Love Others
Community is God's answer for everything
We believe that people need to have relationships with others, that no one should stand alone. We offer Lifegroups that are designed to help us build Godly relationships with other people in a safe and caring environment. We also offer Focus groups where others can come along side us to help us build life skills and experience restoration.
What to expect in a Lifegroup
If you've never been to a Lifegroup it's probably not what you would expect. Lifegroups are a place to relax and have fun with friends. It's a place where we can talk about God and our lives in a safe and open environment. No one will force you to share or do anything you are not comfortable with. It's not meant to add to your busy schedule but to add balance to it. Groups usually run only about 90 minutes and have anywhere from 4 to 15 people.Group Listings
Church of the Cross offers various types of groups to connect with othersand stengthen our connection to God.
- Support Groups: Support groups that meet on a short term to equip us with effective tools for living.
- Small Groups: Small Groups that encourage us in our walk with God, they create friendships that walk along-side you and most of all - They can be just great fun.
- Serve Groups: Groups that are serving God together with like giftings and passions.
- Small Groups
- Support Groups
- Serve Groups
Sunday Groups |
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| Group | Time | Facilitator | About the Group | Location |
| Adults | (email for group calendar) | Jeff Archer | We enjoy getting to know one another and pursuing God. The only difference is that we like to do it on two wheels. Gear up and join us! | West Bradenton |
| Adults | 9:30 AM | Nick Morabito | A study on Spiritual formation which refers to the Spirit-driven process of becoming more like Christ. | Group C |
| Parenting Group | 11:00am | Tom & Kristen Ross | Children don't come with manuals. Sad but true. Fortunately, there are tried and true guidelines and tools that every parent would find helpful and every child would benefit from. Join us as we support one another in our endeavor to raise our kids. | Room B |
| Pre-Marital Counseling | John & Julie Brunk | Getting Married??? Join us as we prepare together for the next step in your relationship, marriage. | TBD | |
| COTC Discipleship Group | 6:00 | John Treworgy | There is a way that Jesus patterned his life. A way that was practiced for teh first 1500 years of the church but was lost. Join us as we rediscover the life that Jesus lived as teh key to the life that you have always wanted. | Group A |
| Fanatasy Football League | Shane Henry | Football season is ready to start and so are we. Make your selections, go head to head with others each week and feast your eyes on the greatest games of the season. We are a group of football enthusiasts who love to watch football togther and compete in a fantasy football league. | West Bradenton | |
| Co-Ed Softball | 6:00 | Jim Arredondo | Do you enjoy softball? We do! It doesn't matter if you are a slugger or a strikeout king/queen. We just enjoy having fun and playing softball together. | GT Bray Park |
Monday Groups |
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| Group | Time | Facilitator | About the Group | Location |
| Mens | 6:30 PM | Stan Pavkovich | We are the manliest group of men this side of eternity. Join us as we use the Men's Fraternity teaching to help us to be the type of men God wants us to be. | Group A & B |
| Womens | 6:30 PM | Karen Pavkovich | We are a group of women who enjoy good food, laughter and great conversation. | Group C |
| Adults | 7:00 PM | Brent Whitehead | Are you passionate about learning more from God's word? We are a group of people who like studying the depths of scripture. | West Bradenton |
| High School Girls Group | 7:00 PM | Louie Webber | We are a group of ladies that reach out to Solve House by having bible study with the ladies enrolled in their program. It's for them, it's for us, it's for God. | West Bradenton |
Tuesday Groups |
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| Group | Time | Facilitator | About the Group | Location |
| Women | 9:00 AM | Ann Burke and Elaine Wright | We are the Sister-Chicks! We love building relationships and studying whatever God has for us. | Group A |
| Women's Softball League | Pat & Skip Rodgers | Are a lady? Are you between the ages of 14 and infinity? Then you should play softball! It doesn't matter if you're good or not, come have fun playing softball with us! | West Bradenton | |
| Adults | 7:00 PM | Tim & Paula Stanton | Desiring to learn the Bible? We are a group that dives deeply into scripture seeking to learn how to live life better. Join us as we study the book of Revelation. | West Bradenton |
