connecting
small Christian communities (SCCs), small church
communities (SCCs),
basic church communities,faith sharing small groups, home churches,
etc.
Small Christian Community Connection (formerly Buena Vista) is an organization whose mission has been to network diverse small Christian communities (SCCs), their members, advocates and resources since 1987.
Utilizing print, web, DVD, other media and face-to-face gatherings we strive to serve and encourage small Christian communities (SCCs) to
discover our potential to transform ourselves, our church and our world through resources and mentoring
develop resources for and about SCCs and locate appropriate resource materials through Resource Clearinghouse and Partners in Community
connect communities with one another through annual convocations and other gatherings, SCC twinning and web/print opportunities
Members of a volunteer, working board of directors who are, first of all members of SCCs, coordinate the work of Small Christian Community Connection. Using their individual skills, their time and treasure, they meet regularly by phone, email and face to face meeting to serve and provide connections to diverse SCCs.
Other members of and advocates for SCCs serve as stipended staff, dedicated volunteers or as advisors to the board.
Buena Vista and Small Christian Community ConnectionPrintable Copy
Thirty-three people from across the nation came together in January, 1987, at Buena Vista, Colorado, to share their experience of small Christian community (SCC) with one another. The invitation to gather came from Spirit of Christ Catholic Community Parish in Arvada, Colorado, Pastor Ken Leone and parish SCC Coordinator, Barbara Howard. Sr. Cathy Nerney and Fr. Tom Dowd of RENEW facilitated the week. These 33 people answered an invitation to a one-time gathering that blossomed into a long-term organization with a “beautiful vision”: Buena Vista.
Participants made plans to meet again and invited others to join them. Soon it became clear that that this grass-roots group was growing into a vital presence in our church. It was reaffirmed that the organization’s mission was to form and support small communities based on the four essentials of church: prayer/ritual, service/justice, community/mutuality, and scripture-based witness. Individuals and groups joined Buena Vista and supported the work with donations and their talents.
In January, 1997 a record 300 participants assembled back in Estes Park to celebrate Buena Vista’s 10th anniversary. Fr. Bob Pelton gathered a group of Buena Vista members to attend the Synod for America where they advocated for SCCs as a valid experience of church. In the summer of 2000 a Buena Vista gathering coincided with the national Encuentro to observe the new millennium. Over the years several Buena Vistans participated in international SCC convocations sponsored by LANACC (University of Notre Dame) at the invitation of Fr. Bob Pelton, CSC.
To mark 20 years of the organization’s existence, the 2006 Buena Vista Board of Directors conducted an informal survey among several members, past board members and noted small community scholars. As a result they boldly proclaimed a new direction for Buena Vista including a name change to help the purpose of the organization be more readily recognized. Small Christian Community Connection will take extensive advantage of the internet to serve a wider and more diverse audience with downloadable information while continuing to develop the quality resources and nurture the small Christian community connections folks have learned to rely on Buena Vista to provide.
2007 Small Christian Community Connection Board of Directors
Jozef de Groot Scottsdale, Arizona Jozef de Groot has lived in Scottsdale, Arizona (and been a member of St. Patrick Catholic Community) since 1984. He is currently married, is “Pop” to five children, and “Opa” to seven. At age nine he emigrated from the Netherlands to California’s Central Valley. He was raised and educated in California but has lived in Arizona since 1968. His education was mostly in Franciscan seminaries: St. Anthony’s High School in Santa Barbara, a college degree from San Luis Rey College (majoring in philosophy), and three years of theology in Santa Barbara. After leaving the seminary, he worked thirty-four years as a counselor, supervisor and manager for Rehabilitation Services Administration - which provides vocational and independent living rehabilitation services for individuals with physical and/or mental disabilities. He has been an SCC member since 1990 and is currently the coordinator for the parish’s SCC “Core Team”. Jozef has also volunteered his time over the last seven years as a member of the Valley Interfaith Project which is part of the Arizona Interfaith Network: i.e. community organizing for social justice. He is also a recent JustFaith graduate.
Ana Garcia, San Bernardino CA Ana has been the secretary for the Office of Small Faith Communities in the Diocese of San Bernardino for four years. She has just received her AA in Liberal Arts from Chaffey Community College and plans to continue on to Cal State San Bernardino to receive her Bachelor’s in Sociology. Ana is an active member of Our Lady of Mount Carmel parish where she has been a catechism teacher for the past 8 years. Her goal is to continue to be of service to leaders, members and all who are dedicated to the ministry of Small Faith Communities.
Mary Ann Jeselson, Ho Ho Kus, NJ Mary Ann is a wife, mother, grandmother and retired teacher. Mary Ann serves on the SCC Core Community of her parish, Presentation in Upper Saddle River, NJ. She and her husband, Steve, have been members of their SCC, the Sojourners, for more than ten years. Committed to social justice issues, she prays and works for the success of the U.N. Millennium Development Goals, particularly the eradication of extreme poverty and the insurance of environmental sustainability.
