The following is a script for a small group gathering for friends and newcomers to be held during coffee hour/fellowship hour.  It is recommend that you announce that these casual groups will be formed approximately 15 minutes into the fellowship time. Identify one member of your congregation to lead the session.  

Opening Words

We come together in an attitude of openness - not knowing quite what will happen, yet daring to receive a new idea, a new experience, sustenance for our minds and our hearts.
					-- adapted from Peter Lee Scott
Welcome and Introductions	

Welcome! My name is _________.  We’re glad you have all joined us this morning.  This small group is simply an opportunity for us to get to know one another.  We will begin with brief introductions. Going around the circle, I’d like to invite you each to tell us your name and one thing about yourself that will help us get to know you better.  Later we’ll discuss what has brought us each here. I’ll start…  
Topic  

During this gathering we are going to focus on a very simple question.  Why are we here? 
Not the larger “Why are we here?” in the cosmic sense, but here in this community.
Reflect for a moment on what led to your being here this morning.   What brought  you here ?   
Perhaps you are here having never been to congregation of this kind before.  You could have come from another church, be it Unitarian Universalist or another denomination.  You may have been part of this community for quite some time.  We follow many paths, but we each have reasons for being here.  What are yours?  
Let’s each share our stories, our reasons for being here. 
•	If you are new to our community - perhaps this is your first time - what brought you here this moring?  

•	If you have been with us for a time, when you first though our doors, what were you looking for and what has kept you coming back? 
Who would like to begin?  
Closing
I’d like to thank you each for sharing, for taking the time to be with us in this circle.  To close our time together I’d like to invite you to share either something you liked about our time together or something you hope for in the future.  Again, let’s go around in a circle.  I’ll begin….  
Closing Words	
May beauty infuse our lives;
May a vision lead and guide our ways;
May others, sharing, make us wise;
And love ennoble all our days.

			-- Gordon Gibson