Adventures in Small Group Ministry

New Covenant Group News blog

Peter Bowden — Thu, 04 Jan 2007 19:22:00 +0000

I'm establishing a "blog version" of the popular Covenant Group News e-newsletter. This blog will be a place for me and other UU Small Group Ministry collaborators to post news as we find it. The edited contents of this blog will be shared via the CGNews e-newsletter.

You can subscribe to the blog feed here
http://feeds.feedburner.com/CovenantGroupNews

You can view the CGNews blog on the UU SGM Network Site at
http://www.smallgroupministry.net/cgnews

Subscribe to the email form of CGNews
http://www.smallgroupministry.net/cgnews/about.html

Evensong for Families

Peter Bowden — Sat, 25 Nov 2006 16:36:00 +0000

Written by Barbara Hamilton-Holway, Evensong for Families is an eight-week series of gatherings for families using the format of the very popular "Evensong" gatherings.

For those of you interested in small group ministry with families or intergenerational groups, this is a great place to start!

Purchase from UUA Bookstore

This new addition to the Evensong series offers weekly worship gatherings to foster communication within families and church communities. Ninety minutes long, the 8 gatherings are ideal for 5 families, depending on size, or groups of 20. The orders of service, which can be photocopied for participants, include singing, readings and discussion suggestions. (Skinner House) 2006. 80 pp.

Gatherings: small group ministry for men

Peter Bowden — Sat, 25 Nov 2006 16:30:00 +0000

Written by Tony Bushman and Bill Hamilton-Holway, Gatherings is an eight session small group ministry series for men.

Purchase from UUA Bookstore

Following the Evensong model of worship for small groups, this program provides a supportive group setting for men. The 8 worship gatherings are 120 minutes long and include singing, reading and discussion suggestions. The 64-page booklet is designed to be used by leaders and participants. Bushman has led men's groups for over 25 years and Hamilton-Holway is co-minister at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Berkeley, CA. (Skinner House) 2006. 64 pp.

The UU SGM Network is Evolving

Peter Bowden — Sat, 25 Nov 2006 16:27:00 +0000

At the November 15, 2006 meeting of the UU SGM Network board it was determined that we will no longer restrict online access to the SGM Quarterly, our member journal. Until this time only members have been able to access electronic copies of the Quarterly.

We feel that our movement needs the resources we are developing and that keeping our best articles locked in a member area isn't serving our movement. We believe that as we make our resources more readily available more of you will join our network, make donations to support our work and ministry, and get involved with our efforts. Members of our network will continue to receive The SGM Quarterly in the mail.

In addition to seeking more members, we will be inviting congregations presently giving their Sunday collection away monthly or seasonally -- a growing practice -- to selecting our network as a recipient once each year.

Please note that while the formation of our network was initially funded by Unitarian Universalist Funding Program, we receive no other support from the UUA. We rely on the generosity of you and your congregation. As the fastest growing ministry in our movement, there is much to be done to support Small Group Ministry. Thank you for your continued support.

Not a member yet? Support small group ministry, join the UU SGM Network!

An Interview with the Rev. Glenn Turner -- SGM history, what we're missing, outreach, diversity, healing and more...

Peter Bowden — Sat, 18 Nov 2006 06:10:00 +0000

Purchase the CD / Learn More

Unlike the recordings you get from workshops at GA, I've broken this one down into tracks by topic. One great coversation, 15 relevant tracks. ENJOY!

You can listen to clips of each track here.

Know a UU lay leader or minister you'd like me to interview?
Let me know.

The first disc in my small group ministry audio series is now available. On November 15th I interviewed the Rev. Glenn Turner. Glenn is one of the pioneers of small group ministry in the Unitarian Universalist Association. He is the one who introduced both Calvin Dame and Bob Hill to the concept. He has also spent years teaching congregations how to design and launch small group ministries.

During this interview we cover everything from how he came to be an advocate for this ministry, to outreach, growth and diversity issues, and why it is that we might need to heal more as a faith before we can tackle some of the big issues on our plate.

It is my hope that this CD will preserve some of our history and encourage some of our congregations (maybe even the UUA Board/Staff) to use this ministry to take our movement to the next level. We're only scratching the surface of what we can do with this ministry.

