Conversation Church (Try this exercise at home with your own group!)

Oct 5, 2025 • Rev. Julia Riley, Rev. Michael Gienger

Practicing curiosity. We got into small groups of 3-4 people in the sanctuary and asked each other questions and listened and learned about each other. The questions are listed here if you'd like to practice connecting with your own small group. You can pick whichever of these questions resonate with you to answer and spark conversation with your group! You may want to ask questions in rounds and switch groups or partners in between as well.

Round One:

1. What place feels most like hom? What do you love about it?

2. How did you get connected to this faith community? What is one of your favorite memories here?

3. What is a hope you have for yourself in the coming year? For your family? This church? This city?

Round Two:

4. What brings you joy these days?

5. What weighs heavy on you, or causes you grief?

6. What is something you have learned about yourself in the past year?

7. If you could go back in time and teach your younger self one lesson, what would it be?

Round Three:

8. What's your favorite family tradition? Or a tradition you want to start and pass on to loved ones?

9. Share a key moment in your faith journey. How did that moment shape what you believe today?

10. Who is someone who has been influential in your faith? What impact did they have?

Round Four:

11. Is there a story behind your given name or surname? If you have a nickname or chosen name, how is it meaningful to you?

12. Share a memory related to food - a family recipe, baking ritual, or a time of breaking bread with loved ones.

13. Share a story of a time when you felt the most like yourself.

After discussion, we answered the question, "What made you feel connected in your conversation? What did you learn about yourself or your neighbor?" Folks were invited to upload their answers in real time to a Mentimeter presentation and read others on the screen during service. The completed presentation is linked below so you can see how others were able to connect with each other through this exercise.