What happens in a Listening Circle? Why are we holding circles and why should I attend?

UUCUC invites you to share your hopes and dreams for the future of the church by attending an upcoming LIstening Circle! The circles, organized by the Board-created Visioning Task Force, are meant to gather crucial insights from our UUCUC community (members and friends) to help establish clear strategic priorities for the immediate future of the church. We want to hear your reflections and ideas!  

In the circle, facilitators welcome participants and encourage them to spend a few minutes responding to a series of three prompts by jotting down their thoughts. Each person is then encouraged to share their ideas aloud for several minutes before others take their turn to speak. This is not a discussion, but a way to share ideas without judgement. This process encourages everyone to pay attention to the hopes, intentions, and possibilities for growth held by others. Notetakers jot down key ideas that emerge without attributing them to particular individuals. The hope is that this intentional process captures a diversity of ideas to inform the congregation’s collective vision of the future. Recent Listening Circle participants described the experience as “friendly, non-judgmental, insightful.”  

Many openings are available in the next few weeks for you to attend a Listening Circle. Please contribute your thoughts and perspectives to this project by registering for one of these events, whether it is held in someone’s home, at the church, or by Zoom. Share your voice by signing up for a Listening Circle between now and April 19! 

MARCH

• Friday 3/27/26 @ 7 pm at Jody Hanger and Chris Hannauer's House
• Saturday 3/28/26 @ 7 pm at Brian and Sylvia McDermott's House
• Sunday 3/29/26 @ 12 pm Willow Room
• Sunday 3/29/26 @ 3 pm ClarkLindsey Connection Multipurpose Room (ClarkLindsey Residents ONLY)
• Saturday 3/28/26 @ 3 pm Indigo Room (YRUU)

APRIL

• Thursday 4/2/26 @ 10 am Willow Room OR Bluestem Room (WOW Group. Please pick one room)
• Saturday 4/4/26 @ 10:30 am Willow Room
• Sunday 4/5/26 @ 3 pm Adelaide Aime's Home
• Thursday 4/9/26 @ 7 pm Cindy and Michael Loui's Home
• Saturday 4/11/26 @ 10 am Virtual (Zoom)
• Sunday 4/12/26 @ 12 pm Willow Room
• Sunday 4/12/26 @ 3 pm Pam and Lan Richart's Home
• Thursday 4/16/26 @ 7 pm Virtual (Zoom)
• Sunday 4/19/26 @ 12 pm Willow Room

All events are either in person or virtual, there are no hybrid events. Addresses to congregants' private homes will be in the registration form.

• Willow Room = Library 
• Big Bluestem Room = Children's Chapel

Brian McDermott

On behalf of the Vision Task Force: Janet Revell Barrett, Phillip Duling, Jordan James, Brian McDermott, Melissa Schoeplein