I’m a member! Now what?
Some practical considerations for getting started
How do I publicize my group?
Here is the registration form for the ‘Year of the Pilgrim.’ You can distribute the flyer via email, print it and hand it out to women who may be interested, or even post it on social media. Here is a sample of a bulletin announcement used to advertise a past group.
If your group is open to new members, get listed on our map! New Members looking to join a group can send an inquire directly to you or can email us too!
Please email us here to add your group to the map. You may choose whether you would like to receive inquires directly to your email or have them sent to us first.
What do we do at the first meeting?
View our agenda for the ‘Year of the Pilgrim’ Kick-Off Meeting. Also, check out our tips for running your first meeting.
When do we listen to the audios?
Listening to the audios together when you gather as a group is vitally important to the Well-Read Mom experience. The audios explain why the book was chosen, the theme, and help jog people’s memories. We find those who intend to listen on their own before or after the meeting seldom do and are less connected to the mission of Well-Read Mom. Find the audios on the Monthly Audios page.
You’ll want to make sure you have Internet access at your meeting spot to listen to the audios and watch an occasional video together. If you won’t have Internet access, please let us know several days in advance and we can get the resources to you in another format. Contact us for more information.
What books do we read?
Even if you are joining after September, we recommend you start with the current month’s selection and finish the year with us. You can read some of the other books during the summer, if you like. (Previous year’s audios and materials are available to members at a discounted rate on our Audio Archive page.)
For example, during the October meeting, the September book selection is discussed and so on. The audios are posted by 9 a.m. on the first day of each month. (The audios are posted on the “Monthly Audios” page of the website.)
The books, including any recommended edition or specific translations, are found on our Books page.
How long are the meetings?
Generally, a little over an hour. We recommend you run a timely meeting, and then visit afterward if you like. This gives women the freedom to just attend the meeting, and the meeting is normally a great springboard for continuing conversation.
Here is the recommended format for the monthly meeting:
7:00-7:10 Women gather in a home, parish, or coffee shop, get a cup of tea and settle in.
7:10-7:15 Leader plays the first recording; a candid, encouraging reflection that helps focus the group and launch the discussion.
7:15-8:00 Group discussion. We recommend an initial go-around where each woman offers a brief thought or reflection from the book (women are free to pass). We have found this initial round generates discussion. Additional questions can be found in the Reading Companion, included in the member materials when you register.
8:00-8:15 Play the second recording introducing the following month’s book.
Some more tips
We recommend keeping the evening simple so that hosting does not become an obstacle to meeting regularly. You can offer a pot of tea or coffee. Another member could sign up to bring cookies. Rotate the meeting place as needed.
Thanks again for your “yes” to leading or participating in a group. We are amazed at how women are responding to this initiative.
Leaders, please let us know what other resources would be helpful to you. Just send us a note.
