Gathering Now

Kid’s Fall Kickoff was a slam DUNK 💦

Yesterday, we celebrated our students who were moving up a grade and heading back to school. We blessed backpacks, prayed for our young learners, and celebrated with a whole bunch of activities.

If you or someone you know is heading back to the classroom, know that we are praying for you. You got this! 📚🙏

Are you serving, or just volunteering?

This week, Pastor Brittany helps us imagine how service can be a part of our faith practice.

Check it out here: https://youtu.be/vMgMH153kR8

This fall is all about your wellness.

We're offering SIX wellness groups, beginning in September. These 6-week, peer-led groups are designed to offer you support through some of life's more challenging seasons.

You can sign up by visiting here: https://gatheringnow.org/wellness

Prayer is often misunderstood.

At its core, prayer is about having an honest talk with God. When it's stripped down to a conversation, it makes connecting with God feel way more attainable.

This week, Pastor Tim explains how prayer is as simple as a chat with God. Listen here: https://youtu.be/7YKt8tsN6AM

God calls us to grow in faith together, not alone. By intentionally gathering with others to ask questions of faith, we experience transformation and can build deep friendships and relationships.

Check out the message here: https://youtu.be/_NvkJcIJfMM

Last Sunday we celebrated dozens of baptisms and opportunities to remember baptism across all three sites. It was a beautiful thing to witness! Baptism is an opportunity to accept Jesus's help and choose to follow him. Pastor Matt delivered this message beautifully, and many were moved to tears during this moment of grace. If you would like to inquire about baptism, contact your site pastor!

Christ is called by many names in the Bible, but we rarely take the time to unpack his given name - Jesus.

This week, we're responding to Jesus by exploring how his name points to who he is for us as a Savior.

Check out the message here: https://youtu.be/1o2z-OYb_nA

NEW EPISODE DROP!

In this month's episode of Made for More, Pastor Charity Goodwin reminds us that we're not meant to live life alone.

She offers up ways for you to connect with CoreGroups (small groups) at The Gathering, and highlights some upcoming events in August.

This episode is packed full of wisdom you won't want to miss. Check it out here: https://youtu.be/VLhW5U4UDTk

Baptism is such a significant moment, we're dedicating a Sunday to it!

On July 21st, join us at any of our 3 sites for Baptism Sunday.

This is an opportunity for you to respond to Jesus' presence in your life by:

- Remembering past baptism, or
- By being baptized for the first time.

You can let us know your interest in Baptism on The Gathering App, or just come forward that morning.

We can't wait to see you there!

Why do Christians call Jesus their 'Guide to Life?'

Jesus has many names in the Bible, one being the Bright Morning Star.

Cool nickname? Yes. Clear in meaning? Not so much.

Using imagery of the heavens, the ancients identified Jesus as their guide to life, the navigating force behind their decisions.

Watch as Pastor Matt Miofsky unpacks what this means for how we understand Jesus today: https://youtu.be/ZOjzRsJyL08

Why do Christians talk about Jesus instead of God?

The relationship between God and Jesus can be confusing. Jesus is central to Christian faith, but why?

This week, Pastor Matt Miofsky is unpacking who Jesus is, and why we talk about him so much.

https://youtu.be/QdCa586yzrw

As Christians, we're called to seek racial awareness and take antiracist action.

To help our congregation live into this call, The Gathering is hosting Witnessing Whiteness (WW) this fall.

WW is a 14-week group hosted by The Gathering in collaboration with the YWCA. WW Groups are for adults (18 and over) who identify as white to come together to uncover and expose the impact of our white racial identity and the operation of racism in our lives and communities.

This group will meed in-person on Tuesdays from 6:30-8:30pm at our McCausland site.

For more information and to register, drop any comment down below.

Why do Christians get Baptized in water, and what does it mean?

Baptism is more than a ritual; it's a powerful symbol of God's grace, forgiveness, and the start of a new life.

Baptism offers us initiation into the family of God, the Grace of God, forgiveness, and a fresh start with Jesus.

Hear Pastor Charity's unpacking of Baptism here: https://youtu.be/3IV406XTr40

It's Summertime in Kid's Ministry!

Check out our team's LATEST podcast episode. They're breaking down what is happening in Kid's Ministry this summer. You won't want to miss it!

You can watch / listen here: https://youtu.be/8j1APrPCPuc

While you're there, be sure to subscribe! This channel is dedicated to kids content and parent support.

BONUS EPISODE.

In this 6-minute podcast video, Pastor Matt Miofsky unpacks the origins of Communion, and some of its many interpretations across Christianity.

Check it out here:

https://youtu.be/kPrH6xeKw8c

God is making a difference in and through Gathering Students.

Our Middle School students (6-8th grade) spent the last week in Milwaukee, serving with an organization called YouthWorks.

They spent their time:
- In community gardens,
- cleaning parks, and
- spending time with seniors and those with intellectual disabilities.

The trip was anchored around the notion of God’s immeasurable love taking root in our lives.

If you get the chance, ask a student about their experience. Their stories are a real testament to God at work. 🙏🙌

What is Communion, and why do we do it?

Whether you call it the Eucharist, the Lord's Supper, Mass, or Communion, this meal is a profound moment for Christians to remember, experience, and connect with Jesus.

That's why, here at The Gathering, we take Communion each week in worship. In a world that can be so divisive, Communion reminds us that we are equal to one another in God's eyes.

Listen to Pastor Matt unpack Communion with us here: https://youtu.be/SkyIjaryd74

Today, we celebrate Juneteenth, a day of significance and celebration for African Americans.

On June 19th, 1865, the Union Army entered Galveston, TX and declared freedom for all enslaved African Americans. While declarations and laws had already been passed to abolish slavery in the US, it wasn't until this moment that it was enforced within certain states. While all liberation did not unfold on this day, it was the start of a long journey to freedom for African Americans in the US.

While today is a celebration of liberation for some, it is also a call to reflection and repentance for others. Just as it was in 1865, we continue to combat personal and systemic beliefs which attempt to restrict the fullness of life for people of color in this country. We embrace this knowledge, and carry forward the hope and drive to shape a better, more liberated future for all.

For those celebrating - embrace it! Sing, dance, nap, create, find ways to experience joy! And, for those whom this holiday holds less personal significance, we invite you to join us in a moment of reflection and repentance on the ways we reinforce systems that make freedom conditional.

We pray for a world fully liberated. Happy Juneteenth!