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Small Group Ministry Sessions

The top resource requested on our needs survey continues to be small group session plans. On this page you can find sessions that people like you have written and chosen to share with this community. Some of these sessions are posted on this site, others are links to other websites. The sessions below are posted in order of submission and in the format submitted.Thanks to all of you who have written and shared sessions!

Jump to sessions or scroll down.

How to submit sessions
Sessions for our small groups are the top resource UU's come to this site for. You need more sessions and so do all your fellow group leaders and participants. You may send sessions as MS Word, RTF, Simple Text or PDF files to us. Sessions are posted as they are submitted. Please identify your name, congregation and city/state.

Send sessions to:
office@smallgroupministry.net

Has your congregation contributed yet?
If you use sessions from this page please do your part and have your congregation share at lease one session per year. If every congregation accessing this page shares one session per year we will have a never ending source of sessions.

Didn't write it down?
A number of people have told me they have come up with sessions but not written them down. If this is the case, PLEASE take a moment to write up a draft of what you did. You can use this template. This draft can be posted and others can fine tune.

 

Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC) Small Group Resources
UUSC Covenant Group resources are focused on major UUSC program areas, such as civil liberties and the humanitarian crisis in Darfur. They are designed as modules of 4-8 sessions. The sessions follow the Small Group Ministry format. Each module or series includes a cover bulletin that explains the structure of a UUSC covenant group session and offers ideas to mobilize the group energy into action. These sessions offer a great opportunity for groups to engage more deeply with social justice issues and provide suggestions for group service projects.

UUSC Covenant Group resources

If copyrights are an issue...
Simply take out the reading and note in the session the readings you used and including author, title, page number, etc... Given the core of the session those using the session can get a copy of the book/source you used. Simple! Skinner House is very interested in people using excerpts in sessions. Contact them to get permissions - see their website's sgm page.

Rich Text FormatStewardship
Submitted by LaVerne Coan, Created for Roots and Wings Covenant Group Eno River Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Durham, NC

Rich Text FormatSmall Group Sessions from Glenn Turner
A new batch of sessions by the Rev. Glenn H. Turner.

Making Peace With Unhappiness

Punishment

A Snap Quiz – Part I

If You Could Invite 3 People…..

A Snap Quiz -- Part II

The Laws of God; The Laws of Man

Once Upon a Time

Being Alone

Being with Others

If You Were to Win the Lottery….

Thinking About Ill Fortune

Michelle Collins of the Towson UU Church, Lutherville, MD, shares these three sessions. Thanks Michelle!. .

Rich Text Format Circles of Community - Covenants

Rich Text Format Introductions - Our Spiritual Self-Portraits

Rich Text Format You're in Charge of Celebrations

Sessions from the Evergreen Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Marysville, Washington.

Eight Small Group Sessions from First Church Unitarian Universalist Leominster Mass. and the Rev. Susan Suchocki Brown. Thanks Susan!

"The Bucket List" Movie Session
By Peter Bowden. Need something fun to do with your group? See a movie and discuss it. Here is the first in what I hope is a series of Movie Sessions.

Session Topics Brainstorm
A list of ideas shared by users of this site.

Rich Text FormatSessions 1-6 of Jolinda Stephen's Radical Hospitality series.
By Jolinda Stephens, Director for Lifespan Religious Programming Unitarian Universalist Church of
the Monterey Peninsula. www.uure.org. Rich Text Format (RTF).

Session #1
Session #2
Session #3
Session #4

Session #5
Session #6

This batch of 12 sessions come courtesy of the Rev. Amy Bowden Freedman of Channing Church in Newport, RI. Amy and Peter Bowden married in April of 2004. Happy 3 year anniversary!

Rich Text Format Truth. By Bill Peresta. Channing Church, Newport, RI.

Rich Text Format Respect. Channing Church, Newport, RI.

Rich Text Format The First UU Principle. Channing Church, Newport, RI.

Rich Text Format Caring. By Rev. Amy Bowden Freedman.

Rich Text Format Creating Paradise. By Rev. Amy Bowden Freedman.

Rich Text Format Our Deep UU Source. By Rev. Amy Bowden Freedman.

Rich Text Format Engaging Our Theological Diversity. By Rev. Amy Bowden Freedman. Based on the UUA Commission on Appraisal's report Engaging Our Theological Diversity.

From the UUA Bookstore
Engaging Our Theological Diversity is an "in-depth commentary on the wide variety of Unitarian Universalist theological beliefs and the ways in which this diversity is a source of enrichment and conflict. Probes the questions: What is at the center of our faith? What holds us together as a community."

Rich Text Format Pilgrimage. Designed for use as last session before a Summer break. By Rev. Amy Bowden Freedman.

Rich Text Format Radical Hospitality. By Rev. Amy Bowden Freedman.

Rich Text Format Silence. By Rev. Amy Bowden Freedman.

Rich Text Format Spiritual Experiences . By Rev. Amy Bowden Freedman.

Rich Text Format Spiritual Growth. By Rev. Amy Bowden Freedman.

This set of three sessions come from Michelle Collins, Towson UU Church, Lutherville, MD. Posted 3/25/07.

Exploring Gandhi's Non-violence

Global Living: An Interconnected World

Radical Hospitality

 

External SiteNew Peacemaking Sessions from the UUA's Commission on Social Witness
Announcement submitted by Judy Morgan.Posted 2/10/07.

