What’s my role as a Coach? A coach is someone who nurtures and equips small group leaders. Please refer to the Coach Profile details.   What kind of time commitment am I being asked to make? This varies. It will likely be 30-60 minutes per week for phone calls and one-on-one interaction plus 1 ½ hours per month meeting with all of your leaders. Coaches may choose to serve for Lent only or for a one-year term (renewable).   What is the leader orientation and what’s my role? For Lent, we require each leader to attend a leader orientation session (see dates below). However, in order to help strengthen your bond with your leaders, we have also provided you with the orientation content and an opportunity to meet with your leaders. For more details, please see the attached “Orientation Guide.”   When are the groups supposed to do the study? Some groups will start the week of Ash Wednesday, but most will start the week following the first sermon (Feb. 10). Groups that meet on Thursdays may consider starting on Jan. 30 so that they can participate in the Maundy Thursday service March 20.   What is new with This is My Body, L.A.? This Lent, we have an opportunity for Small Groups to get together with a group from another congregation (hopefully of a different ethnicity, denomination, or race). Then, during the Easter season, those groups will get together for one to four interactions. These interactions can be facilitated using the Easter Season study guide provided to you in your study guide. We are encouraging groups to take part in one or two fellowship opportunities and one or two service projects.   What’s the Passover Seder? In 2006, as part of our study of The Exodus, all Small Groups were encouraged to take part in a Passover Seder. This year, while not required, we have made available a Passover Seder booklet for any Small Groups that would like to share that experience this year. They are available to be picked up at the Small Groups table in the Welcome Center on Sundays.   What’s after Lent? We ask leaders to commit for 8 weeks (instead of just the 6 weeks of Lent) in order to facilitate a transition to the Spring Small Groups season. This two weeks provides some buffer time for individuals who want to continue in their small group to continue to meet together and determine how best to do so. This could be through continuing in the same group, an open group, with a new leader, in two groups, or in new groups. These options are described in the study guide in the “Continuing Small Group Community” section in session 7. Please ensure that your leaders communicate with the office about what their group will be doing for the transition to the Spring Season.   Important Dates:   January 13                    Leader Orientations                                                                                                                  12:15-1p.m.                 Orientation (C111)                                                 1-1:30p.m.                   New Leader Orientation (C111)                                                 7:15-8p.m.                   Orientation (C111)                                                 8-8:30p.m.                   New Leader Orientation (C111) January 20                    Leader Orientations                                                 10:15-11a.m.               Orientation (C112)                                                 11-11:30a.m.               New Leader Orientation (C112)     Jan. 20, 27, Feb. 3       Many Rooms Lent Sign-Ups in the Welcome Center Jan. 20                         Lent DVD and Study Guides available to pick up Feb. 3                          Make-up orientations after each service. Feb. 7                          Thursday groups begin meeting Feb. 10                        Groups begin meeting. First week of Lent. Feb. 24                        Groups begin adding themselves to the pairing web site. March 1                       Groups return to pairing web site to find a group. March 23                     Easter May 3-4                       Big Sunday     What am I supposed to cover if a leader asks to do their orientation with me? This is a great opportunity to strengthen your bond with the leader. The key points are on the “Orientation Guide” (available at www.thisismybodyla.com/briefing.html). As far as format is concerned, you can do the orientation over the phone, with your leaders together, or even at a Starbucks! Once you have completed the orientation, please let us know so that we can put the leader on the “approved” list to pick up materials (smallgroups@belairpres.org).   Where can I go if I have more questions? Go online to www.thisismybodyla.com/coaching or www.thisismybodyla.com/briefing.