Transcript Working Title - First Unitarian Church of San Jose

SMALL GROUP MINISTRY
FIRST UNITARIAN CHURCH OF SAN JOSE
Creating Intentional MINISTRY in Small Group
Ministry
Presented at General Assembly
June 2003
By
First Unitarian Church of San José
Small Group Ministry Council
-----------------------------------------------------A vision without a task is dream
A task without a vision is a drudgery
But a vision with a task can change the world
-- Black Elk
Preliminaries
SMALL GROUP MINISTRY
FIRST UNITARIAN CHURCH OF SAN JOSE
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Workshop timing
Order of Worship
Chalice lighting
Opening reading
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Who are we?
SMALL GROUP MINISTRY
FIRST UNITARIAN CHURCH OF SAN JOSE
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First Unitarian Church of San Jose
Small Group Ministry Council
Rev. Lilia Cuervo
Jennie Larson
Ed Massey
Bob Miess
Bob Owen
Julia Rodriguez -- Chair
06/27/03
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Who are we?
SMALL GROUP MINISTRY
FIRST UNITARIAN CHURCH OF SAN JOSE
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First Unitarian Church of San Jose
Small Group Ministry Council
Rev. Lilia Cuervo
Jennie Larson
Ed Massey
Bob Miess 
Bob Owen
Julia Rodriguez -- Chair 
06/27/03
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What might you gain from this
workshop?
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SMALL GROUP MINISTRY
FIRST UNITARIAN CHURCH OF SAN JOSE
Awareness
Ideas
Encouragement
Inspiration
Intention
Why high-quality content is so important
Content samples
Web-based content resources
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Why would you want to have
small groups?
SMALL GROUP MINISTRY
FIRST UNITARIAN CHURCH OF SAN JOSE
Goals of SGM at First Unitarian of San Jose
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Draw us into mutual ministry
Strengthen our congregation
Deepen our understanding of UU principles & values
Continuously develop lay leadership
Challenge us to action & spiritual growth
Express our principles & values in the community
Help members identify their own calling & expression
of lay ministry
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How would you organize to
support small groups?
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© First Unitarian Church of San Jose 2003
SMALL GROUP MINISTRY
FIRST UNITARIAN CHURCH OF SAN JOSE
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How would you organize to
support small groups?
SMALL GROUP MINISTRY
FIRST UNITARIAN CHURCH OF SAN JOSE
Small Groups
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How would you organize to
support small groups?
SMALL GROUP MINISTRY
FIRST UNITARIAN CHURCH OF SAN JOSE
Small Groups
SGM Council
Leadership
06/27/03
Membership
Content
© First Unitarian Church of San Jose 2003
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How would you organize to
support small groups?
SMALL GROUP MINISTRY
FIRST UNITARIAN CHURCH OF SAN JOSE
Small Groups
Leaders
SGM Council
Leadership
06/27/03
Membership
Content
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How would you organize to
support small groups?
SMALL GROUP MINISTRY
FIRST UNITARIAN CHURCH OF SAN JOSE
Small Groups
Leaders
SGM Council
Leadership
Membership
Content
Ministers
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What key roles would be
needed for this organization?
SMALL GROUP MINISTRY
FIRST UNITARIAN CHURCH OF SAN JOSE
 Group Member
 Group Leader (two per group)
 Small Group Ministry Council Member
– Leadership team lead
– Membership team lead
– Content team lead
 SGM Support Team Member
– Leadership team member
– Membership team member
– Content team member
 Minister
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What would you want the
groups to be like?
SMALL GROUP MINISTRY
FIRST UNITARIAN CHURCH OF SAN JOSE
 6-12 Members
 Meet first & third weeks of each month, 1 ½ or 2 hours
 Worshipful experience, guided by content, based on questions
distributed before the meeting
 In place of the sermon is sharing our stories in context of deep listening
 Topics sometimes synchronized with Sunday Services
 Service to the church and the community encouraged
 Vessels for mutual support of spiritual growth
 Right to reticence
 Confidentiality
 Not all group members are church members
 Open Chair
 Birthing
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What would you have the
leaders do?
