Small Group Guide: Week of 11/16
To view this guide as a PDF, click here.
Acts of the Spirit: Navigating the Winds
This week’s guest preacher is Rev. Dr. Essentino Lewis. He is the pastor of Clifton Park Baptist Church in Silver Spring, Maryland, where he encourages a discipleship that equips persons to honor God and serve others. He has long carried a deep concern for social justice and civil rights. Before stepping into full-time ministry, he worked as an attorney and served in the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, helping to uphold protections against discrimination based on race, age, and gender. He has been married to Dr. Cassandra C. Lewis for 28 years and they have three wonderful children.
Mark 4:35-41 (NRSVUE)
35 On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” 36 And leaving the crowd behind, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. Other boats were with him. 37 A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. 38 But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion, and they woke him up and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” 39 And waking up, he rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Be silent! Be still!” Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm. 40 He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?” 41 And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”
Acts 27:1-44 (NRSVUE)
When it was decided that we were to sail for Italy, they transferred Paul and some other prisoners to a centurion of the Augustan Cohort, named Julius. 2 Embarking on a ship of Adramyttium that was about to set sail to the ports along the coast of Asia, we put to sea, accompanied by Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica. 3 The next day we put in at Sidon, and Julius treated Paul kindly and allowed him to go to his friends to be cared for. 4 Putting out to sea from there, we sailed under the lee of Cyprus, because the winds were against us. 5 After we had sailed across the sea that is off Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra in Lycia. 6 There the centurion found an Alexandrian ship bound for Italy and put us on board. 7 We sailed slowly for a number of days and arrived with difficulty off Cnidus, and as the wind was against us, we sailed under the lee of Crete off Salmone. 8 Sailing past it with difficulty, we came to a place called Fair Havens, near the city of Lasea.
9 Since much time had been lost and sailing was now dangerous, because even the Fast had already gone by, Paul advised them, 10 saying, “Men, I can see that the voyage will be with danger and much heavy loss, not only of the cargo and the ship, but also of our lives.” 11 But the centurion paid more attention to the pilot and to the owner of the ship than to what Paul said. 12 Since the harbor was not suitable for spending the winter, the majority was in favor of putting to sea from there on the chance that somehow they could reach Phoenix, where they could spend the winter. It was a harbor of Crete, facing southwest and northwest.
13 When a moderate south wind began to blow, they thought they could achieve their purpose; so they weighed anchor and began to sail past Crete, close to the shore. 14 But soon a violent wind, called the northeaster, rushed down from Crete. 15 Since the ship was caught and could not be turned head-on into the wind, we gave way to it and were driven. 16 By running under the lee of a small island called Cauda we were scarcely able to get the ship’s boat under control. 17 After hoisting it up they took measures to undergird the ship; then, fearing that they would run on the Syrtis, they lowered the sea anchor and so were driven. 18 We were being pounded by the storm so violently that on the next day they began to throw the cargo overboard, 19 and on the third day with their own hands they threw the ship’s tackle overboard. 20 When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and no small tempest raged, all hope of our being saved was at last abandoned.
21 Since they had been without food for a long time, Paul then stood up among them and said, “Men, you should have listened to me and not have set sail from Crete and thereby avoided this damage and loss. 22 I urge you now to keep up your courage, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. 23 For last night there stood by me an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I worship, 24 and he said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before the emperor, and, indeed, God has granted safety to all those who are sailing with you.’ 25 So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will be exactly as I have been told. 26 But we will have to run aground on some island.”
27 When the fourteenth night had come, as we were drifting across the Adriatic Sea, about midnight the sailors suspected that they were nearing land. 28 So they took soundings and found twenty fathoms; a little farther on they took soundings again and found fifteen fathoms. 29 Fearing that we might run on the rocks, they let down four anchors from the stern and prayed for day to come. 30 But when the sailors tried to escape from the ship and had lowered the boat into the sea on the pretext of putting out anchors from the bow, 31 Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved.” 32 Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the boat and set it adrift.
33 Just before daybreak, Paul urged all of them to take some food, saying, “Today is the fourteenth day that you have been in suspense and remaining without food, having eaten nothing. 34 Therefore I urge you to take some food, for it will help you survive, for none of you will lose a hair from your heads.” 35 After he had said this, he took bread, and giving thanks to God in the presence of all, he broke it and began to eat. 36 Then all of them were encouraged and took food for themselves. 37 (We were in all two hundred seventy-six persons in the ship.) 38 After they had satisfied their hunger, they lightened the ship by throwing the wheat into the sea.
39 In the morning they did not recognize the land, but they noticed a bay with a beach on which they planned to run the ship ashore, if they could. 40 So they cast off the anchors and left them in the sea. At the same time they loosened the ropes that tied the steering-oars; then hoisting the foresail to the wind, they made for the beach. 41 But striking a reef, they ran the ship aground; the bow stuck and remained immovable, but the stern was being broken up by the force of the waves. 42 The soldiers’ plan was to kill the prisoners, so that none might swim away and escape; 43 but the centurion, wishing to save Paul, kept them from carrying out their plan. He ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and make for the land 44 and the rest to follow, some on planks and others on pieces of the ship. And so it was that all were brought safely to land.
Opening Discussion
Introductions & check-in
Introductions: If you have new folks, do a round of name intros.