Purchase the CD / Learn More

All profits fund my efforts as a freelance UU change agent and the further development of my UU media studio.

October 3rd - Teleseminars on Small Group Ministry

Peter Bowden — Tue, 26 Sep 2006 21:40:00 +0000

On October 3rd I will be leading the first set of Fall teleseminars. This series is on topics related to Small Group Ministry, UU Evangelism, Leadership Development, and growing our movement. Why offer teleseminars? So Unitarian Universalists across the US to have access the trainings I offer locally, have access to affordable consulting/ministry support in these areas, and so visionary UU's can take a bold step together.

Each seminar is limited to a small group of participants (ten max) and may be paid for by PayPal or via check.
Read more about this series and the schedule for October 3rd.http://www.uuplanet.com/teleseminar.html

CLICK HERE to sign up for future teleseminar announcements. This will take you to the UU PLANET E-newsletter sign-up page. If you would like to receive information on teleseminars ONLY please check that box.

Have an idea for a seminar? Let me know.
http://www.uuplanet.com/contact.html

Hope you'll join me on one of these calls.
Peter

Peter Freedman Bowden
UU PLANET Ministry and Media
http://www.uuplanet.com

Teleseminar: Models for Coaching UU Small Group Ministry Leaders

Peter Bowden — Tue, 26 Sep 2006 21:26:00 +0000

Details on 1 of 3 teleseminars I am offering on October 3rd. More to come.

Title: Models for Coaching UU Small Group Ministry Leaders

Call time:
Tuesday, October 3, 2006
11 AM Eastern
10 AM Central
9 AM Mountain
8 AM Pacific
Call will run 1 hour

Registration: Open to UU ministers, lay coaches and small-group ministry program coordinators.

The most common model for supporting small-group ministry and covenant group facilitators is a minister meeting with facilitators monthly. This is only part of a more comprehensive model for supporting groups and leaders. The full "facilitator support" picture is often lost in UU translation.

This seminar will present those models which initially inspired our small-group revolution, including the role of ministers, lay coaches and mentoring relationships.
Understanding the role of coaching is essential to successfully cultivating leadership, building a culture of mutual ministry and growing a larger group system.

Seminar Cost: $30

# Participants: Maximum of 10

Registration Code:
103A (October, 3, Call A)
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR THIS CALL

Registration process: Clicking the link above will open your email program and format an email with the date, call time and subject. Simply send this message. Upon receipt of your message I will verify that a space is available and then send you a PayPal invoice for your registration fee via email. Your registration will be complete upon payment. If you would like to pay by check simply notify me following receipt of your invoice. If you have trouble with the link above simply email the registration code to me at Peter@uuplanet.com.

Tele-Seminars on Small Group Ministry.

Peter Bowden — Fri, 11 Aug 2006 17:36:00 +0000

I am preparing a series of conference call based seminars for the Fall. These will be an opportunity for a handful of ministers (or lay leaders) to explore and discuss a highly focused topic related to Small Group Ministry.

Each call will look something like this -- I'll introduce the participants (based on registration), introduce the topic, offer a brief presentation on this topic (or have a guest presenter), facilitate a discussion and then end with a Q&A session.

Features will include
Toll-Free Dial-in Number
Participant access to downloadable recording of call

I'm starting to map out the seminar topics for the early Fall and times that will work for people in all time zones.

So topics include
Models for Coaching UU Small Group Ministry Leaders
The Role of vision casting and the minister in keeping groups healthy, open, and growing
Small groups and UU evangelism/a relational growth strategy
Advanced Small Group Ministry trouble shooting

I would love suggestions on topics and your ideal call time. Ministers, what works for you? 9am Central? I want to know. What about lay leaders? A lunch call? Late night? 10PM?

Interested in hosting a tele-seminar? If you work with me to identify a topic of interest to you and help fill it, I'll waive your registration free.

Let me know your ideas.
Your partner in Small Group Ministry,

Peter Freedman Bowden
UU PLANET Ministry & Media
www.uuplanet.com
Office (401) 855-0037
peter@uuplanet.com

Ready to Get Dangerous with Small Group Ministry?

