By Zoe Ann Lamp

Have you ever wanted to have a conversation with someone at QUUF that goes deeper than coffee hour?

That’s why I joined a Covenant Group. I like deep conversations and feel most comfortable in small groups. When I joined QUUF in 2015, I knew many people, but I wanted to really get to know some of them. Coffee hour was often too busy and noisy for the kinds of conversations I enjoy. A Covenant Group gave me a chance to get to know a small group of people more deeply.

What I enjoy most about Covenant Groups is learning about other people and hearing their perspectives. As we explore UU values and share our own life experiences, I learn things about people that would probably never come up in a casual conversation. I also get to hear how someone else thinks about a topic, which sometimes makes me look at it differently.

I’ve participated in several Covenant Groups over the years and I’ve developed connections with people I probably wouldn’t have gotten to know otherwise. My current group is made up of people who live in or near Kala Point. I’ve especially enjoyed getting to know my neighbors and hearing about their lives and experiences. It’s interesting how much you can learn about someone who may have lived right down the road for years.

One of my favorite things about Covenant Groups actually happens outside the meetings. I’ll run into someone who was in one of my groups years ago and we already have a connection. We stop and talk because we know each other in a way we wouldn’t have without that shared experience. I love that the connection made in a Covenant Group can last long after the group has ended. Those moments make me feel like I’m part of the larger QUUF community.

Covenant Groups give me a sense of connection and belonging. They’re a place to explore our UU values but I think they’re also a way of living those values. We listen to one another, learn about each other’s lives, and hear perspectives that may be different from our own.

If you’re wondering whether a Covenant Group is for you, think about the connections you have at QUUF. Would you like the chance to know some people a little more deeply? That’s what Covenant Groups have given me. And some of the connections I’ve made have lasted for years.