Upcoming Events
TGP at Deland's Love is Love Pride Fest
The Gathering Place has a booth at Volusia Love is Love Pride Fest on February 7, 2026. We are in need of volunteers to have a warm friendly presence at our booth, hand out material, and answer questions about our church. If you're in the area, come say hi!
Located: E. Indiana Ave. Deland, FL
Shifts:
1:30pm-3pm (set up shift)
3-5pm
5-7pm (tear down shift)
SUPER SERVE SUNDAY
Super Serve Sunday
SAVE THE DATE: February 8, 2026!
Every year on Super Bowl Sunday, The Gathering Place and First United Team up to serve various community partners throughout Volusia County.
Hope Place
Domestic Violence Shelter
Westside Elementary School
Beachside Elementary School
Homeless Care Bags
If you would like a free Super Serve Sunday T-shirt (same design as last year), please email aarmistead@firstunited.org with your name and size by January 17th or there is a clipboard located in the TGP Lobby.
Kayaks & Communion
What makes The Gathering Place unique is our commitment to gathering differently. We understand that there are many people who would never step foot in a traditional church building, but are still longing for hope and belonging.
Kayaks & Communion is the chance to experience the beauty of God's creation IN God's creation. The church doesn't have to look like a building with steeples and pews. Sometimes it looks like a group of folks wanting to learn more about Jesus on kayaks, paddle boards, and pontoon boats.
Avoid the Daytona 500 traffic and join us Sunday February 15th at 9am at Tomoka Outpost. Kayaks & Canoes available for rental OR ride on a pontoon boat (first come first serve- sign up ASAP).
Located: 2099 N Beach St, Ormond Beach, FL 32174 (meet on the back deck- bring a lawn chair)
Click the link to sign up and for more info:
Empty Bowls
Empty Bowls- Mar 14, 2026 at The Ocean Center
Join Halifax Urban Ministries for the 18th Annual Empty Bowls hosted by Halifax Urban Ministries — an inspiring and heartwarming fundraiser that blends art, community, and compassion to fight hunger in Volusia and Flagler counties.
If you would like to donate soup to the event, contact: Nicole Campon at NCampon@halifaxurbanministries.org
Masterpiece Sacred Gallery
ARTWORK NEEDED FOR LENTEN SERIES!
March 22nd at TGP
Friday, April 3, 2026 12:00 PM- 1:00 PM at First United Methodist Church
(336 South Halifax Drive Ormond Beach, FL, 32176)
During our season of Lent, from February 18 - April 4, 2026 we'll consider a powerful truth: we are God’s MASTERPIECE—created with intention, beauty, and purpose. Our theme verse is Ephesians 2:10, “For we are God’s masterpiece, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
All through Scripture we see God as Artist and Creator — breathing life into dust, painting sunsets across the sky, weaving grace into broken stories, and making all things new, shaping our world and lives with love and grace.this Lent, we want to not only hear that story — we want to see it.
On Good Friday, we will create a special MASTERPIECE Exhibit — a sacred gallery filled with artwork from the people of First United. It will be a space to reflect on God’s creation, Christ’s redemption, and the transforming work of the Spirit through the gift of creativity. This will be a sacred and inspiring space where our church family shares how God’s creation, redemption, and transforming power has spoken to them through art.
We are inviting everyone—artists, hobbyists, creatives, and anyone who has ever felt inspired—to participate. And when we say art — we mean far beyond the paintbox. Photography. Video. Quilting. Woodworking. Sculpture. Jewelry. Poetry. Digital design. Music. Fabric. Metal. Baking. Furniture. Found objects. Simple sketches. Elaborate pieces. If it reflects God’s creation, renewal, Easter hope, or transformation through faith — it belongs in this exhibit. You don’t have to call yourself an “artist” to participate. If you’ve ever felt inspired, curious, or nudged by God to create — this invitation is for you.
Every piece will become part of a collective masterpiece—many voices, many gifts, all pointing to the One who makes all things new.
