Putting It Together

As one of the purposes of a church gathering is to talk to people about God, it is helpful to first talk to God about people! Therefore, it is important for you to lead all who are to be involved in the gathering in prayer prior to the scheduled start time.

The ‘welcome’ should aim to orientate people to what will follow. It can be after a song (or two), or it can be the formal start of the gathering.

There are a few different ways to welcome… (try to avoid reading your welcoming comments)

1. The Self intro (e.g. Welcome, I am...)

2. The Vertical intro (e.g. a verse or prayer)

3. The Orientation intro (e.g. why we gather and what the gathering will look like, what people might need)

4. The Expectation intro (e.g. what to expect, a teaser, a question - especially around the theme of the Bible passage/sermon)

Let people know where things are, for example, toilets, cry room, pick up a Bible, any handouts that might be necessary.

Be aware of the “vibe” throughout the gathering and if and when a brief reflective comment or pause or prayer might be helpful.

Be aware of practical steps you can take to link the parts of the gathering together which highlight themes and point people to Jesus.

It is helpful to capture a personal aspect of the gathering in the way that you close. This can look like…

1. Pray in response to what has been said.

2. Refer (briefly) to the Bible passage or a point made in the sermon

3. Provide a question for people to discuss over morning tea/supper

4. Suggest an application for people to adopt in the next couple of days

5. Encourage people to talk to someone they don't know

6. Mention the passage for the following week at Church

Your conclusion does not need to be heavy (there is no need to re-preach the sermon), or a profound statement. Keep it short and simple (e.g. after a big night, ‘It’s now Supper time’ can be helpful).

As the Gathering Leader you are responsible to ensure that the ‘front of house’ elements are in place – that is anything that occurs from the platform (or on the screen).

Please be present at least half an hour before the gathering is scheduled to start to check that all is in place. This should include:

• the lectern is where you want it (it does not need to be in the centre)

• your microphone works (and suits your purpose – often there are microphone choices: headset mic, remote handheld mic, or lectern mic) – and that you have the microphones you need for others (i.e. for an interview, Bible readers etc.)

• Check are Bible Reader/s, Prayer/s, Interviewee/s, Musicians etc. ready?

• Check the visuals to be used in the Gathering (that they are what you expect and in the order you want them)

• Check the space in which you are meeting. Is it “welcoming”, neat, tidy, and free of clutter, with no rubbish lying around? Are the lights on? Fans? Air-conditioning? Heating? Cooling? Is the cry room/creche neat and tidy? Are the toilets welcoming?