A Typical Small Group Ministry Meeting

Part of Leadership Training by Congregational Role

By Rob Keithan

Group Needs for Each Session

A pile of hymnals, Serving with Grace and a Chalice
  • 1 ½ - 2 hours
  • Comfortable meeting space where the group can sit in a circle and see each other
  • Opening words
  • Chalice or candle and matches/lighter
  • Focus reading/questions for reflection
  • Closing words

Typical Small Group Ministry Agenda

Opening Words & Chalice Lighting

Opening words and chalice lighting provide a ritual to acknowledge that we gather as members of a religious community. Opening words should be brief and meaningful; the lighting of a chalice or candle helps create a worshipful atmosphere conducive to open sharing and deep listening.

Check-In

Give people time to say what they need to say to be present in the room: stresses of work or life; news that they need to get off their chest. This should not be a lengthy process, nor should people share everything that went on in their week, nor should everyone feel the need to share. It is the minimum folks need to say to be present.

Many groups incorporate into their covenant that each person has one pass at uninterrupted check-in before group members are allowed to follow-up. If your group intends to have this rule, put it in your covenant—introverted people often appreciate having time to check in about where they are without fear of being interrupted by others in the group.

Focus Reading / Questions for Reflection

This is the cornerstone of the serious reflection in which the group will engage. Sometimes, a focus reading is followed by one or more questions about it on which people might wish to reflect. Give a few minutes for reflection or meditation on the reading after it’s read before inviting folks to share.

First Reflection

Each person shares, in circle order, their thoughts/responses to the reading. It’s also OK if they share something unrelated; the process isn’t meant to be that rigid.

(2024 Note: Some established groups may choose to share "popcorn-style," meaning persons share whenever they feel so moved. One benefit is it often results in significant periods of silence between reflections. Popcorn-style can be intimidating for shyer people or introverts, so it's not recommended for newer groups.)

Silence is good; most of us don’t have enough of it in our lives.

When someone is speaking, others in the group should be intently listening. The purpose of this exercise is to be fully focused on the person speaking. This first reflection should take a great deal of time.

Second Reflection / Response

After everyone has had the opportunity to speak, do another round of reflection. Invite folks to share things they’ve thought of while listening to other people’s reflections. If you want to make the group more interactive, allow people to ask questions about other’s reflections.

Ensure that these are indeed questions (Tell me more about x. How are you handling y?) and not challenges (How can you believe that? Why did you do that?). A covenant group is not a place for arguments. Some feel that covenant groups should not be discussion groups, either, but more structured. That’s up to you.

Closing Words & Chalice Extinguishing

Something to close the sacred space created in the covenant group. You may want to first do a check out, allowing folks to share a word or two about their experience. Using the same closing each week may help to create a sense of ritual.