Service Projects for Small Groups
August 15, 2005
Q. We’ve asked all of our small covenant groups to do an annual service project for either the church or the community but several are resisting. How important is this aspect of covenant groups?
A. The Rev. Calvin Dame, writing in the spring issue of the Unitarian Universalist (UU) Small Group Ministry Quarterly, says, “Over the years it is the groups that engage in service projects most generously and most often that have been the strongest, have lasted longest, and have been the most resilient.” Groups that just talk can get boring and stale, he says. They need a project where members “roll up their sleeves, rub elbows, get to know each other in a different way, and gain the satisfaction of making a contribution together.” Projects don’t have to be large, he reminds. Showing up at a church workday qualifies. So does caring for flower boxes in front of the church. For more information on small groups, including discussion topics, go to the UU Small Group Ministry Network.
For more information contact interconnections @ uua.org.
Last updated on Wednesday, May 27, 2009.