Peter Bowden — Fri, 14 Jul 2006 11:56:00 +0000

UU Small Group Ministry leaders,

This August the UU Small Group Ministry Network is offering a weeklong Small Group Ministry conference at Ferry Beach. We offered this last year and it was a huge success. This is an opportunity for visionary and passionate UU's of the Small Group kind (SGM leaders, coordinators, ministers, lay coaches, etc...) to celebrate this ministry, learn new techniques, explore new dimensions in small group ministry and covenant groups, for us all to review the essentials for SGM health, growth and transformation and much more. Sounds fun, doesn't it?

Register on-line at www.ferrybeach.org

Whether your group ministry is just getting started or well under way, I'd like to personally invite you to join us for this exiting week. Come and share your passion, learning, questions and vision for our faith and this powerful ministry.

Why am I so excited for this week?

For me, its about us working together to figure out how to realize our potential, both individually, as congregations, and a religious movement. I'm looking forward to talking to you about taking our movement to the next level. My passion is sharing our faith, doing faith development and spiritual growth via ministry in groups, and turning our small group ministries into leadership (and ministry) development machines.

Have you noticed the buzz around growth?

Our congregations, the UUA Board of Trustees, UUA Staff -- seems like they are all talking growth these days. And remember the call a while back for us to "GET DANGEROUS" -- you know, the story about a top Mormon leader saying if we knew how to retain newcomers as well as they do we'd be the most dangerous church in America? For me, Small Group Ministry is the means by which we can accomplish this.

Take a look at this. The following is the Rev. Bill Sinkford's conclusion from his "The most dangerous church in America" UU World column:

How can we become the most dangerous church in America? We can stand up in
the public square and consistently and clearly voice our commitment to the
inherent worth and dignity of every person and our commitment to a world
community with peace, justice, and liberty for all. We can take action inspired
by these commitments. We can offer visitors to our congregations a liberal
religious home, a sanctuary from the uncertainty and isolation that may have
brought them to our doors, a community that will help them develop spiritually
and grow emotionally—and as we do, they will stay with us...

If you look at faith communities that are THRIVING, they know how to do their ministry via small groups. You can't retain masses of people without doing church in groups. SO, in my opinion the only way we’re going to thrive long term as a movement and realize our potential is if we MASTER accomplishing our work and ministry via intentional group ministries.

I hope you'll seriously consider mobilizing someone from your congregation to join us for this very special week.

In faith,

Peter Freedman Bowden

====================
Ferry Beach Small Group Ministry Week
A.K.A. the UU SGM Network Summer Institute
August 12 - August 18, 2006Ferry Beach, UU Conference CenterSaco, Maine

Register on-line at www.ferrybeach.org
====================

Additional facilitators needed for GA Covenant Groups

Peter Bowden — Wed, 14 Jun 2006 18:36:00 +0000

This year there will once again be covenant groups at our General Assembly conference. Even better, this time there is a designated time slot for them. No more nomadic groups in search of free hotel lounge space!

Anyhow, the GA Covenant Group program needs some additional facilitators. The following comes from the GA Covenant Group Coordinator, the Rev. Connie Grant.

-Peter

GROUP FACILITATORS NEEDED

Are you willing to help enhance the General Assembly experience for six to eight other attendees (as well as for yourself)? Facilitators are still needed for Covenant Groups at General Assembly. If you have facilitated a Covenant Group (or Small Group Ministry by whatever name) for one year or more in your home congregation, you are eligible.

Facilitator training will be held on Wednesday, June 21, 1:30 – 2:30 pm.

Covenant Groups will meet in assigned rooms at these four times:

Thursday, June 22 11:15 am – 12:45 pm
Friday, June 23 12:30 pm – 2:00 pm
Saturday, June 24 12:30 pm – 2:00 pm
Sunday, June 25 8:00 am – 9:15 am

There will also be a debriefing and celebration for facilitators (with hors d’oeuvres) on Sunday, June 25, 6:15 – 7:45 pm (attendance at this event is encouraged, but not required).

Please email GACovenantGroups@aol.com with the following information:

Name:
Email address:
Home Phone:
Cell Phone:
Congregation:

Please include the name and email of minister or primary organizer of the Covenant Groups in your congregation.

