• Every individual has a unique spiritual journey, and is in a certain place on that

journey in the present moment

• Everyone has a desire to grow into a deeper relationship with God and to be more open
to the Spirit moving in their lives
• Moving from the intention to deepen our relationship to the Divine requires both
individual work and corporate support from others
• Everyone is committed to sharing from their own lives and experience, recognizing
that deeper sharing will come as trust (in each other and God) increases
• We will do what we can to participate fully: the commitment to each other and to the
program is important to all of us
• We will risk honest plain talk regarding our own spirituality: feel free to use the words
that best speak to and for you
• We will listen tenderly to each other and strive for acceptance and understanding. We
will listen under and through the words we use.
• In order to build trust, we will hold in strict confidence what is said in all of the
sessions.
• In a capsule: show up, be fully present, pay attention, speak truth, hold confidences, let
go of outcomes, expect miracles.
Friday
2:00 pm Leaders arrive. (Usually three people, sometimes a fourth serving as elder))
4:00 pm Registration and Book Purchase (Books ordered from FGC or Pendle Hill, with
a very clear invoice for folks to use to calculate how much they owe)
6:00 pm Dinner
7:00 pm Worship
7:15 pm Welcome and Introductions: Names and Meetings (or whatever…)
7:30 pm Concentric Circles Trust Building exercise (Adapted from Alternatives to
Violence Program (AVP) design)
Instructions (5 min.): Including moving time, allow 6 minutes per question (15 sec.
silent contemplation, 2 min a piece for sharing, 1 min for shifting position and
introductions).
We want to give you an opportunity to get to know one another and where you are on
your spiritual journeys, and build some trust among the whole community. To do this,
we will share in pairs using concentric circles.
1. Please count off by two’s.
2. Will the ones turn their chairs to form an inner circle facing outward? The two’s
please remain in place to form the outer circle—each “two” should now be directly
opposite a “one”. When one or more people are movement-impaired, request they be the
“two’s” in their partnership; in this case, the directions would always be to ask the one’s
to “move one space to the RIGHT.”
3. When you meet your partner, shake hands and introduce yourselves.
4. You and your partner will take turns talking about a topic I will give you. When you
are listening, you are ONLY listening, with no comments or discussion. Respect your
partner’s pauses to think.
5. After I give you the topic, you will have a few moments of silence to think about it, and
then I will say “begin,” and the first speaker will have 2 minutes to talk.
The ones will be the first speakers—those sitting in the inside circle. Do not be afraid of
sitting in worshipful silence if no words seem to be coming forward.
6. The first question is: _______. Wait 15 seconds, and say “Begin.”
7. Call “time” at the end of two minutes. Some people give a warning…
8. Falling silent, please maintain eye contact. The speaker will now become the listener.
Repeat the question, wait 15 seconds, and call “begin.”
9. Now both partners have had a turn as speaker and listener, please shake hands, thank
your partner, and will the two’s(outer circle) please move one space to the RIGHT
(counter clockwise).
10. Repeat the process again until you have completed the topics. At the second round,
the two’s will be the first speakers. Pay attention so you can alternate which group
begins as first speaker. Usually five or six queries are asked and answered. If less time is
available, use only four