AUGUST 5, 2004

ou are cordially invited to an informal gathering of the friends of GothicChristianity.com

“Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the day approaching.” Hebrews 10: 25

“We are created for community—none of us can fulfill God’s purpose by ourselves.” – Rick Warren, The Purpose Driven Life

It is one of our stated goals to sponsor an annual conference where we can gather together to worship, pray, celebrate, learn from and support each other.

The essence of this goal is fellowship with each other. I am willing to invest heavily in a major conference, held in a nice facility with bands and speakers and break out sessions and the works. I am willing but as of this writing I don’t think we’d get a response sufficient to justify the expense. If we spend more than we make, we will not be financially able to sponsor annual conferences. Money issues aside, asking a band (namely Regenerator) to travel from California to Baltimore to play to an empty room, is a waste of everyone’s time and resources.

Does that mean no conference? Absolutely not but it does mean that we need to focus on what really matters: that we come together to worship, pray, celebrate, learn from and support each other. I, for one, do not want to wait until next year. I want to meet you this year. Donna Sheehy and Phil Kayalo have already confirmed. They will be there. Can I count you in?

We will not wait for bands, DJs, hotel conference coordinators and all the other fun people that must sign contracts and make money. But, we will have a gathering, I’m not calling it a convention or a conference, I’d prefer to think of it as an informal gathering.

Saturday November 6, 2004 is our date. It is a one-day event – Saturday only. But if you come in on Friday I will find a way to make it worth your time and if you stay until Sunday we can all go to church together.

I will be booking a meeting room with a capacity of 200. As I may be able to retrieve my deposit if I cancel early, I am asking that you pre-register. The gathering will not be canceled for reasons of attendance (Jesus said He would be there if two or three gathered and we already have that), but I will cancel the big room and book a smaller one or vice versa according to your response.

There is no cost for the conference. Travel and lodging are cost enough.

I need to hear from you ASAP. The gathering is only 12 weeks away. Please e-mail me with questions, concerns, and suggestions or to RSVP.

GothicChristianity.com has expanded. We added more photos, more articles, and more Local Groups. I hope that you will check them out. We will continue to add material once every three to four weeks. We hope that you will find encouragement and a blessing or two in what we add.

We make every effort to keep our e-list current. If you do not wish to receive messages from Gothic Christianity, let me know at david@gothicchristianity.com or davidjanisd@yahoo.com and I will remove your name from the list. Also, please e-mail your ideas, suggestions, comments and submissions to either of the two addresses listed above.

In His Majesty's Service,
David Dellman