to∙geth∙er∙ing: [tuh-geth–er-ing]

In the church, we often use descriptive words, such as, worshipping, fellowshipping, gathering to describe our community.  Yet we don’t often describe our relationship to God and to each other in this same manner.  Over the next seven Sundays I want to explore our “togetherness” and to do that we will be looking at what it means to be a “togethering community.”  The spell check on your computer will not like the word “ togethering” nor will you find it if you look it up in a dictionary – because, honestly, it is a made-up word.  I am defining “togethering” as the act of living faithfully with others.

We may not be aware of the fact that we participate in numerous kinds of “togethering communities,” many of which overlap, on a daily basis.

• We are residents of planet earth: togethering globally
• We have neighbors: togethering geographically
• We speak a particular language and have our own customs: togethering culturally
• We work outside or inside the home or go to school: togethering vocationally
• We have family and friends: togethering personally
• We have certain spiritual beliefs and practices: togethering spiritually

Through this sermon series, we will explore some of the defining elements of “togethering” and how we belong to them.  We may also find that we do “togethering” differently than our biblical ancestors did.  The U.S. culture is very individualistic; we pride ourselves on our independence.  Many people believe that not only are we more or less on our own as citizens, but that our religion is a private, individual matter as well.

I hope you will join us to delve, with an expectation of discovery and wonder, into what God will say to each of us during this series, and then carry that message to the reaches of our world – TOGETHER!

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2/19   Togethering: The Story of God’s People (Genesis 12:1-9)
2/26   Togethering: A Friend is a Friend (Prov 17:17; 18:24, Jn 15:1-17)  3/4      Togethering: Family Matters (Ephesians 5:21-6:4)
3/11    Togethering: At Work, School, Play (Texts from Proverbs)
3/18    Togethering: Intimacy (I Corinthians 13:4-7)
3/25    Togethering: When Things Go Bad (James 3:1-12)
4/1       Togethering: A Place in this World (Mark 10:32-38)