Icebreaker suggestion: What is your perfect Thanksgiving/holiday meal bite?
High/Low exercise
Go around the group giving each member a chance to share highs and lows. Feel free to use a different check-in structure if helpful.
Additionally or alternatively, you can invite the group to share a word or phrase to describe how they’re coming into the group this week.
Community Care
Share any established community care practices, expectations, or discussion guidelines. Consider inviting the group into conversation, asking for feedback or additional suggestions. (Find more on community care practices here.)
Digging Deeper
This Week’s Sermon
Consider reading this week’s text aloud. (Options: listen to it read aloud on an app/YouTube; one person in the group reads; each person in the group reads a section or a few verses).
From Sunday’s sermon:
What resonated with you? What comforted/challenged you?
Did you learn something new?
What image, story, or line from the sermon stayed with you most and why?
Pastor Essentino reminded us that the wise person learns to navigate the winds (political, cultural, personal, and communal). Acts 27 shows Paul facing those headwinds on his divine assignment to Rome.
Where are you currently feeling headwinds in your life or faith?
How does naming those winds help you navigate them?
Pastor Essentino said that whenever we do the will of God, we should expect resistance. How does expecting headwinds change the way you respond to challenges?
Drawing from Acts 27:4, Pastor Essentino pointed out how the crew sailed around Cyprus to block the western winds, reminding us that God often gives us structures, relationships, and resources that shield us.
What “wind-blocks” has God placed in your life (people, practices, rhythms, resources)?
Where has your past experience with God prepared you for the present storm?
Paul’s journey reminds us to be intentional: choose the right course, rely on wisdom, and learn to hear God’s voice even in chaos.
When you’re in a difficult season, what helps you chart a faithful course forward?
How do you listen for God’s voice in the “maelstrom,” as Pastor Essentino put it, when everything around you feels loud or confusing?
Acts 27 ends with a quiet miracle: “all were brought safely to land”. Paul doesn’t arrive in style, but he arrives, alongside a couple hundred other people, reminding us that storms don’t last forever.
Where have you seen God show up quietly but powerfully?
What storm are you longing to see end, and what does “shore” look like for you right now?
Prayer
Praying for one another regularly is an essential part of small groups. You’re welcome to design your gathering however you’d like, but encourage you to include prayer time each week.
Prayer Requests
Give the group a chance to share prayer requests. If it’s helpful, utilize categories like praises/requests.
Spend time praying for one another and the requests made.
Depending on the group size, it can be helpful to break into smaller groups to share requests and pray for one another.
Some groups use prayer partners throughout a semester.
Community Updates
Spiritual Health Check-in
Please remind your small group to fill out the Spiritual Health Check-in sometime before 11/30! It’s a short reflection practice—about 10–15 minutes—that helps you consider your life with God, your connection to community, and what’s been stirring in you lately.
Your responses will also help our staff, pastoral team, and Elder Board discern how to best support discipleship, care, worship, and mission in the coming year. You can find the check-in at go.christcitydc.org/checkin25.
Upcoming Events
Rosedale Thanksgiving - Friday 11/21
Christ City is a partner for the 3rd annual Rosedale Community Feast on November 21 at the Rosedale Recreation Center from 2 pm to 6 pm. We are looking for volunteers and donations to help give support. You can volunteer by donating food, resources, or finances, or by coming to the event to help serve. Sign up to volunteer at go.christcitydc.org/thanksgiving, or e-mail sarah@christcitydc.org for any questions.
Christmas Choir - Rehearsals on Sundays
Join the Christ City Christmas choir! The holiday season is approaching and Christ City is looking for individuals who would like to participate in our Christmas Choir for our December 14 service. Previous choir experience is helpful, but not necessary! Please send a message to josh@christcitydc.org to request to join or receive more information.
Miner PTO - Wednesday, December 3
Christ City is working with Miner Elementary to provide childcare during their monthly Tuesday PTO meetings. This allows Miner parents to attend and be engaged at the school and in their child’s education.
We’re hoping small groups can mobilize to provide childcare from 5:45-7:30p. Christ City will provide craft materials and pizza! Once you choose a week with your group, sign up HERE. *We’re in need of a group to sign up for December’s meeting!
Missional Grants
The vision behind Missional Grants is to provide funding for neighborhood outreach efforts that those within the Christ City Church community feel led to initiate, support, engage, or elevate. The aim of this is to spark a movement of neighbor and neighborhood blessing that emerges from within the Christ City Church family. We want to empower you - those that call Christ City home - to be agents of God’s Kingdom in your communities and neighborhoods and we see Missional Grants as a tool - not the only tool - but a tool for that.
If you want to
Host a block party or neighborhood cookout
Provide a meal, or needed items for a neighbor in need (elderly, new parents, etc).
Put together care packages for neighbors experiencing homelessness
Hold front porch concert with neighborhood musicians
Sponsor a neighborhood clean up / clean up along Anacostia Trail
Resource the local community garden
Support back to school needs for your children’s school
Or some other idea that the Spirit has been beckoning you towards…we want to encourage you to apply for a Missional Grant. Encourage those in your small group to consider what they can do in their community and have small groups serve together!
You can find a flyer with additional information and links to the application out on the hospitality table. And you can apply at: go.ChristCityDC.org/MissionalGrants.
