January 3rd, 2025
by Matt Miofsky
by Matt Miofsky
I want to thank all of you that worshiped with The Gathering throughout the Christmas season. Christmas Eve was an incredible week of worship. There were so many highlights for me, including: getting to see so many of you, meeting your friends and family, working alongside so many of you who volunteered, watching over 650 kids and families worship at our two Kids Christmas Eve services, preaching 11 times, having 55 new people or families fill out a connect card, seeing all of your pictures from worship that you posted online (I LOVE these), and worshiping with 4000 people across all of our Christmas Eve services. The Christmas Eve offering is another huge celebration, but I’ll wait to share that because it keeps climbing! It was an incredible night of worship, and I want to thank all of you that were a part of it.
Next weekend, January 12, we will begin our new sermon series Cancel the Noise: Take Control of the Voices You Listen To. Our lives are often shaped by the voices in our lives. And yet sometimes those voices do not lead us in a helpful or healthy direction. If you want to change your life in the new year, you may need to listen to some new voices, especially the voice of God. In this new series, I will be talking about what voices to watch out for, how to filter out the unhealthy voices, and most importantly, how to listen more closely to the voice of God in our life. This is often our largest Sunday of the year as so many of us want to get our year off to a strong spiritual start. I hope you will plan to be there, and please invite someone in your life that might be looking for something new in their own life.
This Sunday, I will be sharing a message about one of my favorite stories. I know that most of us are over Christmas, but Sunday is officially the 12th and last day of the Christmas season. I will be talking about 4 lessons for the new year that we can learn from the wise men!
Speaking of Sunday, I know that many of us in St. Louis are anticipating snow. The Gathering’s tendency is to always have in-person worship, but we will assess the weather early Sunday morning and update the congregation via email, social media, our website, and our App by 6:30am. If you are not on our email list, you can get on it here, download our App here and make sure that you like and follow us on Facebook and Instagram.
For those who can’t make it in person, please worship with me online right here and while you are there make sure to subscribe to our YouTube page. You can find all of our old sermons as well as each week’s current message.
Finally, we need some help wrapping up our Christmas clean-up this Wednesday, January 8, at all of our sites. If you have some time that day to come and take down a few decorations, it would be much appreciated. You can let us know when you plan to come here.
I hope that the holiday season was great for you, that you spent time with people you love, and you did something that brings you joy.
Peace,
Matt
P.S. If you were new on Christmas Eve, or have never filled out a Connect Card, please do it here. Also, Tuesday evening, January 14, I will be hosting NEXT at Schlafly Bottleworks at 7pm. We will have food and drinks, and it is a time for you to learn a little more about The Gathering, ask questions, and learn about ways to get more connected. If you are brand new or have been around a while, please come, especially if you have never done it. It is a great NEXT step in your faith. You can learn more or sign up on the app or here.
Next weekend, January 12, we will begin our new sermon series Cancel the Noise: Take Control of the Voices You Listen To. Our lives are often shaped by the voices in our lives. And yet sometimes those voices do not lead us in a helpful or healthy direction. If you want to change your life in the new year, you may need to listen to some new voices, especially the voice of God. In this new series, I will be talking about what voices to watch out for, how to filter out the unhealthy voices, and most importantly, how to listen more closely to the voice of God in our life. This is often our largest Sunday of the year as so many of us want to get our year off to a strong spiritual start. I hope you will plan to be there, and please invite someone in your life that might be looking for something new in their own life.
This Sunday, I will be sharing a message about one of my favorite stories. I know that most of us are over Christmas, but Sunday is officially the 12th and last day of the Christmas season. I will be talking about 4 lessons for the new year that we can learn from the wise men!
Speaking of Sunday, I know that many of us in St. Louis are anticipating snow. The Gathering’s tendency is to always have in-person worship, but we will assess the weather early Sunday morning and update the congregation via email, social media, our website, and our App by 6:30am. If you are not on our email list, you can get on it here, download our App here and make sure that you like and follow us on Facebook and Instagram.
For those who can’t make it in person, please worship with me online right here and while you are there make sure to subscribe to our YouTube page. You can find all of our old sermons as well as each week’s current message.
Finally, we need some help wrapping up our Christmas clean-up this Wednesday, January 8, at all of our sites. If you have some time that day to come and take down a few decorations, it would be much appreciated. You can let us know when you plan to come here.
I hope that the holiday season was great for you, that you spent time with people you love, and you did something that brings you joy.
Peace,
Matt
P.S. If you were new on Christmas Eve, or have never filled out a Connect Card, please do it here. Also, Tuesday evening, January 14, I will be hosting NEXT at Schlafly Bottleworks at 7pm. We will have food and drinks, and it is a time for you to learn a little more about The Gathering, ask questions, and learn about ways to get more connected. If you are brand new or have been around a while, please come, especially if you have never done it. It is a great NEXT step in your faith. You can learn more or sign up on the app or here.