| High School Guys Group | 7:00 PM | Louie Webber | Relaxed and light hearted conversation with relevant bible study. | West Bradenton |
Wednesday Groups |
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| Group | Time | Facilitator | About the Group | Location |
| Financial Peace University | 7:00 PM | John Russo | More than one million families have attended Financial Peace University with amazing results. On average, these families paid off $5,300 in debt and saved $2,700 in just the first 90 days! Stop worrying about money, and start your journey to Financial Peace today. | Group D |
| Young Couples | 7:00 PM | John & Colleen Treworgy | We are a group of 20 and 30 somethings couples wanting to make friends and have fun together. Whether we are having dinner together, going to see a movie, or studying the bible we are using our relationships to grow personally and to help each other. | Group A |
| Moms | 7:00 PM | Jamie Billick & Kelly Locke | Are you a mom? We are group of moms that meet every other Wednesday to talk, make friends, organize play dates and tune the fine art of mothering. | Group B |
| Adults | 7:00 PM | Lee & Ann Anders | Do you like desserts??? Our ladies like to bake! Our group is about making friends and studying the Bible together. | Group C |
| Adults | 7:00 PM | Billy Pardy | Are you seeking God? We are. Join us as we seek to discover the God of own understanding. | Litteville Wing Purple Rm. |
| Essentials: Membership | 7:00 PM | Pastor Stan | Are you new to Church of the Cross or have you been thinking of making COTC your church home? Come to this 4 week groupo where we dive in to the essentials of faith and of COTC. Once completed you'll actually be a member of COTC! | Litteville Wing Green Rm. |
Thursday Groups |
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| Group | Time | Facilitator | About the Group | Location |
| Women | 9:15 AM | Jenn Cassidy | We are a laid back group who enjoys starting the day off right with good friends and study. | Group C |
| Women | 7:00 PM | Angela Hall | We are a group of ladies who like hanging out and taking our lives with God to the next step. | West Bradenton |
| Eikon - Young Adults | 6:30 PM | Adam Downer | Come hang out with us! We are a group of young adults who love making connections, studying God's ways, and worshiping Him. | The Loft |
| Adults | 6:30 PM | Darrell & Wanda Ballard | Do you enjoy a good laugh? Come hang out with this vibrant group as we seek to make friends and study God's word together. | Palmetto |
Saturday Groups |
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| Group | Time | Facilitator | About the Group | Location |
| The Fishing Group | Chuck Williams | Do you like to fish? Many of Jesus' disciples were fishermen. It's an art form. It requires patience, self control and many other disciplines. Jesus likened many of our tasks as Christians to fishing. Bring a pole and join us as we spend time with one another fishing and learning how to fish. | Rivers/Gulf of Mexico | |
| Adults | 9:00am - 1st & 3rd Saturday of the month | Lorri Vogel | Like to save money? We do too. Bring your coupons, your savings tips and we will bring ours. This group is open to everyone so invite a friend and see ya there! | Oasis |
| Adults | 6:30 PM | Rob Schulz | Join us for a time of fun, faith, and fellowship as we seek God together. Come hungry! We love to sample Bradenton's finest cuisines after group! | Group C |
Sunday Groups |
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| Group | Time | Facilitator | About the Group | Location |
| Breaking the Cycle of Hurtful Familiy Experiences | 11:00 AM | Teri Denton Sipko | Learn how your parents shape the way you feel about yourself, how you relate to others and even how they help you form your ideas about God. | Room A |
| Weigh Less to Feed More | 9:30 AM | Teri Denton Sipko | It's not about your weight! Whether you obsess or neglect your body, resolve to get to the root of your unhealthy living. Find out what is really weighing you down. Weigh Less to Fee More is a faith based wellness program that teaches participants how to live healthy and whole lives in Christ while serving others who suffer from physical and spiritual poverty around the world. | Room D |
Tuesday Groups |
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| Group | Time | Facilitator | About the Group | Location |
| AA | 7:00 PM | A fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking. Our primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics to achieve sobriety. | Oasis | |
| Al-Anon | 7:00 PM | Al-Anon has been offering hope and help to families and friends of alcoholics. No matter what relationship you have with an alcoholic, whether they are still drinking or not, all who have been affected by someone elses drinking can find solutions that lead to serenity in the Al-Anon/Alateen fellowship. | Group A | |