Minister/Coordinator Name:
Minister/Coordinator Email address:

Please contact the Rev. Connie Grant at (216) 751-2320 ext 29 or GACovenantGroups@aol.com with any questions.

Thanks for your help in sharing the Small Group Ministry experience.

Join me this Summer! TWO CHOICES

Peter Bowden — Thu, 25 May 2006 18:05:00 +0000

Friends,

Are you one of the lucky people with time off over the summer? Vacation, Study Leave, Retirement? If so, join me this summer at one of the two conferences I will be attending.

This Summer I will be one of the leaders at

1. The UU Small Group Ministry Network Summer Institute at Ferry Beach
At the SGM week I'll be one of a handful of conference leaders. This is a great time to take your small group minsitry to the next level (or learn how to start one right).

and

2. The Star Island Religious Education week
I will be leading (provided registration is sufficient) a workshop for young adults and leaders working with YA's. It is called "SUPERSIZE THIS! A Young Adult workshop on engaged spirituality, leadership and community." Note that THANDEKA, popular theologian, speaker on "Affect Theology" and president of the Center For Community Values (CCV) will be the theme speaker. My workshop will meet each morning of the week. Casual porch time with me to follow!

Here is the "SUPERSIZE THIS" workshop in a nutshell:

Everything our faith has to offer, young adults are ready for more of it.
Aren't you? During this week we're going to take Unitarian Universalism to the
next level. We'll start with an honest UU reality check, looking at the
assumptions, structures, language/terms that congregations have been using to
operate. After identifying what we think has been, we’re going to challenge the
status quo! Drawing on wisdom from small group ministry, life coaching and other
sources we will look at new ways of doing spiritual growth, leadership
development and community building.Topics will include spiritual leadership in
group ministries, covenants and group health, peer spiritual direction and
coaching, weaving spiritual disciplines into group life, cultivating
relationships that matter, and techniques for sharing our faiths with those who
are hungry for it.

As for the Small Group Ministry week, check out the Ferry Beach website for more information. www.ferrybeach.org and the Ferry Beach page of the UU SGM NETWORK.

If you know of anyone with time off over the Summer who might have interest in either of these, please forward this to them. I'm trying to help get PR out for both of these events.

UU BLOGGERS: Cross-Blog-Pollination of these events much appreciated!

Thanks,
Peter

PS-- Questions about either event? Email me at peter@uuplanet.com

Peter Freedman Bowden
Director, UU PLANET Ministries
Online at www.uuplanet.com

Evaluating Small Group Ministries & Covenant Groups

Peter Bowden — Mon, 22 May 2006 22:56:00 +0000

Earlier this month I asked Covenant Group News readers to share how they evaluate their small group ministries. I have compiled the responses on our website. Note that my question was in response to a visitor to our website asking if we had any evaluation forms. At that time we did not. Thanks to all of you, we now have over a dozen evaluation forms! A special thanks to Ray for asking the question and to all who responded.

The URL of the compilation is:
http://smallgroupministry.net/public/evaluation.html

Here are a few thoughts on evaluations from my conversation with readers who wrote in.

Facilitator Meetings Many congregations have group leaders meet with lay coaches and/or their minister(s) for ongoing training and support. This is a great way to keep groups focused, to share feedback, and do skill training. One reader asked if they needed to have formal evaluations in addition to these meetings.

Facilitator meetings are great for giving facilitators a chance to share their sense of how things are going. But a facilitator’s perception may not always be accurate. If you want to know what group members think about their group, ask them. Chances are they will appreciate it.

Exit Interviews?
Considering the work congregations put into getting people INTO groups, I’ve been amazed at how few congregations follow up when people leave. When there is a problem with a group, if it is left unidentified and unresolved, it is common for people to drop out.

It is worth noting that many people leave groups because they think the group they were in was the only kind there is. “I tried Small Group Ministry and I didn’t like it.” If you have a program with multiple groups meeting with the same purpose (homogenous groups) a participant might think they are all the same. Every single group in your church is different.

Once when I was guest preaching I spoke with a man during coffee hour. He tried a group and didn’t like it. I followed up. “What didn’t you like about it?” I don’t know what was scarier, his group experience or the fact that he thought this was what small group ministry was meant to be like! After a five minute chat he was ready to give it another try.

