Some congregations start covenant groups as a church-wide effort with many or even most members participating. Doing this requires a significant amount of buy-in from the church leadership, and months of planning and selling the idea to the congregation. Other congregations offer just a few covenant groups as a smaller part of a larger adult education or small group program. Either model can be successful; both require advance planning before beginning a program.

If your congregation has a professional religious leader such as a minister or professional religious educator, the first step is to be sure she or he is enthusiastic about covenant groups. The support of professional staff is fundamental to the success of these programs—they are a shared ministry. For this reason, it is necessary that the religious professionals in your congregation have a role in choosing (or at least approving) group leaders. Covenant groups are designed to bring up sensitive personal issues, and it is important that facilitators be the kind of people who your minister(s) and staff can trust to handle such emotions appropriately.

Once you have the go-ahead for a group or covenant group program, pick a theme and recruit members by inviting specific people. Recruit other leaders to create groups on topics of interest. If the program is to be church-wide, it will be necessary to educate the membership about these groups.

At the Eno River Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, Michael worked with the Rev. Dr. Arvid Straube to create a covenant group program. After identifying and training leaders with Rev. Straube, Michael prepared a series of newsletter articles and Sunday service inserts on covenant groups. These materials introduced the concept of covenant groups to the congregation and educated them about the philosophy that Eno River’s groups would use. They also helped warm up the congregation to hear these messages from their minister.

Meanwhile, Rev. Straube began weaving the need for small group interactions into his presentations to membership classes. Eventually, in a service on spiritual community, he outlined a vision for small group ministry in the congregation. This vision involved the philosophy that small groups help people care for each other, and help get pastoral needs brought to the attention of the ministerial and lay leadership. At the service, members were asked to sign up for non-themed groups and some 150 people responded immediately. Within six months, covenant groups were a thriving part of the culture at Eno River.

At All Souls Church, Rob knew a few covenant groups were happening but not much more. Then one day he was asked by the minister, the Rev. Rob Hardies, to lead a men’s group in what would be the second round of groups at the church.

Together, they discussed potential co-leaders, and soon found an older African-American gay man with whom Rob (a 26-year old straight white man) could work. They were asked to join a group leader’s covenant group—led by Rev. Hardies—which met several times before the groups “went public” so all of us had some experience with the model (see the section on recruiting and training leaders).

After a few months, the Sunday service featured testimonies from participants in the first round of covenant groups, and Rev. Hardies preached about them. An insert in the order of service featured descriptions of all the new groups, and at coffee hour, all of the groups had tables set up so folks could learn more and sign up. Rob’s group had about 16 guys sign up, 14 at the initial meeting, and eventually 10 who committed to the group.

The leader’s covenant groups at All Souls and Eno River continue to meet monthly. The first half of their meetings is a focus reading and reflection (as in the covenant groups); the second half is spent discussing how the groups are going and helping each other out. While some groups rotate meeting facilitators, the same person represents that group at the leader’s group meeting every month.