Small Groups

Small Groups -- Big Impact. Here at Christ The King, we're in the business of helping hurting and hungering people find healing and new life, through a growing relationship with Jesus Christ.

And we're convinced that the best environment for cultivating that "growing relationship with Jesus Christ" is a small group.

Why are small groups so important? Because in small groups . . .

•you build relationships of quality and integrity with others
•you experience Christian love and caring, at the deepest possible level
•your faith deepens, as you and your group-mates study together, share your discoveries, and hold each other in mutual accountability
•you and your group grow closer as you work together to help others
•you have a laboratory where you can test your gifts and find them confirmed by others
•you're part of a group that's there for one another, through good times and bad.

Types of Small Groups

At Christ The King, we've identified four basic types of small groups. They're all important, but each has a different purpose.

K-Groups.  Back in New Testament times, the first Christians discovered what the Bible calls koinonia, a Greek word variously translated as "fellowship," "community," "communion," "intimacy" and "friendship." As Christians experienced that koinonia with each other, they also grew into koinonia with God (1 John 1:3, 6-7; Phil. 1:5; 2:1).

At Christ The King, our K-Groups (short for Koinonia Groups) are designed to help group members experience the same koinonia that energized the early church -- the same growing intimacy and deepening fellowship, with each other and with God.

Interest Groups.  These groups are similar to K-Groups, except that people come together around a common interest. That interest can be almost anything, from serious Bible study to learning how to fish or play bridge! What's important is that friendships are made and lives are shared.

Support/Recovery Groups.  Our Support/Recovery Groups meet to address a shared concern (support) or a crippling need (recovery). Relationship-building still takes place in these groups, but the primary focus is on helping participants deal with their specific concerns or needs. Examples include Divorce Recovery, Family Matters (a group for parents) and Coping with Loss.

Ministry Teams.   Another type of group at Christ The King is the Ministry Team. These groups focus on performing a specific ministry in the church or community, while building caring relationships among the group members. Examples include Stephen Ministry, the Faith and Justice Team, or the CTK Choir.

The CTK Choir helps to lead worship at our 9:00 worship service and other special events.  The Choir is open to all who have a desire to praise God through song. Choir members range in age from Junior High students through adults. Rehearsals are held at 7:00 P.M. on Wednesdays.  For more info, contact Jim Ford.

Deacon Team
The Upstate New York Synod's Southern Tier Conference stretches along the NY-PA border for almost a hundred miles (from Corning to Binghamton), extending as far north as Ithaca and Norwich. Within the conference are 13 ELCA congregations, with average weekly worship attendance ranging from 26 to 157.

At any given time, some of these congregations are without a pastor. (In the fall of 2004, for example, four of the congregations had no pastor of their own.)

What do congregations do when they are without pastors, or when their pastors are ill or absent for other reasons? In some areas they can call on retired clergy or pastors who work in non-parish settings (hospital chaplains, for instance). But in the Southern Tier there simply aren't enough "extra" clergy to go around.

Recognizing the difficulties facing conferences like ours, the Upstate New York Synod has been encouraging conferences to train and certify deacons: i.e., qualified lay persons who can be authorized by the Bishop of the Synod to preach at worship and/or preside at communion.

The Synod recognizes two types of deacons: (1) Congregational Deacons, who can be authorized to preach and preside in their own congregations, and (2) Conference Deacons, who can be authorized to preach and preside in other congregations (within the deacon's conference).

Following guidelines established by our synod, our conference conducts a six-month training program for Congregational and Conference Deacons, called the Southern Tier Conference Academy. While the Academy is principally designed to prepare participants to serve as deacons, the individual class sessions are open to anyone interested in expanding their knowledge or skills.

The six sessions of the Academy are held on Saturdays, from 10 A.M. to 3 P.M., over a period of six months. The sessions cover the following topics:

Deacon Skills • Old Testament Survey • New Testament Survey • Lutheran Identity • Preaching • Worship and Spiritual Formation

There is no charge for attending Academy sessions, but participants are expected to purchase their own study texts. Some congregations offer grants to help their deacon candidates with book and travel costs.

In addition to the class sessions described above, our synod requires that deacon candidates undertake "at least 15 hours of instruction or study in the particular area of ministry in which they will serve." This requirement is generally met through independent study, in consultation with the candidate's own pastor.

Once they have completed the course of study described above, candidates can be commissioned as deacons only upon the recommendation of their home pastor and Church Council, as well as the Southern Tier Conference Deacon Training Team, the Dean of the Conference and, ultimately, the Bishop of the Synod.

Deacons are commissioned for three-year terms, renewable indefinitely. Deacons are expected to complete 10 hours of continuing education each year, either through established programs or independent study, in consultation with their pastors.

When deacons are called upon to preach or preside outside their home congregations, they are paid mileage and an honorarium equivalent to that paid to a substitute pastor.

If you're interested in becoming a deacon, discuss it with your pastor. Then attend the first Academy session, on "Deacon Skills." That session will help you determine whether you have the gifts needed to be a deacon.

Fiorentino Bible Study Group meets the third Monday each month at 6:30 PM in the Fireplace Room, leader Jody Fiorentino.  We will be meeting the third Monday of the month during the summer rather than every other week. Here are the books we are reading. June, "The Noticer" by Andy Andrews, July "Heaven is Real" by Todd Burpo, and August the "The Help".

Tuesday Morning Women's Bible Study:  Women from various local churches.  If you'd like to live life without regrets, please come join us Tuesday mornings from 9:30 - 11:00 in the Fireplace Room beginning April 12th as we read and discuss "One Month to Live".  Questions?  Contact Liz Bakenhaus, 797-1826.

