laura Lusk, 1950 Green Forest Drive.  We read the Wednesday Bible passages and devotional thoughts offered in The Upper Room, share thoughts about the scripture and its relevance to our lives by responding to the questions given for that day in the devotional booklet, and share prayer concerns.  Contact Laura Lusk at 803-279-6283 or Sandra Travis at 803-279-4983

Wednesday Night Dinners to Shut-ins

On Wednesday nights, meals are delivered to shut-ins. We’re always looking for volunteers to help deliver meals. Please contact Wilma Allen at 803-634-0855 for more information.

Wednesday Morning Coffee & Conversation

This group meets on Wednesday mornings at the Stone Roastery on Belvedere/Clearwater Road beginning at 8:30 a.m. Rev. Randall Haase leads the group while everyone joins the conversation about anything and everything over coffee, tea and coffee cake. Everyone is invited to join us.

Wisdom of the Ages

This discussion group meets in the library each week on Thursday from 11:00 am to 12:15 p.m. We look at the upcoming preaching text and ask the questions:  How have I heard this preached before? What parts of this text have I heard studiously avoided? What does it say to our time, our church and our faith today? With those questions to guide us, the sky is the limit as to where the discussion can go! Insight and wisdom are gained as we celebrate our different perspectives. Truly God’s Word is a Living Word! This group is aimed at retired folks, but all are invited.  Rev. Tommy Wilkes moderates.

Word in the World Photo Group

 We are not professional photographers, but we make ourselves available to capture church activities. Photo projects raise money for CMONA. Monthly meetings begin with a devotion and prayer and last about 1 hour.  Contact Bruce Wilson. 

Young Men’s Bible Study Group

This group meets at Southbound Smokehouse for Bible study and discussion. Contact  Joey Hughes at 706-833-0250.