The last meeting of the quarter: How you wrap up your last meeting of the year is important. Make sure you allow plenty of time to go through the “My Story” and “Remembering” sections. Feel free to spend your entire time there, allowing everyone time to connect.

Note About Communion: There is a video option to take your group through communion, or you can lead it yourself. See the last section called “Remembering” with the link for more explanation.

Special email to your group ahead of time: You may want to email or text your group ahead of time so they know what to bring to group for My Story #1. 

FINALIZE PLANS FOR THE FALL / ROSTER CONFIRMATIONS
Find out from your group if they know their plans for being part of the group in the fall. They can indicate their plans on the Feedback Forms. Also, let us know of any roster updates that you know of, or changes to your meeting day, time or location for the Fall Quarter when you submit your attendance.

PRAYER FOR NEW FALL LIFE GROUP LEADERS & HOSTS
Take some time to pray for new Leaders and Hosts to launch new Life Groups in the Fall. We have seen some exciting growth in the past few months. See the prayer request at the bottom of this week’s homework.  

SUMMER CONNECTION IDEAS – Socials, Events, & Classes

• Over the summer, you may want to consider planning a social with your group at the beach, having a game night, going out to dinner, attending one of our summer events/classes or meeting for guys-only/girls-only breakfast once or twice.
• You may also consider sending out prayer requests via email, text or mail; this is a great way to keep people connected.

EVENTS & CLASSES COMING THIS SUMMER
You may want to consider making one of these events a summer social for your group! There will be a variety of events and classes offered on our campuses throughout the summer, covering a range of topics including marriage, parenting, spiritual growth, mental health, finance and more! These are great ways for you to grow and/or stay connected this summer! Visit northcoastchurch.com/summer to see what’s being offered on our various campuses.

REMEMBER TO GET COMMUNION SUPPLIES FOR THE LAST MEETING. 

ONLINE FEEDBACK FORMS:
If you did not do Feedback Forms last week, please make sure to have your group complete them this week. In the event someone in your group can’t find the email, you may share the generic link listed here with them. ncclifegroustg.wpengine.com/feedback

ATTENDANCE
Submit your group’s attendance online at northcoastchurch.com/attendance. If you’re not sure how to post attendance, you can check out the guide here: ncclifegroustg.wpengine.com/how-to-post-attendance

Discussion Suggestion: These two questions and the “Remembering” section are the most important to cover. Make sure you allow plenty of time here. You may want to have your group members each answer all the questions in this section and then move to the “Remembering” section. 

1. Throughout our study of David, we have seen that though brave, strong and a powerful leader, the hero of the story is not David. Rather, the hero is our God who has continually shown His grace, strength, mercy, love and an invitation to follow Him! As we close the Life Group quarter, we want you to take some time to reflect on who God, the hero of the story, has been to you as you answer these two questions:

• Back by popular demand to close the last meeting of the Life Group year, we’d like you to find something in your house that represents who God has been to you this past year. Bring it to your group (in-person or online) and be ready to talk about it. Feel free to have fun with this, while also sharing why it is meaningful.
  You may want to email or text your group ahead of time about bringing something to the group for this question.

• Looking back at this past quarter and year, how has your Life Group experience encouraged, challenged or helped you follow Jesus, see how God is the hero and connect with others?
  Good question to have everyone answer. 

2. Summer is just around the corner! Do you have any special plans, activities or prayer requests for the next few months?

Good question to have everyone answer and then move into Communion in the “Remembering” section if you’re tight on time.

Discussion Suggestion: You can use this question to help launch some summer prayer themes for each person in your group. See the second sub question below the verses.  

Just as David experienced God’s grace, mercy and call to obedience in following Him, we too can have the same hope and confidence as we follow Jesus. This happens when we surrender our lives daily to God’s call and leading. As you read through Psalm 145, circle anything that gives you hope in who God is and how He wants to work in your life.

Psalm 145 New International Version (NIV)

¹ I will exalt you, my God the King;
I will praise your name for ever and ever.
² Every day I will praise you
and extol your name for ever and ever.

³ Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise;
his greatness no one can fathom.
⁴ One generation commends your works to another;
they tell of your mighty acts.
⁵ They speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty—
and I will meditate on your wonderful works.
⁶ They tell of the power of your awesome works—
and I will proclaim your great deeds.
⁷ They celebrate your abundant goodness
and joyfully sing of your righteousness.

