Resilience, Support and Growth: A New Year of Community Groups

Beacon Community Groups offer the gift of spiritual connection. Around us swirls a shallow, frantic and materialistic culture that leaves us cut off from our deepest selves, life’s gifts and needs greater than our own. Many of us come to Beacon hungry to mend these sacred connections that get frayed and torn. Community Groups exist to support this journey of reconnection to life, others and ourselves.

Sign up by September 30, 2024 to get into a new group. We welcome all who are brand new and those who are returning!

Whether you are seeking to deepen your spirituality or ease some loneliness, community groups are a key way to be rooted in relationship here at Beacon. Community Groups are 8-10 Beacon members or friends who gather twice a month from now until January. Theme-based sessions connect to the content you hear in worship and in lifespan. Facilitators lead groups by creating spaces for listening and sharing, enabling members to develop strong personal connections within the larger congregation.

We do that by listening. Fundamentally, that’s what Community Groups offer: an invitation to listen more deeply and intentionally, in three distinct ways:

First, we listen to each other. It’s a gift not often offered in our culture. Most of the time, we are “talked at” rather than listened to. We are bombarded with information and demands that drown out our own voice. Being listened to by trusted companions helps us hear our own voice again.

Second, we listen to our lives. This is not easy to do. Directly or indirectly, we are taught to see life as a challenge not a companion. The goal is to conquer it, not listen to it. Community Groups invite us to take another look and dance with life in a new way. Through readings and reflections focused on our daily living, we engage the world not as an obstacle course to get through, but as a host of holy voices calling us to greater loving and living.

Finally, we listen to our deepest selves. Introspection is most often understood as solitary work, but small group practice teaches us that going inward is largely a gift given to us by others. Ironically, we hear that “still, small voice inside” best when the voices of friends speak and offer their presence in a disciplined way. Quaker teacher Parker Palmer explains: “So what do we do in a circle of trust? We speak our own truth; we listen receptively to the truth of others; and we offer each other the healing and empowering gifts of silence and laughter... Our purpose is not to teach anyone anything but to give the inner teacher a chance to teach us.”

Together, these three sacred practices of listening – to each other, the world, and our deepest selves – add up to a more intentional and authentic life. It’s a journey back to connection, and ultimately a journey back home.

The Community Group Covenant captures the core promises you make when you join a group.

Frequently Asked Questions about Beacon Community Groups

 What is the Community Group Covenant?

 A covenant is a list of ways that we agree to be together as a group. It includes the promises, practices and behaviors that guide our time together.

The Community Group Covenant captures the core promises you make when you join a group. Please read it before you sign up.

What happens in a Community Group?

Sessions are based on themes that connect to the content of worship that month. Participants engage the month’s theme by exploring a variety of quotes, poems, videos, rituals and other activities. Groups are led by facilitators who help create a space for listening and opportunities to develop strong personal connections within the larger congregation; a place where everybody knows your name and your story.

These are not academic discussions; the sessions provide a chance to share what touches your heart and soul.

When & where do Community Groups meet?

Community Groups meet either in-person at Beacon or online via Zoom. Sessions last for 1 ½-2 hours depending on the size of the group and if it is meeting in person or on Zoom. Different groups meet on different days, so you are likely to find a group with a compatible schedule.

Do I Need to Attend All Sessions?

We ask all participants to commit to all sessions so as to create bonds of trust and safety among the members, realizing that on occasion illness, family emergencies, or things beyond your control may prevent your attendance.

How long do Community Groups stay together?

Community Groups commit to meeting twice a month from September to June. They then decide whether to continue together for another year, welcome new members or disband.

What if I don’t know much about UU principles and concepts?

We want to meet you where you are and give you the time, space, and resources to help you learn more about your spirituality and Unitarian Universalism.

How are Beacon and Community Groups responding to COVID?

Community Groups follow Beacon health and safety protocols.

How can I join a Community Group?

You are welcome to join a group during the open periods, which occur each September and February. There is a variety of times available including weekdays, weeknights, or weekends. Please indicate your availability, and we will do our best to match you to a group that meets your time preferences, virtual needs, and group availability. Sign up for community groups by September 30,2024.

PLEASE NOTE: Registrations for Community Groups happen twice a year: August/September and January.