Cells help us to spread the message of Christ. View the lastest Cells news.
Cells (or small church groups) are a world-wide movement and that cross denominations. They compliment other Christian programs currently running in the Parish.
Unlike those programs, ‘Cells’ will not be defined by a fixed duration but instead enjoy an on-going development and experience for all those who wish to participate in celebrating life in a relationship with God.
Cells are a way of focusing a small group of Christians in the Mission of Jesus, our life experiences and participating in the fellowship and word of God.
Cells mirror the Church in that all the elements of ‘Church’ are found within a Cell Group; worship, evangelisation, discipleship and pastoral care. While these Ministries take place in the Cell most of the ministry takes place outside of the meeting time. … Extract from St Mary’s, Sale Web Page.
Originally the early Church began its existence as a series of small groups or ‘Cells’. In the last 40 years or so, Cells have begun forming as a reaction and response to Pope Paul VI call in ‘Evangelii Nuntiandi’ – the Church’s Mission.
This vision has been re-emphasized by Pope John Paul II, and more recently our Archbishop Dennis Hart and Bishops who have called on us all to ‘experience and participate’ in the Church’s call to a new evangelisation.
Cells first appeared in Korea, then Ireland, United States, Italy, Asia and then finally in Australia over a decade ago. Our image for our Cells is like those formed at St Eustorgio in Milan and St Edwards in Florida. This model has also been running successfully at St. Mary’s Cathedral Sale for many years. We have been able to utilize much of what these Parishes have learned from their experiences to help us establish and adapt Cells here at St. Francis.
Cells are all about REALTIONSHIPS! RELATIONSHIPS! RELATIONSHIPS! Cells is about reaching out to others, those close to us, who we call our Oikos (from the Greek household; our family, friends, work colleagues, other parishioners, etc Acts 10 and 11) to bring them into experiencing the special love and relationship that can come from knowing God more intimately.
Cells can help us to open ourselves up to Jesus and commit ourselves and our Community to fellowship and Christian values.
Cells Defined: “Cells” are the smallest units of living matter that can lead an independent existence and reproduce themselves. Cells Groups come into existence when a small group of people decide to gather on a regular basis to:
As such, our Small Church Cell’s will grow in an intimacy with God and our fellow Cell members and then, when we are ready, multiply, making new Cell groups. As a community, these encounters will herald new experiences and a new enlighten fellowship, as a Community, we share in the joy of becoming closer with God.
The size of the Cell group can vary from around 6 people to around 16. Once regular attendance in a small group surpasses 12, the group ceases to function as a small group. When a Cell group has a total of 16-20 people in membership or regular attendance of 12, it should multiply.
We have approximately 140 people in 13 Cell Groups at St Francis.
You don’t have to hold any special qualifications or even be especially God like!
In fact, all you have to do is have the desire to want to get know God a little more.
By sharing yourself with Him, you’ll also experience and enrich your life in the company of other people also searching and wanting the same thing as you.
There will also be regular opportunities to meet with other members of the Parish Cell family. This could be in either a prayer or social gathering.
Throughout the world, in parishes using the Parish Cell System of Evangelisation, there are recognised common fruits:
The seven purposes of a Parish Cell.
Don’t just know what you’re doing, know why you’re doing it!
The meeting is divided into several themes and has been designed over many years of trial and error. The Cells ‘Recipe’ works!
| 15 mins | Songs and Prayers of Praise |
| 10 mins | Sharing – “Ice Breaking Time”\r\n
\r\n \r\n \r\n |
| 15 mins | Scripture Reading and Reflection\r\n(Usually next Sunday’s Gospel)\r\n
\r\n \r\n |
| 25 mins | Instructional Talk (Every second week).\r\nDeepening the subject of the Talk with discussion |
| 10 mins | Practical Action : General Business and Notices |
| 15 mins | Prayers of Intercession,\r\nPrayers of Healing |
| Fellowship: The Cell gathering finishes with fellowship over a ‘cuppa’ and helps us form closer relationships with our fellow Cell members. |
Parish Cell leaders are "ordinary" committed, lay people who are open to the action of the Holy Spirit and selected for the role under His guidance. The following characteristics are the ideal for Cell leadership - a love for souls, a consistent walk with God, a team spirit, a freed-up lifestyle, called by God and tested in the ministry. Extract St Mary’s Sale Cell Web Page.
At St Francis we also insist that Leaders follow the three Pillars of Cells.
Joining Cells means making a commitment to:
Cell groups meet on every day during the week, except weekends. A few meet during the day but most are at night and start around 7.30 pm.
Most groups find an hour and a half for the meeting as ideal. This time frame provides for adequate sharing, study and prayer time. The meeting should always end with people wishing they could meet longer.
A cardinal rule of group meeting is: Never meet longer than two hours. Individuals can stay longer, but people who have baby sitters or other pressing things need to have a time by which they can leave. Have a set time at which people know they can leave.
Please call the Parish House on +61-3-9404-3865 for information on when Cells meet so that we may be able to match you with a Cell near your home and / or friends.
If we find joy in Cells ourselves then it is right to believe that we would want to share the beauty and excitement of Cells with others. Those closest to us (our Oikos) are naturally the one’s that we would be drawn to, to introduce them to Cells. And because of the love that they share with us (for each other) are most likely to be more open to such an approach by you.
Of course, Cells are open to all! Catholics, non Catholics, Church goers and non Church goers, believers and those searching for a better way of living life... with Jesus!
All Cell groups begin with a core of people who are church members or regular attendees of church. This core, including leaders, could be as few as four people, and could be a maximum of eight. The core will consist chiefly of people who live in the same geographical area. The members of the Cell group core will be enlisted in one of three ways:
The core members will agree to:
Whilst Alpha or CaFe is not a prerequisite to experiencing Cells, you may want to complete an Alpha or CaFe course here at St. Francis before starting in a Cells group.
In this way, you can experience something of what becoming a member of a small church group is all about. Alpha is a 9 week course and café a 7 week course meeting weekly. Please feel free to call the Parish Office for further information.