We hope that you will join us this Sunday morning at 10:30 at CMCC as we continue our series on Learning Together Through Growing in Love, Understanding and Unity.  This Sunday, Jeff Lockyer, pastor at Southridge Community Church in St. Catharines will offer a message focussed on “Love Beyond Belief”.  Jeff will speak from his experience of learning and discerning with his congregation towards an understanding of how Jesus invites us to remain unified when holding differing understandings of theological issues. Love Beyond Belief covers a multitude of areas. Specific focus will be given to our diverse understandings of welcome at The Gathering as it pertains to the LGBTQ community.

Next Sunday we will continue our series on Learning Together Through Growing in Love, Understanding and Unity.

In response to the Credence Congregational Discernment Report, which determined that one of our congregational priorities was:  to grow in our capacity and understanding of safety and love as a faith community and continuing to create a welcoming and safe space at The Gathering, which includes working towards becoming more able at having difficult conversations, we are in our second week of a three-part series which began on Sunday October 19^th.

During this series we will look at: 

- how our anabaptist tradition helps us understand how to navigate difficult conversations

- how the early church saw a way to stay unified when difficult matters threatened to separate them

- the primacy of love and Jesus's call to unity

- the beginnings of the discerned desire of the congregation to together explore questions, values and biblical understanding about how to best welcome people from all communities, especially those that are marginalized, people in the LGBTQ community and those different than who we view ourselves

- maintaining unity in diversity

The hope is that this learning series will help support our future conversations and discernment as a congregation.

Please pray for this important series in the life of The Gathering and come with a spirit to listen and learn with and as God’s family. 

We are sharing the year-to-date numbers as of September 30, 2025. But first, we offer a very joyful thank you for your continued generosity and all the ways you support The Gathering Church!

If you are planning on donating to The Gathering, it is easiest to donate via e-transfer to donations@gatheringchurch.ca or you can contact Marlene if you’d like to arrange an alternate way of giving.

Thank you once again for your faithful giving this year!

Craig Nafziger and Marlene Hoekstra
Treasurer and Finance & Accounting Liaison

Please pray for Snack Attack. For relationships to form. For encouragement to be given and received and for the community to experience the love of God.

Snack Attack continues each Tuesday of the school year.

We are invited to pray for one another as members of God's family.

This week we are invited to pray for:

• Hans’ health
• God’s wisdom as we listen and discern through our present series
• The Gathering Church Board and Vision and Care

We rejoice that the CMCC kitchen is now fully functional. This allows us to move forward with our first Community Supper on Saturday November 8^th. 

This is a time of getting to know our neighbours while enjoying a delicious meal together. This is also a time where we serve together as a church.

Please let Catherine (catherine@gatheringchurch.ca) know if you are able to serve on November 8^th. Help is needed between 4:00 and 7:30. You are welcome to serve for all or some of the time. Please let us know what time best suits you.

On November 16th, we will have baby dedication as part of our worship service.  If you would like to have your child dedicated, please contact Catherine (catherine@gatheringchurch.ca)

Would you like to become a member of The Gathering Church?  Do you have questions about membership? Please speak to Catherine (catherine@gatheringchurch.ca).  We would love to welcome you into membership at the church.

Community Supper - November 8

Baby Dedication - November 16

Christmas Community Supper - December 13

Our Vision and Care team members serve the church through offering prayer, care and wise leadership around our vision.  The Vision and Care team members are:  Marlene Hoekstra, Frank Hoekstra, Gloria Lebold, Doris Maiolo, and Alisha Nafziger.

The Leadership Board brings prayerful leadership to our faith community, meeting monthly to ensure we fulfill our mission and vision and faithfully oversee the many areas of ministry of The Gathering. The members of the Board are: Wazir Ally,  Craig Nafziger and Chris Pot.

• E-transfer to donations@gatheringchurch.ca.
• Cheque or cash in the white donation box at CMCC.
• Online through the donation button on our church website. (Part of your donation will cover processing and admin fees.)
• Please contact Marlene Hoekstra if you would like to arrange an alternate way of giving (click here).

Click  here for the regular MCC (Mennonite Central Committee) Newsletter.

Please submit any bulletin announcements for next week to Ruth at office@gatheringchurch.ca by Thursday at noon.