Gathering Table is:
+ a gathering place on traditional Anishinabe territory where people come together to share stories and conversation, memories and meals;
+ the place where identity is formed and transformed, community is known , values are shaped and dreams are honoured;
+ the place where Jesus the Risen Lord is revealed in bread breaking, foot washing (mutual service), and hospitality extended and received; the place where the God in whom we hope gathers people from north and south, east and west, setting before them a feast of rich food in the promised Kingdom!
+ a community seeking to discern the living message of the biblical narratives for this place and time.
Who We are and What We Value
Worship…
We are a eucharistic community, not only because we share together in the bread and wine but also that we are the Body of Christ, profoundly connected to one another and offered for the life of the world. Our decisions about, and practices of worship will be guided by this vision.
Hospitality…
We exercise the art of hospitality, making room for all and relationship building that draws people to Christ as a way of sharing the genuine love we know in Jesus in order to serve the people he loves – all people. Our decisions about, and practices of hospitality will be guided by this vision.
Formation as members of Christ’s Body…
For us to faithfully and effectively share the Christian story, we must become the church this story calls for. We are a baptismal community, not only because we celebrate baptism, but also because we engage in formation that equips us to live as a sign, foretaste, and instrument of the Kingdom revealed in Jesus. We also introduce, nurture, and incorporate those seeking life in Christ into this same way of living through a flexible but deliberate process involving worship, scripture, reflection, prayer, relationship building, service and hospitality. Our decisions about, and practices of formation will be guided by this vision.
Caring for one another…
An important aspect of our life in Christ concerns how we care for one another – sharing faith, building friendships, providing mutual support, and sharing resources. These are essential elements of meaningful relationships.
When people of our faith community are unable to gather with us due to illness or other serious situations, we extend our fellowship to them through pastoral care, visitation, and other acts of support. The care we offer to one another is the privilege and responsibility of all the baptized and not the clergy alone. Our decisions about, and practices of pastoral care will be guided by this vision.
Sharing in God’s mission in the world…
Church implies mission; it makes no sense to think of one without the other. The image of a table, as a place of meeting and sharing, is important to our understanding of witness and ministry to, in, and with the wider community. We are not concerned only with feeding people; we gather with them to build relationships, personally connecting with those often overlooked or neglected, and seeing them as sisters and brothers through Jesus. Our decisions about, and practices of missional service will be guided by this vision.
Supporting those in the faith community…
The daily life of those in our faith community is important. Therefore, through community events, the provision of devotional resources, and other means, we support the daily lives so that faith may be our life rather than one aspect of a lifestyle. Our decisions about, and practices of supporting the daily rhythms of those involved in our faith community will be guided by this vision.
Hope by which we live…
One of the most compelling images of the Kingdom of God, both as it is present among us now and in its promised fullness, is that of a great feast prepared by our God. We are a community of embodied hope, not only because we watch for the fulfillment of this vision with restless imagination, but because we believe our actions today have meaning and will bear fruit, since God’s promises – this promise – can be trusted. Our decisions about our kingdom life, and practices of hope and promise will be guided by this vision.
Diversity we seek for our faith community…
Diversity is God created. It is good. It is our vision that the community reflects God’s embrace of all human kind. Through our narratives, worship, and attitude we seek to understand and express our commitment to welcoming and making space for all God’s children, regardless of differences, as equally loved and embraced by God through Jesus Christ. We will deliberately live this in all facets of parish life, particularly during worship, hospitality, missions and ministries. Our decisions about, and practices of diversity will be guided by this vision.
Governing our life together…
As Christ served, we are called to servant leadership. We will embody grace, humility, honesty, respect, compassion and inclusion. We will in all governance matters, speak the truth clearly, pursue wisdom and practice consensus in decision-making. Our decisions about, and practices of governance will be guided by this vision.