The Gathering elements and order for worship are consistent with the Order for Communion from the Book of Common Prayer. We use prayers and models from around the world, including Celtic traditions, Iona, Taize', New Zealand and other communities. Our

congregation is actively involved in the worship with highly interactive prayers, a children's sermon and adult reflection, and a large number of people directly participating in leadership roles each service. The music is a combination of traditional Episcopal hymns and contemporary Christian songs, led by a band which includes guitars, keyboard, drums and vocalists.

The entire service is printed in a booklet each week so The Gathering is very easy for newcomers to find their way through the service, even if they've never been inside an Episcopal Church. The service takes place in our parish hall, Tucker Hall, in a semi-circular configuration that enhances a sense of a community gathered around the Lord's Table. There are lots of children as well as youth and adults of

every age.

One of the blessings of what we do in The Gathering comes from our development of liturgy to fit each season and the style of worship. A team of clergy and lay members take the themes of

the season and the Scriptures we will be using in that period and craft prayers and worship to fit. With education and training in principles of liturgy, the team learns what works to make good worship and the congregation experiences new prayers and forms periodically. With new language and forms, the participants are more consciously aware of what they are saying in their worship. This has been the source of many interesting discussions about our theology and belief.