Small Group Planning Guide

1. How It Works
2. Prayer
3. Inform Your Pastor
4. Choose a Time and a Place
5. Plan
6. Invite
7. Order Materials

1. How it Works

Host

The host facilitates the study by obtaining the videos and Leader Guide, setting up the location, inviting the group, etc. The Leader Bundle is specially designed to give leaders the flexibility to host their study in the setting they prefer: in their parish, their home, or virtually.

Watch

The group gathers to watch a lesson of the study they have chosen.

Discuss

Once the video ends, the group discusses the study, using the questions in the Participant Workbook and Leader Guide.

2. Prayer

Invite the Holy Spirit

Ask the Holy Spirit to use you for the glory of God and to bless all participants.

Recruit an Intercessor

Recruit someone to intercede for you and your group throughout the study.

Begin and End in Prayer

Pray at the beginning and end of every study session.

3. Inform Your Pastor

Permission

Seek permission and support from your pastor.

Your Pastor

While your pastor does not need to lead the study, simply ask for his blessing and if he joins the study, even better!

4. Choose a Time and Place

Time

Choose a time that works well for you specific group’s schedule (e.g. full-time workers, retired, mothers, etc.) Go with the time you choose and adjust as necessary, otherwise you can get stuck waiting and never get around to starting.

Place

Homes and parishes are great locations. If you host the study at a parish, identify the parish “gatekeeper” (e.g. the DRE, the parish secretary, etc.) Work with the “gatekeeper” on finding a room, scheduling a time, etc.

5. Plan

Recruit Helpers

Recruit a team to assist with the study (facilitate small group discussion, set up, and clean up, etc.)

Hospitality

Food, refreshments, and childcare

Technology

Test audio/visual equipment before starting the study.

Discussion

Use the Review and Discussion Questions in the Participant Workbook and Leader Guide to prompt discussion. Prepare well by reading through them in your Leader Guide beforehand. If you have a large group, consider breaking into small groups with a facilitator for each group.

Questions

If you do not know an answer to a question during discussions, that is okay. We recommend Catholic Answers. If you’re really stumped, you can email customerservice@stpaulcenter.com.

6. Invite

Samples

Share stpaulcenter.com/studies to those you are inviting so that they can learn more about the study and preview the first lesson.

Posters

Download, fill out, and post our editable posters.

Announcements

Use our scripts for parish announcements at Mass.

Materials

Inform those you invite about purchasing Participant Workbook and Supplemental Books.

Get Numbers and Collect Payment

Collect payment from everyone and order all the materials yourself or inform everyone to order their own materials.

7. Order Materials