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SMALL GROUP MINISTRY
FIRST UNITARIAN CHURCH OF SAN JOSE
Act as local representative of the lay ministry of
our church
Express and model the goals and purposes of
the SGM
Assemble the group
Facilitate the group processes
Bring wider context of the church community
Connect ministers with those who have special
needs beyond the resources of the group
Mentor one another and future leaders
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What should group leaders be
disallowed from doing?
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FIRST UNITARIAN CHURCH OF SAN JOSE
Allow the group to function as a therapy session.
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SMALL GROUP MINISTRY
Groups should not focus on advice giving
Groups should not focus on personal problem solving
Promote philosophies that are contrary to UU
principles and values.
Allow disrespectful behavior within the group.
Use the group as a platform for the leader’s own
perspective.
Dominate the group.
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How would you support the
group leaders?
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SMALL GROUP MINISTRY
FIRST UNITARIAN CHURCH OF SAN JOSE
Initial training (one day)
Monthly Leadership Gatherings
Personal mentoring/support by the
Leadership Team
Electronic group/website
Content for sessions
SGM FAQ
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What is the Monthly
Leadership Gathering?
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SMALL GROUP MINISTRY
FIRST UNITARIAN CHURCH OF SAN JOSE
All leaders gather once each month
(second Wednesday evening, 2 hours)
Worship, announcements, training, and
mutual support
Our leaders report that this is one of the
best parts of being a leader
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What would role would the
clergy play?
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SMALL GROUP MINISTRY
FIRST UNITARIAN CHURCH OF SAN JOSE
This is a lay extension of the ministry of the clergy (Multiplication of ministry)
Develop Lay Leadership
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Create and sustain a context in which lay ministry can flourish
Help establish and maintain this ministry
Guide and inspire the lay leaders, including the Small Group Ministry Council, the
Leadership team, the Content Team, the Membership team, and the group
leaders
Lead the Leadership Team in the selection and support of group leaders
Lead the training of group leaders
Lead the Monthly Leadership Gatherings
Assist the Content Team in the development of appropriate, relevant, and
inspiring content
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Minister to the Congregation
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Maintain connections between the Small Group Ministry and the other ministries
of the congregation
Respond to the needs of people identified by group leaders
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Why is content so
important?
SMALL GROUP MINISTRY
FIRST UNITARIAN CHURCH OF SAN JOSE
“Quality content makes Small Group
Ministries worth going to.” --Julia Rodriguez
Keeps small groups interesting
Strengthens group bonds
Enriches lay ministry
Provides a strong spiritual experience
Enables growth of SGM
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What do we try to
accomplish with content?
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SMALL GROUP MINISTRY
FIRST UNITARIAN CHURCH OF SAN JOSE
Encourage spiritual growth
Maintain a worshipful approach
Enable us to minister to each other
Promote all-church conversations
Acknowledge milestones
Facilitate important transitions
Educate about UU principles
Strengthen bonds to the church
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What types of sessions
do we offer?
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SMALL GROUP MINISTRY
FIRST UNITARIAN CHURCH OF SAN JOSE
General
Seasonal
Milestones
Life Rituals
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Encouraging Mutual Ministry
SMALL GROUP MINISTRY
FIRST UNITARIAN CHURCH OF SAN JOSE
Life Rituals
 Acknowledge the good and bad times of
individual members of group
 20 minute ritual
 Used before or after the regular content for
the day
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Does every group do the
same session at the same time?
SMALL GROUP MINISTRY
FIRST UNITARIAN CHURCH OF SAN JOSE
“If you ask three Unitarians a question,
you’ll get five answers.”
Anonymous
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What’s in a session’s content?
