|
Covenant Groups
The program of Covenant Groups at First Unitarian Church is a way to enrich church life by providing a welcoming small-group setting for discussion and ideas. If you imagine First Unitarian Church as a tree, it has roots—the history of the church and the Unitarian Universalist movement—and many branches. Covenant Groups are a unique kind of branch on the church's tree. Covenant Groups are small groups who meet on a regular basis to discuss spiritual matters and members' spiritual journeys. The facilitators of covenant groups have undergone training in guiding the structured discussions held at meetings. Many participants in covenant groups have found that their meetings provide a unique experience different from that found in Sunday services, coffee hour, or other church activities. Our vision is that Covenant Groups will strengthen the connections that participants have to First Unitarian Church, to one another, and to the wider community, as they enrich the spiritual lives of all involved. The mission of Covenant Groups is to provide a structured context for small groups of people to conduct extended spiritual conversations, and interact on their spiritual journeys, as they enrich First Unitarian Church and the wider community. Covenant Groups are widespread today in the Unitarian Universalist movement, and are similar in some ways to home church groups and bible study groups. Each group creates its own "covenant," determining its norms and expectations. Covenants include commitments to listen to each other deeply, as well as to share spiritual journeys with the group in some way. The groups usually consist of 8-10 people, meeting at least once a month and more often if they wish. The meetings follow a common format guided by a facilitator: They have an opening ritual or reading, a brief personal "check-in" about what is going on in everyone's life, a focus discussion topic or activity, a "checkout," and a closing ritual or reading. In addition, groups promise to do two communal service projects per year for the church, or representing the church in the wider St. Louis community. Groups generally agree to meet for at least six to twelve months, and commit to generate new groups over time by growing and dividing. In churches where covenant groups have been most successful, many groups have existed over time with shifting membership. Covenant groups help to strengthen all of the other aspects of church life by building new networks of friendships and helping newcomers find a place in the church. If you are interested and would like to know more about covenant groups, please contact Kathy, Covenant Group Coordinator, at
with any questions you may have about it or to find out how you can get involved.
|
|
|
|
