Celebration is at the heart of why we gather together as a church and as a people. At the heart of our celebration is our desire to: 
- give thanks for the blessings of life
- remember that we are not alone as we go through difficult times
- rejoice in the gifts found in each other and to share them
- experience the crucified and risen Christ through the Word, and as we break bread and share the cup of blessing together
Another way of saying this is that we celebrate that “the Holy Spirit gathers the people of God around Jesus Christ present in the word of God and the sacraments, so that the Spirit may in turn send them into the world to continue the ingathering mission of God’s reign.” (Augsburg Confession)
