Read this week’s newsletter here: The Weekly Liberal Sept. 20

In this week’s issue, Rev. Justin Schroeder writes:

It’s no secret; we’re a large congregation and on any given Sunday, we have between 800 and 1,000 people in worship and in our classrooms. By intentional design, we’ve set up dozens and dozens of opportunities (Circles) to be in smaller communities of 8 to 10 people within this larger community.

And the truth is, every time I participate in or lead a Circle, I am delighted and surprised by the connections and relationships that emerge from this community of 8 to 10 people. It is profound and powerful.

Circles are groups of 8-10 committed participants who come together with a trained leader to nurture spiritual growth in community. At the heart of every Circle is the practice of deep connection: connection with self, connection with others, and connection with something greater than ourselves.

If you’d love to go deeper into our monthly themes such as “Non-Negotiables” and “Sanctuary,” we offer Soul Matters Circles , including circles for parents, people living with grief, people in their 20s and 30s, LGBTQ and Gender Non-Conforming people, people of color and indigenous people, and circles that are open to all.

We’re offering a variety of Spiritual Deepening Circles , which focus on mindfulness, embodiment, and interpersonal connection.

New this year, we are also offering Beloved Conversations , a curriculum for exploring the role of race/ethnicity in individual and congregational lives.

Circle registration runs through Tuesday, Sept. 25, and you can register and learn more here. You can also sign up in the Social Hall this Sunday after both services. I invite you to sign up today!

I’ll see you in church,
Justin