Common Ground exists to encourage people of all ages to be formed in the image of Jesus so that we can love our neighbors in Indianapolis and around the world. Over the past 12 years we have continued to ask God to give us opportunities to be a part of His grand plan to bring restoration and healing to a broken world in the name of Jesus. A large part of this mission has involved church planting. We have had the privilege of helping to establish a number of new communities both in Indianapolis and in other parts of the country.

 

In early March, we held our first gathering of the leaders of these churches. We invited them to Indy to begin conversations about how they might interact more regularly and share experiences and resources with each other. Our time together was rich and beneficial for everyone involved.

 

Ben Biggerstaff, a future church planter to Boise, Idaho, commented, “What is very exciting about this group is that we share the same values of planting missional churches who join God in the restoration of all things. For a young church planter this is invaluable. It’s too easy to play with theories when beginning a missional work but with regular interaction with this family of church planters I can learn practically how certain approaches really affect people and produce kingdom fruit. This family is sure to be a source of life, encouragement, support and equipping for me as a young church planter.”

 

This gathering of our lead planters also provided Common Ground the opportunity to learn from them and their experiences. We invited them to share some stories of how God has used them in their respective cities. Through these stories we were reminded that every person who follows Jesus has the capacity to join God in the restoration of the world. It doesn’t matter where we live or what we do, each of us has an opportunity to live as an “ambassador” of Christ and His kingdom.

 

In our Sunday gatherings, one of the leaders told a story about “paying attention”. This theme is central to the mission of the Gospel. God is pressing His kingdom forward and we can join Him if we are willing and attentive. We are often distracted by our personal life goals and agendas and we can tend to miss the opportunities to share the love of Christ with those around us.

 

On behalf of all of the leaders and members of these communities, I wanted to thank you for your support in prayers, finances and relationships. We are expecting that God will continue to use all of us as He accomplishes His will “on earth as it is in heaven.”

 

Blessings,

Jeff

We believe that having a consistent community for encouragement, learning, prayer and laughter is an essential aspect of our spiritual journey. That is why “house church” has been and continues to be one of the foundational elements of CGCC. Quite simply, house church is a group of Christians who meet regularly in someone’s home in order to be the church, that is, to fulfill the mission of the church. It is a place to experience belonging to God and his family, a place to grow in the image of Jesus, and a place to respond to the Holy Spirit in mission.

 

House church is also a place where the gift of spiritual leadership is important. Leadership is needed in house church to walk ahead of and alongside others who are journeying with Christ. This is a wonderful, challenging responsibility that occasionally requires space for recalibration and renewal. For this purpose, we are planning a retreat in late April where our house church leaders can experience the presence of God together through prayer, Scripture reading, and listening/responding to God’s voice. During this time, we hope to cast vision for CGCC house churches and provide practical handles for leaders to use as they spiritually guide their group.

 

In preparation for this retreat, we strongly encourage our church family to be praying for our house church leaders and encouraging them to attend. Please prayerfully ask God to speak to them and give them a vision for what He desires to do in and through them during this time. If you have any questions regarding this event, please contact Jim Matthies.

 

Leaders – click here to register before April 19!

Steve and Bridget Hurry have been a part of the Common Ground community for over 7 years. Shortly after getting married, they sensed the Lord’s call on their lives towards international missions and have responded to that call in various ways that have deepened their faith and reliance on Him. Most recently, Steve and Bridget approached the elders with an expressed desire to carry out God’s call for their lives in Uganda, Africa. They invited the elders to pray for them and provide discernment and counsel to further define their calling.

 

Since then, the Hurrys have started reorienting their lives to embrace this calling and are preparing to move to Uganda in 2012. They desire to join alongside a multi-gifted team when they move there and the next step in this journey is a scouting trip this summer, July 19-31, to meet with and evaluate various ministries in Kampala and northern Uganda.

 

They will be traveling with a team of 7 people through Common Ground and during this 2 week trip the team will be gathering data, praying, discerning and being the eyes and ears on the ground as they seek God’s vision on this venture. The scouting team will be exploring the full spectrum of ministries already taking place in Uganda including: church planting and equipping the local church, HIV/AIDS education and medical treatment, caring for orphans, micro-enterprise and small business development, and human trafficking awareness and intervention. While on this trip, they are looking to ultimately confirm how the team in 2012 will be sent, the location where the team will be living, as well as the ministries they will partner with on the ground in Uganda.

 

If you would like more information or are interested in exploring the option of joining CGCC and the Hurrys in 2012, please send us an email.

Two words in our mission statement are extremely important yet often overlooked: To encourage people of all ages to be formed into the image of Jesus, so we can love our neighbors in Indianapolis and around the world.

 

These two words communicate the value we place on kids and adults; state our intention for church-wide spiritual formation; and they form our foundation and understanding of family ministry. These two words are also the reason behind a new ministry announcement: beginning in May, we will unroll the first phase of the Common Ground Youth Ministry.

 

The start of CG’s youth ministry is best understood as an aspect of family ministry. The early church saw itself as “first family,” not defined by a family tree but by allegiance to Jesus. The church had a deep sense of “belonging” – to God and each other, regardless of age. That is what we envision when talking about family ministry at Common Ground. From house church, to children’s ministry to the new youth ministry, we seek to be a church where people of all ages experience the transforming work of Jesus.

 

That vision was the impetus for starting the youth ministry task force last year. The purpose of the task force was to pray, discuss, research and envision a youth ministry consistent with Common Ground’s mission and ministry philosophy. Through this process, the task force created guiding values and practices that will direct the first steps of the youth ministry.

 

To communicate more fully the next steps of the youth ministry, we are hosting two informational meetings for parents and potential volunteers.

Both meetings will be in the conference room at Midtown (4550 N. Illinois Street). Dessert will be served and childcare provided. Interested? Click here to register for the Parent Information Meeting or here for the Volunteer Information Meeting. If you have further questions, send us an email.

 

As the new youth ministry begins, our mission statement reminds us that the call to be formed in the image of Jesus is a communal endeavor where everyone in the church family is involved and needed. Please be praying for our youth, your involvement, and this new aspect of family ministry at Common Ground.

Applications and deposits for our May 27-31 Toronto vision trip are due in the church office (4550 N. Illinois Street) by Monday, April 19. For details, visit our website or send us an email.

 

Child Dedication

The next child dedication is Sunday, May 2. For more information and registration, please visit our website. Registration deadline is April 25.

 

Intro to Common Ground

Intro to Common Ground is an opportunity for those who are new to Common Ground to learn about the vision, values and story of our community. The next gathering is Tuesday, May 4 at 6 pm. Attendance is limited and a light dinner and childcare are provided. To learn more about this gathering, including future dates and registration, please follow this link.

 

Nehemiah Night

Our next monthly prayer gathering, known as Nehemiah Night, is on Wednesday, May 5 at 6:30 pm at Midtown. Please join us as we engage in prayer and conversation about what God is doing among us and seek to grow relationships across our house church network. Volunteers are needed to provide limited childcare during Nehemiah Night. To sign up for your month(s) to serve, please click here. 

 

To learn more, please see the article above.