Gather at The Gathering
The Gathering is a safe space where folks from different backgrounds can come together to foster relationships and cultivate peace over dinner. Our purpose is to create opportunities between people whose paths would not normally cross, to dialogue toward healing, unity and transformation. Every person, and each dialogue at The Gathering plays a vital role in creating community transformation local to global. The best part about all of this is that it is over a meal at different restaurants, venues or homes AND the proceeds from your meal goes toward waging peace, reconciling hearts and restoring communities impacted by violence in Sierra Leone and Côte D’Ivoire.
In these spaces, you will see what LOVE can do. It will create spaces for healing, for people to be heard and hate to be conquered and transformation to take place all for a worthy cause.
At The Gathering, we get to Love down barriers and pursue peace together.
In these spaces, you will see what LOVE can do. It will create spaces for healing, for people to be heard and hate to be conquered and transformation to take place all for a worthy cause.
At The Gathering, we get to Love down barriers and pursue peace together.
Who Hosts The Gathering?
Restaurants: The Mending Peace will partner with different restaurants throughout the nation. The Restaurants will set up and reserve a table specifically for “The Gathering”. Because of this you would need to call and reserve your spot ahead of time to ensure space for you and your friends. The list of participating restaurants in your area will be updated on the website daily. Depending on the terms of the partnership, you and your fellow gatherers can make it a monthly thing! Who knows what could be in store! The goal and hope is to LOVE down barriers while breaking bread with one another at places that have meaningful and unique cuisines AND benefiting a survivor of child trafficking on the other side of the world!
Chef’s: The Mending Peace will collaborate with different Chef’s from across the nation. The Chef’s will either host a cooking class or a private dinner. Either way, the guests will break bread with one another and spark dialogue that will be beneficial to the gathering. The Chef’s will create a menu ahead of time that the guests will learn about at the cooking course or dinner. Not only will you get a history lesson on the yummy food you will get to partake in, but you will also get to add it to your home recipes. (Just make sure you give kudos to your teacher!)
You: Would you like to host a private dinner or program at home or at an event venue? Let us know your thoughts, and how it can turn into a fundraising initiative for the proceeds to go to The Mending Peace!
Goal of the Gathering
The goal of The Gathering is to get people actively involved in the work of peace, reconciliation and restoration from where they are. While some non-profits have been able to get people involved through donations, sponsorships, memberships and even mission trips to be apart of the work the organization is doing, our goal is to have our donors and community be active participants in the work that we are doing. We have all had to walk through trauma, loss, grief and a global pandemic within the past two years, and we have become more disconnected than ever from our neighbor. We hope that your attendance at The Gathering will not only give you a bit of insight of the work that is being done on the ground in Sierra Leone and Côte D’Ivoire, but also teach us the importance of cultivating authentic relationships, crossing over the lines that are attempting to keep us divided.
Rules of the Gathering
Like any program there are rules that need to be implemented to keep in alignment with the goals and vision of the Mending Peace and our partners.
1. Put your phone away
2. Be your authentic self
3. Be present & Listen with the intent to understand and not to reply
4. Be kind & respectful
5. Be Loving
1. Put your phone away
2. Be your authentic self
3. Be present & Listen with the intent to understand and not to reply
4. Be kind & respectful
5. Be Loving
Structure of the Gathering
Everything requires structure. The structure of the gathering, depending on where it would be hosted is as follows:
1. Restaurants: The restaurants will set up a table(s) specifically set apart for those who reserve their space for the gathering at that particular restaurant. Depending on how many chairs are available, you can call the restaurant and reserve your space to gather there and the number of people you will be attending with. You will have time to mix and mingle at the beginning. The waiter/waitress will provide “the kit” in the center of the table. That kit will consist of question cards that can help lead the conversations if you all opt to use them. Get to know one another, learn from each other, love down barriers and cultivate peace over an amazing meal!
2. Chefs: The Chef’s can host a virtual cooking class or an in-person one. When you sign up for the cooking class and pay, you will be given ample opportunity to mix and mingle via zoom, facebook live or in person. The Chef will provide you with a menu of the meal you will be preparing. They will also provide you with the recipe written out so you can follow along. This will be an opportunity to gather and have conversation and dialogue about the foods you are preparing and the history of that meal. Dinner, history and authentic conversation sounds like a good gathering to us! (Note: Chef’s also have the option of hosting a private dinner)
3. You: Whether you host this at a Painting with a Twist or in the privacy of your home, you will be connecting with people who you wouldn’t have connected with before. You get to host a chef (or be the chef, please make sure that waivers are signed), and have dinner and conversation while creating an awesome artistic piece.
1. Restaurants: The restaurants will set up a table(s) specifically set apart for those who reserve their space for the gathering at that particular restaurant. Depending on how many chairs are available, you can call the restaurant and reserve your space to gather there and the number of people you will be attending with. You will have time to mix and mingle at the beginning. The waiter/waitress will provide “the kit” in the center of the table. That kit will consist of question cards that can help lead the conversations if you all opt to use them. Get to know one another, learn from each other, love down barriers and cultivate peace over an amazing meal!
2. Chefs: The Chef’s can host a virtual cooking class or an in-person one. When you sign up for the cooking class and pay, you will be given ample opportunity to mix and mingle via zoom, facebook live or in person. The Chef will provide you with a menu of the meal you will be preparing. They will also provide you with the recipe written out so you can follow along. This will be an opportunity to gather and have conversation and dialogue about the foods you are preparing and the history of that meal. Dinner, history and authentic conversation sounds like a good gathering to us! (Note: Chef’s also have the option of hosting a private dinner)
3. You: Whether you host this at a Painting with a Twist or in the privacy of your home, you will be connecting with people who you wouldn’t have connected with before. You get to host a chef (or be the chef, please make sure that waivers are signed), and have dinner and conversation while creating an awesome artistic piece.
FAQs
What’s up with the rules?
-Turning off your phone, or putting it on silent will keep you from being distracted and will allow you to be fully present and immersed into the environment.
Will I be able to take pictures and post on social media?
-Yes, you will be given plenty opportunity to take pictures with your newfound friend(s), and post all over social media. Just not at the dinner table.
Will we get a Gathering Kit?
-If by “kit” you mean a full explanation on how to facilitate “The Gathering” and information on how to implement it, there will be an electronic kit available for download, specifically for the Restaurant Owners, Chef’s and those individuals who desire to host it.
Is this your typical networking event?
-While you may be growing your network per se, we would rather you not treat this like a networking event, but instead a value program, where you seek to cultivate authentic relationships vs. transactional ones.
Do we have to gather at a restaurant?
- Reach out to us with your ideas and we can collaborate on how to best create a space that is safe and open for you and whoever will gather with you. We can help with logistics as well! Email: [email protected]