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 

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