For many of us, our biological family lives far away. Phone calls, gifts, and occasional visits make the distance bearable, though never painless. We long to embrace, go for a walk, or share a meal with our loved ones.

While parents and siblings may be distant, we can still enjoy familial relationships here. Forging friendships with spiritual brothers and sisters, young and old, allows us to gain a sense of family - a London family. Our longing to be deeply known and loved can be met through God's people, even in a foreign city.

Charl and Kate know the realities of living far from biological kin and the joy of forming deep friendships in the church. As leaders of one of our life groups, they tell us about themselves and their vision for nurturing a sense of family in their group.

Please tell us about yourselves.

Kate: I grew up in Grahamstown in South Africa, met Charl at university, and we have been married for ten years. We moved to London eight years ago. I was a teacher and am now a certified child and baby sleep consultant.

Charl: I grew up in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, where I also studied Quantity Surveying. Kate and I met at the church we were attending and got married in 2013. We have three children: Joshua (5), Jacob (3) and Rebecca (1).

Charl and Kate lead one of our 22 mid-week life groups. Please tell us a bit about your group.

We have 16 people in our life group. We meet at our house in Kennington every Wednesday from 7-9:30 pm, and we love sharing a meal and getting stuck into meaty conversations about the Bible as we study God's word. We also seek to support one another as a spiritual family through life's various trials and tribulations.

What’s your vision for the life group?

We see our life group as a mini-family within the greater church family. We hope to all grow 1) in our knowledge of God's word, 2) in our knowledge of who God is and 3) in our love for one another as we do life together.

What’s your favourite thing about being a life group leader?

We love seeing our group grow in their knowledge of who God is, demonstrated in how they love and support one another. It’s also been amazing to share our lives with people in the church who we might not have otherwise had the opportunity to know at such a deep level.

How can we pray for you and the life group?

Please pray for continued growth in our knowledge of Christ and his great love for us. Please also pray that more life groups would be able to open up and have the same opportunity we have had to sow into one another’s lives.

Andrew and Megan lead one of our 22 life groups. These mid-week groups meet in homes across the city to study the Bible, pray and enjoy dinner together. Being part of a life group is often the best way to get to know others more deeply.

Given that life groups are vital to our church community, we asked Andrew and Megan to share a bit about themselves and their group.

Tell us about yourself.

Megan: I grew up in Florida but moved away from the US after I graduated from university. Andy and I met in the Middle East doing humanitarian relief work and got married in 2015. A couple of years later, we joined Grace after moving to South London.

Andrew: I grew up just outside of London, in Surrey. I was raised in a nominally Christian home, and it was only during my final week of university that I truly put my faith in Christ. I now work for PwC, and in my spare time, I enjoy reading, listening to music, watching rugby and experimenting in the kitchen.

What’s your vision for the life group?

A: There's a danger in a big city like London that our faith becomes overly knowledge-based. I feel passionate about helping my brothers and sisters engage with the Bible not only intellectually but also with their hearts. That we would not just be hearers of the Word but also doers. Our prayer over the years has been to see spiritual formation in people’s lives - to see passionate worshipers rooted in the Word of God and counterculturally walking in the ways of Jesus.

*Visiting Chepstow Castle on their weekend away*

What’s your favourite thing about being a life group leader?

M: I love the diversity of people that have come to our group over the years. When you have perspectives on Jesus from places like Nigeria, South Africa, Columbia, Ukraine, Singapore, England, and Canada, all in the same group, you get a little taste of what heaven will be like. Diversity isn’t always easy, but it is such a beautiful thing when our cultural blinders are removed, and we get a bigger picture of who God is.

How can we pray for you and the life group?

M: We’ve just come back after a few months out from life group leading following the birth of our son, Judah. Our group has expanded in the past month or two, so please pray that we continue to grow together, learn from one another, and grow in holiness.

A: We are entering our fifth iteration of life group and are blessed to welcome many new faces into our home, having recently said goodbye to many who have left the city. Please pray for wisdom and hearts overflowing with joy and love as we follow the calling the Lord has given us.

Andrew and Megan’s life group meets at their home in South London, near Burgess Park. They gather at 7pm for dinner followed by bible study and prayer. Most weeks they have 12-15 people.

If you’d like to join a life group, please attend our Welcome Evenings first. These are a set of three Wednesday evenings where you can meet other newcomers over dinner, hear the church’s vision, and find a life group to join. To sign up, head to grace.london/events.

Charl, Kate, and a spiritual family

Dinner with Andrew & Megan