Clusters @ Christ Church
What is a Cluster?
A cluster is a gathering of between 15-35 people meeting regularly together. (The pioneer groups meet fortnightly). These gatherings will be the “main event” with a variety of small groups made up of cluster members meeting on the alternate weeks.
Why Clusters?
Sunday worship is great for inspiring worship and good, deep biblical teaching but it is too big for everyone to know each other – and therefore not an easy place to get to know and be known.
Small groups foster real depth of friendship and are places for detailed and personal exploration of discipleship. But some gifts can’t be used in such small gatherings and it can be awkward for newcomers to become known and loved.
The Cluster sits between these two, offering a unique place for belonging and active involvement.
Cluster Vision
The cluster is of a size to do a number of things really well.
1. Incorporating newcomers into the Church
o It is easier for people to try out a cluster without fear of feeling too much the centre of attention or a sense of exclusion with a greater likelihood of finding people to relate to easily.
o As each Alpha course concludes clusters provide a natural environment for those new to the faith to belong and grow in Christian maturity.
o It is easier to invite your own friends to a larger informal gathering than a tight knit smaller group.
2. Developing community
o Small groups develop naturally out of relationships already established in the cluster.
o Social events become more natural, often out of shared interests.
o There is a recognizable cluster leader but at heart it is run by a team.
3. Growing discipleship skills
o A Cluster is an ideal setting to start out developing a range of spiritual and leadership skills. The gifts of the Spirit, praying for the sick, sharing God’s word, leading worship, use of technology, catering; all will need doing so there will be no passengers.
o Skills can be learnt in relative anonymity so mistakes can be made and learnt from.
o The skills learnt can feed into the wider situation of Sunday services, leadership in the church as well as building confidence for the work place and our daily lives.
o The team ethos fosters the sense of “a band of equals on a journey”.
4. Church growth
o The clusters are open groups – new people are always free to come to meetings - and so they will grow. They will need to bud out new groups but the hard work of developing leadership skills will already have been done.
o The cluster leaders become the key Christ Church leaders and so energy and resource needs to be channelled to them rather than elsewhere.
5. Serving the world
o There are many projects locally and afar just waiting for someone with time, energy and vision to get stuck in. The cluster size is perfect for development in this area.
o The link with Alpha means that clusters will periodically be part of the Alpha team as well as providing the welcome for those who have done Alpha.
Belonging, serving, growing
The Cluster, if it works, becomes the central place for belonging “to Christ Church”. It is the place for active learning and growing in a way that requires openness to others and faith.