Hello My Name Is...

This is the formal introduction of Gather Ground to the WORLD!

What is Gather Ground?
It's a time and a place where I envision women meeting on a regular basis to sharpen their blades.  To be safe in times of trouble, to be open in times of curiosity and brave in times of innovation!  And of course a place to eat something.

What is the 'Ground?'
The Ground that the group is built on is the Truth of the Word of God (the Bible).  This will not be a place to discuss and debate fundamentals in the Bible... i.e. Is the Word of God really divinely inspired? Creation vs. Evolution? etc. Even if you personally have not accepted these fundamentals for yourself, that's ok! But please respect the fact that this group wishes to move forward in the acceptance of them.

What is the 'Gather?'
The Gather[ing] will be a 2-fold discussion group with Part 1 taking place every other Saturday at my home from 10am to 2pm* and Part 2 taking place on this blog every other Tuesday following up the conversation that occurred over the weekend and opening the platform for a wider discussion that can include anyone regardless of location or time of day. Preview days will be Thursday with a short blog post about the Starting Point for the next discussion.

*10am to 2pm is when my door will be unlocked.  Walk in whenever you like between those times.  By remaining slightly unstructured I hope to foster an open-door environment that lends itself to today's busy woman.  You will never be too early or too late to Gather Ground.

The Gather Ground Rules:
#1 You MUST eat something
Women are either eating too much or not enough and feeling guilty about both... here, we will eat.  Sometimes "healthy" - Sometimes "not healthy" and that is a core principal of the group.

#2 Negativity in its various forms should be AVOIDED
We can all be Givers! No takers.  Emotional support where/when needed is perfectly fine, but we will not be a group of complaining, negative, bitter, angry or gossiping women.  We refuse to be hopeless.

#3 NOTHING leaves the 'Ground'
To provide a safe and judge-free platform for learning and experiencing life as it happens we must respect each others privacy.  General thoughts and interesting turns of discussion may and will be used anonymously in the follow-up blog discussions, however deeply personal matters will always be kept hush-hush between us ladies.

Gather Ground Map:
Each meeting will begin with a scripture and anecdote and end in prayer.
The middle shall take its course organically, however new material and additional contributions (journal entries, book segments, poems, lyrics, personal stories, youtube videos, etc.) are encouraged.  Contribute what feels most natural for you!

Check back on Thursday for the kick-off verse and anecdote!