Starting a Thriving Men’s Group in Your Congregation
Roger Grape
Gets slides from this workshop at www.uumen.org.
The following is a list of ideas and activities for beginning and maintaining a Men’s Group in a UU congregation, base on what has worked or not worked for other such groups:
Activities should be spirituality-based (not just meeting for breakfast or going out for drinks). Include a lot of music. Need bonding/sharing activities. Form a men’s group at a retreat.
Sign up the men at a high-energy event. Groups should have no more than about 15-20 men.
Closed or Open Group models – open means it’s a drop-in type of group. Closed means closed – you don’t allow others to just drop-in.
Follow a curriculum – “A Circle of Men,” by Bill Kauth
Come up with covenants – confidentiality, taking turns talking, etc.
“Gatherings: Small Group Ministry for Men,” by Bill Hamilton-Holoway & Tony Bushman
“NuuMen,” by Rev. Daniel O’Connor
For more small group information, see www.smallgroupministry.net.
A good frequency is about twice a month (every other week), then maybe once a month after the group has been around 1-2 years.
Build in an ending time.
Special UUMen Dinners:
Men’s Seder Dinner/Brotherhood Night
A men’s dinner with intentionality.
How can you tie in (really) young men (such as boys in COA) and older men.
Hire a speaker such as Neil Chethik, Jaco Ten Hove, Tom Owen Towle, or Bill Sinkford
Potluck Secrets: Stimulate group identity by assigning dishes by table. (or by alphabet, age, etc.)
Do you have a Coming of Age Program?
- Develop Male Mentors for Younger Men/Boys
- Design a Boy’s Initiation weekend.
- “Boy into Man,” by Bernard Weiner
- Boys’ Initiation Event – Fathers & Sons participate. Involve the congregation’s men in the ceremony. It’s a UU mitzvah!
Saturday Morning Breakfasts (about once a month?)
X-Men – Extreme men’s activities
Activities for men who crave physical stuff -- Biking, camping, etc.
Respectfully Submitted,
Roger Grape |
