Frequently Asked Questions About Small Groups
1. WHAT’S SMALL GROUP MINISTRY ABOUT?
The experience of many UU congregations is that that Small Group Ministry
helps create a vibrant and vital religious community by providing resources
in these four areas:
Worship: Worship is central to the life of our congregation. Small Group Ministry is intended not to replace, but to augment and strengthen that shared experience.
Community: Ministry Groups meet the need for connection and intimacy that is both a deep hunger in our society and essential to the ongoing life of a religious community.
Learning: People come to the church seeking spiritual growth, seeking to know themselves better, to grow into 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 health congregation needs to provide avenues through which we may serve.
2. WHO IS IN CHARGE OF SMALL GROUP MINISTRY? The minister is the most visible face directing our program, but she is not alone. A SGM Implementation Team planned the introduction of Small Group Ministry into the Congregation. The Board of the Congregation officially adopted their proposal. In doing so, the Board asked the minister to devote a portion of her time in helping to direct and coordinate SGM. Facilitators bring feedback and ideas to their meetings that help to guide the program. Additionally, there is a Steering Committee that meets with the minister to try to anticipate what we could be doing now so that the program will continue to be a strong part of our congregational life three, five or ten years from now.
3. WHAT HAPPENS AT AN SGM MEETING? The Ministry Group meetings are focused by a collection of sessions developed within our congregation, and with other congregations in the Northeast District. Topics include religious histories, spiritual practices,loneliness, fear, poetry, music and healing. Groups may choose their own order, direction and pace. The session Plans are simple:
Opening Words: Gather people in, help settle folks down, serve to remind Participants’ of the special opportunity of the gathering, and often reflect the topic of the evening. Some groups will light a Chalice as well.
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 or how to respond. This portion of the meeting may expand from time to time when circumstances call for it. (cont’d next page)
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 meeting.
Likes and Wishes: This is a positive format for feedback. Not every group will include this every time.
Closing Words: This brings the formal session to an end. Groups are encouraged to start and end on time.
4. WHERE DO THE GROUPS MEET? Each group decides whether to meet primarily in members homes or at the church. Some groups alternate with our alternating seasons.
5. HOW LONG DO MEETINGS LAST? Sessions are designed to be two hours long and by common consent most groups are respectful of the time.
6. WHAT IS THE ROLE OF THE MINISTER? The minister coordinates this ministry of the congregation. She helps to recruit and train facilitators, and meets with them each month to counsel and guide. She writes and edits the sessions that guide group meetings. She assigns new members to existing groups, recruits and trains new facilitators and develops new groups.
7. WHAT IS EXPECTED OF A MINISTRY GROUP PARTICIPANT? Participants are expected to bring a positive attitude, a willingness to share and to learn. What has emerged as the most important expectation that Participants have for one another is to give the agreed upon meetings a high priority. While no one can make every meeting, members make every effort to attend.
8. WHAT DOES THE FACILITATOR DO? The Small Group Ministry Facilitators facilitate the life of the group. They make sure the group begins and ends on time, or they delegate someone to do so. They remind people of the next meeting and contact group members who miss a meeting, or delegate someone to do so. During the meeting, they read from the Session plans and guide the discussion, or delegate someone to do so. They meet each month with the minister and other facilitators and help to maintain the connection between individual groups and the larger church.
9. WHO WILL KNOW WHAT I SAY? There is an expectation of confidentiality within groups. The level of comfort around confidentiality will vary within groups, so Participants’ are encouraged to review this expectation from time to time and to renew their covenant in regards to this. When there are significant pastoral concerns, a Facilitator may ask if they can share that concern with the minister.
10. HOW DOES SMALL GROUP MINISTRY GROW? We will always be in the process of forming new groups as people become interested in joining a group or as new people arrive. As new groups are formed, apprentices or experienced group members step forward to become facilitators for new groups. And, as the circumstances of people's lives change, the membership of a group may change from time to time. While it is sad to say goodbye, new members are warmly welcomed and expand the circle of connection.
11. IS SMALL GROUP MINISTRY THERAPY? No. While Participants’ in our groups often report feeling better connected and happier in their lives, SGM is not therapy. Professional therapy is readily available in our communities; we offer connection, reflection, community and spiritual growth.
12. HOW DOES THE IDEA OF SERVICE FIT IN? From the beginning of our planning, the idea of service has been woven into the fabric of Small Group Ministry. We ask that every group, over time, take on some kind of service in the church or in the community. This might be covering all the sign-up jobs on a Sunday Morning, adopting a family in need at Christmas or guiding a fundraiser during the church year. Service beyond the group is important for two reasons. First, it helps to offset the natural tendency of small, intimate groups to become self absorbed and disconnected, and second, because a necessary aspect of a growing spiritual life, a life of faith is service.
13. WHY CALL IT SMALL GROUP MINISTRY? Over the years, we at the Unitarian Universalist Community Church have come to envision the ministry of the congregation as being widely shared. The called and settled professional minister is an important component, certainly, but so is the ministry of the laity. The ministry of our religious community is the work of the whole community.
14. HOW OFTEN DO GROUPS MEET? Each group develops its own schedule; the most common pattern is to meet twice a month on a first and third or second and fourth week schedule. That makes scheduling easier and allows a three-week interval from time to time. Some groups choose every other week or once a month. Experience has shown that the most successful groups meet twice a month. Groups tend to meet less often through the summer and over holidays
15. HOW LONG WILL I BE IN A GROUP? The commitment to a group is open-ended. Experience has shown that people often stay in their group for years. And, for reasons of their own, other members leave from time to time. We have built an annual reassignment date into our program when everyone has a chance to recommit to the group they are in, or ask to join another group.
16. HOW DO I SIGN UP? Pick up a registration form, available from the Welcome Desk on Sunday mornings or from the church office. Return the form to the minister or to the office, or mail it to Emerson UUC, 7304 Jordan Ave , Canoga Park , CA 91303 .
