Hymn – Gather Us In
Both the lyrics and music are written by Marty Haugen. The subject of this hymn is the “ekklesia” – the hopeful gathering of the Christian community or assembly, all together, working for the Kingdom of God. Haugen deliberately wrote it in the second person to sing “to God” rather than “about God.” The hymn ends reminding us that the work of the kingdom does not take place” in the dark of buildings confining” nor “in some heaven light years away.” Perhaps this is a good reminder for us in these strange times, the work of the kingdom of God takes place now in however we can gather.
Prayer: Gather us in, God, gather our broken spirits, our weary hearts, our fearful futures, and let us see that the community of the church was never in a building but always in the gathering of the believers sent out to your work. Amen.