Chalice Circles - Welcome Letters

Communication between a facilitator and the participants in a Chalice Circle is via email. Occasionally a participant will not have an account and will need a phone call. About one week prior to starting a Chalice Circle send out a welcome letter to all those registered in your Circle.

The letter should include:

• A welcome statement.
• The date, the beginning time and ending time, and the place of the first meeting.
• Directions to the place (i.e. To the Meditation Room)
• The topic for discussion. "Bring an object that has meaning for you and tell a story about how it came into or fits in your life." Or just come and tell a story about yourself as an introduction to the group.
• The agenda: Chalice lighting, check-in, a reading, sitting in silence, sharing stories, a reading, check-out, extinguishing the Chalice.

Here are two sample letters:

Sample 1 (Click here to download)

Dear Chalice Circle,

Happy (year)! I hope that your holidays were joyful and that your new year is off to a good start.

I wanted to remind you that our first meeting will be (day), (date), from (time) in the (where) Fireside Room, the big beautiful room off the Social Hall with comfy couches and a stunning view of the bay.

Our first meeting will be one of introductions — to chalice circles and to each other. You are invited to bring an object that is meaningful to you as a means of introducing yourself to the group. It might be an object you treasure, find meaning in or would like to have people know about. It might be symbolic of some part of your life journey or give others some special insight about you. During the session, you'll have an opportunity to explain why the object is significant to you. And, if assignments like this make you crazy, you're welcome to bring a story about yourself rather than an object. We'll be sharing our stories in all of our Chalice Circle meetings — this first round is just to get us started!

If you have any questions before Monday evening, please let me know, either via email or by phone (Phone #).

Finally, PLEASE SEND ME AN EMAIL R.S.V.P. to let me know that you received this email. If I don't receive a response in a few days, I'll give you a call to check in. I don't want anyone to miss our first meeting due to a technology snafu!

I am looking forward to this new beginning...

(Your name)

Sample 2 (Click here to download)

Welcome to the (day) evening Chalice Circle!

We will be holding our first meeting this (day) from (time) in the (where) Meditation Room, located down the stairs to the right of the Sanctuary, (see map).

The general format for a Chalice Circle meeting includes these six parts:

1. Lighting the chalice and a devotional reading.
2. Check-in. Each person takes about 2 minutes to describe what is going on in their life or what needs to be put aside in order to be fully present with the group.
3. Sitting in silence to center and consider what you plan to share with the group.
4. Deep listening. We will listen in respectful silence as each member speaks from his or her own experience for about 5 minutes on the chosen topic. There is no particular speaking order, except as the spirit moves you.
5. Acknowledgements or dialogue.
6. A devotional reading and extinguishing the chalice.

At the first few meetings we will consider and form a covenant with each other that will establish the ground rules for how we want to be together.

(Co-facilitator name) and I, (name), will co-facilitate our meetings.

Preparation for this first session:

Please prepare a story about yourself from an area of your life that is central to who you are, as your introduction to the group. Many people find it helpful to bring a meaningful object to anchor and focus their story.

(name) and I are looking forward to our spiritual adventure together with anticipation and excitement.

(signature)