The Gathering @ PCNP

New Website is UP!

Check out the new website at http://www.gatheringpcnp.org

This site will no longer serve as the main site for The Gathering @ PCNP.

See you on the other site!

The new website is coming! It is coming soon... When? I can't tell you exactly but there will be a lot of fun stuff to check out once it is up and running. Stay tuned... It may appear out of nowhere...

Experiencing Life Together

The ancient church could not assume that individuals who wanted to learn about Christianity had any background in the Christian faith. In fact, each person came from a wide variety of backgrounds that created numerous challenges for the early church. How do you teach a person about what it means to be a Christian in that culture?

We face a similar challenge in 21st century America where the long-standing assumptions about individuals growing up in a church no longer apply. The environment is very similar to what the church encountered in the early centuries of its existence.

The early church utilized oral instruction to teach new believers about the Christian faith. Early on, the process was a three year process that culminated in baptism on Easter. The formal institution came to be known as the catechumenate where the Greek word for instruction (catechesis) was the content.

The 16th century brought about the written catechesis due to the printing press and the word catechism came to be associated with a book that was often memorized. The early church, however, learned together through oral instruction, learning together, and practicing the disciplines of the faith.

We are starting a four month series that focuses on the question "What Does It Mean To Be A Christian?"

We will be using a Study Catechism as a starting point for our discussions and our focus will be for all of us to have a better understanding of what it means to be a Christian over the next couple of months.

What Does It Mean To Be A Christian?

Is this our purpose?
There is probably a lot of truth to this picture but there is a LOT more to life than simply showing others what Not to do...

This week, we are beginning a highly discussion-driven conversation about the question "What Does It Mean To Be A Christian?" A related question that falls into this topic is "Am I Living Life Right?"

Join us this Sunday at 9:30 AM in the Prayer Tower to hear from each other on what God's purpose is for your life.
(Note: We won't be quoting the Purpose Driven Life in this discussion).

New year. New opportunities. New possibilities. Where is the Lord leading us in 2006? We will begin this exciting conversation this Sunday...

The eyes are never satisfied...

What role do our eyes play in guiding our actions?
How do advertisers get our attention?
Why do we consume more and more?

As the Christmas season rolls on, we will finish our series of "Unplugging the Christmas Machine" by discussing how we might be able to resist the constant pullings of our consumer culture.

One key is recognizing the role of our eyes. We will be looking at an account of Abraham and Lot in Genesis 13 as well as other Scriptural references to our eyes. Genesis 13:10 says "Lot looked up and saw that the whole plain of the Jordan was well watered, like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, toward Zoar. (This was before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.)"

See you this Sunday in the Prayer Tower at 9:30 AM!

The Gathering is a community of genuine friends at PCNP who are on a journey of becoming empowered disciples, anchored in the hope of Jesus Christ in an ever-transient world.