Session 12 - What Next?

30 min - Mass

5 min - Gather

15 min - [Catechesis Video] Session 12 - What Next?

25 min - Small groups

10 min - Pastor - Get involved in parish life

5 min - Closing prayer and announcements

You’ve been through a lot together. This is your small group. Not just your group for during this program, but a handpicked group of individuals the Lord has selected to be together. We highly recommend you continue meeting regularly as a group even after this program is over.

1. How often will we meet?
   You should meet every 1-2 weeks, and not less frequently than that. If you meet less frequently, then if someone misses a week, it makes it harder for them to return. Although if someone does miss a week, they should know there is nothing preventing them from coming back again next time.
2. How long will we commit to meeting as a group initially?
   Try to commit to at least 6 months to a year. Many groups continue meeting far beyond that as they deepen their relationships with one another and with the Lord.
3. Where will we meet?
   Rotate between group members’ homes regularly so no single person is responsible for hosting your group every time you meet. Also, don’t change the location more than once a month otherwise people can easily get confused about where they’re meeting.
4. Who will be acting as the group’s coordinator?
   This person should email or call people to remind them about meetings, cancel a meeting, general communication, etc. They are not the group leader (see next question) but the one taking care of logistics.
5. Who’s going to start as the group leader?
   The group leader is not to be confused with the coordinator. The group leader ensures the meeting starts and ends on time, keeps it moving, and facilitates discussion. It’s recommended you rotate leaders every 6 months.
6. Are children invited?
7. Will you have food?
   If so, who’s bringing it? Will there be a schedule? Will it be the person hosting the meeting?
8. If some of our members are missing tonight, how will we let them know the location of our first meeting?

• Post-Awaken Small Group Guide for Parish Admins
• Post-Awaken Small Group Guide for Participants

Preparation tasks

• Your Pastor should be the one to speak to your participants about getting involved in parish life. Make sure he puts this session on his calendar ahead of time.
• Recruit a priest - maybe your Pastor - to celebrate Mass with the participants at the beginning of this session.
• Optionally, you could make enough copies of the small group discussion guide so all the participants can have one. This would probably help their discussion about keeping their small group going after the program is over.
• Print out a list of group members and their contact information. During the session, groups will verify their contact information, and then they should choose a group coordinator who will bring the list home with them. That way, the group coordinator can contact all the people in their group to remind them when and where their first post-Awaken small group is going to meet.
• Optionally, you may want to print enough copies of the Post-Awaken Small Group Guide for Participants for each person. Or you could simply email the PDF to everyone after the session is over.

Supplies checklist

• Signs for directing people to the meeting location
• Refreshments (optional)
• Check-in list
• Podium or music stand
• Microphone, if needed
• Video presentation equipment (i.e. TV or projector)
• Small group discussion guide - optionally, enough copies for all participants
• Handouts for each group with members’ contact information
• Pens - one for each group
• Copies of the Post-Awaken Small Group Guide for Participants (optional)

Setup checklist

• If needed, post signs to direct participants to where the session is meeting.
• Set up refreshments (optional).
• Put a podium or music stand up front for the witness speaker who is giving their testimony.
• Set up a TV or projector. Test the video before the session starts so you can troubleshoot, if needed.
• Set up chairs.
• Set up small group meeting areas (i.e. tables, separate rooms, etc.).
• If you have a larger group, set up a microphone in the front of the room.
• Meet with your volunteers shortly before the session begins. Review the agenda and pray with them.