Small Groups for Member Ministries

The first rule of any organization is to do what you can to engage and support those who are already members. These people are already invested in you, your mission, your vision, your values, your ministry. Take care of them first. When our members feel heard, supported, and loved, new members will follow.

In today’s church, very few ministries are growing and thriving right now, yet many people are looking for community. A large group or congregation can be very overwhelming, but a small group of 3-8 feels safe. Once they create relationships with the small group, they will feel more connected to and comfortable with the larger group.

Leadership training is a built-in, natural part of a Unity Small Group. Each member helps the group by accepting roles within the group, while no one person acts as the leader of the group. Each person participates in the creation of and agrees to the heart agreements for their group, thus contributing to decision-making that benefits each member.

Each member of the group completes a Spiritual Life Assessment, setting their personal spiritual growth intention for themselves and receiving support to accomplish their intention. They connect with their experience of God, connect with others to grow in their awareness of God in their lives, and fill their cups with mutually fulfilling spiritual growth opportunities. When their cups are filled, they are more able to support your ministry in whatever way is needed. Therefore, each intention naturally contributes to balance within the person, the group, and ultimately the ministry.

Each small group is encouraged to organize and participate in a community service project periodically or before its conclusion. This supports your ministry in spreading the word to the community where your ministry lives that you are walking the talk of your mission, it supports your members in exercising their spiritual and emotional maturity, it supports your membership in deepening their relationships through cooperative project completion, and it supports your community in giving much-needed labor and attention to otherwise unanswered needs.

During the Unity Small Group Program Leader training the most current and successful membership engagement strategies are explored and plan established to support your ministries leadership and administrative team in identifying where each member of the ministry is in their spiritual growth, how to engage them where they are, and how encourage them to engage more.

This curriculum gives your ministry a compact, effective tool to re-examine your mission, vision, values, and programs. It helps you confirm that all your activities are purposefully directed toward your foundational goals.

All they need to do is follow the meeting structure and timeline. A meeting with structure helps ensure that the group stays focused and gives each member security in knowing how it flows and what comes next. Each person participates in the structure of the group, including developing the Heart Agreements, planning the social event and community service projects, and participating in a role.