Beloved,
Imagine gathering with new and old friends, leaning into the weekly sermon, listening, learning, and growing. Imagine hearing others pray for you by name and checking in with you to see how you are. Imagine laughter and connection, compassion and authenticity. Imagine those moments when the Holy Spirit arrives and moves throughout the gathering with unmistakable clarity. There is no need to imagine because this is Village.
We are so delighted you are interested in Village. We want you to join us as we move from the crowded corners of our world into the community that is each village. We have assembled a “Welcome to Village” guide for those new to Village. Its goal is to share the history and hope of Village with you. It includes a sample guide, the covenant we follow, and thoughts about what Village is and is not. You may click here to access the guide.
As you register, we want to share information to help you select your Village. Each Village facilitator has chosen a day of the week and a time of day (mostly evening hours). Each facilitator has chosen to structure their Village around an “affinity group.” Where a facilitator has selected an affinity group, it will be noted in the proper column.* For the spring 2023 session, there are a few in-person villages. Once they reach a maximum of 12-15 people, they will disappear from the schedule. This is because we cannot accommodate additional people in homes. Finally, some facilitators have chosen to share “grace notes,” brief comments about the essence of their Village, or a scripture that guides their “walk” together. Please click here to see a complete list of Villages, along with grace notes.
There are three more areas of clarification we want to highlight: (1) why do we ask for your birth year and date, (2) why do we ask if you are a member of Alfred Street, and (3) do you have to be a Christian to be a part of Village? First, we ask for your birthday so your Village might celebrate and share a birthday greeting with you. The information about your birth year will not be shared with your Village. We ask for a birth year for research/statistical purposes only. Second, we ask if you are a member of ASBC to ensure we connect members with services available to members through Discipleship Groups and other ministries. People not members of Alfred Street or any church are ABSOLUTELY welcome to be a part of the heart and soul of Village. And you do not need to be a Christian to be a part of Village. However, it is essential to note that Village is not an interfaith activity. We approach the discussion of the sermon from a Christian perspective. Our faith in Jesus Christ is central to our dialogue. We hope this information will help you choose the best Village for you.
Each Village is unique; each invites you to join in and lean in. We welcome you to the Winter 2023 session of Village. Pastor Wesley and the Village Leadership Team have already begun praying for you as you move from crowd to community.
* Several Villages are structured as coed. The coed nature of the village is determined by who registers. Typically, 70 % of all Village registrants are women. This means some Villages intended to be coed may be populated by mostly women.