Why Community Groups?

God is a Triune God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), and therefore God is a Community.  In God, there is real love and real community being shared within each Person of the Trinity.  Then God creates.  He creates the sun and the moon and the stars and the seas and the mountains and the animals and then He creates the crown jewel of His creation, us!  We were created a lot differently than all of God's other works of art in that we were created in God's own image.  We reflect the beauty and glory of God like no other part of His crreation.  Since we are created in God's image, we were created to be in community because God is a community. The Gospel not only calls us to be reconciled to God as inidividuals, but also to be reconciled to one another as humans.  The Cross is both Vertical and Horizontal.  The Cross bridges the chasm between us and God and us and one another.  This is why we are committed to Community Groups.  The Gospel pushes us out of ourselves and into one another's lives.  This is a messy process becasue we are messy people with all kinds of "baggage".  But the Gospel gives us hope in the midst of our "messed-upness". 

Real and authentic community is hard in the context of a Sunday morning worship service.  To foster deeper relationships with one another, we believe that happens in the context of someone's home with a smaller, more intimate group of people.  Look at Jesus and the way He related to people.  Jesus had 70+ folks who hung out together, and then He spent more time with the 12 disciples, and then He spent even more time with the 3 (Peter, James, and John). 

Our Community Groups will function as the main way a person recieves pastoral care at Grace Foothills.  The Gospel calls all of us to be "priests" and "footwashers" to one another (the 16th century Reformer, Martin Luther called this "the priesthood of all believers").  Our Pastor can't possibly minister to everyone's needs, so the Community Group will be the place for pastoral care as we "preach the gospel to one another".  Whether it's a new baby, an emergency room visit, or a birthday, your Community Group will be the place where folks enter in your life and give you that extra special attention that you may need. 

Community Groups will also function as the main way to serve the community of Polk County.  Each group will "adopt" a local agency or cause to step along side and serve the needs of the community.  Whether it's serving the Women's Shelter, Thermal Belt Outreach, or tutoring kids, the Community Group will serve as the hands and feet of Jesus for the community's social and physical needs. 

Beginning September 2008, we are offering four Community Groups.  One group will serve the Columbus area, another serving the Saluda area, another serving the Tryon only area, and another serving the Tryon/Landrum area.  These will be informal groups that meet in homes that focus on grace-based teaching, opportunites to serve the community, and an informal environment to make new friends.  These groups will meet for 10 weeks throughout the Fall and take a month off during Chrsitmas and then start again after the New Year for another 10 weeks throughout the Spring.

We Currently Offer Four Community Groups Throughout the Foothills Community:

Columbus Community Group

When?  Sunday Nights, 6:00-7:30

Where?  Alternating between Jim and Lisa Murphy's Home and Bob and Julie Bouchard's Home.  To Google or Mapquest their address, the Murphy's address is: 2630 Peniel Rd. Columbus, NC 28722 and the Bouchard's address is:  6075 Hunting Country Rd. Tryon, NC 28782.

Leaders:  Bob Mackey (teacher), the Murphy's and the Bouchard's (hosts).

Questions?  Email Jim Murphy at:  murphys@teammurphy.com

Saluda Community Group

When?  Sunday Nights, 7:00-8:30

Where?  In the home of Gerry and Carolyn Lawton. Click here for directions to the Lawton's.

Leaders:  Rick Lee (teacher); the Lawton's (hosts)

Questions? Email Rick Lee at:  wrlee@charter.net

Tryon Only Community Group

When?  Sunday Nights, 6:00-7:30

Where?  In the home of Rick and Sabra Kleinau.  To Google or Mapquest their address, the Kleinau's address is:  1361 Hogback Mt. Rd. Tryon, NC 28782.

Leaders:  Jim Davis (teacher), the Kleainau's (hosts). 

Questions? Email Julie Burke at gracefoothills@gmail.com

Tryon/Landrum Community Group

When?  Sunday Nights, 6:00:-7:30

Where?  In the home of Jeff and Helen Byrd.  Click here for directions to the Byrd's. 

Leaders:  Scott Stewart and Jeff Byrd (Teachers), the Byrd's (Hosts)

Questions?  Email Scott Stewart at gracefoothills@gmail.com

Don't Live in Saluda, Columbus, Tryon, or Landrum?

That's ok.  Just pick a Community Group that is nearest you. 

Is Childcare Provided?

Unfornunately, Grace Foothills is not in a place to provide childcare for the Community Groups because of a lack of volunteers (Sunday morning worship and the Community Groups themselves has tapped out our volunteer base).  So that means that finding childcare is the responsibility of the individual and or couple that attends their Community Group.