Authors: Alydia Smith

When I was in university, I had a friend who was a devoted atheist. At the time, I was a very enthusiastic Christian, full of the Holy Spirit, ready to turn the world around! Late one night, she asked me, a little sullenly, why I had never tried to convert...

Lenten Greetings, I remember someone once telling me (or perhaps I read it) that intentionally saying no to something was a purposeful way of saying yes to something else. In these Lenten days, many of us will chose to say no to particular habits, indulgences, practices, or even words so...

Blessings, Gathering Community. Recently I have been discerning what faithful discipleship and vital worship looks like in such a time as this. It is humbling work, especially during the seasons of Lent and Easter, when we are invited into the story of Jesus’ death and resurrection. Who would Jesus have...

Happy New Year, Gathering Community! May 2025 be filled with the gifts of hope, peace, joy, and love. As always, thanks for being here. Without you, there is no Gathering. Your presence, contributions, and ongoing support are deeply appreciated, and I look forward to another year of worship leadership together...

“Oops, sorry,” I said to my mom as we lovingly packed up our Christmas tins last year. “We have an extra tin now.” Christmas tins are priceless treasures in our house. We never have enough; between craft sales, friends, families, and neighbours, we always have more cookies than tins. Homemade...

Greetings Gathering Community, “Like sand through the hourglass, so are the days of our [autumn]”! It is hard to believe that we are already halfway through fall, but here we are preparing for All Saints’! There are a lot of wonderful new things to explore within the Gathering community this...

One of my favourite Christian terms is a metaphor: Jesus the gardener. I am sure it has something to do with the random seedlings in my house. Truthfully, these seedlings rarely make it outside to the garden because they are almost all tropical plants from lush and beautiful Jamaica that...

I have been writing to you from the Worship, Music, and Spirituality Desk for over a decade now, and one of the things I have consistently heard over the years is what a blessing Gathering is. I have translated this compliment to mean anything but blessing (e.g., lifesaver, treasure, practical)...

Here is a story of two songs: a hymn from our existing collection and a folk tune I grew up with. VU 468 “Let us talents and tongues employ” (tune LINSTEAD, Jamaican; words by Fred Kaan, 1975) is a joyous communion hymn that is all about abundance: “Loaves abound!” “Linstead...