Rethink Church
Rethink church. What does that mean? It means that The Gathering wants to be a relevant church. We want to make a difference in the lives of others. We want to combat the pain and suffering of the world by reaching out with hope and help for those living in darkness. How do we do this?
Experiential worship– Worship is a sacred space, a sacred hour where we separate ourselves from the busyness and monotony of daily life and experience Christ in real and profound ways. Experiential worship means that we have “out of the box” services at the Sandler Center where you get out of your chairs and help create art, write letters of forgiveness, or package up food and hygiene kits for the homeless as part of church. We don’t want church to be something you watch, but something you do.
Authentic accountability– At The Gathering we think that a real sense of community only comes when we take off our masks and face the fact that we aren’t perfect, our kids aren’t perfect, our lives aren’t perfect. We create authentic accountability with over a dozen small groups that give you a chance to meet other people at The Gathering, some of them exactly like you, others challenge your way of thinking. We don’t want church to be a place you go but people that you reach out to when a crisis comes up or you find yourself struggling spiritually. When we are real with each other, God can accomplish real transformation in us. What does transformation look like? Taking off the veneer of having the perfect life and instead striving to show others God’s perfect love!
Incarnational missions– God knew that we couldn’t fully understand his love for us unless he came down and took the form of humanity in Jesus so we could SEE the face of God reflected in our own faces, lives, struggles. At The Gathering we feel that the problems of the world can’t be solved by throwing money at the pain of the world. We make a real difference when we enter into the pain of the world and bring hope from the inside out. That’s why we partner with Stop Hunger Now to personally package up meals that will be sent to orphanages in Latin America and Africa. That’s why we partner with social workers to go shopping as a church for families living in poverty in Virginia Beach so they have Christmas presents under the tree to open. That’s why we are opening a preschool where tuition is based on income so that we can help families living in or just above the poverty level afford a quality faith-based education for their children. That’s why we make meals for local youth shelters and eat with them instead of standing behind a serving line, that’s why we throw baby showers for pregnant teenage moms and send our youth to Pennsylvania on a mission trip to do yard work and ministry at nursing homes. That’s why we are hosting a 5k in the community to provide more financial aid for these deserving children. The church has sat by the sidelines long enough, it’s time to get suited up and get involved in our community and the world- showing and proclaiming Jesus’s story of grace, love, and redemption for all.
What kind of people are “in” at The Gathering? Anyone who enters our doors is loved, accepted and welcomed into the community. So, what are you waiting for? Join us Sunday, July 7th at Mt. Trashmore Shelter 1 at 9am for worship or any Sunday after that at 9 or 10:30 am in the Miller Theater of the Sandler Center for the Performing Arts in Town Center!