Being With is a new small-group resource available in the Diocese of Niagara for those looking for a welcoming, unique introduction to Christianity or for anyone who would like to connect relationally with others as they reconsider the essentials of our faith.
Being With comes from St. Martin-in-the-Fields, London, created by their vicar, Samuel Wells, who is also a public theologian. He designed Being With to offer a warm, inclusive environment where every voice matters and invites participants to explore for themselves what faith could look like when it is expressed in generosity, openness, and grace.
Wells’ course is based on three main theological principles: that God created the universe to be with us in Christ; that the Holy Spirit has been at work in each of our lives since we began; and that God’s means and ends are identical. Being With expresses these theological principles together through an experience that is relational, incarnational, and anticipatory of the Holy Spirit’s work in the midst. Being With ultimately becomes not just the name of the course, but also the very nature of the Gospel itself: God being with us, us being with God, and us being with each other.
To Wells, the act of “being with” is more than just showing up. It involves presence, attention, mystery, delight, participation, partnership, enjoyment, and glory. Being With hosts learn to embody these characteristics through short training courses.
The structure of Being With is deceptively simple. Each meeting has four parts. The first is the Welcome, in which everyone shares what the heart of their week has been. This simple prompt provides an opportunity for each participant to reflect on their lives and share something either joyful or difficult, as the case may be. Next are the Wonderings, which introduce the theme of the session experientially by inviting participants to respond out of their own thoughts and lives to statements such as “I wonder if you know what it feels like to be set free,” or “Tell about a story you’ve loved for a long time.” For both of the first two parts, participants who share are met with a simple response: a personal “thank you” from one of the hosts. No one in the group counter responds or makes comments on what anyone else says. The group simply lets the sharing linger in the air and in our hearts and minds. This creates both a safe and hopefully brave space for people to speak honestly.
The last two parts of a Being With session are the Story/Talk and the Discussion. The Story/Talk is an eight-minute reflection on the theme of the session, written by Samuel Wells and read aloud by one of the two hosts. Topics creatively addressed in the Story/Talks include Meaning, Essence, Jesus, Church, Bible, Mission, The Cross, Prayer, Suffering, and Resurrection. The host who reads these also tries to incorporate into the Story/Talk aspects of what group members shared during the Wonderings. This improvisational addition is a beautiful and personal way to bring people’s lives directly in contact with the message of the Gospel.
After a minute of quiet for the group to ponder what they just heard in the Story/Talk, the hosts open up the rest of the time for a Discussion, in which participants can talk about and question anything they have heard. The prompt for this is: “I wonder what is going on in your heart and head.” The session ends after 90 minutes.
The result is an opportunity for all present to see and be seen, to share and be heard, to listen and to receive, both the theological points being offered and the relational experience with one another. Wells’ desire is for people participating in Being With to not just leave with a mental understanding of Christianity, but with having had an experience of the heart of the Gospel – being with one another and God.
Being With groups consist of up to twelve members and require two hosts to lead each session. Hosts can be clergy or laity. Groups can be offered in person or online. Both formats have proven very effective. There are ten sessions for the Being With Core course, and additional Being With courses that keep the same structure but focus on other specific topics, such as Creation, the Church, Baptism, and the Bible.
Since Being With offers a different experience than a typical inquiry course, there is a short online training required for those who would be the hosts. Four churches in the diocese already have trained hosts and are finding firsthand that Being With is an excellent resource for people new to Christianity and those who simply want to grow deeper. I believe so much in this course that I am now a Being With trainer and am ready to arrange host trainings specifically for any interested churches and missions within the diocese.
If you think Being With might be a good fit for your congregation or if you have any questions, I welcome you to reach out and connect with me at [email protected].
Ministry Outside the Box