The MEETING

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. Also, if at all possible, take some time to talk about the “STAYING IN THE WORD THIS SUMMER” section. See notes below for suggestions.

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 a more detailed explanation.

FINALIZE PLANS FOR THE FALL / ROSTER CONFIRMATIONS

Find out from your group if they know their plans for being part of your Life Group in the fall. They can also indicate their plans on the Feedback Forms. Please 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 Life GROUP LEADERS & HOSTS FOR THE FALL

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 plan 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 want to send out prayer requests via email, text or mail; these are great ways 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.

LEADER INFO

Remember to get communion supplies for the last meeting.

ONLINE FEEDBACK FORMS: Please make sure to have your group complete them this week, they were sent out on Monday. In the event someone in your group can’t find the email, you may share the generic link listed here with them. lifegroups.northcoastchurch.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: lifegroups.northcoastchurch.com/how-to-post-attendance   

Because this is the final week of our Spring Quarter, you will find an abbreviated study allowing you to take some time to reflect on your group experience and then take Communion. You should also have time to fill out Feedback Forms, as a group, and discuss your plans for the fall. Thanks for being a part of Life Groups!

SUMMER EVENTS & CLASSES:  Check out the end of this week’s Life Group Study Questions for information about summer events and classes offered on our campuses to help you stay connected and grow this summer.

Discussion Suggestion: This week, 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. Also, it can be an opportunity us it as a time to take prayer requests for your group for the summer 

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

Additional Question:  We’ve used this question past two years when we ended the Life Group year.  Feel free to use it again. 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. Email or text your group ahead of time about doing this and bringing something to for this question.

Looking back at this past quarter and year, how has your Life Group experience encouraged, challenged, helped you follow Jesus, know Jesus better and/or connect with others?

Take at least some time to talk about what being in the Word can look like for them this summer and then transition to Communion.

One of the keys to the health of our Life Groups is to live out what God’s Word is telling us.  Being committed to knowing God’s Word is a window into understanding who Jesus is and what it means to follow Him. How do the following verses convey the power of being committed to God’s Word and the idea that “the truth will set you free”?

If you’re tight on time at least read the first verse to remind everyone the power of God’s Word and then see what your group would like to do, as far as being in the word this summer. 

2 Timothy 3:16-17 New International Version (NIV)

¹⁶ All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, ¹⁷ so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Psalm 119:10-16 New International Version (NIV)

I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands.¹¹ I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.¹² Praise be to you, Lord; teach me your decrees.¹³ With my lips I recount all the laws that come from your mouth.¹⁴ I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches.¹⁵ I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. ¹⁶ I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.

Hebrews 4:12 New International Version (NIV)

¹² For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

STAYING IN THE WORD THIS SUMMER

Discuss all the strategies to see what people would like to do this summer. 

To allow the truth to set us free we need to get into God’s Word to grow us, change us, and encourage us. Life Group is a great way to help us do this, but once we take a break many of us find the habit of consistently being in God’s Word a challenge.  Below are some strategies to stay in the Word:

• Stay engaged in our current message series in the book of John by reading or listening to the next chapter each week.
• Subscribe and listen to the Daily Dose regularly (M-F). Text the keyword DAILY to (844) 921-0220.
• Read or listen to a chapter of Proverbs a day.
• YouVersion Bible App to find other Bible reading/listening plans, verse a day, etc.
• Your own idea …

Find out and/or brainstorm with your group about other options. Possibly set up text or email group reminders, or quick ideas on what you read or did. Keep it positive and doable.  Don’t force it. There are a variety of aptitudes of how and if people would want to make this happen.  Some will naturally gravitate to reading and high discipline. Know even if one person rarely engages, but reads with others put in a “text group”, they are in the Word being encouraged, similar to what happens in Life Group.

Tips to keep it going!

• Get a friend to join you!
• Listen and read at the same time – it can help you focus. Many apps now provide listening options.
• Find a place and schedule a time to make it happen.
• If you have a goal to read three times a week and you only do it once or twice, don’t worry about it.  Just keep going!

Make sure you keep it positive. Everyone is going to have different aptitudes on how disciplined or focused they are willing to be

All too often, we want to take our life back and do it our way. 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.

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

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.

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.

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.”

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

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

Get Communion elements ready. (In-person: set on a 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 Pauma Valley Campus Pastor Brandon Vasquez 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: Brandon Vasquez sets up Communion for you. The video then transitions into a worship song, allowing people to take Communion and reflect or sing, worshipping as the song plays. Close your time in prayer. Feel free to pause the video after Brandon speaks if you want to use a different song, have someone to lead your group in worship, or don’t know want to end with the song. Let your group know before you play the video or after Brandon shares how you’re going to take communion.   

 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 – Who You Say I Am

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. 

• Pray 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.

We have 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! Visit northcoastchurch.com/classes to see what’s being offered on our various campuses.