Chalice Circle Session Sequence

The following instructions are meant to be a guide for facilitating all sessions. The structure of the chalice circle is part of what makes it so meaningful to people.  Following this structure helps ensure success for your group.  Obviously, over time, groups will develop their own norms-- this is fine but I will still encourage you to follow this structure as much as possible!

Chalice Circle Session Sequence for Facilitators

The suggested sequence and time allocations spelled out below will help you who facilitate our Chalice Circle sessions to ensure that every participant will have a voice over the two-hour timeframe that comprises a Chalice Circle session.

Gathering, Welcoming (5 minutes)

During the first meeting of your group, you might want to offer clarification on questions that people have raised:

How long do the groups meet?   We’re asking that each of the initial groups commit to meeting at least through May.  At that time or before, you can each decide whether you want to continue in this group, move to another group, or not continue.

Why a designated facilitator and a co-facilitator?   As similar groups have met in other congregations, facilitators provide assurance that each person has a voice, that we stay on topic, and that we sustain respectful dialogue. There are exceptions; but this is the general learning.  The structure provided by facilitators is ultimately satisfying for everyone.

Introduce your co-facilitator.   Clarify that this person will step in if you can’t be there, and if additional congregants want to join groups and there aren’t enough open spaces, s/he stands ready to be the lead facilitator for this new group.

Where will we meet regularly?

This first meeting is at [facilitator or co-facilitator]’s home.   For our subsequent sessions, we’re asking that one of you volunteer to be a home host.   That’s all you have to do!   Don’t clean your house for us.  Don’t prepare refreshments.  Just open your door and welcome us in.   By the end of this evening’s session, I hope we’ll have a home host.

Covenant: All groups should have a current covenant—a set of agreed upon behaviors that will help establish the norms for your group. If this is the first time your group is meeting this is an important step. Create it in such a way that it can be reviewed every time you meet—perhaps you want a poster size copy of it—or maybe you want to laminate it—perhaps you make enough copies of it for everyone and it is something you read at the beginning of each session and you keep copies in your folder….

Service: All chalice circles are asked to participate in at least 2 service projects each year: one that benefits BUF and one that benefits the community.

“Business” matters (up to 10 minutes)

At year’s beginning, review/create Behavioral Covenants and session structures.

Later in the year, you’ll want to discuss and plan your service projects.

Chalice lighting (1-2 minutes)

Check-in/Sharing (2-3 minutes per person@ - 20-30 minutes)

Ask each person to share what’s on their mind and heart.   You may wish to have a timekeeper to gently remind anyone who moves beyond the allotted check-in time that their sharing is valued and we need to ensure a voice for everyone.   If the speaker persists, ask her/him firmly and respectfully to conclude.   IF as the sessions unfold, someone arrives who has had a particularly rending experience, decide as a group your willingness to give this person extra time.

NO feedback, NO cross-talk during this segment.  Simply be with each other in deep listening.

Discussion (60 minutes)

Introduce the topic and the questions (2 minutes)

Ask folks to pause and ponder this in a period of silence.  (2 minutes)

First response: Ask folks to register their initial thoughts—in random order, but with no feedback during this segment.

Then: Cross-conversation.  IF one person dominates, gently remind that person that we need to allow time for every group member to speak.

Conclude discussion with request for final statements/last thoughts on this topic—in random order, but with no feedback.

Feedback (5-10 minutes)

Ask participants what they liked about this session.  What would they change?  How?  

Take note during succeeding sessions of who isn’t present.  Let the other members know that you’ll follow up to determine if all is well or not.   Remind members that if they absolutely can’t make a session, to please let you know.  

Closing (2 minutes)

Note: Have copies of the session available for participants at the conclusion of each session, but don’t distribute them up front.  If someone asks about having an outline in hand, explain that we all tend to connect more freely when we’re not tied to a paper.

Thank you!  

Many people describe Chalice Circles as the most meaningful thing that happens at BUF.  Your leadership makes chalice circles possible!