Feedback in Groups
Many groups have a time for "Likes and Wishes" at the end of each session. This is a form of group process check. Some groups do this each session, others periodically, some never. If you give participants an opportunity to evaluate the group DURING the group time, consider the following from sales and marketing expert Harry Beckwith:

A basic principle in life applies to surveying… Even your best friends
won’t tell you, but they will talk behind your back.

Could this possibly be true for Unitarian Universalists? Shocking! You better believe it.

Keep in mind that asking for feedback is also a sign of respect and shows that we care. Beckwith notes that when we ask for an opinion it shows that we value that person’s opinion. We should all feel that our church values our opinion.

Other Feedback
While evaluations can identify problems or challenges, they can also highlight what you are doing well. Except for a handful of congregations, Small Group Ministry is NEW FOR ALL OF US. We should be learning what works, what doesn't, and strive to develop this ministry to the best of our ability. The only way to do this is to communicate with group leaders, participants, and even those who have yet to join a group.

Years Later…
When you evaluate your program consider checking in with your larger community. What's the understanding of small group ministry among those who are not in groups? Three years after your initial SGM launch do people still get it? Many congregations allow their Small Group Ministries to slowly fade into the background year by year. It is not easy keeping SGM front and center. When you ask non-participants what they know about this ministry it communicates to them that it is something important. It also lets you know how well you are educating members about your groups.

Excerpted from CGNews #84 (PDF)

PS: SGM = HARD WORK
It takes HARD WORK to maintain a healthy and growing Small Group Ministry. I've talked to some religious professionals who haven't evaluated their SGM formally because they know it isn't where it should be or it has lost focus or hasn't received their attention. If this is the case for you consider evaluating your SGM and use the feedback as an opportunity to work with your board and committee on ministry to prioritze what your congregation is doing. The large churches in other denominations that grow as a result of SGM prioritize it above other "programs." If you don't have time for SGM maybe you can work with the congregation to remove things from the ENTIRE CONGREGATION'S plate.

For SGM consulting and training contact me at UU PLANET.

Talking with Family and Friends - HOME BASE SESSIONS

Peter Bowden — Mon, 20 Feb 2006 20:21:00 +0000

UU Faithworks: Worship, Winter/Spring 2006

Dear Friends,

There is so much happening in the world! Is your head spinning? Is your heart heavy? Are you sad or angry? With all that is happening and all the debates being brought to our attention, it is time to talk.

We all need to talk about the issues facing our planet, global community, our country, our town, our families, our friends and neighbors, and those suffering outside of the media spotlights.

Everyone needs a safe place to explore issues, a home base. Many people in our Unitarian Universalist congregations have found small groups through our formal Small Group Ministries, Covenant Groups, and adult programs. They are serving many of us, but not all.

I believe that people of all ages are desperate for a place to talk, to share, to explore. For the most recent issue of the UUA's FAITH WORKS resource I wrote a brief resource on how we might use a basic small group ministry format for bringing family, friends, colleagues, or students together to talk about things that really matter. The sessions offer a simple structure to create room for reflection, sharing, and exploration. They do not contain any content other than our lives and our world.

Talking to some UU kids and teenagers I know about what to call such a session they said it should be "HOME BASE" sessions because that's were you should go when you want to be safe. When we call a “Home Base” session, we are simply pulling people together to discuss what is already on our hearts and minds.

My Home Base resource contains the following:
A general template for a “Home Base” session
A “Home Base” session entitled “After Natural Disaster”
A blank session outline you may use for developing your own “Home Base” sessions

I invite you to try to bring your family and/or friends together for a “Home Base” session. You need not call it that, though I believe having a name for what you are doing is helpful. You may find that once you do, the people you meet with want more!

In faith,
Peter Freedman Bowden
UU PLANET Ministries
(401) 855-0037
www.uuplanet.com

UU Faithworks: Worship, Winter/Spring 2006

Table Topics - A great resource & ice-breaker

Peter Bowden — Wed, 25 Jan 2006 17:23:00 +0000

What do you get your mother for a present when she's as passionate about small group ministry as you are? Well, this year I gave my mother a Table Topics set. It is a set of AMAZING QUESTIONS, each printed on an indiviudal card. The cards come in a slick clear cube.

