The Gathering

At this past week's Gathering for Songwriter Sunday, original music written and performed by Storyliners was featured. Stories and songs by Michael Koch, Daniel Dietrich, Morgan Ingle, and more explored how music connects us and how it matters in the life of faith and beyond.

This past Sunday, at The Gathering, we continued the series "Growing in Grace". The band performed songs by Florence and the Machine, Marvin Gaye, Dan Deitrich, and more.

This past Sunday, at Storyline's Gathering, the new series for the fall, "Growing in Grace," was kicked off. Over the next few months, we will reflect on the Grace of God and not only how it changes us, but why. The band performed songs by Billie Eilish, Alex Warren, The Killers, and more.

This past Sunday at Storyline's Gathering, we concluded our summer series on the stories Jesus told by examining the way he concluded the most famous speech in the history of the world. The band performed songs by Sara Bareilles, Elton John, Pat Barrett, and more.

Life can be exhausting and lonely when we try to go it alone. Jesus knew this and offered a different way forward. This past Sunday, the series on the stories Jesus told continued with a look at one of his most famous parables. The band performed songs by Fleetwood Mac, U2, Andra Day, and more.

There are so many things about life that are complicated and even confusing. We don't always see everything clearly. Jesus seemed to understand how hard this is for us. This past Sunday, the community wondered together about Jesus' parable about waiting in the dark, and learned about life there. The band performed songs by Oasis, Tori Kelly, Ellie Holcomb, David Ramirez, and more.

So much of life's complexity does not exist in the answer to "what"...what do we want, what do we want to avoid, what are we after? "What" is what religion is all about. But Jesus and His Way are different. He insists the secret to life is not in "what"—it is in "how." How do we get what we want? How do we avoid what entraps us? How do we find what we're after? This past Sunday, we considered one...

Several years ago, Storyline met at Lincoln Township Park in Stevensville for the entire summer. This past Sunday, the gathering returned for an outdoor event at the park. The band performed songs by Tom Petty, Maggie Rogers, The Native Sibling, and more.

Modern culture can oftentimes make us feel lost and unheard. At this past Sunday’s Gathering, we continued looking at the stories Jesus told by considering several parables that remind us that God notices, seeks, and rejoices over us. The band performed songs by Lauren Daigle, Carolina Liar, Pink Floyd, and Ruth B.

This past Gathering, we explored how loving ourselves matters in the bigger picture of our participation in God's invitation of love. The band performed songs by the Killers, Sara Reeves, REND Collective, and more.

How do we move forward? Move on? Grow? Change? These are constant themes and questions in our real life. Often, we look to God for the strength to help us do what we need to do. But Jesus had another plan entirely. At this past Gathering, we considered the surprising story Jesus told to set us on the path to flourishing. The band performed songs by The Beatles, Tom Petty, Eminem, and more.

Jesus had a way of saying so much in a story—so much about the human condition, about our condition, that we probably could never be told directly. At this past Gathering, a parable of Jesus was considered that reveals all of our best excuses in life for exactly what they are. The band performed songs by U2, Ryan Adams, Joel Houston, and more.

This past Sunday was Father's Day, and whether you celebrate or mourn this day, it is always good to be together. We looked at a story that Jesus tells that demonstrates how well he knows and understands us. The band performed songs by Crosby, Stills and Nash, Brandon Lake, Ellie Holcomb, Ben Riedel, and more.

We live in a world of credentials and qualifications, where everyone expects everyone else to have the right skills, abilities, and even perspectives. Is that how God is? At this past Gathering, we considered what Jesus thinks qualifies us for life. The band performed songs by Radiohead, Coldplay, Tom Odell, and Will Reagan.

Big life events are a cause for celebration. At this past Gathering, graduating seniors were celebrated while considering what Jesus has to say about living life abundantly. The band performed songs by Kelly Clarkson, Corinne Bailey Rae, Miley Cyrus, and Hollow Coves.

So many of Jesus' stories are centered around agriculture. Maybe He is trying to tell us something about life, and how it comes to us and through us. At this past Sunday's Storyline's Gathering, another of Jesus' parables about growing, changing, and flourishing was considered. The band performed songs by Kacey Musgraves, Fleetwood Mac, Alabama Shakes and more.

Sunday was Mother's Day; a special day to honor and celebrate the very special kind of love they give their children. At this past Storyline's Gathering, we explored the way God's grace and a mother's love can change who we are. The band performed songs by Lynyrd Skynyrd, Fleetwood Mac, Rich Mullins, and Brandon Lake.

Did you know storytelling is considered the world's oldest art form? Jesus used them to invite his listeners into another way of seeing and living life. This past Sunday at Storyline's Gathering, we considered the very first parable of Jesus. The band performed songs by Death Cab for Cutie, Harry Styles, Kings of Leon, and Bethel Music.

This past Sunday at Storyline's Gathering, a new series about the stories Jesus told began. The exploration focused on why He told stories, what stories He shared, and what we could learn about God, life, and ourselves. The band performed songs by Demi Lovato, Morgan Harper Nichols, Maverick City, and more.

Easter, regardless of what anyone personally believes about it, represented the most pivotal day in human history. Everything about the world changed that day. Could that also be true for us? This past Sunday, we considered how Easter can change how we live our real, everyday lives. Mike Koch and the band performed songs by Sting, Houndmouth, Jon Guerra, and Bethel Music.

We all want the best for ourselves and for each other. But what happens when reality doesn't match up with our expectations? What do we do then? In the recent Gathering, we explored expectations, hope, and what God has to say about the role each can have in our lives. The band performed songs by Tracy Chapman, Lorde, Radiohead, and Saving Jane.

This past Sunday, we wrapped up our series on the Beattitudes (the beginning of the beginning of Jesus’ first sermon). How did Jesus wrap up this list? We looked at his most controversial statements about persecution and joy. It seems obvious which one you should avoid and which we want more of. But, like so many of the Beatitudes... there is always a surprise! The band performed songs by The Beat...

There is a lot that our current world lacks, but peace may be at the top of that list. Jesus held it in such high regard that he actually said, peacemakers will be called children of God. This past Sunday at Storyline's Gathering, we wondered together what He meant by that. The band performed songs by The Eagles, Bruce Hornsby, Rob Thomas, and Sara Bareilles.

We've been exploring the first public words of Jesus over the past few months to consider what He invites us into. Recently at Storyline's Gathering, we continued looking at the Beatitudes and what Jesus suggests about how we see God. The band performed songs by U2, Michael Kiwanuka, Wilderado, and more.

What if what we need most will always somehow escape us if we are not willing to share it? This past Sunday, we explored the Beatitudes of Jesus, where He suggests just this. The band performed songs by Shaboozey, The Avett Brothers, TAYA, and more.