Kate Oliveira

Community Groups at Westside have been a spiritual mainstay for our family for almost a decade, and the most impactful area of fellowship for us within the church. When we moved to Atlanta while I was pregnant with our first child, Mack, we were eager to get involved in the church and had great experiences in CG at previous churches. Westside had not formed groups yet, but when the church announced their launch in 2017 within a few months of our visiting, my husband, Dave, and I signed up for our member interview that same Sunday. For the first year, we joined the Howell Station group closest to our apartment in Midtown. The connections we made were meaningful, and those friendships still remain today.

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When we moved closer to Bobby Jones, we joined a group up the street that we’ve been active in since 2018. This circle of believers has blessed our family in countless ways. One memory that stands out is when we lost Dave’s dad in April 2024. Our group checked in often during his brief illness and showed up at our door afterward with encouragement and nourishment. We were hurting, and they met us there. Most importantly, we knew they were praying for us and approaching grief as we did—crying out to God. These friends are among the first people we bring both joys and sorrows to. Celebrating new jobs, marriages, and babies has breathed life into our community often

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.In closing, here are three community group “tips” that have blessed our family:

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Show up: Commit to showing up every opportunity you can. Activities compete for our attention, but prioritizing CG has grown our family deeply. Every session doesn’t feel profound, but relationships are built in consistent presence.

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Serve: Host in your home or bring a meal. We’ve done both, and it’s given us humble pride and gratitude for the chance to bless others.

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Be open: Inviting CG members into the real parts of our life—the good, hard, and in-between—has deepened relationships with the group and with God. Vulnerability doesn’t happen overnight, but when the Lord leads, allow Him to work.

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For more information on Community Groups, visit: www.atlantawestside.org/next-steps