The report back is that this is a great ice-breaker for gatherings at home, for small group sessions AND a great inspiration for session ideas. There is also a Family Edition and Teen Edition.

Though I wouldn't recommend scrapping prepared sessions for a cube of cards, it sure is nice having a stockpile of questions on hand!

Preaching on Small Groups/Covenant Groups AGAIN?!

Peter Bowden — Thu, 19 Jan 2006 17:04:00 +0000

Dear Peter

What do I preach on now that we're into our 5th year of covenant
groups? Half our members are in groups, the other half are
not. How do you make it relevant for those who are in, might join and those
who couldn't care less?
Thanks for any advice you have.

Thanks for your question.

First I would suggestion weaving the promotion of small groups into what you do on regular sunday. Don't try and promote it on one Sunday a year. Make your small groups a regular and visible part of congregational life. After doing this your special group sunday can be a celebration of this ministry's accomplishments and an examination of one particular aspect of how groups accomplish the work of the church.

We don't preach on all the principles once per year. They are referenced all the time. We need to treat group ministries the same way.

I have enjoyed seeing celebratory services highlighting a particular aspect of small group ministry, say service or caring for each other or leadership development, using our gifts, wrestling with big questions... There are certain things we are called on to do as a community, as people of faith, many of which are easier in groups.

Instead of tackling ALL of what CGroups are/do narrow your focus. Just remember to explain what covenant groups are (briefly) and to invite people to join a group.

As for weaving it in the rest of the year, consider the following:

-- Add "and we have a fabulous small group ministry program" or something along those lines to your Sunday morning announcements.

- Any sermon that touches on community building, caring for each other, service, spiritual growth and on and on is just ripe for a small group plug. Just do a quick aside "and that's why we have our small group ministry program..." I'd challenge every minister to reference their groups at least once per month in this way.

BONUS.
Since you reached me while I'm working on another SGM sermon I'll share with you what I'm doing differently this time. Given the amount I guest preach on SGM I do like to keep things fresh, try new approaches.

This time, instead of focusing on our need for community and referencing research stating that American's are some of the loneliest people on earth, I'm exploring how important it is (spiritually) to be known. Kind of coming at it from the other side. However, what makes it really different is that I'm starting from the horror many people experience in coffee hour not knowing peoples names.

A discussion of needing to know each other, to be truly known, is relevant for ALL PEOPLE. And it is a perfect segway into small group ministry. I have a number of props I use when I do my services. People respond to visuals.

In the exloration of names I talk about name tags and using them as a spiritual discipline. I mention that every person w/out a name tag is essentially walking around with a big BLANK on their chests to accompany their blank/fearful expressions. I have a big name tag I print onto cardstock which I use to accentuate this. Good for a laugh and it drives the point home.

You can print this off of my website. Just go to the resource page on UU PLANET and go to the RESOURCE PAGE. There is a PROPS section where I've posted this for you and everyone else in the world to use. You're very welcome world!

I hope that helps. If you have success with this I'd love to hear about it.

Moving Our Movement,
Peter Freedman Bowden

Editor, Covenant Group News
Co-coordinator, UU SGM Network
Director, UU PLANET MINISTRIES

Sharing Our Faith VS. Serving Existing Members

Peter Bowden — Mon, 16 Jan 2006 15:15:00 +0000

I just looked at the UUA's updated Congregational Handbook online. Small Group Ministry is nicely featured in the SHARING OUR FAITH section.

Here's my question. How well is your small group ministry sharing our faith. Here I don't mean each of us sharing our faith with eachother. I'm talking sharing it with people who have not yet discovered it?

I've spoken with many congregations who have NOT been successful in cultivating this focus. I would love to hear your success story.

SGM key to removing the GAP

Peter Bowden — Thu, 10 Nov 2005 19:37:00 +0000

A number of years ago I worked on the UUA's Youth and Young Adult Sunday campaign. The slogan Alison Miller and I developed was "MIND THE GAP!" It was a reference to the gap in our ministry between our ministry with children and adults. Our Youth and Young Adult ministries have come so far over the past five years, but there is much to do.

I think SMALL GROUP MINISTRY is going to be an essential part of our movement moving forward and addressing the deficiencies in our ministry with UU's of all ages. Personally, I have worked with children, youth, young adults, adults and elders. I've seen small groups and intentional leadership development save lives.

