Gather ‘Round

That phrase popped into my mind yesterday morning during worship celebration. (I really like that description we have begun to use at our church to describe what we do when we meet together on Sunday mornings.)

I have always loved the fact that our church sanctuary is roundish.  The side sections on the main floor hug the sides of the platform.  The balcony feels that way, too, even though the side seating sections are perpendicular to the platform.  Even if you can’t picture the set-up, believe me when I tell you that the place evokes a sense of intimacy.

Perhaps it is because our congregation has begun meeting as one in a single service lately (we have had two separate services of differing styles for the past few years) that I have this sense of coming together around the focus of one mission and One Person.  Perhaps it is because those up front, leading us in worship, are varied in age, in style of public worship, but obviously one in passion for the Object of that worship.  Perhaps my spirit is in tune with all of it in a new way.  But, whatever the reason, the beat of the music, the cadence of the words echo ”Gather ’round” as they hit my heart.

Today was another example of that in my life.  It didn’t happen in a church sanctuary.  This particular gathering round took place in places as far-flung as Pennsylvania, Colorado, Oregon, Sierra Leone, and Russia.  This morning, I sent an email to a group of friends in those places and others, asking for prayer about a decision we are in the process of making as a family.  The replies I received–some, almost instantly; I might as well as have been IM’ing!–brought tears to my eyes.  It was like one of those scenes where a person sits on a chair in the middle of a circle and everyone who is willing gathers ’round that one, with a hand of blessing touching, to pray.  I feel that I’ve been sitting on that chair today.

And then, tonight–one more instance of gathering ’round.  This time, a whole bunch of people who know each other are, from our separate places, gathering around some people that most of us don’t know.  But this thing we do know:  this brother and sister of ours need to know God’s peace and presence and help as they are in a position to be the hands and heart and hugs of Jesus to a family that is hurting because of the loss of a child.  And, so we reach out and make a difference because we can… 

That’s the way it is in the family of God.