Home Groups

A circle of trust is a group of people who know how to sit “quietly in the woods” with each other and wait for the shy soul to show up. The relationships in such a group are not pushy, but patient; they are not confrontational, but compassionate; they are filled not with expectations and demands, but with abiding faith in the reality of the inner teacher and each person’s capacity to learn from it. The poet Rumi captures the essence of this way of being together: “A circle of lovely, quiet people becomes a ring on my finger.” What do we trust in a circle of trust? We trust the soul, its reality and power, its self-sufficiency, its capacity to speak truth, its ability to help us listen and respond to what we hear. We trust each other to have the intention, discipline, and goodwill to create a space that is safe enough to welcome the soul. We trust the principles and practice that create such a space and safeguard the relationships within it, aware that the pull of conventional culture is persistent and can easily tug us toward behaviors that will scare the shy soul away. We trust that welcoming the soul with “no change agenda” in mind can have transforming outcomes for individuals and institutions.

• Maintain connection, community, and intimacy as we grow
• Create a space of spiritual growth and support
• Foster a care structure for community members
• Provide an entry into the community beyond Sunday

A TCSL small group is an 6-12-member, intimate group that meets monthly in one another’s home. Each home group has a Leader and a Leader-in-Training who provide guidance at the meetings and spiritual care for each of the group members. The small group is dedicated to recognizing, honoring, and celebrating God, the Love Intelligence within all life. We awaken to our spiritual truth through the practice of prayer, meditation, study, and the revelation that we are one with God. Together we strive to embody this not only as a theory but as a way of being in our small group and in our everyday lives. Embracing the qualities of oneness, diversity, and harmony, and with complete dependence on unconditional love as our guiding power, we hold the space for creativity, speaking truth with integrity, deep witnessing, and celebration of the manifesting of Spirit in our lives.

• Sharing authentic, meaningful conversation
• Creation of deep connection to each other
• Consistent, active participation in the group
• Active ministry to each other and service to the larger community
• Deepening spiritual practice
• Learning from each other and study of New Thought/Ancient Wisdom teachings
• Joy, laughter and fun

• Welcome and spiritual practice – Brief meditation, followed by an invocation, a prayer in the RUBA format (Recognition, Unification, Blessing, And So It Is)
• Candle ritual – Members light individual candles from a single central candle and claim an intention or quality of God for the evening (e.g., "My name is Don, and my intention for this evening is peace").
• Agreements – Members pass around the circle agreements, each reading one.
• Check In – Go around the circle once and give each member a chance to say hello and do a brief sharing of what is on their mind in the moment.
• Introduction of the theme for the month – May include a reading or brief meditation on the theme or even a video or an audio presentation relating to the theme. Leaders are provided with support materials on these themes by the Home Group Coordination Team.
• Discussion – A time to speak from the heart, listen deeply, think creatively, and express authentically.
• The Last Round – A last round of "summing up" what came out of the discussion, maybe on a more personal level. Possibly another chance for members to share anything important they need to talk about.

We enter this Sacred Circle with commitment to hold the space for creativity, speak the truth with integrity, witness deeply and celebrate the manifesting Spirit as this meeting and as our lives. We are reminded that matters which might require extensive personal support can be discussed with the Group Leader or a TCSL Practitioner or Minister who might be able to offer additional support and resources beyond the scope of the Home Group. With the intention to connect deeply, and to create true community in this Circle, we re-affirm the following agreements.

• We honor the Group as a sacred time and space, in part through consistent, punctual attendance.
• We listen with full attention and compassion.
• We treat what is said in the circle with respect and complete confidentiality.
• We speak our truth from the heart and from our personal experience.
• We refrain from interrupting, giving advice and from all cross-talk (i.e., the challenging or contradicting of someone else’s statements, stating an opinion, pursuing a line of questioning, etc.).
• We value the unique gift of each member, mindfully allowing time for all to participate.
• We take responsibility for creating an atmosphere of trust, compassion, and openness.
• We appreciate that we are each a vital part of the greater whole we are co-creating.
• In addition, we cultivate ongoing relationships with people in this group, and carry the intentions of the Group into our daily lives by caring, sharing, celebration, play, service, and prayer.

For information on how to become a Home Group member or leader, contact Barbara Cain at 919-360-8509 or bbrittonc@yahoo.com, or Dusty Rippelmeyer at 773-559-5312, or dustyrippelmeyer@yahoo.com