Open House - The Gathering United Methodist Church

The Gathering is hosting an open house at its new Clayton Site from Noon to 2 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 6 at 101 N. Bemiston Ave., the former Clayton United Methodist Church.

Church members, guests and visitors are invited to attend and encouraged to bring friends. Open house guests will be treated to a barbecue lunch. Associate Pastor Linda Gastreich and other volunteers will be giving tours of the newly renovated, historic church and to answering any questions about The Gathering’s multi-site ministry. And there will be plenty of games and fun for kids during the open house.

“The purpose of expanding to a second site is simple,” said Rev. Matt Miofsky, pastor at The Gathering. “We want to invite new people to explore a relationship with Christ.”

Additional preview events are planned for the new church including a Breakfast with Santa in Dec. 3, Christmas Eve service and a young professionals event in Thursday, Jan. 5. Regular worship services will start in mid-January.

The Gathering strives to be a compelling community for new generations of people in St. Louis. As a United Methodist Church, the Gathering is committed to following five practices: worship in community, learning in small groups, prayer, service to others and giving. Established in 2007 in a century-old, renovated Methodist church in the city of St. Louis, the Gathering has grown steadily leading to the desire to launch a second site.

Earlier this year the 60-member congregation of the former Clayton United Methodist Church voted to merge with the Gathering. Renovations to the site, including a remodeled sanctuary, educational rooms and narthex, as well as upgrade audio/visual technology, are nearing completion and regular worship will resume at the site in mid-January.

“With our vision to be a multi-site church, Clayton is a perfect opportunity to step into this new vision,” said Miofsky. “It is the first new site we are starting. God willing, it will not be the last.”