Gathered Together

Norberg understands the question asked by many Christians engaged in counseling, therapy, and 12-step groups: How can the church honor the individual's profound experience of struggle and change? Is there any way to connect one's unique and maybe not-so-holy journey with church tradition? Her answer is the personal liturgy, a brilliant way to integrate the sacred struggles of inner work with the rituals of corporate worship. The resulting services for healing and wholeness are intimate, honest, and deeply transformative. Norberg's image of God as a compassionate healer is borne out in her theology of the "Ad hoc church"-the congregation of close friends who participate with the celebrant in the personal liturgy. These services are faith in action-celebrants bury real hatchets, break forth from actual bondage, and pour out gallons of cleansing water. Norberg details over two dozen personal liturgies she has designed and led, that honor such events as finding one's true vocation, recovering from illness, giving up false hopes, and receiving one's first set of car keys. Gathered Together is a wise, creative work that will prompt pastors to try new healing ministries and laypersons to ask more boldly for the needed bridge between personal journey and church life.