“The Way We Gather” is a Woven blog series for sharing our experiences, stories, thoughts, and feelings about gathering. We hope to bring inspiration and permission to the way we gather in our own lives around the world.
“I wish there were some sort of support group for moms,” we said, gathered as our children played at one of their birthday parties; “a place where we could be honest about the experience of becoming mothers, but we would just hold space for each other’s stories.” Heads nodded in collective agreement. Ideas and dreams and longings were voiced. We had never encountered a gathering like this before – so, we made our own.
“I want to try homeschooling, but I don’t want to do it alone. I wish we could spend a day each week doing school together.” So, we picked a day, chose curriculum, and committed to showing up, consistently, together.
“I wish we could have family dinners every week. We could let our kids play, and we could actually sit down at a table and talk.” So, we sent a message, made a meal plan, and gathered around the table.
I’ve learned that if there’s a desire in my heart to gather, chances are good that someone else shares the desire. And while it can feel like a risk – it can feel vulnerable – to initiate a gathering, I have always been glad I tried. Relationships grow in an abundance of face-to-face time; to create space for that kind of time is to offer a gift.
I have had countless conversations with women who express desire around gathering and community. With joy and gratitude in my heart, I always respond: “Yes! You should do that! Just try it.” It might be messy; it might have awkward or uncomfortable moments. But we can always trust the spirit of Christ to be there among our gatherings, and that makes every single one a worthwhile risk.
