Small Groups
Beatitudes in the Heartland
Lenten Small Groups
“May our parishes be centers of charity and sanctuaries of mercy … may the church become known as a place to go when people are thirsty, are afflicted, are broken-hearted, are poor, in their life journey, and they need an oasis for healing and help.” - Archbishop Shawn McKnight
Rooted in our church’s teachings and our renewed spirituality of synodality, Renewal from the Heartland will encourage clergy, religious, and laity to recognize their proper responsibilities in building communion and engaging in the mission of the Church.
Parishioner involvement is essential! We begin in Lent by meeting in small groups to share faith, using a program created for our archdiocese called Beatitudes from the Heartland.
Together, we’ll explore the Beatitudes and uncover what it means to live as a Catholic in today’s world, here in the heartland. This is your chance to grow spiritually and help transform our parishes into centers of charity and sanctuaries of mercy.
Who can participate: All parishioners (including those already in small group programs), current and future parish council leadership (e.g., pastoral, stewardship, finance, school, youth, etc.). Leaders, particularly members of the pastoral council, are encouraged to create small groups that include individuals who are not part of their council or in other leadership roles, in order to increase participation.
The program booklet provides all necessary guidance for both the group leader and the host.
This Lent, let’s BE the Church together.
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Deacon Chuck and Lynn Welte will be hosting at their home located at 420 N 3rd St beginning Monday, February 23rd.
RSVP to theweltes@gmail.com.
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Terrance Coot’s group is now full!
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Tony & Jenn Gonzalez’s group is now full!
Monday Groups
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Julia Zia will host at Pace e Bene! Anyone is welcome.
Meetings will be on February 24, March 3, 17, and 24.
RSVP to Julia at juliapittarelli@hotmail.com
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Chris and Angie Thomas will host a group in the Hildegard Room (basement of St. Benedict Church) beginning 2/24.
RSVP to cathomastransport@outlook.com.
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Melissa Schramp will host a study group in her classroom (the middle school Social Studies room) at SBCS.
This group will meet on 2/24, 3/1, 3/24, 3/31.
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Join Charlie and Sarah Peitsch at their home located at 208 N. 2nd St. Their small group will begin on 2/24/26.
RSVP to Charlie at (913) 426-0667 or to Sarah at (913) 426-0975.
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Stephen & Celia Noffke will host at their home at 1506 Arrowhead Dr. This group is open to anyone!
RSVP to Celia via call or text at (303) 881-3759.
Tuesday Groups
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August and Diane Holly will be hosting a group at their home located at 910 Kansas Ave. This group will begin on 2/25.
Kids are welcome!
RSVP to Diane at (913) 370-2413.
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Ryan and Cecilia Pigg’s group is now full!
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Join Adam and Stephanie Thiede at their home located at 1304 Grandeur Road beginning on 2/25/26.
Anyone is welcome to join this group. RSVP to Stephanie at stephaniem@mailbox.org or (630) 210-2796.
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Join Tom & Eileen Fangman at The Wine Cellar on Feb. 25, Mar. 4, 11, & 18.
The Wine Cellar is located at 515 Commercial. The group will meet in the Mezzanine Area. Please arrive 10-15 minutes early to order any food & drinks.
RSVP to Elieen at emcfangman@gmail.com.
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Paul Burghart will host at his home located at 410 Kearney St. Anyone is welcome to join!
RSVP to Paul at pjburghart@gmail.com or (913) 246-2386.
Wednesday Groups
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Justin & Beth West will host a group in the SBCS Resource Room. All are welcome!
RSVP to Beth at elwest@gmail.com.
Meetings will be held on 2/26, 3/5, 3/19, and 3/26.
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Mark and Theresa Jirak will host those in the Cummings area at their home located at 14175 230th Rd, Cummings, KS 66016.
Meetings will take place on 2/26, 3/5, 3/12, and 3/19.
RSVP to Theresa at (913) 367-0560 or theresajirak63@outlook.com.
Thursday Groups
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Nancy Prohaska will be leading a group for our parishioners who live at Homestead (formerly, Vintage Park). Any other parishioner is free to join them!
This group will meet on 2/20 at 1pm and 3/6, 3/20 & 3/27 at 10 am
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Join Dr. John Rziha at Pace et Bene on Feb 20, 27, and March 6, 20. This meeting will finish in time for those who would like to attend Stations of the Cross.
RSVP to John at jrziha@benedictine.edu.
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Young adults are welcome to join Jenna Grable and Andrew Levis at Pace e Bene beginning 2/20.
RSVP to Jenna at Fearlesslycatholic@gmail.com or (816) 244-9775.
Friday Groups
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Young women in their 20s and 30s are welcome to join for coffee and discussion at Pace e Bene on Saturday mornings beginning on 2/28.
RSVP to Lindsay Koester at 803-917-7955.
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Jeff and Angela Humburg will host a group at their home at 1428 N. 3rd St.
RSVP to Angela at angelahumburg@hotmail.com or (913) 370-1010.
Saturday Groups
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Join Josh and Elizabeth Cole at their home located at 1011 Santa Fe St.
This group will meet on February 22, March 1, 15, and 22.
RSVP to Liz at ecole728@gmail.com or (317) 918-7106.
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Larry and Tresa Buessing’s group is now full!