Posted in M-Note
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Archive
2025
January
Happy New Year // M-Note 1.4.2025Cancel the Noise // M-Note 1.11.25Cancel the Noise Discussion Guide - Part 1The Beloved Community // M-Note 01.18.2025Cancel the Noise Discussion Guide - Part 2What A Coincidence // M-Note 1.25.25Cancel the Noise Discussion Guide - Part 3Cancel the Noise Discussion Guide - Part 4The Original Influencer // M-Note 2.1.25
February
The Beloved Community Discussion Guide - Part 1Exploring New Sites…And You’re Invited // M-Note 2.8.25The Beloved Community Discussion Guide - Part 2Uncovering Implicit Bias // M-Note 2.15.2025A "Flurry" of Activity // M-Note 2.22.25The Beloved Community Discussion Guide - Part 3The Beloved Community Discussion Guide - Part 4
March
Beloved Community Action Steps // M-Note 3.1.25Vulnerability & Wilderness | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 1Trusting the Spirit's Lead | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 2Courageous Connection | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 3What's Your Emotional IQ? // M-Note 3.8.25The Spaces Between Us | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 4Emotional Rollercoaster Discussion Guide - Part 1Jesus Weeps With You | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 5When Sadness Lingers | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 6Lurking in the Shadows | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 7Cycles of Life and Death | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 8Inked in Memory | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 9The Void of Grief | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 10
2024
January
Clean Slate: Week 1 Discussion GuideStarting & Sustaining Change // M-Note 1.6.24Clean Slate: Week 2 Discussion GuideStarting Small, Dreaming Big // M-Note 1.13.24Clean Slate: Week 3 Discussion GuideTogether Towards Change...and Healthy Habits // M-Note 1.20.24Clean Slate: Week 4 Discussion GuideSlowing Down for God to Show Up // M-Note 1.27.24
February
More Isn't Always Better // M-Note 2.3.24Money Talks: Week 1 Discussion GuideAshes for Valentine's Day? // M-Note 2.10.24Money Talks: Week 2 Discussion GuideLenten Devotional 2024Money Talks: Week 3 Discussion GuideWhat's your legacy? // M-Note 2.17.24Strength in Numbers: Community in Ministry // M-Note 2.24.24Entourage Discussion Guide - Week One
March
Entourage Discussion Guide - Week TwoUpdates from Clayton and Easter Invitation // M-Note 3.2.24Twenty Students Confirmed Last Sunday // M-Note 3.9.24Entourage Discussion Guide - Week 3How serving at Easter can really make a difference // M-Note 3.16.24Entourage Discussion Guide - Week 4Can You Know Joy Without Pain? // M-Note 3.23.24Entourage Discussion Guide - Week 5It's time for EasterSTL at The Factory // M-Note 3.28.24
April
Easter Discussion GuideScreen Time: Troubleshooting our Relationship with Technology // M-Note 4.6.24Screen Time Discussion Guide - Week 1Springtime Reminders: Joy Comes with the Morning // M-Note 4.13.24Screen Time Discussion Guide - Week 2Shaping the Future at the UMC General Conference // M-Note 4.20.24Screen Time Discussion Guide - Week 3 General Conference Halftime Report// M-Note 4.27.24Screen Time Discussion Guide - Week 4
May
Very Good News at the End of General Conference//M-Note 5.4.24Uncomfortable Truths Discussion Guide - Week 1Uncomfortable Truths Discussion Guide - Week 2Announcing The Gathering’s Church Planters Lab//M-Note 5.11.24My (Hypothetical) Commencement Address // M-Note 5.18.24Uncomfortable Truths Discussion Guide - Week 3Uncomfortable Truths Discussion Guide - Week 4
June
July
September
Worth Sharing Discussion Guide - Week 1Transitioning...to 47 // M-Note 9.7.24Worth Sharing Discussion Guide - Week 2Invitations Work in Mysterious Ways // M-Note 9.14.24Students Stepping Up: Getting Involved in Ministry // M-Note 9.21.24Worth Sharing Discussion Guide - Week 3A Stressful Season // M-Note 9.28.24Worth Sharing Discussion Guide - Week 4
October
It Doesn't Have to Be This Way // M-Note 10.5.24Hold These Truths Discussion Guide - Week 1Love Thy Political Neighbor // M-Note 10.11.2024Hold These Truths Discussion Guide - Week 2Fear is a Powerful Motivator // M-Note 10.19.24Hold These Truths Discussion Guide - Week 3Why Do Bad Things Happen? // M-Note 10.26.24Why? Discussion Guide - Week 1
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