 Wednesday Morning Bible Study: Group meets every Wednesday morning at the Church at 10 AM.  Organizer: Julie Sifert.

Friday Morning Group:  Small group studying a variety of bible based programs or current popular religious books.  Organizer: Evelyn Goetz  Phone: (570) 663-2809 Meetings every Friday morning from 10 - 11:30 AM at the Church in the Fireplace room.

What is Alpha?

Alpha is an opportunity to explore the meaning of life in a relaxed, friendly setting. The Alpha course usually meets once per week for 10 weeks, and includes an amazing weekend getaway (optional). Each session, people enjoy great food, laughter and learning in a fun and friendly atmosphere where no question about life or God is seen as too simple or too hostile…questions like—Is there a God? Why am I here? and What is the purpose of my life?

The next Alpha Course is not yet scheduled, please watch Church bulletin and web site for next time it will be offered.

God has given all of us wonderful gifts, shaping each of us as a unique creation.   And the Bible tells us that God gives us those gifts, not just for our own benefit, but also for the benefit of others.; but often we don't take the time to discover the gifts we've been given.

That's what the Gifts Discovery program is all about. In Gifts Discovery -- usually offered as a 5-week seminar -- you'll uncover your Spiritual gifts, Heart (passions), Abilities, Personality and Experiences. Together they reveal your unique, God-given S_H_A_P_E.   And once you've discovered your gifts, we'll help you find ways to put them to use in meaningful ministries.

With our close proximity to Binghamton University we should have some presence on campus.  (Current enrollment is 11,700 undergrad students and 3000 Graduate students)    Looking for volunteers.

Meets the 2nd and 4th Thursday of every month at 7 PM in the Fireplace Room.  If you want to learn to crochet or knit we'd be glad to teach you and of course experienced crafters are welcome.  Currently working on blankets for the Linus Project.  Another project starting soon. Military prayer squares are given to servicemembers when they are deployed. The concept is that those creating the squares pray for servicemembers and then these particular squares are going to be blessed at assembly and will be given to the chaplain at Fort Drum in Watertown for distribution to the servicemembers of the 10th Mountain Division which is being deployed in the fall - 10th Mtn. typically goes to Iraq and Afghanistan.   Leader is Judy Mica Guerin.

Compassion and the love of knitting/crocheting have been combined into a prayerful ministry and spiritual practice which reaches out to those in need of comfort and solace, as well as in celebration and joy. Many blessings are prayed into every shawl.  Current Leaders are Marge King and Althea Zayleskie.  The prayer shawl group is taking the summer off & will start up again September 8th (Thursday) at 9:30-11:30 AM.

Anyone is welcome to join the Prayer Network. All you need is an e-mail address and a willingness to pray for the needs of others. Prayer requests will be sent to you by e-mail. When you receive a prayer request, simply offer a short prayer for the need outlined, and add it to your regular prayer list.  Current Leader is Cathy Gould.

Web Site Map

Wednesday Evening BBQs

Come join us this summer for good food, fun, friendship, and fellowship with Grill Meister Meghan O'Hearn.  Free Will offering.  Starts at 6 PM each Wednesday running from June 8th thro July 27th.

The First Friday Luncheon features inspirational speakers and community members.  Please join us at noon!  A sign-up sheet is posted in the Entrance Hall.  Event Leader is Margaret King. Runs each 1st Friday (Fall, Winter and Spring)

 For more info or future dates contact organzier, Margo Falise-Pendleton. Phone: (607) 427-2319, or call the church at (607) 729-2688.

Health care professionals in our congregation who offer free periodic blood pressure readings.

The Saturday morning Men's K-Group gathers each week from 8:00 to 9:30 to share bagels, coffee and our journeys.  We talk about all kinds of things, we pray together, and we support one another, and we love having new people join us!  Leader: David Banner

In Stephen Ministry congregations, lay caregivers (called Stephen Ministers) provide one-to-one Christian care to the bereaved, hospitalized, terminally ill, separated, divorced, unemployed, relocated, and others facing a crisis or life challenge. Stephen Ministry helps pastors and congregations provide quality caring ministry for as long as people need it.  Leaders: Shirley Lyttle, Angie Crawford and John Moynihan.

If you would like more information about meeting with a Stephen Minister or becoming one you can contact our Stephen Ministery leader, Shirley Lyttle. Phone: (607) 786-5873. Your call will be kept confidential.

Celebrate Recovery is a fellowship that celebrates God's healing power in our lives. By working and applying biblical principles, we become free from our addictive, compulsive and dysfunctional behaviors. This freedom creates peace, serenity, joy and most importantly, a stronger personal relationship with God and others.  As we progress through the program we draw strength from our personal, loving and forgiving Higher Power - Jesus Christ.

Our local group is a unique lay ministry born out of a deep need for a support system for Christian individuals who are wrestling with chemical or alcohol dependency, sex addictions, eating disorders and more. Powerful, proven tools are offered to combat the fear, guilt, anger, loneliness, confusion and frustration which accompany these compulsive behaviors and their total affect on families.

Somehow, because we are Christians, we think we should be immune to such "thorns in the flesh." When Christians recognize they have a problem, they work harder than most people to cover it up so their pastor and church friends won't find out. Thus, they end up trying to carry the burden all alone.

Jesus said, "Admit your faults to one another and pray for each other to that you may be healed." (James 5:16) You no longer have to wage the battle by yourself. Help is available through this group for your destructive habits, hang-ups and hurts if you are only open to receive it.

Our Celebrate Recovery group meets off-site on Sundays at 1:00 P.M.

Visit http://www.CelebrateRecovery.com, call 725-2472 or email CRBinghamton@hotmail.com to learn more.