Winter/Spring   2022   Growth   Groups
Our next semester of groups will be Starting the week of January 9

**Children's ministry is available during the Sunday morning and Wednesday evening groups.**
If you have questions, please call the church office, 605-692-6671, or email the Community Life team.

Sunday 8:45AM

men's  leadership group // Bruce burckhardt,  Room 210

Drawing on the wisdom of strong accomplished leaders, this group will help make men stronger Christian leaders in their homes, workplaces, church and environment. Prepare to be challenged once you join this group.

​Bruce loves God, good food, grandkids and, of course, his beautiful wife. He is a business owner and is always pushing himself to learn more about leadership.

sunday 9:30AM

Hurts, Hangups and Habits // serenity miller,  Room 130

Are you “stuck”? Have you become someone you didn’t want to be, or gotten to a place you didn’t want to go? What’s standing in the way of your relationship with God and other people? Together, we break the bondage of the past by sharing our experience, strength, and hope with each other, finding freedom from life’s hurts, hang-ups & habits, in the healing power of Jesus. This is an intensive 25-week discipleship process for ANYBODY to work through the Christ-centered 12 Steps of Spiritual Recovery, using the Celebrate Recovery step study guides.

​Serenity has been active in recovery for 11 years and came to Christ as a direct result of God's work through the 12 Steps. She and her husband Jeff are proof that God saves lives. Her favorite part of ministry is seeing the way God redeems even the unlikeliest stories, through people set free to love freely in the love and power of Jesus Christ.

sunday 10AM

How Happiness Happens and 1 John // orv Smidt and david Sheppard, Room 200

In How Happiness Happens, Max Lucado shares the unexpected path to a lasting happiness, one that produces reliable joy amidst any life circumstance. Based on the teachings of Jesus and backed by modern research, this book presents a surprising but practical way of living that will change you from the inside out. 

Orv is a 34-year veteran of the U.S. Army and loves the Jackrabbits. David has farmed for 40 years. He loves spending time with his 11 grandchildren and playing pickleball.
Orv and David have been leading together for over 6 years. They love engaging the class with ice breakers so that everyone gets a chance to know each other.

Through the Bible in a Year // gregg carlson, room 210

In this group, we cover the entire Bible, in chronological order​.​ Our goal is to  focus on what we believe and why we believe it. 

Gregg began attending GracePoint and leading groups in 1969. This will be his 17th year leading "Through the Bible in a year" at GracePoint. In his spare time he studies Scripture, runs a sawmill and does CNC woodworking. 

12 More Women of the Bible (Women's group) // cynthia Sheppard, room 220

This is a 12-week session with lessons taught by six of today's best-loved authors and speakers, including Karen Ehman and Lisa Harper. We will look at these Bible women's successes and failures and how they drew close to God in the midst of trials, overcame rejection, handled disappointments, and persevered to find joy in Jesus. Bring your Bible and a pen and join us for fellowship, laughter, and great Bible discussion. 
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Cynthia Sheppard, a former teacher and newspaper editor, loves to continue to teach through small groups. She and her husband, David, find their exercise through the fun sport of pickleball and following the activities of their 11 grandchildren.

"The Holy Club" // Several co-leaders, Room 140

Forefathers of our Wesleyan denomination, brothers John & Charles Wesley gathered a discipleship group in their college years, seeking Christ’s direction in a godless society. Mockingly referred to as “The Holy Club” by scoffing observers, this group set the stage for Wesley’s later class and band meeting structure… which set a fire of spiritual formation and social reform ablaze through the Methodist movement across the Western world. Harkening back to our Wesleyan Way of small group discipleship, each week this group will read one chapter of the Gospel and challenge each participant to answer one spiritual accountability question. For 23 weeks, we will come together to practice rigorous honesty—and dare to trust God with the results. Come ready to get real with real people opening up real issues to Jesus Christ.

This group will be led by co-leaders who trade off week to week: Matt Douglas, Steve Dvorak, Else Munsterteiger and Angie Andreasen. 

Sermon follow-up "Identity" //  Harley Harms, Room 150

Back by demand, this group will dovetail with this year’s theme of Identity in Christ and will follow along with the current sermon series. 

