Gathering Mailing

The Gathering

June 3-6, 2012 Waycross Center

The Gathering 2012

gath er ing noun

fellowship sharing discussion vision community conversation planning goals ideas alignment reflection improvement dialogue exchange imagine idea value dream foresight purpose aspiration dis fellowship sharing discussion vision community conversation planning goals ideas alignment reflection improvemen dialogue exchange imagine idea value dream foresight purpose aspiration dis fellowship sharing discussion vision community conversation planning goals

1: assembly, meeting 2: a suppurating swelling 3: the collection of raw materials from the wild 4: collection, compilation

The Gathering 2012

fellowship sharing discussion vision community conversation planning goals ideas alignment reflection improvement dialogue exchange imagine idea value dream foresight purpose aspiration dis fellowship sharing discussion vision community conversation planning goals ideas alignment reflection improvemen dialogue exchange imagine idea value dream foresight purpose aspiration dis fellowship sharing discussion vision community conversation planning goals

How fitting that we will gather at the Waycross Center. Waycross is a place to find refreshment and renewal. It is built to support communities that want to reflect, learn, plan, and build alliances.

“It is in the act of gathering around them and trying to understand them - as the first humans must have gathered around fire - that we become who we are as knowers, teachers, and learners.”

- Parker Palmer, p. 110, The Courage To Teach

We are members of many communities. We have many identities. You are about to become a member of our community. Come; gather with us.

We are all searching for deeper meaning – it’s what makes us uniquely human. Not only to find, create, and make meaning, but to make this world a better place.

The Gathering 2012

fellowship sharing discussion vision community conversation planning goals ideas alignment reflection improvement dialogue exchange imagine idea value dream foresight purpose aspiration dis fellowship sharing discussion vision community conversation planning goals ideas alignment reflection improvemen dialogue exchange imagine idea value dream foresight purpose aspiration dis fellowship sharing discussion vision community conversation planning goals

We want to know we’ve made a difference. That our time here wasn’t just for not. We’ve left our community in a better place than we found it.

It’s that desire. That want…that’s compelling.

We have been working on this idea for several years. The Gathering is the culmination of our thinking and being. We’ve been designing our curriculum for months. Everything we do is intentional.

Ultimately, it’s questions like these that drive us.

What is the most impactful thing you can choose to do right now?

What in your heart of hearts have you been hoping to have more time for?

What do you want you to be looking at and giving attention to?

What’s the best use of your time right now?

We’ve moved past “What if.” Now we’re asking, “Why not?”

fellowship sharing discussion vision community conversation planning goals ideas alignment reflection improvement dialogue exchange imagine idea value Stop talking about it. Be about it. dream foresight purpose aspiration dis fellowship sharing discussion vision community conversation planning goals ideas alignment reflection improvemen dialogue exchange imagine idea value dream foresight purpose aspiration dis fellowship sharing discussion vision community conversation planning goals

The Gathering 2012

We have no intention in coming together unless it’s worth it.

Worth our time. Worth our energy.

Worth being a part of something special.

You will be a part of something special.

The Gathering 2012

fellowship sharing discussion vision community conversation planning goals ideas alignment reflection improvement dialogue exchange imagine idea value dream foresight purpose aspiration dis fellowship sharing discussion vision community conversation planning goals ideas alignment reflection improvemen dialogue exchange imagine idea value dream foresight purpose aspiration dis fellowship sharing discussion vision community conversation planning goals

“…for such a gathering is one of the few means we have to become better teachers.”

- Parker Palmer, The Courage to Teach, p. 146

The Gathering 2012