The Art of Gathering

 

              Priya Parker’s book The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why it Matters is a book I would recommend to anyone who regularly leads a group or has considered entertaining—including those who plan worship on a Sunday. In it she offers advice and insights about gathering, everything from as a host you should exercise your authority as a German (you’re the boss, create order) and an Egyptian (you’re the host, be warm and helpful) to an analysis of the rise of “pop-up rules” for gatherings instead of trusting that the niceties of etiquette will be followed or even known (which might be helpful for liturgical traditions in a post-liturgical world).

              One of the central principles of gathering, that most everything else flows from, is the question why? Why are you gathering? That shapes how many people (and who) you invite, the venue choice, the rules spoken and unspoken; all of it starts with the question why?

              And as you we get deeper into this Devotional, it is worth addressing a common concern folk have about focusing on the 7 central things of worship (the responses I received to this post were eye opening). Namely there is a danger of forgetting the why (in an earlier devotion I described this as the “map” question—where do we hope to end up). Why do we gather? Is it because the 7 central things are good for you and larger society? Ultimately no. We gather in the name of Jesus; we gather so we might have a relationship of awe, love, and trust with God (to point to the catechism).

              So, every aspect of our gathering together should flow from this central Why—right relationship with God. Does the way we’re gathering in worship: fill us with wonder at God, instill us with confidence that God is for us not against us, cause the love of God and neighbor to come to the fore among us?