Soul Matters Themes and Opportunities

You can join other Unitarians on either the first Tuesday 7:30pm (ucv.im/neighbourhoods) or the 3rd Friday at 3pm (ucv.im/wung) for those who live west of Main.

Mary Bennett is coordinating both of these groups, and we expect more groups will be formed. UCV is offering Facilitator training through the Soul Matters organization for anyone interested in sharing a leadership role.

The format for the groups Mary facilitates goes like this:

5 minutes – light a chalice / read a poem

15 minutes – brief check-in related to the theme

25 minutes – groups of 3 in breakout rooms. The facilitator ensures everyone gets a chance to talk and, as much as possible, helps the group complete within the time frame.  Each participant chooses a question from the packet (or makes up or adapts their own question related to the theme). The other two participants respond and then the Asker responds and chooses the person to ask the next question.

10 minutes – closing comment from each person

5 minutes – a closing poem and extinguishing the chalice

2 minute – farewell and bio break

The space remains open for anyone who wants to stay for social chat. If someone has a particular topic they can ask to have a breakout room set up. Those staying on can take a 2-minute break to get refreshments or otherwise deal with bodily needs: stretch etc.

Breakout room facilitators currently are: Mairy Beam (East Van); Mary Lage (Burnaby and Beyond); Paula Vander/Mary Bennett (Westside)

To make it accessible we’ve set an overall limit of one hour. Individuals may form groups that meet at an agreed upon time for a longer period of time. (Some people said they’d prefer an hour and a half).

We will set up 6 break-out rooms, some according to location and others for individual choice. As we make the rooms for people to choose themselves, after there are 3 people in a group, please choose one of the extra groups. If you can’t see the breakout room option, you may need to install or upgrade your zoom app. The host will move you to your preferred room after others have left the main session.

  1. Westside
  2. East Van
  3. Burnaby and Beyond
  4. 5. 6. – Could be for a particular age, interest or team group or just “meet some new people”.

To find these events and others with details and to add to your calendar, go to: http://vancouverunitarians.ca/community/connecting/

UCV has adopted the “Soul Matters” sharing circle subscription which will be used as a resource to guide our small groups and worship over the coming year:

From their website:
The Soul Matters small group approach was developed at the First Unitarian Church of Rochester New York. The idea for a Sharing Circle arose in 2006 when the co-senior ministers, Reverends Scott Tayler and Kaaren Anderson, reached out to a small group of colleagues to explore deeper collaborative relationships. What began as an effort to share materials among colleagues became a means to connect congregations from around the country and world. Today around 1/5 of all UU congregations in the United States and Canada (and a few more in other parts of the world!) participate in this web of interdependence.

To learn more about this unique approach and how it will be used to connect us in group discussion and worship, visit the soul matters website https://www.soulmatterssharingcircle.com/our-approach.html

 

 


Categories:

Community • Recent News