What's New: Happy Birthday GatheringWorship.ca!

Lenten Greetings and Happy Birthday GatheringWorship.ca!

We have been online for about a year now, and with your feedback, support, and patience, we continue to grow our beloved online worship-planning tool. Thank you!

For our first birthday, we would like to extend our deep gratitude to all of the amazing people who have contributed to Gathering this past year. Gathering is a grassroots resource that would not be possible without you: community members, contributors, and subscribers. In the creating and sharing of worship, we participate in something bigger than we could ever imagine or do on our own. Your part is valued, needed, and much appreciated. Again, thank you! If you have contributed to Gathering this year and would like a complimentary copy of the print magazine, please email @email.

As we prepare for Holy Week, it is always important to be vigilant against antisemitism. Here are a few resources outside of Gathering that might help:

• 10 Ways to Avoid Inadvertent Antisemitism during Holy Week provides practical suggestions on how to “preach the good news of the risen Christ—but not by denigrating Judaism.”
• Readings from the Roots provides a translation of problematic Advent and Lent readings from the Revised Common Lectionary—very useful.
• This sermon by Dr. Amy-Jill Levine challenges these very readings and asks us all to do more work to address antisemitism by changing the lectionary readings.

Within GatheringWorship.ca (please log in to your GatheringWorship.ca account to access the links):

• I think you will join in my appreciation for Editor Susan Lukey’s reflection in What to Do with Good Friday? on the importance of spending time in the death and pain of this day.
• I also recommend two Good Friday services that may be new to you: Good Friday: Naming Racism, which focuses on anti-racism (by Susan Lukey and David Robertson) and A Good Friday Service, based on A Song of Faith (by Bob Root).
• “Be” is a quiet and prayerful setting of Psalm 46 by Joan E. Townend and David Oberholtzer that can be used during Holy Week Services.
• Thanks to Geoff Wilfong-Pritchard (chair of the Gathering Advisory Board) for preparing the weekly services for Holy Week: Palm/ Passion Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Sunday.

Many blessings during these holy days,

Alydia