Because April 3 will be here before we know it, now is the time to start dreaming, praying, and creating. Whether your work is simple or elaborate, what matters most is that it flows from a heart responding to God’s grand design.
More details on how to submit your artwork are coming soon. For now, begin asking God how He might want to express His story through you.
Nehemiah Action Assembly
JUSTICE ACTION ASSEMBLY
March 24, 2026: 6:30pm -8:30pm (arrive early for good seats)
Located: Our Lady of Hope (4675 S Clyde Morris Blvd, Port Orange, FL 32129)
Bring or invite at least 3 people. Goals focus on Flooding and affordable housing
Community Easter Egg Hunt
Saturday, March 28, 2025
1:00 PM-3:00 PM
Westside Elementary School
Join us for our annual FREE Easter Egg Hunt at Westside Elementary! Saturday, March 28th from 1pm-3pm. We will have age-level egg hunts, inflatables, crafts, snacks, and more!
Click the link below to sign up and serve our friends and neighbors at Westside.
Easter Sunday
Celebrate the Risen Christ with The Gathering Place!
Hear a powerful message of hope, participate in dynamic worship, and bring your kids for a fun-filled Kids Ministry!
4 Pillars
NE DISTRICT TRAINING
THE EMPHASIS ON THE BIBLE AS "THE WORD OF GOD," POWERFUL, AND THE PRIMARY SOURCE OF TRUTH, LIFE GIVING, SPIRITUALLY STRENGTHENING, AND A MORAL COMPASS FOR BELIEVERS. IT URGES ALL BELIEVERS TO STUDY IT AND LIVE BY ITS TEACHINGS WHILE PROCLAIMING GOD'S MESSAGE OF SALVATION.
Located: First United Methodist Ormond Beach, FL: 336 S. Halifax Dr. Ormond Beach, FL 32164
10am-2pm
Middle & High School Mission Trip- Miami, FL
Information and Registration link coming soon!
Partnership Sunday
Learn about The Gathering Place’s various community partners around Volusia County including the Domestic Abuse Council, Halifax Urban Ministries, F.A.I.T.H Justice Network and Westside Elementary School!
Practicing the Way Small Group Begins
NEW GROUP: Practicing the Way
Tuesdays at 6:30pm | Starts Jan 27 & Ends March 24
Starting January 27 until March 24, this 9-week group will explore John Mark Comer's book titled "Practicing the Way". This study will build, renew, and strengthen your spiritual journey. Facilitated by David Manning.
To purchase the "Practicing the Way" book, click here. Books are roughly $20.
The Gathering Place is providing you with your copy of the "Practicing the Way" workbook (companion for the group that is different than the actual "Practicing the Way" book).
YOUTH GROUP KICK-OFF
Youth Group resumes Wednesday January 14th and meets every other week from 6:00-7:30pm! If you would like to sign up to bring or send a meal to our students, sign up below!
Men's Small Group
Men & Women’s Small Groups resume on Sunday January 11th after worship. If you are looking for community, spiritual growth, and something more… stick around for small group.
All ages welcome AND childcare provided.
Women's Small Group
Men & Women’s Small Groups resume on Sunday January 11th after worship. If you are looking for community, spiritual growth, and something more… stick around for small group.
All ages welcome AND childcare provided.
Christmas Eve
Bring your whole family to our Candlelight Christmas Eve Service to hear the story of how hope was born into the world.
5pm at 518 K Fentress Blvd. Daytona Beach, FL 32114
Christmas Choir
Miss singing in choir? Love to make a joyful noise? Your Christmas season will be a lot brighter by joining The Gathering Place's Christmas Choir!
We're learning one choral song to sing in worship at The Gathering Place on Sunday, Dec 21 at 10am. The form has more information about rehearsals and materials.
You do not have to be a part of The Gathering Place to join! Click the link below to sign up:
Christmas Movie Night
As a way to say THANK you to our TGP Volunteers, we are hosting a Christmas Movie Night! All ages welcome.
