Small Group: Space for Connection & Reflection at GU

Published: February 02, 2026

Author: Liz Dowell

On Monday mornings across campus and throughout the week in residence halls, offices, and shared spaces, small circles of students gather to talk, reflect, and connect. These gatherings, known simply as small groups, have become a quiet but powerful cornerstone of spiritual life at Greenville University.

For Keli Pennington, chaplain and director of spiritual formation, small groups serve a purpose that is both simple and deeply intentional.

“The purpose of small groups is twofold: connection and reflection,” Pennington said. “We want students to connect with their peers, connect with a GU employee, and most importantly, connect with God.”

A Long-Standing Practice, Reimagined

While small groups feel like a recent addition for some students, they have deep roots at Greenville University. Pennington, a GU alumna herself, remembers participating in residence hall Bible studies as a freshman and later leading small groups as a resident assistant.

The structure students recognize today began to take shape around 2017–18, when chapel programming was adjusted to accommodate small-group engagement. After disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic, the program was intentionally revived in its current form in fall 2022, when Pennington stepped into her chaplain role.

Now in its fourth academic year, the small group program has grown into a flexible, student-centered model that complements other chapel offerings, such as The Wednesday Experience (TWE), Community Café, and Vespers.

“Chapel is important. We need Word and worship,” Pennington said. “But small groups give us the opportunity for personal engagement. We want students to be known, not just present.”

What Small Groups Look Like

Each semester, GU offers between 20 and 30 small groups, led by faculty, staff, graduate assistants, and students. The groups vary widely in format and focus, reflecting the diversity of students’ spiritual interests and needs.

Some groups center on Bible study, while others explore spiritual practices such as journaling, Lectio Divina, or listening prayer. Past groups have included testimony-based discussions led by rotating faculty and staff, board-game-based conversations about faith and life, and even book studies using non-biblical texts.

“The diversity is the point,” Pennington said. “We’ll never meet every student’s spiritual needs in one space. But when you have dozens of groups, all led differently, students can find something meaningful for them.”

Last semester, Professor Shawn Foles led a Small Group in which students played board games. Student Aiden Potts attended the group and said he was able to build bonds that will last beyond his college career.

“I grew in my faith with peace. It's nice to wake up and start your week playing board games and talking about God,” Potts said. “It's a good way to center the rest of the week on knowing that I have people willing to pray for and with me during this time.”

If you would like to join Professor Foles’ Small Group, they start Monday, Feb 2, at 9:30 a.m. at the hub conference room

Measuring Impact

At the end of each semester, students are invited to complete an assessment of their small group experience. Over the past three years, the results have been remarkably consistent.

“Every semester, 97 to 100 percent of students tell us they feel more connected to peers, to a GU employee, and to God,” Pennington said. “And when we ask if they’ve grown in their faith because of a small group, the answer is overwhelmingly yes.”

Last fall alone, approximately 270 students participated in small groups each week. These numbers reinforce what Pennington sees anecdotally across campus.

A Semester Rooted in Community

As Greenville University navigates a season of change, Pennington believes small groups are more critical than ever.

“In times of uncertainty, one of our best resources is the community,” she said. “Small groups are an intentional way for students to feel seen and heard.”

This semester also brings a new initiative to strengthen student leadership. With more students stepping forward to lead small groups each year, the chaplain’s office is introducing formal training for student leaders, facilitated by student chaplain Maddie Powell.

“It’s exciting to see students feel empowered to lead spiritually,” Pennington said. “We want to make sure they feel equipped and supported.”

Defining Success

For Pennington, a successful small group isn’t measured by attendance numbers or structure, but by connection.

“Are students connecting? With a mentor? With God?” She spoke. “And are they reflecting faith in ways that help them grow? If that’s happening, then the small group is doing exactly what it’s meant to do.”

In a university community that values personal attention and spiritual formation, small groups continue to offer something both countercultural and essential: space to slow down, be known, and grow together.

If you would like to join any Small Group, they start on or after January 28, 2026.