Fall 2013 Launch of Community Groups, and Legacy

Good evening (as I write this post) Legacy family. September7/8 will see the fall launch of Community Groups at Salem Alliance Church. We will gather at 11:00 AM in room 305 at the Broadway Commons. I hope all of you will be able to join Legacy this year.

Coming in October will be the return of "Supper Groups". We need hosts to open their home and prepare a delicious entrée. Your guests will round out the meal with other food items. For details see the sign up sheets in Legacy of contact Dale Shafer at legacy_sac@live.com.

Did you know Legacy is on Facebook? If you are on Facebook just do a search for "Legacy Community Group" and join!

Be blessed!

Dale Shafer
Legacy Community Group Leadership Team

Community: defined

At the leadership team meeting last week, I came away with a calendar of events and class sessions for the coming year. It came to my attention that it would be fun to post a definition of "community" on the Legacy web page. 

com·mu·ni·ty:

1. a social group of any size whose members reside in a specific locality, share government, and often have a common cultural and historical heritage.

2. a locality inhabited by such a group.

3. a social, religious, occupational, or other group sharing common characteristics or interests and perceived or perceiving itself as distinct in some respect from the larger society within which it exists (usually preceded by the ): the business community; the community of scholars.

4. a group of associated nations sharing common interests or a common heritage: the community of Western Europe.

5. Ecclesiastical . a group of men or women leading a common life according to a rule. 

The Salem Alliance Church definition reads: "They are mid-sized groups--fellowships of between 25 - 60 adults, formed for mutual encouragement, caring, teaching, friendship, and service.  They are a place where the large church provides a "small church" experience. This is where many find their church family."

Legacy is that "small church" within a much larger one. This is where relationships develop on a deeper level.  

I hope each of you have found a sense of community in Legacy! 

Dale Shafer

Legacy Leadership Team

Meaningful Quotes of the Year...

The following quotes were shared this Sunday, ones that were used during the past year. The quotes define community groups.

"We exist to serve others and then die, just like our Founder." - James Bryan Smith

"We so easily carry the attitude that our own self-preservation, personal happiness and needs are of first importance. When this is the fabric of our group life, it will simply not carry sufficient energy to sustain the life of the group over the long haul. The group will run out of steam and be reduced to trying to stay alive. Self-centeredness inevitably gives way to unhappiness. Jesus showed us how serving others' was done, and asked us to do it. He taught us to live believing that others' needs matter. This is the life-blood of a healthy community group. It is hugely attractive to those who would like to be in one, and carries the vision and drive that brought the group into existence." - Allison Collingwood 

"The future of the church depends on whether it develops true community. We can get by for awhile on size, skilled communication, and programs to meet every need, but unless we sense that we belong to each other, with masks off, the vibrant church of today will become the powerless church of tomorrow." - Larry Crabb

Legacy Community Recipes

Hey Legacy Community Group! How about sharing that yummy recipe for the snack/goodies you brought to the group! There is a page on the Legacy blog titled "Legacy Community Recipes", where we'll post those oh-so-good recipes!

How do I share it? Send it in an email to legacy_sac@live.com. Don't worry about formatting, that will be standardized for the blog. If you want to give credit to someone special please include that! We'd love to know this was your mom's special cake, or your grandmother's yummy cookies!

Thanks everyone!

par·tic·i·pa·tion

par·tic·i·pa·tion
[pahr-tis-uh-pey-shuhn]
–noun

1.

an act or instance of participating.

2.

the fact of taking part, as in some action or attempt:participation in a celebration.

3.

a sharing, as in benefits or profits: participation in a pensionplan.

–adjective

4.

of or pertaining to a venture characterized by more than oneperson, bank, or company participating in risk or profit: aparticipation loan.

Today in Legacy, John McCaslin led us in a time of sharing our gifts and how we each can "participate". Each of us are gifted in various ways, and when believers bring their gifts together, collectively, for service, God is richly glorified! 

This year, the leadership team is asking the entire Legacy family to share their unique gift. You may wish to plan an activity; be the prayer warriors for Legacy; follow-up on visitors; the list is endless! 

If you are led to share your gift please let the leadership team know so we can get it our calendar for our Legacy family. 

Be Blessed! 

Dale Shafer

Photos from our first gathering in Broadway Commons, September 19, 2010

Legacy Community Group, September 19, 2010

Photo of our first gathering in the Broadway Commons at Salem Alliance Church

September 19, 2010

Legacy Community Group, September 19, 2010

Welcome to the new Legacy Blog!

Hello Legacy family! It's an exciting time in the life of Salem Alliance Church. The community groups, once known as shepherding groups, are gathering once again after some time off. Did the summer months zoom by for you? Boy, they sure did for me!

We will gather for the first time since July on September 19. The exciting part about gathering once again is we're moving to the Broadway Commons. In fact, join us at 11:00 AM on September 19 in room 305 for a "GEM" of a morning! Now, you probably wonder what "GEM" is all about. It is G=Greet one another; E=eat good food; and M=meet new folks! Now, isn't that simple and easy! You'll want to check out our new room in Broadway Commons! It is beautiful and will be a nice and inviting place to gather each week!

Our former web page on the Salem Alliance Church web site is gone. In its place is this blog. You will be able to keep current on events, teaching, news, etc...of the Legacy family. You can submit prayer and praise requests, share ideas, etc...on our new blog! I'm excited to be the "Legacy Blog-master"!

You can contact Legacy via email at: legacy_sac@live.com

I hope to see you this weekend in one of the services or in Legacy Community Group!

Dale Shafer
Legacy Community Group Leadership Team