Groups

We grow by our relationships and belonging to groups is vital. Group activity entails relationships and builds character. Some groups are geared for service to the campus, parish and wider community.

• Each school course can be described as a temporary group organized around part of the curriculum and led by a teacher. Some courses are elective.
• Extracurricular groups contribute to a student’s development and have various degrees of relevancy to faith formation as well. Participation is usually voluntary. 

How do groups on your campus contribute to faith formation?

Athletic teams

National Honor Society

Student Ambassadors

Key Club

Environmental Club

Dead Theologians Society

....In the process of being reactivated in the Wausau Deanery.

What do you think about this idea…

Disciple Groups – a new proposal

Following is a draft for an information brochure to be amended by your recommendations.

What is a disciple?
Someone who follows the life and teachings of a person who has changed their heart.

What is a Christian disciple?
Someone who tries to follow the way of Jesus each day.

What is required to be a disciple of Jesus?
One essential condition is to belong to Christian community. Disciples do not travel the faith journey alone.

Where do I find Christian community?
Jesus answered, “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” [Mt. 18:20] Common forms of Christian community are a family, a parish, a Catholic school, a religion class, a faith group. Catholics and many other Christians practice infant baptism when the Christian community welcomes a person unconditionally. You began belonging and being a disciple when you were baptized.

Isn’t “disciple” a more fitting word for a religious type of person (not me)?
Scripture reveals only a few stories about the first twelve disciples of Jesus, and usually about their weaker sides. The apostles squabbled about who was greater or who should sit next to Jesus. Judas betrayed. Peter denied. Thomas doubted. So, it’s a safe bet that “disciple” is a broad enough term to apply to you. Note that 12 is also a symbolic number meaning “all,” such as all the tribes of Israel, or the months of the whole year.

Don’t I get to decide to be a disciple or not?
You get to decide every day. You will experience a wide range of feelings and understandings about being a disciple, including periods as dry as a desert. The open invitation of Jesus to follow him and the promise of the church community to support you can never be revoked. Every day is your decision day.

What are characteristics of Christian community?
Christian communities are not exclusive clubs. They are designed to welcome new disciples and help one another follow the Way of Jesus. Common prayer, opportunities to learn (another meaning of the word disciple) and service are essential, even for a small group who identifies as a Christian community.

What are Disciple Groups at Newman?
Youth and adult members of the Newman community make a commitment to belong to a small Christian community for one year. The purpose of each Disciple Group is to support one another in following the Way of Jesus, and develop habits of daily prayer, reflection and service.

What is a DG?
“DG” is an abbreviation for Disciple Group and for their motto deo gratias (Latin for “thanks be to God.”) Appreciating all the gifts of God is at the heart of being a disciple.  Each DG can also choose a unique name for their small group.

What do DG’s do?
To encourage daily prayer and reflection each week a DG leader will prompt her or his group with a general question, poll, website to explore, prayer or quotation to consider. These will also be posted on a DG blogspot that parents and others can read. Youth replies may be designated for the leader only or for leader and other youth members of the DG only. Youth are also encouraged to keep a personal blog or journal and share excerpts with any recipients they choose. In addition, DG’s may plan retreats, field trips and service initiatives to be a positive influence on campus (leaven) or to make a difference in the local community and planet (salt of the earth.)

Do DG’s have meetings?
Most communication by members of a DG is done by phone or other device using Google Classroom, Twitter, email, etc. Occasionally, DG’s will meet during an activity period. Of course, DG field trips, retreats, and service initiatives are done in person.

Can parents participate in a child’s DG?
Replies shared in the DG Google Classroom are private between the leader and DG members. The rule of confidentiality is essential to build group trust. If a leader reads or hears a comment that he or she thinks should be shared with a parent, chaplain or counselor, the leader will ask the youth for permission or seek advice without sharing the name of the person.

There are two ways a parent can participate. 1) Use the weekly posts on the DG blogspot to prompt discussion in the home; and 2) Volunteer to drive or chaperone for DG retreats, field trips and service initiatives off campus.

If inspired by the value of Disciple Groups, parents may consider starting a DG for themselves with other parents.

How are DG’s organized?

1. Everyone on campus completes a survey about group preferences:  all female, all male, or mixed; same or different parish affiliation; all members of the same athletic team, campus group, or course; same grade level or mixed. For example, a DG might include 3 freshmen, 3 sophomores, 3 juniors, and 3 seniors with older youth having more leadership roles within the DG.
2. Participating personnel enroll in a Google Classroom for DG leaders to share their experience, receive ongoing leadership notes, study survey results, and decide what kind of group composition each prefers to lead. 
3. The school posts leader preferences and youth sign up for a DG during an enrollment period. If campus policy supports student leaders for each DG, these student leaders (usually seniors or 8th graders) will enroll first. If DG’s are organized for all grades 6-12, campus policy will keep middle school DG’s distinct from high school DG’s. Each DG is limited to a maximum of 12 members.

Is enrollment mandatory?
All members of the community are expected to enroll in a DG; campus policy can determine grounds for exceptions. Like all disciple behavior participation in DG communication and activities is voluntary. DG leaders will keep track of and report members’ participation, which may positively impact on student awards and recognition, but have no negative impact on grades, for example. A DG will honor any member’s choice not to be active, but will continue to share posts with and prayers for all who are enrolled.

When does commitment to a DG expire?
Commitment to a DG is for a full year, including summer months. Prior to an annual enrollment period, usually in the Fall, existing DG’s provide a final report of their activity and may request to renew their DG composition for another year; individual members are free to renew or enroll in a new DG.

Who manages the DG program?
Management needs will be shared in the DG Leaders’ Google Classroom. Some responsibilities may be assigned to a chaplain, campus minister, religion teacher or guidance counselor.

Do DG Leaders have to create weekly content?
A central team of chaplains and teachers can prepare weekly input that leaders can receive in their adult Google Classroom and pass on to their groups. The leader Google Classroom is also a venue to ask questions and share experiences as DG leaders.
Examples of content sources for weekly assignment posts include Catholic prayers; inspiring quotations from saints and other notables; local, national or world news highlights, including church news from Zenit or other source; quotations from scripture and the Catechism; material from the Diocesan Virtues program; contemporary music and film; preparation questions for Sunday Mass and the Wednesday campus Mass (prayer petitions for campus Mass could be solicited through DG's.)
Another option for DG content is purchasing a license for FaithConnect from Veritas Religion. See a description under the Vision/Publisher tab.

Who started this Disciple Group idea?
The Holy Spirit gets credit for prompting Leo Jacoby, but it may not be original. The design suggested in these questions may be adapted and adopted by any school or parish. Please share your implementation and other structures and resources for small groups and mentoring adolescents.