“People come to church longing for, yearning for, hoping for … a sense of roots, place, belonging, sharing and caring. People come to a church with a search for community, not committee.” — Glenn Turner

A different way of doing church

Our Small Group Ministry (SGM) program is designed to deepen and broaden each participant’s spiritual growth. A Chalice Circle usually consists of 6-8 members who meet at each others’ homes or sometimes in a private room at the public library, usually once every two weeks. Each meeting is focused on a spiritual or religious topic. The goals are to:

• Listen deeply and be listened to by friends in a safe place
• Learn about the mysteries of our world and our spiritual paths
• Build new and deeper personal connections
• Serve our community and the needs of one another
• Maintain personal connections and a caring community

Each Chalice Circle has a facilitator who maintains a connection between the group, the Adult Religious Education Committee and our minister. The RE Committee and minister provide overall guidance, recruit new members and establish new groups, and can also develop session plans. The RE Committee meets quarterly (see the church calendar).

How can you join a group?

Contact the Adult RE Team Lead, Jackie Triplett.

Goals of Small Group Ministry

There are five components of our Chalice Circles:

• Listening: Deep listening is gift for both the speaker and the listener. A connection forms when we share and give this gift to each other.
• Worship: Worship is central to the life of our congregation. Small Group Ministry augments and strengthens our shared experience.
• Community: Small groups meet the need for connection and intimacy that is both a hunger in our society and essential to the ongoing life of a religious community.
• Learning: People come to the Fellowship seeking spiritual growth; opportunities for introspection; a chance to grow their understanding of the world; and to ponder the age old questions of faith: how to live, what to believe, how to act, what meanings we can decipher from the mystery of life.
• Service: A life of faith is a life of service. As human beings, we seek to be of use, and a healthy congregation needs to provide avenues through which we may serve.

How do Chalice Circles work?

Ministry happens in the meetings, which focus on spiritual or religious topics through a process of deep listening and service projects. Topics that may be shared during meetings include for example: sacred places, perfection, mothers, community, living simply, music, and healing. Groups choose their own topics, direction and pace. Each group chooses a service project once a year. Projects are usually chosen to serve the Fellowship or our local wider community, but they can be larger projects that reach beyond our church community.

What is expected of members?

Group members are expected to commit to regular meeting times and to practice deep listening. Deep listening is a way of focusing intently on what another person is saying without interruption or simultaneously formulating a response. Deep listening also gives an individual an opportunity to speak without interruption or comment.

What are Chalice Circle sessions like?

• Opening Words: Gathering in, settling down, reminding participants of the special opportunity of the gathering, possibly reflecting the topic of the session. The meeting may begin with the lighting of a candle or a chalice.
• Check-In: Participants share news of what has been happening in their lives. Each group develops its own customs as to the length of sharing. This portion of the meeting may expand from time to time when circumstances call for it.
• Topic/Discussion: A paragraph or two lays out a topic and presents questions that will elicit thoughtful discussion and significant reflection. A group may stay with a topic several weeks or be done in one evening.
• Check-Out: Likes and Wishes: This is an opportunity for feedback.
• Closing Words: This brings the formal session to and end. Groups are encouraged to start and end on time.