Sunday Groups
Small groups are intentional moments of Christian community where people at all stages of their spiritual journey come together to grow in holiness. Successful small group ministry helps people grow as missionary disciples by guiding members through all stages of evangelization.
We build our small groups on the following pillars: Encounter, Accompany, Community, and Mission.
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The whole purpose of evangelization is to draw people into a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ. This does not happen in one moment but across a lifetime of transformative encounters with Christ within the family, through the Church, and in others.
How to facilitate encounters with Jesus in your small group:
Ensure your small group is permeated with prayer
Incorporate Scripture into prayer and discussion
Discussion should focus on growing in closeness to Christ
Establish boundaries and dynamics that encourage members to imitate Christ in their interactions
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Growth in holiness requires others to model Christian living in the context of nonjudgmental relationships. A main function of small groups is to offer mutual support in Christian living. Fruitful accompaniment requires taking intentional steps: How to foster accompaniment in your small group:
Incorporate intercessory prayer
Establish appropriate confidentiality within the group
Encourage mentor relationships
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Evangelization, in drawing us into a relationship with Jesus Christ, also draws us into Christ’s family, where we receive God’s love and grace on Earth. The small group is a place where we live and experience community. The successful small group also forms participants to be better members of their parish and domestic communities.
How to foster Christian community in your small group:
Build in time for fellowship
Follow up with members who miss a session
Facilitate discussion that helps members reflect on: their vocation, sacramental living, and community life
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“We become missionary disciples when we take our encounter with Jesus Christ out into the world.” (LMD, 17) The formation we receive in our small group communities is not just for our own benefit, but to equip us to bring the Gospel of Jesus into the world. The fruitful small group helps members discern and live out God’s plan for their lives.
How to orient your small group to mission:
Don’t be afraid to ask “Now what?”
Ensure that all are invited into small group communities
Consider the barriers to participation in a small group
Incorporate questions of personal discernment into the discussion
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Anyone!
Small groups can be formed around a special interest or activity like a workout group or bible study, or by life stages such as first time parents or widows.
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Make Friends - We are created for connection and relationship. Whether it is a bible study, book club, or running group, small groups meet regularly and foster friendship.
Make Disciples - Regardless of the type of group, the purpose of a small group is to encourage us on our journey of holiness. Small groups create a place where we can grow in our faith and become more like Jesus.
Make A Difference - Jesus came with a mission to reconcile the world to God, to restore creation to its intended state, and He charged his followers with continuing that mission. Small groups are not insular communities. They help us discover how God is calling us to live out that mission in our daily lives.
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Because Christ Asked Us To Do It - “Go and make disciples!” (Matt 28:19) Jesus did not come simply to die for us but to show us how to live. He lived in small group community, so it must be a good thing. (Luke 6:12)
True And Lasting Friendships Are Formed - Authentic relationship is something everyone is searching for. Faith-based friendships are essential to living the Christian life. “People will come out of curiosity, but only stay if they make a friend.” -John Wimber Opportunity
To Be Formed In Virtue - Small groups help us to follow through with our practice of faith through accountability and sharing witness, to learn how others have grown in virtue and share our own successes in the Christian life. "Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another." (Prov 27:17)
Opportunity For Faith Formation - Catholic small group community offers us a chance to further our knowledge of the faith, capacity for discernment, and love of God through spiritual reading and discussion. This helps us to make mature, informed decisions about our faith journey. Opportunity To Strengthen Our Faith - "Where 2 or 3 are gathered together, I am in their midst" (Matt 18:20). When we gather as a small group community in prayer and reflection, we become more sensitive to God's presence and work in our life.
To Be The Hands And Feet Of Christ - "Let us love one another, because love is of God" (1 John 4:7). Christ walked with His disciples in community. One way that we imitate Jesus is to build Christ-centered community where members feel loved and supported. Small groups are a place to live differently, pursuing holiness alongside one another.
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Everyone involved in a small group can play an important role. In fact, the job of the small group leader can be divided between multiple people, even group members.
Facilitator (& Co-Facilitator)
Invite and welcome small group members
Prepare materials ahead of time including readings, videos, and questions
Lead the prayer, or invite others to do so
Prepare for and guide discussion
Host
Assist the facilitator in contacting members
Prepare the environment
Welcome guests
Group Member
Invite others to the group
Share your story, thoughts, and gifts
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Small groups come in all shapes but in small sizes of around 5-10 people. Your group can be a bible study, book club, rosary group, etc. Every small group includes hospitality, prayer, and discussion to help participants make friends, make disciples, and make a difference.
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Groups typically meet weekly, biweekly, or monthly if necessary, for 60-90 minutes each session. Your small group can meet anywhere from 5-10 consecutive sessions. Small groups can be open for newcomers for the duration of the group, or you can decide to close the group after a certain number of sessions (e.g. after a third of the sessions). At the end of the series of sessions the group can decide to continue meeting if they would like, but this is not expected. Remember, the goal is to form a community on mission, not an insular group.
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Small groups can meet wherever is comfortable and convenient: your home, church, a local coffee shop, etc. Be creative, but consider spaces or environments that help foster community, confidentiality, conversation, and connection.
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Contact Lindsay Koester with the small group that you’d like to join, and she will get you connected with the host and facilitator, or feel free to RSVP to their group with the information provided.