Even if you aren’t an archer, you probably know what a bullseye is. It’s that little circle in the very center of a target that scores the highest points. The bullseye is what people typically want to aim for, although our arrows might go a bit awry.

Dartboards have bullseyes too. Consistently hitting the precise center of a target takes a lot of practice. I throw darts so infrequently that I feel good about just hitting the board at all. But at least I know where I’m aiming.

Imagine engaging in an archery tournament in which the target was only revealed after you’d launched your arrows. If you don’t even know where to aim, it’s impossible to consistently score a bullseye.

Maybe this is how some people go about life. We forget to determine where to focus our attention, and we just launch ourselves into whatever is right in front of us. This can be frustrating, but at least it keeps us busy!

Back in May, I gathered with a small group of leaders from various ministry teams and committees of our Congregation. We asked ourselves: What is the most important thing to Unitarian Universalists? And how is that expressed in our Congregation?

We landed on the possibility that the relationships we build are the most important thing to UUs. Our vision for the world is only achievable through building meaningful relationships of support and collaboration. And nearly all of our principles address how we engage in authentic, mutual relationship with other human beings.

In our Congregation, those relationships are most clearly deepened and nurtured in small groups. Whether it’s a covenant group, a Religious Exploration class, or a ministry team, people learn how to be meaningfully connected with one another when we can be truly seen and known, in a setting where we feel safe enough to be vulnerable.

When we considered how our Sunday morning worship services might contribute to focusing our aim toward the bullseye of deep, authentic relationship, an opportunity emerged. What if we began our Sunday mornings with worship, and then moved into smaller group spaces? In other words, what if the point of worship is to prepare us for meaningful relationship with ourselves, others, and the world around us? We might more consistently co-create the kind of community we envision if we define where the bullseye is.

So, we’re trying a new framework this fall. Multigenerational worship services will continue to be at 10:15 on Sunday mornings, followed by a little time for coffee and fellowship (and hopefully a little refreshment that’s aimed at our younger folx who haven’t learned to delight in our sacred caffeinated beverage). Then, we’ll have age-appropriate small groups, including Religious Exploration for young people and adults designed to help us go deeper with the theme we’re lifting up in worship.

We’re hopeful that this will be a bullseye for our congregation in terms of building stronger connections with one another and nurturing Beloved Community in a way that extends beyond Sunday mornings. Like a lot of things, it’s an experiment that we’ll evaluate after a few months to see if it’s moving toward the bullseye of meaningful authentic relationships.

I hope that you’ll engage fully in all that’s on offer for you as we experiment and explore. Your presence and participation will help our collective aim stay true.