Gathering Area

3 - In the Gathering Area

The Gathering Area is just that - a place for people to greet one another, mingle and visit before entering the church. It has many practical uses.

(Gesture toward the west side.) Over here we have two bathrooms, both equipped with a baby changing table. We also have drinking fountains over here. This area also serves as a "cry room" where parents can take fussy children. The glass doors are closed during Mass, and there are speakers in here so people can look through the doors and hear what is happening in church.

(Go to the east window.) The Gathering Space is very useful when we have funerals. It provides a place where people can come to pay their respects on the morning of the funeral. The casket is located by these windows, and the body of the deceased lies in state here for an hour before the funeral Mass.

Here we have the Reconciliation Room. In the old days it was called the confessional. The room provides the option for a person to sit facing the priest or to remain anonymous behind the screen. (Invite everyone to come and look inside, but keep them moving, because you don't have much time.) The Sacrament of Reconciliation is celebrated here. Some have said this sacrament should have been called "the sacrament of forgiveness and inner healing." Think of the joy of the loving father welcoming the prodigal son back home. That is what we celebrate here. The Sacrament of Reconciliation is celebrated every Saturday from 2:15 to 3:15 PM, or anytime by appointment.

Over here (across from the Reconciliation Room) we have the vesting sacristy. This is where Fr. Jim puts on his vestments just before Mass begins.

(Move back to the center, and gesture toward the front entrance.) You see where the brick arch is. That is where the front doors of the church were before this addition was built.

The Gathering Space is a wonderful place to welcome guests to a wedding. They often mingle and visit here as they greet long-lost friends and relatives. Sometimes it is hard to get them into church so that we can begin on time!

Because God made us social beings, the most natural instinct for human beings is to gather together. People come together for many reasons, be it for a sporting event, a family reunion, Thanksgiving Day, or to watch a movie. From the earliest days, Christians gathered on the Day of the Lord's Resurrection, so that they could celebrate the Lord's Supper. They often did this at great risk, but they did it because they knew that this event is at the heart of what it means to be a follower of Jesus.

Hospitality is essential for God's family. The ushers perform the ministry of hospitality as they welcome parishioners and visitors to our Eucharist. We can always use more ushers. Let me know if you are interested, and I will pass your name on to Bill Lipan, the leader of the ushers.