“Gather Us In”
    This was the prayer poem used to begin the recent Affirming Service during Pride Week. For me, it describes what we all hope “church” will be.

— Pastor Dave

“Gather Us In”
“Here in this place new light is streaming, now
is the darkness vanished away;
See in this space our fears and our dreaming
brought here to you in the light of this day.
Gather us in, the lost and forsaken,
Gather us in, the blind and the lame;
Call to us now, and we will awaken,
We shall arise at the sound of our name.

We are the young, our lives are a mystery, we
are the old who yearn for your face.
We have been sung throughout all of hist’ry,
called to be light to the whole human race.
Gather us in, the rich and the haughty,
Gather us in, the proud and the strong;
Give us a heart, so meek and so lowly,
Give us the courage to enter the song.

Give us to drink the wine of compassion,
Give us to eat the bread that is you;
Nourish us well, and teach us to fashion
Lives that are holy and hearts that are true.

Not in the dark of buildings confining,
Not in some heaven light years away,
But here in this place the new light is shining,
Now is the kingdom and now is the day.

Gather us in and hold us forever,
Gather us in and make us your own;
Gather us in, all peoples together,
Fire of love in our flesh and our bones.”  Amen.
        —  Marty Haugen