American Unitarian Conference

American Unitarian Conference™

Promoting the American Unitarian Tradition

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Tips on Starting a Congregation

There are of course hundreds if not thousands of ways to start a congregation. However, the key ingredient in them all is embodied in the word fellowship. People go to religious services where their friends are, where they find fellowship. They gather of course in places where they feel a kindred faith exists - but they return where they find friends and fellowship, where they feel welcome, wanted, needed and nourished. Therefore, these tips can only give suggestions for discussion topics and studies to gather like minded folks around initially. The real work in building a lasting congregation is in the work of building relationships that nurture the spirit of its members and can endure the hard work of growing that spirit of fellowship.

Anyone wishing to start a congregation should first read up on the Unitarian faith tradition. It is essential to have a solid founding of the history, traditions and principles of our faith.

Read up on what it takes to start a congregation. There are numerous books on the market that can provide guidance. Many if not most may be oriented towards starting Christian churches. While the theology may not be a match, much of the body of these books will be relevant to starting any congregation regardless of the theology. The Kennon L. Callahan guides linked from the Congregation Book Shelf are a good start. Other guides on Small Groups are also useful. The Alban Institute has a wealth of books on growing and running congregations that can be of use.

The following are a list of suggestions that a congregation may start with:

1. Discussion on the AUC Principles (see our main page) – Each principle could be discussed in a bimonthly small group setting. This can help illuminate the principles and build a basis of understanding amongst the members.

2. Use the "Evensong" study guide offered on our Congregation Book Shelf – This 8 week study and discussion group looks at the big questions in life. It helps members get to know each other in a non-threatening environment.

3. Passages in our Food For Thought series could be discussed among the group. The words of Unitarians from days past provide an excellent lead-in to healthy conversations about the concerns of Unitarians today.

4. Book discussion groups – Discussing books on the Unitarian faith can help build deeper knowledge of the faith tradition. The numerous books listed in the bookstores of this website (Unitarian Christian Book Shelf, Deist Book Shelf, and Unitarian History Book Shelf) may provide some ideas.

5. For Unitarian Christian oriented congregations, the "Bible Workbench" is an excellent weekly resource that follows the liturgical calendar. The studies are neutral as to the specific Christian theology and are Unitarian friendly. Use "An Explanation of Unitarian Christianity" as a study and discussion guide. It offers a rich understanding of the foundations of Unitarian Christianity.

6. For Deist and/or Non-Christian Theist oriented congregations, the Deism and Reason website is chock full of interesting information on many topics that could be used for study in a fellowship setting.