Cohorts & Cadres
WEEKDAY GROUPS
CONSIDERING IS A TEAM SPORT
So DON’T FLY SOLO
The consideration of life’s deep things is best done in the freedom and safety of grace-centered communities.
This means with real people who can love without an agenda.
We can only love this way if we have first been loved in this way.
People like this can be found where grace has been extended by God and self-righteousness has evaporated.
These sorts hang out in gospel-centered communities like ours.
At Sideris we get to know one another and love one another in two ways outside of Sundays:
“Cohorts”
Co-ed groups of 12-18 people
(these meet in the Fall and Spring)
“Cadres”
Gender-specific groups of 4 people
(these meet in the Winter and Summer)
We’d love tou have you join one of these groups.
BTW, What’s WITH THE LIFEGUARD PICture ABOVE?
Great question! Here is a group who meets regularly, not simply because of their shared love of the beach, but rather, in joyful preparation for taking hold of a shared mission of serve all beach-lovers.
We believe each person has specific and unique life calling {responsibility} but needs to participate as part of a team to the effectively live out this personal mission in the world.
We have found that Cohorts and Cadres help us recognize and engage both our shared & personal missions in the city. The collective wisdom and encouragement gained and extended by consistently showing up in these spaces is essential to our flourishing as human beings created in the image of God.
COHORT SIGN UPS
SPRING COHORTS kick-off the week of April 6th
Fill out the blanks below to get connected to a 12-week cohort.
Once we receive your info, we’ll get you plugged in!
FALL 2025 COHORTS CATALOG
leaders: GEORGE & AMA DARKWA + Ty-Lene COOK
WHEN: Tuesdays @ 6:30pm
George and Ama are from Ghana. George moved to Seattle in 2022, and Ama joined him in 2024. Ask them about their exodus to Seattle. | Ty-Lene moved from Malaysia and is full of excitement and joy about her calling as a “Missionary in Residence” at Sideris (and in Seattle!). You can also ask her about her exodus to Seattle. They meet in the Licton Springs neighborhood and consist of people from many nations (India, the Philippines, Ghana, Malaysia, and beyond - like Ohio!). They’d love for you to join their diverse group :)
leaders: Tim & Claire Jenkins + Ersen & Andrea Akici
WHEN: Wednesdays @ 5:30pm
Tim is from Denver, CO, and has been in Seattle since 2015, and Claire was raised in Woodinville. They each found Sideris through friends separately, then met and got married. They have two young boys and live north of Seattle. | Andrea is from Vancouver, WA, and has been in Seattle since 2008 when she moved to attend Seattle Pacific University. Ersen is from Orange County, CA (but he was born in Istanbul, Turkey) and they are both expecting their second child!
leaders: Tom & Grace Van herk
WHEN: TUESDAYS @ 7:00pm
The van Herks have recently moved to Seattle and are passionate about community groups - it’s where their relationship began! They have a wonderful son named Jonathan (Gift from God) and together they love celebrating life over a good meal and fun games! They meet in the Wallingford neighborhood, and the group's attendees hail from all around the city, including Capitol Hill, Eastlake, Belltown, South Seattle, and beyond. They’d love to have you join them.
leaders: JOSEPH & BRIANNA COX
WHEN: TUEDAYS @6:30pm
We have found that discussing God in community has been really helpful for spiritual growth. It gives us an opportunity to learn from one another and helps us develop a more complete picture of what God's word is saying. It's also very encouraging to hear how God is moving in each other's lives and gives us an opportunity to encourage and build up one another in Christ. We looking forward to considering all things Christ with our cohort family!
leaders: Scott & Claire Nellessen
WHEN: Tuesdays @6:00pm
Scott & Claire met in high school in Chicago and knew they were meant to be. They moved to Seattle to attend Seattle Pacific University together, got married and have now been living in Seattle for over 10 years. They just bought a new home and are excited to use this blessing for real community and mission. They’d love to have you join them in this next session of cohorts.
Leaders: Ryan & Christiana Farrell
WHEN: Thursdays @ 6:45pm
Ryan & Christiana have been working and playing in Seattle for a little over 6 years now. They live just a few blocks from the Ballard Goodwill which means they are there all… the… time! They also love all the water play areas our city has to offer and often find themselves relaxing from work enjoying ice cream on the beach.
Leaders: Jerin & Jillian SCHNEIDER + Lynn Wondergem
WHEN: WEDNESDAYS @ 6:00pm
Jerin and Jillian both grew up in the Seattle area, and first met while volunteering together at an Easter church service in 2011. They got married in 2014, and have lived in Ballard ever since. They enjoy visiting Golden Gardens and the Ballard Locks with their 3 kids (Emery, Lucia and Naomi), and eating at Un Bien or Staple and Fancy. Lynn Wondergem is originally from Milwaukee, she moved to Seattle from Chicago in 2018. She found home at Sideris after a life-changing women’s retreat connected her with a vibrant faith community. She’s passionate about how God reveals His character through community—and she’ll never say no to a Fuji Bakery croissant in Lower Queen Anne.
leaders: DAVE & ALLIE EVANGER
WHEN: Tuesdays @ 6:45pm
Allie and Dave were both born and raised in the Seattle area and met in 2009 when Dave was promoting the Consider Concert. We dated while studying nursing (Allie) and theology (Dave) in Denver. We got married and then moved back to Seattle in 2013. They love to frequent Uneeda Burger and Pecado Bueno on Fremont Ave.
leaders: Grace & Jeremy Chan
WHEN: Thursday @ 6:45pm
Grace and Jeremy have lived in Seattle since 2023, starting in the U District before moving north. They love going for walks and cooking together. They cherish Seattle as a multicultural city that brings people from all around the world - people who ask the big questions of life and have honest and kind conversations. People of all ages and from all walks of life are welcome! Grace and Jeremy live a short walk from the Shoreline South light rail station; great for those who don’t have access to a car!
leaders: Amanda C. + Abi L. + Joshua P.
