Small Group Ministry
“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
Small Group Ministry Circles are intentional, lay-led small groups that deepen and expand the ministry of the congregation. They are a more intimate place to get to know one another at the same time as providing the opportunity to explore meaningful topics with other members of our community. Small Group Ministry helps build community connections and provide opportunities for deeper relationships and for deeper spiritual exploration and search for meaning.
In addition to Small Group Ministry, there are many other enriching offerings for members of the church, including Contemplative Practice, Adult Religious Explorations, Community/Fellowship, and Music/Art/Culture.
Current Groups
Circle of Women
The Circle of Women meets the second and fourth Tuesdays at 10 am. We aim to develop a warm nurturing circle of trust where we can share ourselves and our lives.
Small Group Ministry Circles
Offered periodically, as the interests of members and facilitators dictate, meeting at different times, weekly or twice monthly, depending on the preference of the group, for an hour and a half. Prior circles have considered topics ranging from world religions to more personal topics such as friendship, community, nature, etc. Often we will delve into the theme of the previous Sunday sermon. We invite you to join us.
Mutuality Circle
Mutuality Circles are associated with integral spirituality and Waking Down in Mutuality. “Waking Down” is focused on embracing our humanness and our divine nature as one in the same. Our mutuality circle practices radical acceptance, bringing deep listening and kindness to each other where there might have been pressure to change or be different.
New Member Covenant Group
These are Small Group Ministry Circles for new members, six sessions of 1-2 hours, at a time convenient to the participants, exploring the meaning of membership in a religious community like UUMAN. We discuss what these words mean to us: religious community, faith, transformaitve growth, worship, justice, and truth.
Geography of Grace: A Parker Palmer Circle of Trust Program
Based on the pioneering work of Dr. Parker Palmer, a process called the Circle of Trust® approach has been developed through the Center for Courage and Renewal to create spaces that are safe for honest sharing and self-discovery. Geography of Grace is a special Circle of Trust program developed to introduce this work as part of Small Group Ministry programs in congregations. Themes from geography and nature will serve as metaphors for the inner life.
Please consider joining us if you want to explore issues related to living more authentically from your values, deepening your interpersonal relationships, improving the quality of your communications, building vibrant community, and pursuing meaningful spiritual growth. This program includes group dialogue, the asking of open-ended, value-neutral questions, guided meditation, journaling, and other interactive exercises, as well as poetry, stories, music and art to help invoke “grace” – the gift of insight.
This is a 12 week program, usually offered in two six week modules.