SMALL GROUP MINISTRY
FIRST UNITARIAN CHURCH OF SAN JOSE
 Order of Worship
 Preparation
 Leader Notes
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What’s in an
Order of Worship?
SMALL GROUP MINISTRY
FIRST UNITARIAN CHURCH OF SAN JOSE
“When I am working on a problem,
I never think about beauty. I only think
about how to solve the problem.
But when I have finished,
if the solution is not beautiful,
I know it is wrong.”
Buckminster Fuller
06/27/03
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What kind of sharing
do we include?
SMALL GROUP MINISTRY
FIRST UNITARIAN CHURCH OF SAN JOSE
“If I had my life to live over…
I would have talked less and listened more.” Erma Bombeck
“Knowledge speaks, but wisdom listens.” Jimi Hendrix
Sharing/Deep Listening
Discussion
Feedback
Exploration
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How do you encourage
deeper sharing?
SMALL GROUP MINISTRY
FIRST UNITARIAN CHURCH OF SAN JOSE
“If someone listens, or stretches out a hand,
or whispers a kind word of encouragement,
or attempts to understand a lonely person,
extraordinary things begin to happen.”
Loretta Girzartis
06/27/03
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What’s the value of
Preparation?
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SMALL GROUP MINISTRY
FIRST UNITARIAN CHURCH OF SAN JOSE
Open-ended, provocative questions
Promotes thinking in advance
Creates an ongoing spiritual practice
Enriches the sharing experience
Suggests different approaches
Helps reluctant speakers
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Why do we need
Leader Notes?
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SMALL GROUP MINISTRY
FIRST UNITARIAN CHURCH OF SAN JOSE
Enables leaders to lead
Reminds them of their ministry
Prepares for a smooth session
Provides background, training,
& resources
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Why do we have a
content team?
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SMALL GROUP MINISTRY
FIRST UNITARIAN CHURCH OF SAN JOSE
High level of commitment & experience
Quality assurance & consistency
All-church conversations
Ministerial support
Leader support
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Can we “share the wealth”?
SMALL GROUP MINISTRY
FIRST UNITARIAN CHURCH OF SAN JOSE
San José SGM web site:
http://pages.ivillage.com/quixoposto/sanjosesmallgroupministry
Content website:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/uusj-sgm-leaders/files
Content team email:
[email protected]
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What challenges might you
expect to face?
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SMALL GROUP MINISTRY
FIRST UNITARIAN CHURCH OF SAN JOSE
Birthing
Rapid incorporation of new group members
Growing the structure for more groups
Affinity groups
Small groups do not meet all needs
Evaluation still being refined
Content:
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Dealing with complex, educational topics
Coordinating with our Worship calendar
Encouraging more participation
Copyright issues
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Where is the San Jose Church’s
Small Group Ministry now?
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SMALL GROUP MINISTRY
FIRST UNITARIAN CHURCH OF SAN JOSE
Started with 8 groups
12 groups and growing
– Three women’s groups
– One “Twenties & Thirties” group
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About 120 participants
Members finding this a rich environment
for their own spiritual sustenance and
growth
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How long does it take to establish
a Small Group Ministry?
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© First Unitarian Church of San Jose 2003
SMALL GROUP MINISTRY
FIRST UNITARIAN CHURCH OF SAN JOSE
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How long does it take to establish
a Small Group Ministry?
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© First Unitarian Church of San Jose 2003
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FIRST UNITARIAN CHURCH OF SAN JOSE
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Closing
SMALL GROUP MINISTRY
FIRST UNITARIAN CHURCH OF SAN JOSE
“Only out of our lives together as people do
patterns of worship or programs for teaching
or outreach make sense.”
Maria Harris
“The central task of the religious community
is to unveil the bonds that bind each to all.”
Mark Morrison-Reed
06/27/03
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Q&A
SMALL GROUP MINISTRY
FIRST UNITARIAN CHURCH OF SAN JOSE
“Judge a man [sic] by his questions,
rather than his answers.”
Voltaire
06/27/03
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