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Gathering together

2/5/2020

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The way we gather matters. Gatherings consume our days and help determine the kind of world we live in, in both our intimate and public realms. Gathering— the conscious bringing together of people for a reason— shapes the way we think, feel, and make sense of our world.

​-Parker, Priya. The Art of Gathering (p. ix). Penguin Publishing Group.
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The quote above is from one of my favorite books in the world. It explains why it is so important to me that we have church. The way I am – who I am is because of all the time I have spent gathering with church people. It wasn’t always intentional but it wasn’t ever by accident, either.

The reason I believe that there is hope beyond depression is because of the language of resurrection that I heard in worship liturgy. The compassion I have learned to practice was only possible after years of seeing it modeled in long church meetings. My care for the environment is a product of potlucks without paper products and service-trips for vacations. Because I have gathered together with other followers of Jesus all my life I have been formed in the way of the cross.

In her book, Parker tells us that a number of studies support the notion that much of the time we spend in gatherings with other people disappoint us. Work, friends, conferences, family…all of it. As disappointed as we are, Parker contends that we tend to keep gathering in the same tired ways. We’re not mindful that what we are doing when we gather is shaping our own thinking and teaching others what kind of community this is.

I think about this all the time when I am with you. Worship on Sunday mornings – why are we doing it this way? Are you getting the messages through the order of the liturgy? Bible Studies – how can I get y’all to share the amazing stuff with one another that you share with me? Congregational meetings – how can we be in mission together without everyone hating it?

This past Sunday was the culmination of a long process of trying to address congregational meetings. These meeting are the second heart of this body of Christ. After worship, it is the only time that we’ve committed to being all together. It is the place where all of our biggest decisions are made: how we elect our leaders, how we change the parameters of our community, how we spend our money and resources, all things that we care about. I’m proud that over the past year, with the leadership of our council, we’ve switched off the auto-pilot and considered the way we do congregational meetings.

With the constitutional changes that we finalized last Sunday, we will now have two regular meetings of the congregation each year.

One meeting will take place in the month before Pentecost Sunday (usually May). At this meeting we will elect our council members and our treasurer. In the month that follows the new leaders will elect from among themselves the other officers of our congregation. They will then have the rest of the summer months to vision for the coming year and commission the Finance Ministry to prepare a budget for the coming fiscal year. A draft budget could be available in September for congregational discussion and input.

On a Sunday in November we will hold our annual congregational meeting. At this meeting we will vote on a budget for the coming fiscal year. We will also elect a Nominating Committee and Synod Assembly Voting Members. The council that was installed the previous spring will continue their work through the fiscal year turnover.

I’m excited because this will mean that we no longer have council members who leave before their hard work is finished. It will mean that we’re not trying to amend a budget over vacation or make financial moves before they’ve been approved by the congregation. It means our new council will have time to listen for God before proposing anything to vote on.

Generally, it means that we can gather better. I’m excited for the future when gathering for our congregational meeting will look more like what the prophets describe: God gathering her people from all directions of the compass, from the forgotten places, and the distant places, and the places separated by walls. There, with everyone gathered in the same tent the Holy Spirit blows and everyone is set on fire for the mission that they share – to proclaim God’s love in the world.

-Pastor Manda


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1550 Meridian Ave. 
San Jose, CA 95125

(408)266-8022
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church@cgslc.org
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  • About Us
    • Our Mission
    • Leadership
    • Our History
    • The Rainbow Fish
    • Our Partners and Friends
  • Worship
    • CGS on YouTube
    • Digital Worship Bulletins
    • Music
  • Living Together
    • Calendar
    • Newsletter
    • Blog
    • Important Documents
    • Library
    • Facilities
  • Breeze
  • Contact Us
  • Donate