The Quality of Your Daily Life
By Mary Wolski, Unitarian Universalist Church of Flint, Michigan. Posted 1/9/07

Rich Text FormatSmall Group Sessions - GHT Vol. 1
24 sessions by the Rev. Glenn H. Turner. Session titles are listed below. Posted 9/16/06

EXPERIENCING YOUR VOCATION
WHAT IS MY FAITH IN THE FUTURE?
WHAT DO I BELIEVE ABOUT OTHERS?
WHAT AM I WILLING TO NOTICE IN MY WORLD?
LISTENING
BEYOND THE WORD “GOD” - ITS MEANING TO US
TRANSITIONS
ASK ME WHAT I’M LIVING FOR
POETRY
PROBLEMS AND GIFTS
RETREAT AND RENEWAL
TAKING TIME TO THINK
RECALLING CHILDHOOD
INTO ADULTHOOD
INTO OUR OWN - THE EXPERIENCE OF BEING ADULTS
THE COLORS OF OUR LIVES
STEREOTYPING
WORSHIP
WHO ARE WE?  WHAT ARE WE BECOMING?
“EXTENDED” FAMILY
“OPEN TO THE SKY OF THE ETERNAL”
RITUALS AND TRADITIONS
BRINGING TREASURES INTO OUR HOMES
SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES

20 Session series on "Ten Eternal Questions"
This zip file contains 20 sessions (in MS Word documents) by the Rev. Liz Stevens. These sessions are based on the book "Ten Eternal Questions" by Zoe Sallis.

To Live Deliberately
By Ruth Arellana. Posted 9/26.

Service - Living our Beliefs
Small Group Ministry team on Nantucket, MA. Posted 9/26.

Lent
By the Rev. Amy Freedman. Posted 9/26.

Skinner House Small Group Ministry Sessions
Skinner House has a small group ministry link on their main page. This will take you to a listing of their sessions. Skinner House invites you to write sessions based on Skinner House Books. Submit them to Skinner House and they will get necessary permissions and share via the web.

America's Original Sin
Skinner House Session Plan. Based on the book Soul Work: Anti-racist Theologies in Dialogue edited by Marjorie Bowens-Wheatley and Nancy Palmer Jones. Posted 5/4/05.

Change versus Foolish Consistency
Skinner House Session Plan. Based on the books Earth Bound: Daily Meditations for All Seasons by Brian Nelson and Questions for the Religious Journey by George Kimmich Beach. Posted 5/4/05.

Who Is Jesus to You?
Skinner House Session Plan. Based on the book Teacher, Guide, Companion: Rediscovering Jesus in a Secular World by Erik Walker Wikstrom.Posted 5/4/05.

Hurricane Katrina Sessions
Three session series by the Rev. Calvin O. Dame. Posted 9/8/5.
DOCTextPDF

Gossip
By Kara Sweeney, May 2005.Posted 5/4/05.

Sweet Bird of Paradox
Submitted by JoAnn Sager for Unitarian Universalist Church in Cherry Hill, NJ.Posted 4/13/05.

Marriage
By Kara Sweeney, March 2005.Posted 3/31/05.

The Power of Beliefs
Kara Sweeney, March 2005. Posted 3/31/05.

Belonging In Community
By Jan Locher of the Unitarian Universalist Society of Iowa City, Iowa. Posted 3/31/05.

The Seven Principles SGM Session Series
Posted on 3/31/05. By Judy Morgan. The Unitarian Universalist Church of Washington Crossing (UUCWC) conducted a remarkably successful program last year using small group ministry to focus on the Seven UU Principles. Comments from group members ranged from 'It was a wonderful chance to connect deeply with others' to 'Created a supportive place to share deeper reflections on values.' Several of the groups bonded closely and decided to keep meeting even after the end of the program.

Self Esteem
Posted on 3/31/05. By Patty Odom, Unitarian Universalist North Atlanta Metro.

On Following Your Bliss
Posted 2/24/05. By Stephen Schwichow, First UU Society of San Francisco.

"Hotel Earth" and Global Warming
Posted 2/17/2005 By Peter Bowden with the UUA Washington Office.

Fear
Posted 2/15/05. By Patty Odom, Unitarian Universalist North Atlanta Metro.

Adversity
Posted 2/15/05. By Patty Odom, Unitarian Universalist North Atlanta Metro.

Humor
Posted 2/15/05. By Frank M. Calabria, First Unitarian Society of Schenectady, NY.

Time Flies
Posted 2/15/05. By Sally Keene. SGM Coordinator for First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church in Kennebunk, Maine.

New Year's Resolution Dilemma
12/18/2004 By Tara Gross. Transition Coaching & Event Planning, LLC

Bending Toward Justice - Post Election Session
11/3/2004 Prepared by Peter Bowden, based on Rev. Bill Sinkford's November 3rd statement.

SGM Session - Conscience and Democracy (pdf)
William B. Hurlbut. Olney, MD

Session Compilations

UU Identity Session Series
A 10 session Covenant Group Guide for Young Adults on UU Identity by Kate Erslev.

First Unitarian Church of San Jose

The First Unitarian Society in Newton, MA

The UU Community Church of Augusta, ME sells a great book of sessions. See Calvin Dame's page on this site for more info.

Resources for worship in Small Groups

Hands by the Rev. Amy FreedmanHand Blessing by the Rev. Amy Bowden Freedman
Senior Minister, Channing Memorial Church.

Do you have worship resources you've developed for your groups? Share them with us!

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