“The mission of Gather is love. Love the person in front of you. The next person you’re going to meet. The person who just left. The one word that describes Gather is ‘love.’ All the other stuff aside: the theology, this that and the other thing, all of that. At the end of the day, it’s love.”
Triss, Elder
Loving people. Without exception. Every day.
Gather does a lot; and, just as important as what we do, is how we do it. It may not look very conventional, but we’re simply trying to follow Jesus and love our neighbors with everything we have. Serving people is worship and we try to worship every day. We focus on those whom others have forgotten or try to ignore - the poor, the hungry, the addicted, the lonely, the unhoused. It isn’t always neat or tidy, but we’re dedicated to a low barrier for inclusion, long suffering patience, and a relational approach that says, “I see you, I hear you, I love you… How can I help?” Gather is an attitude: open, accepting, loving.
What happens here:
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We can help you with food - whether it’s a short term need or ongoing. You can sign up to get a food box delivered every other week; or, you can stop in Thursday or Friday to pick up a food box in person. We also serve breakfast and lunch at the cafe three days a week.
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The U.S. is experiencing an affordable housing crisis that is affecting both renters and buyers. In Washington state, there are only 28 affordable and available rental homes for every 100 extremely low-income households. Gather coordinates several programs to help you find, pay for, and stay in affordable rental housing.
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Stop by the clothing bank at the Gather Café (408 W Main St) between 9am-10:30am Mondays and Wednesdays to fill out a clothing request form. We’ll have your hand-picked items ready for you the same day. To donate, or to see our current list of needed items, click here.
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Gather partners with parents, caregivers, and families to provide strong, safe, loving support for kids of all ages. The Gather and Grow childcare center provides daily care for preschool and school age children. Parents As Teachers works to improve parenting practices, prenatal to kindergarten age.
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The Meds First Clinic is a low barrier medication-assisted treatment center where we offer kind, supportive, personal care five days a week. There, we also offer a Contingency Management program: test negative for meth, get a gift card. One day per week, our Syringe Services Program also provides harm reduction supplies to keep people safe and alive.
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The Hebrew word “avodah (ah-vod-ah)” can be translated as work, serve, and worship. When we serve, we are worshipping. We also worship through song, preaching, and Communion on Saturday nights at 5:30 and Bible Study on Tuesday mornings at 8:30.
Loving people. Without exception. Every day.
Gather can be hard to describe. We don’t think of ourselves as a “church with ministries.” Instead, our programs, services, relationships, and conversations are church.
When we comfort a child at Gather & Grow, it’s church.
When we listen to a sermon, it’s church.
When we give someone clean needles, it’s church.
When we find a dry pair of pants for an unhoused friend, it’s church.
When we administer Sublocade, it’s church.
When we deliver a box of food to a family struggling with food insecurity, it’s church.
When we visit a family’s home and coach a father how to be a better parent, it’s church.
When we partner with a disabled senior citizen to find housing, it’s church.
When we share a cigarette and actively listen, it’s church.
Gather is not a what or a where. We’re a collection of interdependent who’s and a bunch of why’s. We’re church.
Since Gather was planted in 2010, what we do and where we do it has changed and grown. In the process of serving our neighbors in Lewis County, we encountered needs that were going unmet. So, we tried to help. What started as a food and clothing bank has developed into a social services network that includes a subsidized day care, the Eat Free Café, Parents as Teachers, Care Coordination, MedsFirst (a medication assisted treatment clinic), a syringe exchange program, housing support, and much more.
You can learn more about the things we do day-to-day here or catch a glimpse of a Saturday Night worship service here. If you’re interested in volunteering with any of our ministries or services, please contact us with this form.