Tag Archive for: gathering

Gathered Home

Like a few others this year, I was asked to share a tradition that was special to our family at our Christmas Carol Service.
One word kept returning to my mind: 𝒈𝒂𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓.
I then realised how deeply gathering is woven into the Christmas Season.
At Christ’s birth, people gathered to Him, including shepherds drawn from the fields, wise men from afar, and even angels filling the heavens.
Christmas, from the very beginning, has been about coming together around the Light of the world.
This year has felt much the same.
With family and friends gathering, around tables, games, stories, cemeteries, memories, laughter, and a rather delicious turkey dinner too with our family once more.

Gifts

These past few days of simply being together have been a beautiful gift in themselves.
And tomorrow, we’ll be gathering again!
This time online, with so many dear friends from our Belgium Netherlands Mission.
Different places, familiar faces. Screens instead of stables perhaps, but the same spirit of connection, shared faith, and shared memories.
For me, there’s something sacred about gathering.
It slows us down. It reminds us of who we belong to. And it quietly points us back to Him.
Perhaps that’s why the idea of being “𝒈𝒂𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝒉𝒐𝒎𝒆” feels so meaningful at this time of year.
Not only in the sense of coming back to familiar places and faces, but also in the deeper, eternal promise that those we love are never truly lost, only gathered ahead of us, safely home with Him.
As the angel declared on that first Christmas night:
“Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:10–11)
May our gatherings, both large and small, in homes and online, continue to centre on Jesus Christ, the reason for the season and why we gather at all.
Remember Christmas begins with Christ.
And I hope that the warmth we feel together this Christmas will linger much longer, even after the decorations come down.
What has it meant for you to be “gathered home” this Christmas?

Highland Swarms

We all gather today to set off on our epic West Highland Way adventure tomorrow starting in Milngavie.
According to some recent posts from those currently on the trail, there is one piece of essential kit, that we’d be crazy to forget and no its not our boots, snacks or even blister plasters.
It’s the midge headnet!
We may have a few Lochs and legends in Scotland, but there are apparently legions of midges too right now….!
It sounds like there may be some swarms gathering.
As we set off tomorrow, we may look more like beekeepers on holiday!
In addition, to help us on the way we have a host of repellents and potions too.
If you haven’t donated for our charity partner Marys Meals, please consider doing so. We want to raise enough money to feed 1000 children for 1 year.
midge
We may be walking for the charity, but running from the midges!

Gathering

These are days never to be forgotten.
On Monday, approximately 60 missionaries gathered in Spijkenisse.
It was a day of community outreach to find and teach many new people about the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Local Missionaries, Miles Cummard, Turner Edelman and M Nathaniel de Jong, along with other local members in the area, had already done a lot of planning and preparation for everyone’s arrival.
After gathering for instruction, a few one-on-one interviews, a lovely lunch together, and after a prayer, filled with faith, they headed off to work.
It was most certainly a blitz – “a sudden concerted effort to deal with something”.
Over the course of the next few hours, the missionaries literally spoke with everyone they met.
Missionaries love to share thoughts and ideas with others, especially about the gospel of Jesus Christ.
They invite people to:
Come and See – the blessings that people can receive through Jesus Christ and His Gospel.
Come and Serve – others in need.
Come and Belong – as members of the restored Church of Jesus Christ.
Missionary work is finding people, teaching them, and helping them prepare for baptism.
On Monday, they extended 100’s of invitations to many people.
And the result?
The local missionaries are now exceptionally busy, visiting with lots of new friends.
If you’d like to know more about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, then simply stop and speak with one of our missionaries today.