One youth I worked with took two years to open up. One day he shared that our group -- which was structured like a small group ministry session -- was where he felt most himself. He told us and later his parents that his mission in life was to BE like he was in our small group EVERYWHERE in his life. Small groups are the foundation of the relational congregations that our members young and old are hungry for.

THIS YEAR our association is trying to figure out how to strengthen our youth ministry. I think we should use our learnings from our small group ministry movement and apply them to our youth, campus, young adult and adult ministries. When these all come into alignment we will no longer have to worry about MINDING the GAP, we'll have eliminated it all together. There is only a gap when we do different things with each age group. Why not small group ministry with all who have come of age in our congregations.

Obviously I've got a strong opinion. Here's a question for you. DO YOU EVEN CARE?

If you do then we've got a great opportunity and a great future ahead of us. This year ALL of our congregations have been asked to hold a meeting to explore our youth ministry. There are resources being developed to help you do this.

I'd like you to print out the following resource and MAKE SURE that someone in your congregation takes responsibility for planning a your conversation. YOU DO NOT have to do this. Just make sure that someone else does.

PRINT THIS:
http://www.uua.org/TRUS/youth/newsletter0511.pdf

It is the November issue of the Consultation on Youth Ministry newsletter.
It contains the basic info you need to HAND OFF to someone.

THANK YOU in advance for passing this 1 sheet of paper on to a caring and responsible member of your congregation.

In faith,
Peter

For even more info on this visit the following
http://www.uua.org/TRUS/youth

Must read - Creating Community from North Point Resources

Peter Bowden — Tue, 08 Nov 2005 17:28:00 +0000

Working with small group ministry?

You NEED to read Creating Community : Five Keys to Building a Small Group Culture and Seven Practices of Effective Ministry from North Point Ministries. It doesn't matter what kind of church you have --- all ministers, religious professionals, and lay leaders will benefit from these two quick reads.

Creating Community : Five Keys to Building a Small Group Culture is a great description of how North Point Community Church builds their culture around small groups. Some SGM books are not easy to apply to other denominations/UU's. THIS ONE IS.

Seven Practices of Effective Ministry is not a model for programs or ministries, but powerful practices for DOING CHURCH. If your fighting at all in your ministry, don't feel focused, feel like your not changing lives as much as you want to, GET THIS BOOK.

UU MINISTERS: How would you like to discuss these books? If there is sufficient interest I'll look into scheduling a group conference call. I'd love to discuss these books with a small group of ministers.

Why ministers? Because my interest is primarily on how this book impacts how UU ministers view their work and ministry. Not a minister - read the book! Tell me what you think. Get copies for your SGM steering committee and read it together.

SGM Coaching Resource Update

Peter Bowden — Tue, 18 Oct 2005 16:21:00 +0000

Dear Small Group Ministry leaders,

I've received some inquiries about the coaching resource I was working on late last Spring.

In June my computer fried and I lost a massive amount of data/writing, including the nearly completed draft of this resource. Since I did not have the resource ready for GA the UU SGM Network, with my blessing, directed the funds for that project to other efforts. There is no question that the network will receive other grants and fund the development of more resources.

I am now considering the most efficient (and helpful) way to reconstruct this resource.

If you are interested in coaching resources, I'd love to hear what you are looking for. You can use the comment form on this blog or email me via UU PLANET.

Bob Hill's Blog: TheFarFarSouthwest

Peter Bowden — Mon, 12 Sep 2005 18:47:00 +0000

Those of you who are fans of the Rev. Bob Hill, author of The Complete Guide to Small Group Ministry and founder of Covenant Group News, can now access his new blog.

Having moved from the South West District of the UUA to Australia, Bob's blog is appropriately titled The Far Far Southwest!

Enjoy.

Commission on Appraisal -- Small Group Ministry Focus?

Peter Bowden — Tue, 30 Aug 2005 22:56:00 +0000

A brief email exchange with a visionary UU out there led to the idea of using the UUA's commission on appraisal to study the proliferation, successes, challenges and future of SMALL GROUP MINISTRY and COVENANT GROUPS.

