The Gathering Nashville

For Christmas 2011 we “Caroled for Graceworks” for our KIDServe service project. Our Kids took to a local neighborhood Christmas Caroling for the neighbors and collecting canned goods and new toys for Graceworks Ministries in Franklin. Wagonloads of supplies were donated by the community and collected by our Kids. Our families had a great time giving back and spreading some Christmas cheer!  

For our KIDServe project for April, we partnered with Mercy Children’s Clinic (www.mercytn.org) to run their booth at the Celebrate Children’s Fair, which is sponsored by the Williamson County Child Advocacy Center, to kick-off Child Abuse Prevention Week.

We served with Mercy by providing some fun kid-friendly activities and prizes for the children of the community attending the fair. Our kids and families had a great time running the booth, handing our prizes and T-shirts and helping to raise awareness for Mercy Children’s Clinic whose mission is to “reflect the love and compassion of Jesus Christ by providing health care services to ALL children and support to their families.”

Our March, 2011 KIDServe opportunity was in partnership with Second Harvest Food Bank.

We served at Family Sort Night and helped sort, weigh, and bag over 10,000 oranges into boxes that will be shipped to hungry families in 46 counties throughout Middle Tennessee. Our kids also collected and donated 68 lbs. of food to the Disaster Relief and Kids Backpack Programs.

KIDServe is an on-going community service project that partners with various non-profit agencies throughout Middle Tennessee. Get connected at KIDServe today with your kids or as a mentor to another child of Kids Gathering!

Beginning on March 4th and continuing for 12 weeks on Friday mornings, Dr. Foster will be teaching a verse-by-verse study through the Book of Romans. A lot of people are ready to take the next step, in the understanding of Scripture, their faith, and how it plays out in the real world. This Bible Study is for men, women, anyone – believer or seeker – who wants to study the Scripture verse by verse, line upon line, precept upon precept. Read More »

We received the following letters from a group of soldiers that received 1/2 of the gift boxes sent by Gathering4Soldiers.  See the letters below: Read More »

The Winter Change 4 Change service project goal was to stuff 120 stockings for the men of the Nashville Rescue Mission.

Our kids worked hard to raise funds, educate others about the Rescue Mission and stuff the stockings.

The men at the Nashville Rescue Mission received their Christmas stockings filled with various items such as gloves, candy, granola bars, fruit and other goodies with tears in their eyes and a huge “Thank You” to our kids!

Debbie Seldon      2010

Bake at 350 for 25 minutes

• 1 stick butter   
• 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 14 oz. Sweetened condensed milk
• 1 cup butterscotch chips
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 1/3 cup flaked coconut
• 1 cup chopped nuts

Line a 13″ x 9″ pan with aluminum foil.  Melt butter and pour in pan.  Sprinkle crumbs over butter.  Pour sweetened condensed milk evenly over the crumbs.

Top with remaining ingredients in order listed.  Press down firmly with fork.

Bake 25 minutes or until lightly browned.  Cool.  Cut into bars.  Store covered at room temperature.

      2010

• chocolate for dipping
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 3/4 cup dark corn syrup
• 1/4 cup light corn syrup
• 2 T baking soda (NO LUMPS)

Butter a baking sheet.  Boil sugar and syrups together in a deep kettle, STIRRING CONTANTLY, until candy thermometer reaches 290 degrees.  Remove from heat.  Add baking soda immediately.  THIS WILL SET UP VERY FAST IN KETTLE.  Stir until well blended and pour onto buttered cookie sheet.  Cool well, then break gently into pieces.  Don’t be alarmed, as it will shatter into pieces and splinters.  Dip pieces in melted chocolate.  Let cool and enjoy.

                      2010

Bake at 350 for 12 – 15 minutes

• 1 1/2 sticks butter – softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cups toffee chips
• 1 1/3 cups coarsely chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350.  Line baking sheet with parchment and set aside.  Mix butter and sugars.  Beat at medium speed until light and fluffy – about 2 minutes.  Scrape down sides of bowl.  Add eggs and vanilla and beat.

In a medium bowl, whisk flours, baking soda and salt.  Add to butter and sugar mixture and beat.  Mix in toffee chips and nuts.

Drop cookies by rounded teaspoon onto baking sheet about 2″ apart.  Bake 12 -15 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool for 5 minutes then transfer cookies to rack to cool.  Store in airtight container.

Shelley Meadows    2010

bake at 375 15 – 20 minutes

Makes 16 sandwiches

• 2 tubes of 8 oz. crescent rolls
• 8 oz. of cream cheese softened
• 1/2 cup of sour cream
• 1 tsp. dill weed
• 1/8 tsp. garlic powder

• 1 1/2 cups chopped broccoli florets
• 1 cup finely chopped sweet red pepper
• 1 cup finely chopped celery

Remove crescent dough.  Do NOT UNROLL.  Cut each tube into 8 slices.  Arrange in an 11″ circle on a 14″ pizza pan.

Bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool before removing to serving platter.

In a small bowl, beat cream cheese, sour cream, dill and garlic powder until smooth.  Spread over top of wreath.  Top with broccoli, celery and red pepper.  Form a bow.  Garnish with celery leaves.  ENJOY!