​Harley is married, has 5 kids and 10 grandchildren. He loves leading a group to a place of authentic connection.

Bible  Study // Tom Delaney, Room 120

This group starts off with a challenging question, thought, or quote, then studies different verses of the Bible each week.
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Married for 39 years, Tom & his wife Deb have 7 children. Tom is a certified teacher, loves reading, and writing poetry. He has attended GracePoint for 17 years.

revelation (men's group) // Todd intermill, The Union

This group will journey through the book of Revelation. They will use the wisdom of multiple commentaries to help decipher this often complex and misunderstood text.
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Todd has attended GracePoint since the late 1960s, and has been leading men’s classes for the past decade. He grain farms with his wife, Wendy, in the Colman area. They have 2 daughters and 3 foster daughters, all adults now. Todd is enthusiastic about understanding Scripture, learning how to read it, and using it in your daily life.

tuesday ​9 AM  

Elijah by Priscilla Shirer (Women's Group) // lisa boulais, Room 200

Every serious believer longs to summon up the kind of boldness and faith that can stand firm on Mount Carmel and pray down heaven into impossible situations. Yet few are willing to go through the process required to get them there. Strength of faith, character, and boldness can only be shaped in the hidden fires of silence, sameness, solitude, and adversity. Those who patiently wait on God in the darkness emerge with their holy loyalty cemented, their courage emblazoned, and their confident belief in Him set afire. Join this group as they journey through the life and times of the prophet Elijah to discover how the fire on Mount Carmel was forged in the valley of famine. And how the emboldened, fiery faith you desire is being fashioned by God in your life right now.

​Lisa lives on a lake and loves spending time there with her friends and family, including 2 grandchildren. She has attended GracePoint for 21 years.

tuesday ​noon      (hybrid group digital via zoom or in-person in room 210)

Sermon follow-up // dave hopewell

Dave has been on staff at GracePoint since 2014, and loves to see people grow in their faith. He’s been married for 11 years to his lovely wife Heidi, and has five amazing kids. If you can’t seem to find a time to connect with another group, this may be the group for you! Let’s grab “lunch” together on Tuesdays and talk about the Bible. 

wednesday 6:30PM

sermon follow-up (Men's group) // jim merritt and dave hopewell, room 135

​Jim loves to help people get a firm foundation and get ‘unstuck’ when it comes to their faith. His studies have a low key approach. He is married to Cindy and has four kids. He also is an avid disc golfer and Scrabble Go player.

Dave has been on staff at GracePoint since 2014, and loves to see people grow in their faith.  He’s been married for 11 years to his lovely wife Heidi, and has five amazing kids. 

thrive in marriage // adam & Kathryn wiese and Lane & Megan Hammond, Group FULL

Do you desire greater connection in your relationship? Long for deeper communication? Want your marriage to thrive – not just survive? Join us as we unlock the secrets to a thriving marriage and answer your questions on how to live the marriage you always wanted. Whether you’re about to say I do or have celebrated your golden anniversary, “Unlocking the Secrets to a Thriving Marriage” provides irreplaceable insights and unparalleled certainties to awaken greater connection and friendship in your marriage.
Kathryn and Adam Wiese have been married for 15 years and farm north of Flandreau. They are parents to five kids that keep them busy year round. In addition to family time they enjoy the outdoors, fitness, reading and they love building relationships.

ruthless  elimination  of  hurry // ben & abby gietzen,
​room 120

“Who am I becoming?” That was the question nagging pastor and author John Mark Comer. Outwardly, he appeared successful. But inwardly, things weren’t pretty. So he turned to a trusted mentor for guidance and heard these words: “Ruthlessly eliminate hurry from your life. Hurry is the great enemy of the spiritual life.” It wasn’t the response he expected, but it was—and continues to be—the answer he needs. Too often we treat the symptoms of toxicity in our modern world instead of trying to pinpoint the cause. A growing number of voices are pointing at hurry, or busyness, as a root of much evil.
Ben & Abby met while attending SDSU and married in June of 2010. They have three children: Wesley, Alice (AJ), and Otis. They have a passion for helping people grow in the character and competency of Jesus through leading worship, teaching, and making disciples, with a priority on multiplication.

a solid defense: empowering your kids to challenge cultural lies // ryan koltiska and virginia sprang, ​room 220 This group begins January 19

The problem with lies is they don’t often sound like lies. They seem harmless, and even sound right. So what’s a parent to do when their kids seem to be absorbing the culture’s lies uncritically? Get a solid defense! Become equipped to teach your kids how to form their own biblical beliefs about what is true and what is false. Teach them how to think through and address the issues head-on, yet with gentleness and respect.