WHEN: WEDNESdays @ 7:00PM
Amanda & Abi host a broad spectrum of working singles and couples from a variety of industries ranging from law, engineering, development, and finance to mental healthcare. They love Seattle and the outdoors! If you’ve never heard of Tangletown, don’t fret; it’s really just Wallingford with a twist. They’d love to invite you into this steady but spicy community at Sideris. Joshua is newly married to the lovely Lily, and they are both passionate about serving the lost & hurting in our community.
leaders: ANDREW & Sara-ANNE BARFOOT + Ben & HEIDI EDMONDS
WHEN: Tuesdays @ 6:00PM
The Barfoot and Edmonds families are thrilled to together lead this “new” cohort – though they have been meeting now for a couple of years, trying out different formats that might fit their young families well. Families, singles, retirees – all are welcome to join us as we gather weekly, splitting time between our two homes in North Seattle (Green Lake and Bryant neighborhoods). For a little background, Andrew and Sara-Anne Barfoot are proud parents of three young boys, and Sara-Anne provides leadership to the children’s program here at Sideris. Ben and Heidi Edmonds provide the girls to the group – as they have four wonderful young children – all girls! We all love the Sideris Church community, diving into Scripture together, and enjoying a great meal around the table.
COHORT FAQs
how big are Cohorts?
Our groups vary in size, ranging from 10-20 people. They commonly spend their time getting to know one another, having big conversations in group discussions, family-meals, social outings, prayer and very importantly: serving tangible needs in the city together.
where do Cohorts they meet?
Cohorts typically meet in homes, apartments, and backyards. While the group name typically aligns with the neighborhood where the group meets, don’t be alarmed if it is meeting elsewhere. They often start in one neighborhood and move as people move. Ask us first if walkability/bike-ability are important factors for you and we will find the nearest group at present.
how often do Cohorts meet?
Groups typically meet once a week for about two hours. In a given years we have three independent “sessions” lasting about 3 months each. We take a month break in-between those sessions so that people can easily transition in to and out of groups. A cohort is not meant to be a lifelong commitment but a 3-month commitment. Feel free to try new groups as life changes or the desire to meet new people grows.
what do Cohorts study?
Groups have freedom to study different topics, but most often they will align the discussion with the sermon series to help us all apply the Word to our lives. Occasionally groups will study a book, focus on particular thematic scripture topics, or use their time in other creative ways. If you are looking for something in particular we can help direct you to a group based on area of study.
do Cohorts do anything in addition to study and discussions?
Yes! Yes! Yes! Cohorts are not your classic bible study. They are closer to what you might call “missional communities.” We gather together for specific purposes to accomplish specific ends. Cohorts are our primary engine to drive tangible service to our city. Each group will pick an area to serve and do that together during a session. You will also find evenings of fellowship over a meal, social outings, and nights of prayer. Also, while most groups are co-ed, cohorts will often take specific nights to break off into men and women only times so that gender-nuanced prayer, conversation, and ministry can take place.
do you have “life-stage” groups?
Yes and no. We tend to think of our groups as a coalition of people who live close to one another first. We believe the gospel compels us to be a diverse group of people in all ways, as we find Christ glorifying unity in Jesus alone. This of course has its positives and some drawbacks. It provides us with the opportunity to learn from people with different experiences and perspectives on life and ranging levels of spiritual maturity and experience with Jesus. This of course might limit the depth of conversations on any one particular life phase (ex: deep dive into parenting woes), so we encourage you to use the connections you make while in a mixed cohort to pursue one-one one or intimate relationships outside of the group. This way you get the best of both worlds. Having said all that, you will likely find that each group does have its own unique flavor and may or may not have the diversity we just mentioned. If you are looking for something in particular, we’d love to help you find a great fit! Just mention those desires when we reach out to you after signing up for cohorts.
how do i pick a cohort?
Having said all that, you will likely find that each group does have its own unique flavor and may or may not have the diversity we just mentioned. If you are looking for something in particular, we’d love to help you find a great fit! Just mention those desires when we reach out to you after signing up for cohorts. And remember, there is nothing wring with trying a few groups before choosing a landing place.
how do i Become a Cohort Leader?
All our cohort leaders have been through the family membership process. If you are interested in becoming a cohort leader you should start by filling out this leader application and one of the pastors will follow up. We will give you the training and support you need to grow toward that step.
how do I JOIN a cOHORT?
Sign up online [click here] or email Ty-Lene @ tylene@siderischurch.com
CADRE FAQs
how big are CADRES?
Gender-specific groups of 4 people. This provides more air time and opportunities for people to share what is characterizing their relationship with Jesus Christ in a more intimate level.
where do CADREs meet?
Parks, coffee shops, breweries, restaurants, etc. Basically anywhere our in the city!
how often do CADREs meet?
Once a week for 7 weeks. Timing is more flexible as this depends on your group! Group decides when to meet. This might be the same each week, or vary depending on cadres needs.
what do CADRES LOOK LIKE?
We like to break it down to 4 main points of what being in a cadre looks like:
Relational: space to practice the interdependency of church: “I need you and you need me.” Sharing, Encouragement, Prayer
Biblical: space to unpack takeaways, questions, action steps from sermons. Plus, look ahead to next week’s sermon text.
Renewal: space where God’s restorative and redemptive activity is pursued; growth through vulnerability
Missional: space as we bring God-talk into our city and encourage one another in our personal gospel-exalting endeavors.
how do I JOIN a cADRE?
Sign up online [click here] or email Ty-Lene @ tylene@siderischurch.com