Catherine Nerney, Philadelphia, PA Cathy, a Sister of St Joseph from Philadelphia, and a systematic theologian, has been working with small communities at the parish, diocesan and national levels since 1982. She first addressed Buena Vista at its inaugural session in 1987. As co-founder of the North American Forum on Small Communities in 1984, she has been closely affiliated with all three national organizations serving the small Christian community movement here in the United States. Her great desire to work with Buena Vista/SCC Connection at this time emerges from her growing conviction that it is more urgent today than ever to promote the life of the Church at it’s most basic level, that of small communities. At a time when diocesan and parish priorities are shifting, she envisions SCC Connection as the prime motivator of this pastoral work and stimulator of its vision, since Buena Vista originated as a prophetic conviction of grassroots people. As an idea person and a good strategizer, Cathy brings a passion for people, an understanding for organizational development and a commitment to hope as the virtue most characteristic of and needed by communities on this pilgrim journey.
Amy Sluss, Pleasanton, CA Amy has been building, supporting, and participating in small Christian community life for 13 years. She has worked with women’s groups, adult groups, and intergenerational groups (children and adults together.) Amy has a special interest in intergenerational groups and teaching groups to balance spirituality and fun. She spent six years creating, implementing, and testing a SCC model for intergenerational groups that appeals to both adults and children and also “counts” as religious education for the children. She consults and does workshops on prayer and forming and supporting intergenerational faith communities. Her book, Family Faith Communities, is a collection of ten gatherings for use by new intergenerational groups. Amy has lived in northern California for the past ten years with her husband, Gene, and their three children, Kelsey (now 19 and away at college), Lisa (16) and Noah (11). Top of Page
Meri McCoy-Thompson, Pleasanton, CA
Meri was co-creator and co-presenter of the 2003 Buena Vista Convocation: “Celebrating God’s People Across the Generations.” She has shared facilitation in two small Christian communities for almost ten years: a women’s community and a family community that also includes her husband Steve and her two children Marie (12) and Matthias (14). Meri spent seven years as Coordinator of the Family Program at the Catholic Community of Pleasanton, giving families an introductory experience of intergenerational religious education and encouraging them to join family small Christian communities--which more than 100 families did! After time in India helping to launch a non-profit and organizing a 4000 mile AIDS awareness walk, Meri is now consulting and providing workshops so more families can rediscover this exciting conversion model from the early church. Top of Page
Steve Valenzuela, San Bernadino, CA Steve is currently the Director of the Office of Small Faith Communities and a Master Catechist for the Diocese of San Bernardino. He completed his studies for the MA in pastoral theology from Loyola-Marymount University in Los Angeles. He studied religion and communications as an undergraduate at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Over the past 19 years, as a professional lay ecclesial minister, Steve has held various positions in the diocese including campus minister at state university, parish pastoral associate and coordinator the diocese’s lay ministry institute. Steve is committed to helping the movement of small Christian communities grow and he sees Small Christian Community Connection as an important vehicle for that growth. He wishes to use his gifts and talents to help build up the multicultural and multilingual aspects of the movement.
Peter Eichten, Minneapolis, Mn Pete is the Parish Administrator at the Church of St. Joan of Arc in Minneapolis, MN. Peter, and his wife Jane, are returned Peace Corps Volunteers (Iran 1970-72). They have five children, and two grandchildren. Peter spent ten years in the retail shoe business and has been working for the church since 1984. He has a BA in History & Education and an MA in Theology from St. John's University in Collegeville, MN. He has been a Buena Vista member since 1991, and has served on the Board twice, from 1994 – 98, and from 2003 – 06.
Nora Petersen, Alameda, CA Nora Petersen is Pastoral Associate for Adult Faith Formation at St. John Vianney in suburban Walnut Creek, CA. She has spent many years in parish and diocesan offices developing and supporting small Christian communities, including coordinating RENEW for the Diocese of Oakland. Nora has been a member of many small communities; women’s groups, family community and, with her husband, was part of a community that was together for over 25 years. She credits those experiences in faith communities with her passion for, and commitment to, the mission of Jesus.
Administrative Assistants to the Board of Directors
Bill & Jeanne Breay, Arvada, Co Bill & Jeanne serve as Assistants to the Board of Directors. Their responsibilities include handling and responding to the mail, send out all necessary mailings for membership renewals and all membership mailings, respond to phone calls and e-mails, keeping the member data base up to date, maintain the resource inventory, ship resources as orders are received, do the bookkeeping, handle special projects as assigned by the board and keep the board up to date on all business matters. Bill prepares the layout for Ink, Buena Vista’s newsletter and The Resource Page and is the webmaster for Buena Vista’s website buenavista.org. Bill’s professional background in computer software development has proven to be very advantageous in the fulfillment of these responsibilities. In 1973 as their new parish, Spirit of Christ Catholic Community in Arvada CO, was being formed Jeanne was part of a group that implemented small Christian communities in the parish, while Bill was a member of the building committee and served as president of the first parish council. Bill & Jeanne have belonged to the Oilers SCC for 30 years. They joined Buena Vista in 1991. Bill & Jeanne have 6 grown children and 17 grandchildren.