Walking with God in the desert by Ray Vanderlaan // paul & Leila muzzey, room 210

Are you going through a difficult period of life? The loss of a loved one? Unemployment? A crisis of faith? During these desert times, it’s easy to think God has disappeared. In this group,  you’ll discover that it’s only when we are totally dependent on God that we find He is closer than ever and can experience His amazing grace and provision. 
 
Grandpa Paul moved to Brookings about eight years ago to be near his son and grandkids. 6 1/2 years ago God brought two widowed people together and has allowed them to serve Him as a team. 

john // Joe & patty tschetter, ROOM 200

Using the notes from our John sermon series last year, this group is revisiting the book of John to dive deeper into each chapter and explore the truth that God has for us. 
 
Joe & Patty have been married for 35 years and have two adult children, both attending SMSU. They have been at GracePoint for 38 years

james by Francis Chan // kanes and petersons, room 140

True faith produces fruit. A faith without action and without life change is ultimately a dead faith. The book of James speaks to the realities of a living faith in Jesus—the kind of roll-up-your-sleeves and get-your-hands-dirty discipleship that is borne out of an authentic relationship with the risen Lord. James writes to believers who know suffering, who've faced trials, and who ultimately desire a deep relationship with God.

​Patrick and Krissa have been married for 7 years and have 4 children. Patrick works in production at Millborn Seeds and Krissa stays home with the kids and homeschools. 
They have been attending GracePoint for about 10 years.

​Spencer and Kayla Kane have been married for 3 years and live in Brookings. 

gather & grow (women's group) // Kate Bergstrom and Sandy Sheppard, great room

Gather and Grow exists to engage women to gather in community, equip them with gospel-centered resources, and empower them to grow in their personal relationship with Christ and others.  After being paired with a small group of women, you will receive weekly text messages of prayer/encouragement, watch Right Now Media Bible teaching videos, and enter into a time of application with reflection prompts to help build vulnerability and accountability with your small group. Topics vary from specific books of the Bible, to our relationship with Christ and others, pride, forgiveness, gratitude, sin/temptation, our thought life, and generosity. Each semester you will participate in a service project.  

Kate and Brian have been married for 18 years and have 3 children. They have attended GracePoint for the past 5 years. Sandy and Brendan have been married for 18 years and have 4 children. They farm near Flandreau and have attended GracePoint for 16 years.
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This group will be co-led by table hosts.

thursday 7pm

sermon follow-up (21-40) // Ryan & caitlyn christy, Room 120

Ryan & Caitlyn are a mid-20s couple originally from northwest Iowa. They have been married 4 and a half years and enjoy taking care of their dog Scout.  Ryan spends his work week at SDSU and Caitlyn serves at the Boys & Girls Club. 
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After moving to Brookings in June 2019, they started attending GracePoint and felt a call to lead and connect with peers through growth groups. They've been leading a Thursday night group since Fall 2020. They enjoy the deeper connection to the church community formed through time spent personally with other Christ followers at growth groups.

Oasis college and young adult small groups

Oasis hosts groups each night of the week for men and women seeking to grow in their faith, along with others. Groups typically work around the college schedule, starting between 7PM and 9PM. See the list of Oasis groups.

care Ministry

Wednesdays @ 6:30PM
​Grief Support // Matt Douglas, Room 130

Many people have experienced losses of loved ones this past year, whether due to COVID-19 or under circumstances made more difficult by pandemic conditions. In many cases, it’s been difficult to find space and time to properly mourn, process emotions, and begin healing in the midst of everything. Anyone experiencing loss or grief is welcome to attend; please share with those you know who may benefit. ​
FINANCIAL PEACE is a biblically-based curriculum that teaches people how to handle money God’s way. The cost for the study kit is $99. Assistance may be available, if needed. A couple need only purchase one kit. Register for this if you are interested in being paired with a coach.