All Saints Church
Thorpe Acre with Dishley 

Thorpe Acre Road, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE11 4LF, England, UK

Welcome to
Cell Groups!

• Sermon Notes and Application Questions

• Welcome Ideas

• Worship Ideas

Background
Since Rev Tony Leighton became Vicar of All Saints in October 2000 the Church has been engaged in a process involving discussion and prayer to discern God’s will for the future of our church. Following Moving Forward Together - The First Steps (MFT), the PCC voted unanimously in adopting the Cell Church values.

1. The 5 values of Cell Church (the reasons for the existence of the Church) are:

• All involved

• Becoming Disciples

• Creating Community

• Doing Evangelism

• Encountering God

with Jesus at the centre of everything.

2. A Cell Church is a church made up OF small groups, NOT a church WITH small groups. The word Cell in this context comes from Biology not from Prison! Cell Groups are about life, growth, multiplication and diversity just like the cells in your body. It is these groups that enable the church to work out the five values.

3. Each Cell Group meeting lasts about two hours and is usually structured around the 4 W’s:

Welcome where the group is enabled to gel together
Worship where the group seeks to encounter God
Word where the group seeks to apply God’s word in their everyday lives
Witness where the group looks outwards in practical ways.

Click on the Welcome, Worship, Word, and Witness links for a more detailed description.

For Welcome ideas click here,  and for Worship ideas click here.

Cell Groups Have Now Been Formed
In April 2002, after a series of midweek meetings based on the five values of cell church, we asked the whole of Thorpe Acre congregation if they would like to be involved in cell groups. Following this, over the summer, a group of people who expressed a desire to explore cell group leadership have met in a “cell prototype”. The aim of this group was to give leaders and potential leaders a chance to experience cell group life. This cell prototype was encouragingly successful and cell leaders and co-leaders identified.

A network of cells groups has now been formed based largely on geographical location but taking into account the needs and wants of those wishing to take part. These include seven evening groups, four youth groups and a daytime group. A support structure has been set in place designed to ensure that cell leaders and cell members are supported in all aspects of cell life.

We are delighted that you have decided to be involved in cell groups. We believe that the sacrifice of being involved in a group in this way will be worthwhile and enable the whole church to move forward together.

The cell groups will have a high priority in our church life and the Cell values will be taught and modelled in the cell groups and in ‘Sunday teaching’ which will be linked with the ‘application’ questions that are explored in the Word time of the cell groups. Ultimately, we aim to have testimony and feedback from groups at Sunday Services.

Once again, welcome to Cell Groups!

For any correspondence regarding Cell Groups, you may email cell@astad.org

Tony Leighton, 15th September 2002