Covenant Groups provide smaller church-based communities in ways that our Sunday services, coffee hours, and other gatherings may not. In a large church such as hours, covenant groups are one more way for you to connect with the community you seek.

With these smaller groups, we share our life stories, experiences and lessons learned, and become known.

The Covenants: The first covenant is that group members come together with the promise to honor and respect one another by listening, sharing and showing up. A second covenant is the commitment to generate new groups by gorwing, and dividing when the appropriate time arrives. A third covenant is the agreement to engage in service to the congregation and to the larger world on a regular basis.

The Group: 6-10 members. When a group reaches 12 members, it splits in half. In this way, groups are constantly forming and evolving. No group becomes a closed group.

Frequency: Groups preferably meet twice a month. Most meet in member homes, for two hours.

Leadership: Each group will have a contact person and, initially, a group facilitator. Leadership is shared amongst the members. All are responsible for facilitating the group format.

Format: Covenant groups begin with a check-in, where each person has a chance to speak briefly about his or her day, week, or situation in life at that moment. Following check-in, the chosen topic is introduced with a centering activity, generally in the form of a reading. A cand is lit. Individuals share relating to the topic. Shortly before closing time, each person is asked to say, in a word or phrase, how he or she is feeling as the meeting closes. There is a brief closing.

Examples of Topics:

• Your spiritual journey
• Forgiveness
• Learning from failure
• Respect
• Blessings

Here's what congregants are saying:

"I have made friends in my Covenant Group who now chat with me at coffee hour on Sunday morning . . . " - male, age 55

"The small group atmosphere is great, and I feel nurtured." - female, age 40

"I like thinking about the topic in advance. It challenges me to think on a deeper level, knowing I get to share my thoughts with others." - female, age 67

"Wow . . . In my Covenant Group, people listen to me without interruption." - male, age 38