The Path of a Christ Circle
"For where two or three are gathered together in my name,
there am I in the midst of them."
Matthew 18:20'
About Christ Circles
A ‘Christ Circle’ is an intimate, small group gathering that can be held in-person, or on a telephone or video conference call. The purpose of the Circle is to give our full attention to the Spirit of God within us, which is Christ. A Christ Circle is not a support or study group, see ‘What A Christ Circle is Not’. Instead, it is a coming together in order to evoke the Presence of Christ from the inside out. It is a personalized worship service that helps us link our deepest sense of Love to our outward expression, allowing us to radiate Love into our lives and beyond, to our actions and reactions in the world around us.
In a mysterious way, this potent activity has the ability to not only resolve, but to actually dissolve many difficulties and problems that individual group members might be experiencing. The modern metaphysical theologian Emmett Fox referred to this phenomena as the 'Golden Key of Prayer,' which he described as follows:
The solution to every human problem is to
stop thinking about the problem and think about God instead.
Although this solution appears quite simple, it is not easy to implement on our own, in the midst of any type of personal crisis. However, when you participate in a Christ Circle, you join other loving and supportive individuals who, shift their focus toward God and away from their problems together. This simple yet profound group activity has the power to deepen our faith in ways that we cannot accomplish on our own.
What is a Christ Circle?
The Christ Circle group spiritual practice was inspired and established by Rev. Dr. Marcia Sutton to provide participants with mutual prayer agreement and support. Rev. Dr. Sutton often noted that while requesting agreement and support can be humbling, humility is essential, as it is the pathway to Grace.
The Christ Circle offers a unique structure for authentic sharing and deep listening. Participants are invited to speak without interruption or feedback, knowing that the space is sacred. The focus is on witnessing rather than attempting to fix anything or anyone. It is a place where we can learn how to pray out loud; where we can experience the quiet sacredness of listening to each other’s prayers. It is a place where we are fully supported by the power of agreement as promised from God in Matthew 18:20, “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” In the circle we do this aloud with a simple Agreement Prayer:
I hear you, I see you, I agree with you,
and the Christ within me supports your prayer with love.
While we can engage with Spiritual Truth through studying, reading, and discussing,the ultimate yearning is for a direct experience of God. We all seek to feel Love's Presence. We can find a safe, sacred space to experience it in this group meditation and prayer circle. In this setting, the realization of love is expanded from within, flowing through our
own lives, and into the lives of our loved ones, and to all of humanity.
The group spiritual practice is characterized by several shared activities: Chanting as a form of agreement prayer, prayer, meditation and reading spiritual Truth aloud. Above all, participants experience the Presence of Christ within their own hearts and minds, which manifests in their lives as a greater experience of Love. This demonstrable love
inspires faith as it appears in one's life in extraordinary ways. One discovers they are held in Love itself, embraced by the Holy, and eternally woven into the great Spiritual family of God. In this truth, there is no aloneness, for the Presence accompanies you in every breath, every step, every night’s closing of the eyes
To find out more about Christ Circles please check out the following items located in the 'Christ Circle Folder' in the NovaTech Library:
All About Christ Circles -
This packet includes a number of short
essays and other supporting documents
that explore the principles and
applications incorporated into the Christ
Circle practice. See More
Christ Circle Action Pack-
This packet of materials includes the
instructions, agendas, and worksheets
necessary to create and experience a
Christ Circle. See More
Join a Christ Circle
This consortium actively supports a number of ongoing Christ Circles. If you are new to this practice you might consider joining our 'Newcomers Circle' to have an experience of what a Christ Circle is like. From there you can choose to join an established Christ Circle, or start one of your own.
Contact: Rev. Karen Gifford (Wings of Prayer Ministry)
Start a Christ Circle
All it takes to start your own Christ Circle is one or two willing participants. From there, you can proceed to create your own Circle in one of two ways: The first is to simply do it on your own utilizing the materials that are offered on this website. Or, you can contact our 'Christ Circle Coordinator,' Rev. Karen Gifford, who would be more than happy to
assist you in developing and starting your own personal Christ Circle.