What is a small group?
A Small Group “… fosters personal relationships, builds community and provides formation to help parishioners grow as joyful missionary disciples of Christ.” - Archbishop Hebda (Pastoral Letter, You will be my Witnesses (2022).
Why join a small group?
Jesus started his universal church in a small group, so we are adopting the same strategy at HNOJ.
While we are blessed with a very large, dynamic parish, it can be overwhelming to find close connections and friendships and to think “I’m just another number.”
You’re NOT just another number.
Whether you are new to the parish or not, we can help you get started.
- Meet people with similar interests at HNOJ
- Develop authentic friendships and a support group
- Deepen your personal relationship with Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ
New and don't know where to start? Enter your information in our small group survey (to the left of this text box) or email Tim and he'll help you find a group that fits best for you!
Most Small Groups/descriptions have been moved to the Website "Group Vitals" which is our Small Group Software.
Sign Up for a Small Group!
Leader: Cathy Deeney
Status: meeting
Meets every Monday from 7-8 p.m. (Starting June 26) in the Fireside Room (in the youth room while Fireside is under construction). This group meets with the specific intention of praying for those who are in the process of dying. The history of the group and the book that will be read can be found here: https://www.apostolateforthedying.com/
Sign up HERE!
Leader: Lee Ann Silver
Status: Actively meeting
Meets every Tuesday 1-2:30 p.m. from Sept. 12, 2023—May 28, 2024 This women’s small group will meet on a weekly basis to discuss the autobiography of St. Maria Faustina to whom the message of Divine Mercy was entrusted. The book is called “Divine Mercy in my Soul” and can be purchased at most online bookstores. Contact Lee Ann to sign up or for any questions!
Leader: Nathan Maehren
Status: Actively meeting
This men’s group meets two Tuesdays a month on opposite weeks from the women's faith sharing/study group during the school year. They grow in discipleship through the relationships in the group and formation through Catholic Content/study series. For men of all ages and is primarily composed of fathers with school-age children.
Leader: Karen Karn
Status: Actively Meeting
We meet on the third Monday of each month at 6:45 p.m. (except January where it’s the 4th Monday) in one of the new small group meeting rooms (pending construction status) from September through May. The first meeting of this year is Monday, 9/18! Our book for the year will be "Empty Nest: What Next" by Michelle Howe and can be found at most online book retailers.
If your children are now adults but you still worry about them and pray for them often, you are not alone. As they become independent, marry and start families of their own, we must rethink our roles as parents and negotiate the rules with our adult offspring, in-laws and grandchildren. There are many things that our grown children experience that can cause us concern: unemployment, relationship difficulties, financial disaster, illness, addiction, lack of faith and so many more. These are out of our control, but we still long to help in some way.
A group of parents has been meeting monthly for the past seven years to pray for our adult children, read, study and support each other in our concerns. Over the past years we've read and discussed:
Return—How to Draw Your Children Back to the Church: by Brandon Vogt
Blessing Your Grown Children by Debra Evans
Boundless Compassion by Joyce Rupp
Doing Life with Your Adult Children—Keep Your Mouth Shut and the Welcome Mat Out by Jim Burnes
Everything Happens For A Reason and Other Lies I’ve Loved by Kate Bowler
Millennials—Connecting to America’s Largest Generation by Tom S. Ranier & Jess W. Ranier
Elders at the Gate—A Call to Repair the Generational Links by Ray Blunt
As we’ve read each of these, we’ve focused on how these studies applies to our adult children. Any parent who is praying for an adult child is welcome to join us, even if your all-grown-up “kids” are doing well. We pray, study, support each other, share and strive for personal spiritual growth. We respect each other with confidentiality (all conversations are confidential…you can share as little or as much about your situation as you wish) and non-judgemental. We have no expectations to change our children; only to put their lives in God’s hands.
Leader: Angie Paske
Status: Actively meeting
Meets on the off weeks of MOPS (Mothers of Pre-Schoolers) which is often every other Friday in the Fireside room from 9:15 –11:15 a.m. (September—May). Exact dates are:
Sept. 22
Oct. 13 & 27
Nov. 10
Dec. 8 & 22
Jan. 12 & 26
Feb. 9 & 23
Mar. 8 & 22
Apr. 12 & 26
May 10 & 24
This women’s bible study meets to provide a space of spiritual refreshment through the scriptures and fellowship at the end of the week.
Leader: Lynne Frederickson
Status: Actively Meeting
A women’s small group that seeks to enrich and restore Catholic marriages. Books that have been studied include “The Good, the Messy, and the Beautiful” by Edward and Beth Sri and “Boundaries in Marriage” by Henry Cloud and John Townsend.
Visit them on the Group Vitals site: https://archspm.groupvitals.com/groupfinder/profile/70789
Leader: Heather Maehren
Status: Actively Meeting
This women’s group meets two Tuesdays a month on opposite weeks from the Men's Faith sharing/Study Group during the school year. Their primary goal is to live out discipleship while growing in relationships and being formed by Catholic Content. For women of all ages and is primarily composed of mothers with school-age children.
Get connected to your faith family and sign up for a group!
Do you have a topic you wish you could study? Let us know.
Want to start your own group? We can help.
Our designated staff person, Tim Lyngdal, is happy to meet with you if you want to start there.
We are eager to help everyone in our family to get connected.
Contact Tim Lyngdal or call 763-746-8190.