Pizza, popcorn, & beverages provided
Student Lock-In
14 hours of games, food, friends & Christmas FUN.
Located at First United Methodist: 336 S. Halifax Dr. Ormond Beach, FL 32176.
Register today!
Carols at Tangos
What goes best with Christmas Carols? Empanadas of course!
Join us for our 3rd annual Carols at Tangos on Tuesday December 9th from 6-9pm. First come first serve- the restaurant fills up quickly.
Located: 600 S. Yonge #16B Ormond Beach, FL
Diapers & Donuts for Baby Campbell
Celebrate the arrival of Baby Campbell! On Sunday December 7th we will shower Todd and Brittany Campbell with diapers and donuts! Bring a box of diapers (various sizes) to bless the new parents. We also encourage you to check out their registry and donate to the maternity leave fund if you feel led:
From Surviving to Thriving: Parenting Together
DATES: Wednesday Oct 15, 29, Nov 12, & Dec 3
Are you in the trenches of parenting? Looking for connection with other parents? Expecting and terrified?! Interested in learning how to talk about your kids about faith? Susan Miller from The Gathering Place (retired teacher, mother, and grandma extraordinaire) is leading a 4 week course for parents who are hoping to go from surviving to thriving. The emphasis on building trust amongst a community of parents who can be one another’s village. Click the link to sign up or for more information.
Childcare provided AND no homework/reading, parenting is busy enough.
Volusia Basket Brigade Boxes due!
Grab a box from our Welcome Lobby to provide a Thanksgiving Meal to those in need in our county! Drop filled boxes off by Thursday November 18th back to The Gathering Place. Shopping List includes:
Green Beans (4)
Canned Corn (4)
Brownie Mix (2)
Yams (2)
Boxed Stuffing (2)
Gravy Package Mix
Mini Marshmallows
Corn Bread Mix
Scalloped Potatoes (2)
Mashed Potato Mix (2)
Cranberry Sauce (2)
Cream of Mushroom Soup (2)
Fried Onion Strings
Gift Card for a Turkey or Ham
One Big Sunday!
Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Located: First United Methodist Church336 South Halifax Dr. Ormond Beach, FL, 32176
We are part of the First United Family and twice a year we gather together for worship & fellowship! Sign up to be a part of the annual Chili Cook Off, to be a judge, or to bring another item!
From Surviving to Thriving: Parenting Together
DATES: Wednesday Oct 15, 29, Nov 12, & Dec 3
Are you in the trenches of parenting? Looking for connection with other parents? Expecting and terrified?! Interested in learning how to talk about your kids about faith? Susan Miller from The Gathering Place (retired teacher, mother, and grandma extraordinaire) is leading a 4 week course for parents who are hoping to go from surviving to thriving. The emphasis on building trust amongst a community of parents who can be one another’s village. Click the link to sign up or for more information.
Childcare provided AND no homework/reading, parenting is busy enough.
Pet Blessing
On Nov 2nd we are returning to The Foundry for our annual Pet Blessing. Bring your furry, scaly, or feathered friend to receive a prayer. Don’t forget a lawn chair or picnic blanket for this outdoor service (doggy waste bags and water bowls provided).
*No childcare or nursery this Sunday.
🧘♀️ Faith + Flow: A Gentle Yoga Practice
Faith + Flow: A Gentle Yoga Practice
Join us for a morning of gentle, faith-centered yoga designed to restore your body, mind, and spirit. This class blends mindful movement and peaceful meditation — all rooted in the belief that caring for our bodies and souls.
When: Saturday November 1, 2025 9:30am-10:30am
Where: The Gathering Place (518K Fentress Blvd Daytona Beach, FL)
Cost: Free (love offerings appreciated)
While admission is free, we invite participants to make a love-offering that will go directly to support Volusia's Domestic Abuse Council. Together, we can nurture both our own healing and the healing of others in our community.
