Guidelines for Forming the Discussion Groups
Suggested Notices for Parish Newsletters
3 Fold Brochure - Rich Text Format
Click on this link to the right to download a 3 Fold Brochure for local Churches and Inter Church Councils. This brochure contains some basic information about the book and the course and includes a form for participants to fill out and return to an organizer.
You can easily edit it to suit your local needs
Guidelines for Forming the Discussion Groups
Discussion groups are formed by taking into account each participant’s preferred days/times and their home location and by seeking to achieve an ecumenical mix in the groups
The process begins with Parish Coordinators promoting and publicising the Ecumenical Discussion Group Program in January. Enrolment forms should be made available from Mid January or at the latest, beginning of February.
Early enrolments assist the Area Coordinator in getting a sense of the likely number of groups and the availability of sufficient leaders and hosts for these.
Final enrolments are handed to the Area Coordinator by a specified date. As well as taking into account participants’ preferences and locations and the ecumenical mix, the Area Coordinator considers any special requests people may have (eg wheelchair access, transport considerations, etc.). In fairness to leaders, hosts and participants, group sizes shouldn’t exceed 10 or be less than 8.
Group leaders meet to receive the list of participants for their groups and the required number of discussion guides so they can contact members well before the groups commence.
A complete list of all groups will be forwarded to each Parish Coordinator for display on their notice boards.
Forming the groups to achieve a “best balance” is a delicate and time-consuming process. Once set and advised to group leaders and parish coordinators, the groups cannot be changed without disturbing the size and/or ecumenical mix and setting in train a communications nightmare.
For these reasons, late enrolments can only be considered on the basis of filling vacancies (if any) up to the maximum size of 10 for any group or replacing any subsequent withdrawals from the program.
The primary role of the discussion group leader is to ensure that the group completes the material (or most of it) for each session within the 90 minutes with good participation from all members. (The group leader often also acts as host but this is not essential.)
The group leader is not expected to be an expert on the discussion material nor should he/she seek to take on that role.
Group leaders should have prior experience in leading small groups.
Depending on the number of groups and their mix, not every person nominating as group leader may be needed but it is important that there are at least enough for the number of required groups.
Each
leader should contact all members in his/her group to:
- introduce him/herself
- welcome them to the group
- advise the day, time and venue for meetings
- confirm the date of the first meeting
- advise them of his/her phone number.
For
the meetings themselves, leaders should:
- follow the “Suggestions for Group Leaders” in the book
which accompanies the DVD
- seek to start and finish on time
- check at the first meeting that the starting and finishing
times are convenient for all;
(you may vary these to suit the group, but keep the total time to 90
minutes)
- keep any refreshments simple; consider serving them (eg) 30
minutes before the end.
Group leaders are asked to return all money from books to the Area Coordinator by the end of the second week.
Suggested Notices for Parish Newsletters.
Click Here to download a Word document of these Newsletter Notices
Sun 17 Feb & Sun 24 Feb
Snapshots.
Real Stories about Life, Faith and Spirituality:
This year's ecumenical group program "Snapshots" is an eight
week discussion which draws on the lectionary reading for the week and
encourages participants to share their own stories and insights. The
material is based on a DVD in which ordinary people tell their own stories
and this will encourage participants to tell their own stories and share
their insights on the scripture readings.
Ecumenical discussion groups of about 8 to 10
commence in the week beginning Monday 24th March. Please complete/return
an enrolment form today.
Enquiries to (parish coordinator phone number).
www.eculent.org.au
Sun 2 March & Sun 9 March
Snapshots.
Real Stories about Life, Faith and Spirituality:
Have you ever considered how encouraging your stories of faith can be when
you share them with your friends? This year's ecumenical group program
"Snapshots" facilitates the sharing of our stories, using
stories on DVD and scripture readings.
Ecumenical discussion groups of about 8 to 10
commence in the week beginning Monday 24th March. Each group will share a
DVD and a discussion guide will be available from the group leader. Please
complete/return an enrolment form.
Enquiries to (parish coordinator phone number).
www.eculent.org.au
Sun 16 March
Snapshots.
Real Stories about Life, Faith and Spirituality:
You can find lots of great information about this year's Ecumenical
Discussion program on the internet at www.eculent.org.au
Make sure that you sign up today!. Ecumenical
discussion groups of about 8 to 10 commence in the week beginning Monday
24th March. Please complete/return an enrolment form today.
Enquiries to (parish coordinator phone number).
www.eculent.org.au
Sun 23 March
Snapshots.
Real Stories about Life, Faith and Spirituality: If you enrolled in the
Discussion Group Pprogram, please check the notice board for your group
location and meeting time. If you have any queries contact ____________.