Little Details Create Quality Discussion…

January is a time for new beginnings! Are there areas in which your group could make some healthy changes? In what way is love, spiritual growth, service and celebration being demonstrated? Healthy groups become aware of weak areas in their group life and strive to do better. And, looking closely at environments in which we meet is also important. Granted…some groups gather wherever they can for convenience and often that translates to the classroom style ambiance of a church setting! Take a moment to evaluate your meeting area and the general atmosphere of your group time. Little changes can cause big results.

Hints for Effective Small Group Environment

• Try to sit in a circle so everyone makes eye contact with one another. When a rectangular table is your only choice, push back from the table allowing group members to see each other.
• Minimize the distance between those in attendance. If you have a nice circle with 12 chairs and only 7 people attend, pull out the other chairs and make a smaller circle. (Keep an open chair for the late comer).
• Remember…three people on a sofa makes effective dialogue difficult and is often awkward for the center person.
• When meeting in a home, remove any obstacles that might interfere with vision, such as lamps, backs of chairs, plants.
• Make sure the lighting is sufficient and not difficult for people to see or read print.
• Leave an empty chair for someone who might come late and remember to always acknowledge the late person with a short welcome. 
• Remove dogs, cats and children unless their presence has been decided upon in you covenant.

Your goal is to create a pleasant, comfortable environment for effective discussion. It’s amazing how paying attention to little details can have a huge effect!