Sharing Circles UUCatskills

November 2025 – February 2026

Background

The UUCatskills Healthy Relations Team (HeaRT) o􀆯ered Sharing Circles as an opportunity for congregants to share from their hearts and minds what they cherish and celebrate about the UU Congregation of the Catskills, their concerns or worries, and their hopes for the future of the congregation. The ideas from the circles can be used to open up possibilities for UUCatskills in the future.

The circles, facilitated by HeaRT members and a Board member, began in November with a circle for the Board of Trustees, and then on Zoom and in person from mid-December through February. Circles were scheduled on varied days and times.

A total of 43 congregants participated; the circles ranged in size between 2 and 9 participants. Each question was asked and answered by all participants, proceeding around the group so that everyone answered the first question, and then the second and third in separate rounds, and each respondent had as much time as they wanted to speak. Notes were taken in each session with an agreement to keep all responses anonymous. The consolidated notes were analyzed for common themes, and this report includes a narrative interpretation of the pattern in responses for each question, along with a listing of the topics mentioned within each theme. Most people mentioned more than one idea in their responses to each question, so the number of ideas presented here is greater than the number of people participating.

This report is organized in three sections: Celebrate, Concern, and Hope, with a narrative and then a listing of the responses to each question organized by theme.

Click here: uucatskills-sharing-circles to read the report.