After Mead’s Corner, church service finds home in Delano

The Gathering, the little church service that formerly met at Mead’s Corner, now has a new home.

The first service held at New Covenant United Methodist Church’s Life Support Center is this Sunday at the usual time of 5 p.m.

Located at 1718 W. Douglas, the Life Support Center is located in Delano, less than two miles away from the former Mead’s Corner.

“I’m excited about the potential relationship, the ways we can engage and be active in our community,” said Leslie Coates, venue leader for The Gathering.

The Gathering, a worship service of First United Methodist Church, has met in Mead’s Corner since it opened in 2008. The new space will be different, Coates said, since people won’t be coming into the building for coffee and finding a worship service.

While being in a less public space feels like a “step backward” for The Gathering, the new venue is also a step forward, Coates said, since it includes room for more seating and a children’s area. It also has a kitchen, allowing them to continue monthly shared meals.

The Life Support Center offers job support and a food pantry on Tuesdays and Thursdays. It also has a community garden. New Covenant also partners with other churches and organizations to use the space for things like parenting classes.

The Rev. Cathy Holley, pastor of New Covenant, said welcoming The Gathering was another way to partner with a fellow United Methodist Church.

The Gathering will remain a worship service of First United Methodist Church while partnering with New Covenant for the space.

“I think we in the church need to provide alternative experiences for people to connect with God,” she said. “They were meeting in a coffee shop on a Sunday night, a less churchy atmosphere, and we thought that was a valuable thing to keep going in our community.”

This story was originally published August 1, 2018 at 4:55 PM.