The Art of Gathering: A summer worship series, July- August 2025
The Art of Gathering:
A summer worship series, July- August 2025
July 6: Practicing Communion
1 Corinthians 10:16-17, John 6:30-35
Chapter 1: Why are we really gathering?
Specificity
Commit to a specific purpose
worship God
learn to be disciples
strength and courage
challenge pat ideas and assumptions
shared joys and challenges; Celebrate milestones
know that I'm a child of God
learn: apply scripture to life
what then shall we do?
Work for justice, right wrongs
tangible help for the least, the lost, and the lonely
raise awareness
dispel loneliness
Establish/reinforce connections
Uniqueness
history: the building, legacy of social witness and justice, music
location: at the edge of rich and poor
mix of folks: old families, newer immigrant families
ichi-go ichi-e: “one meeting, one moment that will never happen again” (16th c tea master Sen no Rickû)
“Why is this night different from all other nights?”
Disputable
transactional versus connectional
WHY?
What does it mean to be Presbyterian? Reformed, Christian, child of God?
Apply scriptures to daily life
Micah 6: 8 Do justice, love hesed, walk humbly with God
gather in solidarity and support
disagree faithfully on the basis of scripture
dispel loneliness
Who is excluded?
Those who can't accept women in leadership
as a member, those who can't claim Jesus as Lord and savior
those who would harm others