A Chalice Group is an intentional gathering of about ten people who commit to be present to each other in a genuine, meaningful way. It is more than a discussion group, more than a social club, and is definitely not a committee meeting. There is no agenda, no action items, and no expected outcome or product. A Chalice Group exists only for people to listen and to be heard. Chalice Groups meet about twice a month, typically in the home of one of the members. These groups can be affinity or theme-based, but they don’t have to be. Each group meeting follows the same structure, with opening words or ritual, chalice lighting, check-in and sharing, discussion, and a closing ritual. Within this structure, the details are up to each individual group.

Besides the existence of a covenant, the other way a Chalice Group differs from a “normal” discussion group is the practice of deep listening. As the name suggests, this is a practice of actively and intentionally focusing one’s attention on the person who is speaking. It is a practice of listening to the other’s words, noticing feelings, and truly being present to the one who is sharing. Deep listening is in contrast to a typical conversation, when the listener might be mentally formulating a reply or challenge. This type of listening is listening to hear, not listening to be right.

The purpose of a Chalice Group is to focus on the relationships among the members, and the process by which they share their thoughts and feelings with each other. A Chalice Group is not about coming to agreement, debating, or solving problems; nor is it group therapy. A Chalice Group *is* a support group – in the sense that by truly listening to one another, members both hear and are heard, and grow to know each other in a deeper way.