Wednesday Groups |
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| Group | Time | Facilitator | About the Group | Location |
| Holy Yoga | 7:30 PM | Teri Denton Sipko | Holy Yoga is an experiential worship created to deepen people's connection to Christ. Our sole purpose is to facilitate a Christ honoring experience that offers an opportunity to believers and non-believers alike to authentically, connect to God through His Word, worship, and wellness. Be sure to wear comfortable clothing, bring a yoga mat, block and strap | Sanctuary |
| GaP - Grandparents as Parents | 11:00 - 2:00pm Every 3rd Saturday of the Month | Michelle Burroughs | Manatee Children's Services provides supportive services for grandparents and relative caregivers who are raising their kin. The mission of the Grandparents as Parents "Caring Kin" program is to address the escalating needs of grandparents and relative caregivers in the community by providing structure, support, and guidance in caring for the needs of their kin. Childcare will be provided. | Oasis |
Serve Groups Listings |
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| Group | Leader | About the Group |
| Arts Team | Cherie Heasley | Are you creative? Artistic? Do you have an eye for color or design? Do you enjoy creative writing? Our group will help you tap into your inner artists and use what God has given you to help people connect to Him. |
| Cafe Team | Lorri Vogel | The kitchen is a place of comfort with its enticing aromas and tasty delights. If you find yourself more at home in the kitchen or enjoy serving others then you have found your fit. |
| CrossTown Kids's Ministry (newborn - Kindergarten) | Marie Stroup | Do you remember what it was like to be a child learning through crafts, music ans story time? Invest in the littlest ones in our church by sharing your gifts and tealents in this group. |
| Crosstown Kids's Ministry (1st Grade - 5th Grade) | Marie Stroup | Jump! Jump! If you have a heart for kids then this high energy group is the perfect place for you. We use our passion to teach kids about God using music, crafts, games, and much more. |
| First Impressions | John Treworgy | Are you a people person? Do you like to meet new peopleand help others forge new relationships? Through helping others by assisting in parking, warmly greeting, welcoming geusts, and assisting as ushers our team seeks to make our church feel like home. |
| High School Ministry - 365 Youth | Louie Webber | High School is the last stop on the train to adulthood. If your desire is to help plant spiritual seeds and guide the lives of High Schoolers as they prepare for the world then this is your group. |
| High School Ministry - Worship | Adam Downer | Are you in High School? Do you like to sing or play a musical instrument? You should play with us! Through a passion for music, our group leads people closer to God. |
| Library Team | Riann Chrimes | Our team facilitates the library. We keep things organized so that others can enjoy the wealth of knowledge contained in the many books we have to share. |
| Middle School Ministry- 365 Youth | Louie Webber | Do you have a passion to see Middle Schoolers connect with God in a meaningful and relevant way in their lives? Join us as we seek to shape the next generation of middle schoolers with God's ways. |
| Office Team | Riann Chrimes | Are you a behind the scenes kind of person? Do you have daytime hours to give? Whether it's answering the phones or folding bulletins, our group helps others by giving of our time and talents in the church office. |
| Security Team | Riann Chrimes | We are a group of people that assist the members of the church by securing the grounds. We provide assistance in emergencies, guard against lewd behavior or unsafe people, and ensure that the property is safe from vandalism. |
| Serve the World Team | Lorri Vogel | At COTC we serve the world by volunteering in our church, meeting needs in the community and with state-side and international short-term mission trips. We will serve with any means necessary, our hands and feet, our gifts and talents, our passions and of all that God has given to us. We strive to hold nothing back, to be free to make an impact in our world and those around us. Come be a part of team that is dedicated to impacting our world with the great love of Christ! |
| Technical Team | Mark Handel | Were you called a nerd in school? Do you like sci-fi, photography, music or problem solving? We are a group of people who use our love of technology and photography to help others connect to God. |
| Worship Arts Team | Adam Downer | Do you like to sing? Do you play an instrument? We are a group of talented and skilled musicians serving God by leading others in Worship. |