Small Groups
We place a high value on the Sunday morning gathering when everyone in the community assembles to celebrate, worship, hear God’s Word, and just be together, but—church is meant to be more than just a couple of hours on a Sunday. Following Jesus happens in real life around tables, in homes, through deep conversations, and in moments of service. True spiritual growth, discipleship, and friendship take root in smaller settings where people can truly know and be known. If you’re looking to build deeper relationships at Ren, the primary way to do this is by being part of one of our many small groups.
Presently, we have several small group opportunities to consider. They meet at all different times and are held in various locations. Most study Scripture together, but the primary goal is to get to know each other and support one another through both prayer and other practical ways. Some groups share meals together. Here is a listing of our present groups.
Edgewood (Cranston)
@ Chris and Vicky’s
Thursdays 6:30-8 pm
Lead | Chris and Vicky
This group is open to all people including families with small children- although please note there is no dedicated childcare provided. They often show a short teaching video to spark discussion while the children play
Questions? Contact: vicky@renchurchri.org
Cranston-Warwick
@ Melanie and Wes’s
Every other Wednesday 6-8 pm
Lead | Max and Josi
This group is led by Max and Josi who direct our small groups. The focus is on building authentic relationships and growing deeper in our faith.
Questions? Contact: info@renchurchri.org
Young Women’s Group
@ Various Locations
1st and 3rd Mondays @ 7:30 pm
Team-Led | Point person: Hadassah D.
This group is made up entirely of ladies in their twenties and early thirties. First Mondays they have Bible study, and third Mondays they typically share testimonies and have extended prayer time. In fall 2026 they are beginning a study series called “The Gospel-Centered Life.”
Questions? Contact: info@renchurchri.org
Providence
@ David and Kellie’s
Twice a month on Sunday afternoons
Lead | David and Kellie
This group is made up mostly of families with little children. The format is loose and relational but includes the Word and a time of prayer together.
Questions? Contact: info@renchurchri.org
Women’s Bible Study
@ the church space prayer room (10 Tripps)
every other Saturday @ 10 am
Lead | Joanne
This is an intimate gathering of women, both young and old, who are seeking a deeper relationship with God and each other through the purposeful study of the Word, fellowship and prayer.
Questions? Contact: info@renchurchri.org
Riverside
@ John and Ruth’s
Every other Friday night @ 7
Lead | John and Ruth
This group is about a mile from the church space. They are open to others hosting on occasion so the group may move around a bit to different host homes.
Questions? Contact: info@renchurchri.org
The Well - Youth and Young Adults, Grades 6-12th and age 18-29
@ church space cafe (10 Tripps)
3rd Sundays @ noon (after service)
Lead | Doré
We believe that young people are an integral part of Renaissance Church. We encourage youth to fully participate in all aspects of Ren life, and many young adults have become church leaders at Ren.
At the beginning of 2025, we started a group called The Well, which includes 6 - 12th grade students* and young adults 18 - 29 years old. One thing in common across this broad demographic is the experience of big life transitions while exploring purpose and identity. It is our prayer that The Well will become a place where young people of all ages can go deeper together in their faith, encountering Jesus in a way that builds solid foundations, equipping them to go out into the world proclaiming the good news of Christ wherever they go (John 4: 1-42). That’s why we’re inviting young people of all ages for a monthly lunch to build relationships and grow spiritually, together. Many of our gatherings include testimony sharing, prayer, group discussion, and a guest speaker.
The Well meets on the third Sunday of every month at 12-2pm directly after the morning service and lunch is provided. For the 2026/7 school year, The Well will be diving into a study on the Heart of God from Pastor and author, Francis Chan. Each month we'll eat lunch together, hear from different church members, and have time for discussion and prayer, as we explore an aspect of God's heart and how it relates to our lives.
For more information, please contact Vicky Griffiths, at vicky@renchurchri.org.
*Parents of younger youth, please note that we take steps to ensure a safe environment for our youngest members. An older adult leader is present at each meeting and all group facilitators are background checked and trained through RenKids. That said, please be aware that, very occasionally, a topic of a more adult nature might arise during discussions. If that happens you can expect parents of youth under 18yrs of age to be informed by a leader. We consider the the benefit of the combined age group to outweigh the low risk of this happening. If you have any concerns, please don’t hesitate to talk with a leader.
One last thing to mention is the more occasional one-off type gatherings. Sometimes we’ll do a special outreach like a block party or art installation or concert. These are things we encourage everyone to come out to. We’ve had men’s and women’s breakfasts. There are dinner parties and other fun outings like apple picking. There are opportunities to come together to beautify our space or to plant flowers in the neighborhood. Sometimes there’s a special celebration everyone is invited to. We’ve done fundraisers open to all. We’ve had Christmas decorating parties. These are just a sampling of simple ways we practice being together as a church family.
We tend to keep our official church programming simple and encourage organic get togethers. Most of the ways people connect in the church are not organized by the church. People come together for birthday parties and baby showers. People make meals for people when they are sick. Moms get together at the park with their kids. Friends get together to share a meal or to do something fun. People bike together and walk together. And so on.
One of the most important things to us as a church is to practice the 50+ “one another” commands in the New Testament. We are convinced that it is impossible to fulfill the “one anothers” only by attending church on Sunday mornings for ninety minutes. For this reason, we are intentional about making time in our lives to be with one another throughout the week. And we are very intentional about inviting new people to join in our community gatherings. Our aim is not just to attend 2-3 church things a week but to be a family. So each week is a little different.