⁸ The Lord is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger and rich in love.

⁹ The Lord is good to all;
he has compassion on all he has made.
¹⁰ All your works praise you, Lord;
your faithful people extol you.
¹¹ They tell of the glory of your kingdom
and speak of your might,
¹² so that all people may know of your mighty acts
and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
¹³ Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
and your dominion endures through all generations.

The Lord is trustworthy in all he promises
and faithful in all he does.
¹⁴ The Lord upholds all who fall
and lifts up all who are bowed down.
¹⁵ The eyes of all look to you,
and you give them their food at the proper time.
¹⁶ You open your hand
and satisfy the desires of every living thing.

¹⁷ The Lord is righteous in all his ways
and faithful in all he does.
¹⁸ The Lord is near to all who call on him,
to all who call on him in truth.
¹⁹ He fulfills the desires of those who fear him;
he hears their cry and saves them.
²⁰ The Lord watches over all who love him,
but all the wicked he will destroy.

²¹ My mouth will speak in praise of the Lord.
Let every creature praise his holy name
for ever and ever.

Looking back at what you circled, can you think of any examples of how a perspective from one of these verses has helped you or could have helped you in the past? If so, explain.

Which one would be most helpful in reminding you God is at work in your life and wants to use you to make a difference in the world around you this summer?

Good question to have everyone answer. You could make a group prayer list with each person’s response as a guide for how to pray for each person throughout the summer. 

All too often we want to take our life back and do it our way, but Jesus wants us to remember what He has done for us and that He is here to walk through life with us. That’s why Jesus told the disciples at the Last Supper to repeatedly come together and take Communion. Taking Communion is about remembering all Christ accomplished through His death on the cross and resurrection. It is through this sacrifice that Jesus’ grace and mercy are made available to us.

This week, your Life Group will conclude by doing as the disciples did, taking Communion together. To prepare for Communion, read the following verses and reflect on Jesus’ commitment and work in your life as you follow Him. Write down a few of your thoughts about the impact each of these verses has on you.

If you have time, have your group share their answers. This will set up how you lead them through Communion.

Romans 5:7-11 New International Version (NIV)
⁷ Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. ⁸ But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. ⁹ Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! ¹⁰ For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! ¹¹ Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

1 Corinthians 11:23-25 New International Version (NIV)
²³ For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, ²⁴ and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” ²⁵ In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.”

John 15:12-17 New International Version (NIV)
¹² My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. ¹³ Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. ¹⁴ You are my friends if you do what I command. ¹⁵ I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. ¹⁶ You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. ¹⁷ This is my command: Love each other. 

COMMUNION: (Listen to the Leader Guide Audio for more details)

• Get Communion elements ready. (In-person: set on table in the middle of the room.)
• Explain that we want to end the Life Group year by remembering and celebrating Christ’s death and resurrection. You can use the video by Trent Jenkins (Expansion and Online Campus Pastor) and our Worship Team or lead your group in Communion yourself as the leader.
• Option #1 – Play the video to set up Communion followed by a worship song: Trent sets up Communion for you. The video then transitions into a worship song by one of our North Coast Worship teams, allowing people to take Communion and reflect or sing, worshipping as the song plays. Close your time in prayer.

 Make sure to preview the video.   

• Option #2 Leader-Led Communion
  • Read 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 NIV: ²³ For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, ²⁴ and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” ²⁵ In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” ²⁶ For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
  • Have everyone eat and drink the Communion elements.
  • Worship option while people take Communion – Pour Out Praise
  • Close in prayer – Group prayer or leader closes
    • Other North Coast Worship Songs

* How to watch video online with your group – Zoom allows you to share a screen. If the platform your group is using does not allow this, you can have people listen to it on their own devices at home, then come back to your group together.  

• Prayer option after the video – Group prayer or Leader/Host closes – thanking God for how He has worked this past year.
• Meeting Wrap-up – Remind your group how you plan to connect this summer and ask them to let you know of any changes for the fall as the summer progresses.

Take Communion with us this week! If you are not in a Life Group and would like to take Communion with us, see this link to follow along: northcoastchurch.com/communion/ 

• Prayers for your group this summer:
• Pray that North Coast will continue to be a light in our community and help others follow Jesus.
• Pray for the raising up of new Life Group leaders and hosts this fall as many people return to groups or join for the first time.