Gathering, This morning, I went to Laclede Elementary School where I prayed with teachers, administrators, and staff. As one of our partner schools, they are preparing to receive students on Monday. But, we were there for a more tragic reason, as well. Last week, Doryan Bryant, a smart, resourceful, and gifted student in our literacy project, was shot and killed along with her mother. Her death im...  Read More

Gathering,We continue to forge ahead in a year where nothing has been predictable. Since March, The Gathering has been worshiping online due to coronavirus. This summer, I updated the congregation, letting you know that we would worship online through September. I ended that note promising that I would update you this fall! Well, fall is here! I owe you an update. Recently, I’ve had conversations ...  Read More

Dear Gathering, Last Wednesday, Dave Merrill, Ryan Hebel, and I drove out to the city where I grew up. We visited a few farms for a video project we are working on at the church. In the morning, we arrived at a home that sits high above the Missouri river. Owned by an older couple that I have known since I was a kid, the house dates back to right around the Civil War and is surrounded by barns, a ...  Read More

My trip away didn’t give me any dramatic insights or great awakenings, but I thought I’d share a few things that rose to the top as I spent time with myself, my family, and God. In no particular order:  Read More

When you are stuck, it is hard to get unstuck. Why? Because in life, the very activities that help us get out of a spiritual rut are often the very activities that are hardest to do when we are in the rut.   Read More

In 2016, while speaking to a group of journalists at a Pulitzer Prize anniversary event, civil rights icon Rep. John Lewis urged the audience to “be a headlight, not a taillight”.  Read More