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Find out what's happening in Clayton-Richmond Heightsfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Find out what's happening in Clayton-Richmond Heightsfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
LOCAL CHURCH TAKES ON AMBITIOUS PLANS
St. Louis, MO (March 20, 2013) - Just under a month ago, The Gathering United Methodist Church launched a Saturday night worship service, set record attendance and announced ambitious plans for Easter. Founding pastor, Reverend Matt Miofsky admits that it’s a lot to undertake in a short amount of time. “I truly believe I serve with one of the best congregations and staff around and I know we can do this.”
The congregation plans to add two additional worship sites for Easter, and Miofsky knows that the people who worship and lead at The Gathering will have to stretch to make it happen. “We’re willing to do it because Jesus was always telling his followers that it was time to break out and try something new.” The Gathering has been leading up to Easter with a sermon series called Scattered. “We’re preparing by reflecting on the ways that Jesus sent his disciples into the towns and villages around them, “ explains Miofsky. The story comes from the Gospel of Luke, tenth chapter. “We’ve been reminding one another that this year we want to have a ‘Luke 10’ kind of Easter.”
In recent years, The Gathering has celebrated Easter at large gatherings in Forest Park, and at The Pageant, a concert venue in University City. Miofsky remembers these as being excellent experiences. “Even though it snowed both years we were in Forest Park, it was outstanding to be there. And worship at The Pageant was very cool.”
Miofsky sees this year’s plans as a reflection of the way the congregation is developing. “We have two sites now—one on McCausland in St. Louis, and one in Clayton. We are a multi-site church and we want to develop more sites in the future. We don’t yet know where our next site will be located, but this will give us the chance to invite more people to worship, to worship in different neighborhoods, and to catch a glimpse of what our future may look like.
Miofsky works to keep his church’s vision in mind whenever decisions are made. “We are a church that works to create a Christian community that is compelling for new generations of people in St. Louis,” he explains. “Just because we are spreading out doesn’t mean we are spreading ourselves too thin. Worship on Easter will be excellent in every location and we hope many people will choose to experience Easter with The Gathering.”
Details on locations and worship times can be found on The Gathering website, www.gatheringnow.org.
The Gathering has been creating a Christian community that is compelling for new generations of people in St. Louis since 2006 and is the only church in the St. Louis area to offer a multi-site church experience. Visit us at www.gatheringnow.org.
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