Here’s what we mean when we say...
A Gathering Glossary
- Ascension
- This is the most frequent and broadest service type at the Gathering. An Ascension service uses the whole first half of the night for teaching, and the second half for music.
- Coordinators
- This group forges into the everyday in the same way that SLT deals with the spiritual side of things. They oversee things like Hospitality, Facility, Finances, Decor and Media. They seek to make the tangibles run smoothly with things like “work weekends” and schedules for cleaning the Gathering.
- Critical Mass
- All music! First half, second half, and maybe even in the intermission.
- Fantastic 4
- This is the media team at the Gathering. The Gathering is a media rich environment, from the website to song lyrics displayed on a large front projection screen. The media team is also responsible for G-Pulp, a bi-monthly newsletter for those at the Gathering, and the information driven slideshow that runs before, during intermission, and after services.
- Father’s Fields
- These services are for serving in the community, and making the world a better place. In the past we’ve taken a group down to help with a soup kitchen or clean a youth drop in.
- Hardcore
- This is the Gathering’s version of church membership. These people have more responsibility within the community, can vote on community issues, have a mentoring relationship with an individual from SLT, and can hold a position on either SLT or the Coordinators teams. Our members don’t warm pews. We wouldn’t let them even if we had pews. Hardcore are included in scheduled cleaning of the Gathering, and are expected to seek Christ and grow in the community. A person wishing to be Hardcore must sign the Hardcore Covenant.
- Messengers
- The group of people who teach at the Gathering. We’ve seen everything used from the usual spoken word to drama, music, art, video clips, animation and open forum discussion.
- Sanctuary
- A 3 piece Folk/World music band that also has roots in the Gathering. They bring their brand of music primarily at the Gathering, but have been known to lead at some other churches as well.
- Seven Devil Fix
- A 3 piece Rock-Funk band that has it’s roots in the Gathering. You will often see them leading music at the Gathering, and they are beginning to branch out to play local clubs and venues.
- SLT
- Please note that in July of 2003, SLT became a thing of the past. It was decided that the duties SLT was responsible for are really matters for the whole community. The division of labour was a hindrance to community, rather then an aid.
The Spiritual Leadership Team is responsible for the well-being of Hardcore. They will have mentoring relationships with the Hardcore and meet with them regularly. They also plan out the services for each year in advance, down to service types and scripture. They also oversee the teaching done at the Gathering. Their official job description will be posted soon. - Thin Place
- In the Celtic Christian tradition, it is understood that in some places the veil that separates the eternal from the temporal grows thin and becomes permeable, so that in such places, the things of heaven are felt and experienced with greater clarity. These places are called “thin places.” What other churches might refer to as a “prayer service,” The Gathering calls a Thin Place. A night of contemplative prayer and/or meditation that has taken the form of such things as labyrinthian journeys, drumming circles, prayer walks through the river valley, yoga, tai-chi, and guided meditative readings.
Hardcore Covenant
The Gathering is not out to build a church of passive members, but rather active, hardcore ministers. We believe that every member should be a minister, a person who is faithfully serving God and the people of God to the best of their ability. We don’t ask a person considering becoming Hardcore at the Gathering to do anything more than the Bible asks. The Bible asks us to be committed — committed first to knowing and loving God, then to the growth of the people of God, and then to the fulfillment of the work of God in the world.
You can download a copy of the Hardcore covenant for yourself if you like.