Have you ever stopped to consider the number of "one another" verses in the New Testament? One writer makes reference to fifty-five with one third calling us to love one another. The other two thirds would remind us to serve one another, accept one another, bear one another's burdens, forgive one another and so on. All very clear indications of how a spiritually healthy church is called to function.

But it seems to me that if we are to follow those biblical mandates and for instance, truly bear someone else's burdens within the faith community we will have to get to know such a person on a more intimate basis than a friendly smile or greeting on a Sunday morning.

If we are really going to strive to walk in someone else's shoes in the caring, loving ways that Jesus models for us then we will have to spend time in close contact with the person we are hoping to help.

Hence the need for small intimate group life and ministry in a parish taking place in the warm environment of parish homes during the week.

My travels across Canada visiting a variety of Anglican parishes have revealed that weekly small group ministry is catching on. These weekly home gatherings devoted to spiritual nurturing, fellowship and prayer are called parish cell groups, home fellowship groups, or simply weekly study groups. If they are spiritually healthy, they see themselves not as entities in themselves but totally linked to the local parish church. Where such groups are flourishing, group leaders are being helped by clergy and others to structure and lead a weekly meeting, create stimulating questions for discussion and allow the gathering to flow freely in the power of God's Spirit. They are also encouraged to help members of the group listen to what is happening in the lives of those present, cope with inevitable conflicts that arise in any group setting and be inviting and be wide open to non-Christians.

Those "one another" passages became a living spiritual reality for me many years ago when I was privileged to be a part of a small group of Christian men from a variety of economic backgrounds who met every Tuesday morning in the kitchen of a downtown Cathedral from 7:00 - 8:00 a.m. Getting up on Tuesday mornings was a bit of a struggle at times, but it always proved to be worth the effort. Once the kitchen door was closed, confidentiality was strictly maintained. We all took turns in preparing breakfast, offering a short meditation and then praying for one another and any current concerns. Several years in that early morning group helped me to understand the great spiritual value of small group gatherings in a parish setting. We laughed together, shared together and at times wept together.

Yes, men really do cry! We learned how to pray for one another, reflect on God's word and in a deeply spiritual sense saw ourselves as brothers in Christ.

A few months ago I was given a copy of "How to Lead a GREAT Cell Group Meeting… So People want to Come Back" by Joel Comiskey. It is one of many resources in this area but I found it to be an excellent guideline providing everything you would ever need to know about forming and leading a small parish group. The publisher, is TOUCH Publications, PO Box 19888, Houston Texas, 77224-9888 USA. The ISBN which is all your local bookstore needs, is 1-880828-27-8. The website is http://www.touchusa.org.

Joel Cominsky offers this definition of a small parish group or cell, "A group of people (4-15) who meet regularly for the purpose of spiritual edification and evangelistic outreach (with the goal of multiplication), who are committed to participate in the functions of the local church." (1)

When that is happening in any parish, large or small, those biblical "one another" passages take on a whole new meaning.

- Blessings, Bishop Malcolm Harding.

1. Joel Comiskey, How to lead a Great Cell Group Meeting - so people want to come back, (Touch Publications, Houston Texas, 2001, p 13)

Bishop Malcolm is the ambassador of ARM Canada and was formerly the Episcopal bishop of the diocese of Brandon.

The Rt. Rev. Malcolm Harding
Episcopal Visitor to ARM