When I joined UUSM, my first Chalice Circle (then known as Heart to Heart) was essential to deepening my relationships with my fellow congregants and helping me to feel like I was part of the community. I enjoyed it so much that I joined two other circles after that one — each one furthered my connections to the community and nurtured my spirit.
— Eileen McCormack
Chalice Circles are small lay-led groups of eight to 10 people that meet monthly over time to deepen and expand the ministry of the church. Ministry is the act of caring and being present with another while supporting the spiritual, physical, and emotional well-being of the group participants.
Each group meets monthly from October through June and follows a curriculum based on monthly ministry themes we share with UU congregations throughout the US. Group members participate in a structured practice of deep listening and intimate sharing within a covenant of interaction.
Our covenant is an agreement of our way to be with each other, ground rules for our time together, and expectations for members of the group. We affirm it together at each meeting.
Our covenant
I commit myself
To give attendance at meeting a real priority knowing that my presence is important to the group.
To let the leader know if I will be absent or need to quit.
To share with the leader responsibility for good group process by watching how much time I take to speak and noticing what is going on for others.
To not gossip about what is shared in the group, and tell only my own story to others.
To honor the safety of the group by listening to what others share with an open heart.
To refrain from interrupting, judging, problem solving, or giving advice.
To commit to the work of intersectional anti-racism and anti-oppression together.
And to share as deeply as I can when it is my turn.
By meeting together over time, being willing to share deeply from the heart and the soul, and by listening with an open heart we deepen our awareness of our own lives and hold with care the lives of others. The focus of the groups is on meaning and significance rather than on details, information, and outcome.
Three Chalice Circles begin in October. The meeting times and facilitators are:
- Liliana Stansbury first Tuesdays starts October 6 at 7:00PM on Zoom
- Bettye Barclay third Wednesdays starts October 21 at 7:00PM on Zoom
- Anne Bridgins and Brian Kenyon third Thursdays starts October 22 at 7:00PM on Zoom
Mini drop-in chalice circles after church 12:00 to 1:00PM on Second Sundays will be held on October 11, November 8, and December 13. Meetings will be held in Cottage Southeast. These 1 hour sessions do not require an ongoing commitment and will have rotating facilitators. If successful, we’d like to offer these into the new year.
We would like to offer additional Chalice Circles as needed. If you are interested in facilitating or co-facilitating, either in person or on zoom, please let us know.
For information or to register for a Chalice Circle please contact ChaliceCircles@uusm.org