I think that's a great idea. Wouldn't it be nice to have a well funded study of this transforming ministry? OF COURSE!

If you think it would be a good idea you can either 1) submit a formal idea using the format on the COA website or 2) send an email with any ideas,thoughts or comments to coa@uua.org

Please be sure to include your name, contact information, and UUA congregational affiliation to your email.

NOTE: Sorry to say the deadline is September 1st! Best to just send a quick email to coa@uua.org.

Check out the Commission's website.

Carl George on Coaching Leaders

Peter Bowden — Thu, 25 Aug 2005 15:46:00 +0000

Many of you know I believe coaching in small group ministries determines what happens inside and outside of groups. In my quest for coaching resources online I just discovered a 10 page resource on coaching by Carl George who's writing inspired our Rev. Glenn Turner to introduce UU's to metachurch.

Anyhow, this is a 10pg FREE pdf file.
You can find it on Carl George's metachurch website.

Do Heretical Preachers need Small Group Ministry?

Peter Bowden — Wed, 24 Aug 2005 13:50:00 +0000

Back from weeks of conferences, trainings and retreats I am presently slogging through an absurd amount of email. One of the emails in the mountain was a link to an op-ed by the Rev. Davidson Loehr which appeared in the Austin American-Statesman on Saturday, August 6, 2005.

In it he explores the question whether people want the full TRUTH from American preachers. From our economy to issues related to Iraq -- if preachers used the full freedom of the pulpit many would probably cut their pledge or go somewhere less challenging.

Are our pulpits and our preachers lescourageousus than years passed? I wouldn't be surprised. I've seeworshipip committees crucify ministers for wanting to limit joys and sorrows.

If you are a preacher who is experiencing pressure to be a little more tame, here is a suggestion for you. USE small group ministry as a vehicle for exploring the "TRUTH" which was once readily available in thpulpitit.

By using SGM sessions you can convey your heretical ideas, quote others, ask people to reflect on heresy in their lives, and through their reflection consider the ideas you have offered with more attention than a sermon ever receives. If you are a heretical preacher you don't so much NEED small group ministry as you would be a FOOL to not deliver your heretical ideas through it.

Don't give up on being heretical in the pulpit or upholding the freedom of thpulpitit. But I also urge you not to miss out on the opportunity for heretical reflection inherent in Small Group Ministry.

Davidson Loehr is author of the book America, Fascism, and God: Sermons from a Heretical Preacher which is being released this September by Chelsea Green.

Read Loehr's op-ed Religion and Politics Are Sensitive Subjects, Even in the Pulpit

Watch video stream of BEYOND THE BASICS workshop

Peter Bowden — Wed, 29 Jun 2005 17:02:00 +0000

Those of you who were not able to attend our UU Small Group Ministry Network's BEYOND THE BASICS workshop at General Assembly -- you may watch an online video of this workshop.

This workshop was presented by me, the Rev. Calvin Dame and Mellen Kennedy.

Video Link:
http://uua.org/realaudio/ga05/3071.ram

SGM and Public Television

Peter Bowden — Mon, 20 Jun 2005 17:22:00 +0000

What do Small Group Ministry and PBS have in common?

ME.

Besides my work with UU congregations (see www.uuplanet.com) I also work with children's television. Yes, I am a classic gemini with split lives --- half UU evangelist/trainer, the other half children's television producer.

As a reader of my blog I'd like to ask you a personal favor. Will you sign the petition to save PBS if you have not done so already. It doesn't matter if you love Big Bird or me, our world is a better place with public television.

There is a push to get 1000000 signatures by the end of the day. We're up to 800K. Thanks for helping me save PBS.

SIGN THE PETITION
http://www.moveon.org/publicbroadcasting

PS -- I hesitated to post this until I realized that without pulbic television and NPR our world would most likely be plunged into a scary corporate controlled media nightmare with fundamentalist agendas driving global politics. Wait, maybe we're there already... Hmmmmmm... Well, whatever good PBS and NPR are doing I hate to think of how much worse things would be without them! I figure that in a sense this post is directly related to liberal religion.

Whatever.... Sign the petition -- I'll credit you 423 Karmic Units.

SIGN THE PETITION
http://www.moveon.org/publicbroadcasting