Community Groups

How do I sign up for a Community Group?

Step 1: Attend Intro to Redeemer Downtown. This session covers the basics of what our church is all about. We talk about Redeemer Downtown’s vision and values, history, and ministries, with a special focus on the purpose and expectations of belonging to a Community Group. This class is offered every other month and is required before you can be placed in a group.

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Step 2: Submit a Community Group Application to indicate your neighborhood, available days of the week, and the group type that you are interested in.

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Step 3: Receive a placement. Based on the information you provide on the application, the Community Life staff will match you to a Community Group if there's a spot that fits your criteria. Afterward, the group leader will reach out to let you know the meeting time and address.

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Step 4: Attend your Community Group faithfully 🙂

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What do Community Groups look like?

A typical meeting would include fellowship, worship, Bible discussion, and prayer. Most groups use a discussion guide that corresponds to the scripture passage of the Sunday sermon.

When do groups meet?

Redeemer Downtown’s ministry year starts in mid-September and goes until June. Most groups meet on a weekly basis on Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday, but a couple groups meet on Friday night or Sunday.

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Where do Community Groups meet?

Our Community Groups meet in every neighborhood.

Most groups are in lower Manhattan, Brooklyn, and West Queens. We are always looking for more groups in those neighborhoods, as well as Jersey City!

What types of groups are there?

Most groups are “co-ed,” which includes everybody, but there are a few special group types (women’s, men’s, moms, families, 20s, and virtual groups)

What if there is no Community Group placement that meets my criteria?

The Community Life team will do everything possible to find a spot for everyone, but we can't guarantee placement, especially if your parameters are very restrictive. If this happens, we'll reach out to you individually to explore other options for connection.

Why isn't this process simpler?

There are always more people who want to join a group than there are open spots, which means our system simply does not have the space to accommodate unlimited enrollment. We created the class "Intro to Redeemer Downtown" to help people who want to join a group know what to expect and the importance of being there consistently. Community Group is a weekly commitment. Regular attendance is crucial to your own spiritual health, as well as that of the group.

How many times should I go to the group to determine if it’s a good fit?

It takes time to get to know people, so please attend a few meetings before making a decision.

What if I want to host or lead a group?

We are always looking for new Community Group hosts and leaders. Please fill out this application and a member of our Community Life team will be in touch.