Originally a short informal outdoor diverse worship service organized by Rev. Becki Dean and members of St Michael’s, it is now being reimagined by Allen Cersley and other members. The Gathering Place will be a “Dinner Church” held in the Parish Hall once a month on a Sunday afternoon. We will need short term volunteers to cook, serve, greet, and be the table team. Additional Core Planners are needed as well. Once the dinner church takes off, volunteers would be pulled from people who regularly attend. This ministry is funded by St Michael’s, and all food and supplies would be provided. This is a new way to reach out to our community following the way the Church was done in the beginning.

Dinner churches: what are they?

A monthly gathering of people of good will, where all the important things happen. A meal is served, but the group does not meet first and then eat, or eat dinner and then have church. We would not take the main worship activities into a room away from the eating area. It all happens simultaneously. Think of a good dinner party with a spiritual twist – and then just add art (music, poetry, Scripture), robust conversation and prayerful moments (which may embrace silence, simple liturgy or a single person who vocalizes the prayer on behalf of the group).

Who would attend?

Anybody. All ages. Religious or non-religious! Invite people who are allies in mission projects with your church, or just neighbors that you would like to share a great experience with, especially if you sense they would probably not be easy invites to the existing worship service. As you and your friends design the tone and pace of the evening, the non-religious will help you keep it from getting weird or awkward for your cultural context. They will be an ongoing witness for keeping it simple, and for keeping the conversation focused outward on loving our neighbor as self. You want the experience to be comfortable for anyone who enters, especially for first timers! And of course, no gathering is the right people mix for everybody.