Get to know each other:
What experience do you have with church before The Gathering? Were you a part of another denomination? What, if any role did that denomination play a role in your decision to attend The Gathering?
 
Quick Overview of Podcast

Read aloud:
Acts 2:42-47
“The believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the community, to their shared meals, and to their prayers. A sense of awe came over everyone. God performed many wonders and signs through the apostles. All the believers were united and shared everything. They would sell pieces of property and possessions and distribute the proceeds to everyone who needed them. Every day, they met together in the temple and ate in their homes. They shared food with gladness and simplicity. They praised God and demonstrated God’s goodness to everyone. The Lord added daily to the community those who were being saved.”

Discussion questions:

1. What stands out to you about this picture of the early church? Does it sound like a community you would like to be part of?
   
   
2. Matt outlined four distinctives of the United Methodist tradition.

• Meeting in small groups
• Combining personal faith with social action
• Lay leadership
• Evangelism (meeting people where they are)

Which of these features is the most appealing to you? Why?
 

3. Churches are made up of imperfect people. Participating in church can be challenging, life-giving, and even hurtful at times. What value do you see in being an active participant in a church? 

Membership Questions 
(next week if you feel ready to make The Gathering your church you can join by answering these questions at the end of our time next week).

As members of Christ's universal Church, will you be loyal to Christ through The United Methodist Church, and do all in your power to strengthen its ministries?

As members of this congregation, will you faithfully participate in its ministries by your prayers, your presence, your gifts, your service and your witness?

Prayer time:
Often when we ask for prayer requests in a setting like this we all default to bringing our concerns for others. This is a good practice, but it also allows us to avoid thinking about how our group can pray for us specifically. It can be something big or something small, but we want to share our celebrations and concerns for ourselves in this group.  

So, how can we pray for you this week?

After each person says their prayer request:

Pastor: Lord in your mercy

All: Hear our prayer.

Close with the Lord’s Prayer:
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done;
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation;
but deliver us from the evil one.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.