Small Groups
Community Groups & Spiritual Practice Groups: All Are Welcome!
Street & Mailing Address:
General Contact:
Joining a small group is a wonderful way to meet people! Our small groups love it when someone new joins in. Feel free to reach out to the group facilitator or to our co-minister Rev. Christina Leone-Tracy, christina@fvuuf.org, with questions.
Scroll down or click on one of the links to be directed to that group’s information on this page!
Community Groups
- Goddess Group
- Men’s Group
- LGBTQ Support Group
- Senior Wonders
- Unpacking Religious Baggage
- Spanish English “Charla” Circle
- Adult Drum Circle
- Addiction Recovery Support Group
Spiritual Practice Groups
COMMUNITY GROUPS
These groups meet regularly to connect over shared identity, interests, and values.
Goddess Group
Mondays; 9:00 am Central Time, in person
Contact Connie Swift at conniesueswift@gmail.com with questions.
Weekly Monday morning group of women sharing “what’s tugging at our hearts” and usually a book study.
Men’s Group
Monthly on the third Tuesday, 7:00 pm Central Time, in person
Contact John Duffin at japple51@gmail.com with questions and for the meeting location.
This group welcomes all who identify as men to gather for the chance to talk in a deep, meaningful, and personal way. Alcohol and other substances are not allowed when attending our meetings. Those in attendance share an update, and then we discuss a topic such as “sheltering at home” or “favorite movies and why we liked them”.
LGBTQ+ Support Group
Monthly on the fourth Sunday, 12:30 pm
Contact Kathleen Mueske at kathleenmueske@msn.com with questions.
Are you in need of a safe place to find support during these challenging times? We will offer space to unload fears and stress as well as offer support, and advocacy opportunities while finding connection and joy within this multigenerational community.
Senior Wonders
1st Tuesdays, noon, in person
Contact Janet Hughes at janet.ahma@yahoo.com for meeting location and with questions.
Monthly noon meetings at the Fellowship during winter months and at a park when weather permits. Meetings may include bringing lunch. Love and laughter, sharing life’s challenges and joys.
Unpacking Religious Baggage Group
2nd Sunday of each month, 12:30-1:30 pm
Contact Kristin Havel at spanghavk@gmail.com with questions.
Are you carrying around religious baggage from your upbringing? Do you want to have fewer negative reactions when other people mention religion or God? Do you want to heal from religious wounds, and move forward with a healthier, more inclusive, and loving sense of your spirituality, whatever that might mean for you now? We’re with you! Join us for our monthly conversations to connect with people who have similar experiences and support each other in developing our spiritual identities.
Charla Circle – A Spanish & English Conversation Practice Group
Fridays, 9:00-10:30 am (Note: if you arrive after 9:15 am, please ring the doorbell on the left side of the front doors).
Contact Kevin Duffey at kdhello42@gmail.com with questions.
Anyone who can put together a basic sentence in English and Spanish is welcome to join our weekly drop-in conversation circle, or “Charla” (Spanish for chat). We’ll spend time listening and speaking in both English and Spanish, with and for the benefit of native speakers of both languages.
The group meets quarterly. Please watch the newsletter for the next meeting date and time.
Contact Debra Morningstar at Mnstarcreates@gmail.com.
You are welcome to bring any drums you may have as well as any percussion instruments. Additional Drums/rattles will be provided on site. Come as you are and bring a friend!
Addiction Recovery Support Group
Addiction can affect anyone — You are not alone!
A group for folks within our Fellowship community who are in recovery or would like to start the recovery process from any kind of addiction. This group is not counseling, nor is it a 12-step program. It will simply be a judgment-free space for collective support and education about addiction recovery.
For more information contact:
Ben: hendrickson-ben@aramark.com
Richard: reharrington83@gmail.com
SPIRITUAL PRACTICE GROUPS
These groups meet regularly to deepen a particular spiritual practice.
Gathering Circle: A Pagan Small Group
4th Monday of the month in person (2nd Monday of the month starting May 2026); 6:30-8:30 pm CT
Contact Tuppence at tsvdvaarst@gmail.com with questions.
Does your spirit respond to nature? Do you follow the seasons or find spirituality with the elements? Pagans believe that nature is sacred and that the natural cycles of birth, growth and death observed in the world around us carry profoundly spiritual meanings. Human beings are seen as part of nature, along with other animals, trees, stones, plants and everything else that is of this earth. All who want to explore these topics are welcome to join the Gathering Circle Small Group. The group is mostly conversational, but may include short rituals and outdoor gatherings.
Joyful Mind Sangha
Saturdays, 7:00 am Central Time, online year-round
We are a lay-led, Soto Zen Buddhist-inspired sangha that is a small group of the Fox Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship. We draw from many sources of wisdom and inspiration to guide us in our path of awakening. We meet every week and share what has been helpful with each other.
Our members include people from the Soto Zen, Vipasana, Plum Village, and Insight meditation traditions along with those who do not identify as Buddhists at all. We seek to be a welcoming, inclusive, respectful group open to all those seeking to deepen their wisdom, compassion, and mindfulness in life.
Our sangha meetings start with 30 minutes of meditation followed by a brief service. We finish with a dharma talk and discussion.
Photography as a Spiritual Practice
Contact Mary Ellyn Vicksta at mev500@yahoo.com for meeting information and for questions.
We explore contemplative photography as a spiritual practice through traditional cameras, smartphones, and other means of image and video capture. A key component of this spiritual practice is to reflect on visual images, discover insights about self, connection with others, and journey towards spiritual insights.
Our meetings are devoted to each person sharing about 5 minutes of their still images and short videos around the month’s challenges and any insights or discoveries made. The monthly challenges are sprinkled with inspiration from other photographers, writers, poets, and artists and are formatted as “prepare”, “do”, and “reflect” to prompt contemplation.
Any means of photographic ability is welcome. We love smartphones as well as other means of capturing photos like digital SLRs and P&S cameras.
Smiling Dandelion Sangha
Contact Linda Gardner at smildandsangha@gmail.com
Sundays, 6:00 – 7:30 pm Central Time, online
The Smiling Dandelion Sangha meets every Sunday evening from 6:00 – 7:30 pm on Zoom. Our sessions begin with a 25-minute meditation, followed by a teaching and discussion.
This year, our discussions focus on the six paramitas of the Mahayana Buddhist tradition:
– Generosity
– Ethical conduct/discipline
– Patience
– Diligence/joyful effort
– Concentration/meditation
– Wisdom
The Sanskrit word “paramita” means “to cross over to the other shore.” Through the practice of these six qualities, we cross from the sea of suffering (samsara) to the shore of happiness and awakening (Nirvana). Each paramita represents an enlightened quality of the heart and the innate seed of perfect realization within us.
After focusing on the virtue of generosity in January, we will continue to explore a different paramita each month. We welcome new faces at any time. To receive the Zoom link and a brief outline of the weekly topic, email Linda (see above). All are welcome.