Bring a yoga mat, a water bottle, and an open heart. All levels and all faith backgrounds are welcome — no yoga experience needed!
Let’s move, breathe, and give together in love.
From Surviving to Thriving: Parenting Together
DATES: Wednesday Oct 15, 29, Nov 12, & Dec 3
Are you in the trenches of parenting? Looking for connection with other parents? Expecting and terrified?! Interested in learning how to talk about your kids about faith? Susan Miller from The Gathering Place (retired teacher, mother, and grandma extraordinaire) is leading a 4 week course for parents who are hoping to go from surviving to thriving. The emphasis on building trust amongst a community of parents who can be one another’s village. Click the link to sign up or for more information.
Childcare provided AND no homework/reading, parenting is busy enough.
F.A.I.T.H. House Meetings
F.A.I.T.H. is a county-wide coalition of congregations that works to address social justice issues in Volusia County through local organizing like affordable housing and flooding. The listening sessions are designed so our justice network leaders can hear from the community about issues directly impacting their lives.
Join us at The Gathering Place for one of two listening sessions:
October 8th at 7pm
October 12th after worship
Worship at Ormond Brewing
Just because we have a new building doesn’t mean we’re going to stop being The Gathering Place! At the heart of our church is the mission to gather differently, which is why we’ll be worshipping at Ormond Brewing Company on October 19th from 11am-12pm.
From Surviving to Thriving: Parenting Together
DATES: Wednesday Oct 15, 29, Nov 12, & Dec 3
Are you in the trenches of parenting? Looking for connection with other parents? Expecting and terrified?! Interested in learning how to talk about your kids about faith? Susan Miller from The Gathering Place (retired teacher, mother, and grandma extraordinaire) is leading a 4 week course for parents who are hoping to go from surviving to thriving. The emphasis on building trust amongst a community of parents who can be one another’s village. Click the link to sign up or for more information.
Childcare provided AND no homework/reading, parenting is busy enough.
F.A.I.T.H. House Meetings
F.A.I.T.H. is a county-wide coalition of congregations that works to address social justice issues in Volusia County through local organizing like affordable housing and flooding. The listening sessions are designed so our justice network leaders can hear from the community about issues directly impacting their lives.
Join us at The Gathering Place for one of two listening sessions:
October 8th at 7pm
October 12th after worship
Welcome Home Sunday
✨ Welcome Home Sunday ✨
Looking for a place to belong? On Sunday, October 5th, The Gathering Place is celebrating the grand opening of our new worship center—once a warehouse, now transformed into a place of worship, community, and hope. And there’s a seat waiting for you.
📍518-K Fentress Blvd Daytona Beach, FL
☕ Coffee & Donuts at 9:45am
🙏 Worship at 10:00am
🍽️ Lunch & Family Friendly Games at 11:30am
It’s more than a new building—it’s a new beginning. Maybe you need one of those too? Come celebrate, find your village, and discover a place where faith feels like family. Whether you’re exploring church for the first time or returning after a while, we’re building a community where you are already home.
Volusia Civil Rights Tour
Get the opportunity to learn about Civil Rights leaders in our own backyard here in Volusia County. We will begin at The Gathering Place at 8:45 visit different sites from Daytona to New Smyrna Beach, FL. Justice matters to God, so justice matters to The Gathering Place.
Howard Thurman home (tour) - Daytona
Mary McLeod Bethune statue at Riverfront Esplanade - Daytona
Jackie Robinson Ballpark - Daytona
Mary Harrell Black Heritage Museum (open 10am-1pm) - New Smyrna Beach
Freemanville Settlement Marker and Mount Moriah Baptist Church - Port Orange
SIGN UP
Read Aloud with Partners Training
The proven way to improve literacy in children is simply reading aloud with them. It’s both easy and effective! We are recruiting volunteers to read with 2nd and 3rd grade students at our partner school, Westside Elementary.
Join us on Wednesday September 17th from 4-6pm in the Westside Media Center for Read Aloud with Partner Training and Child & Youth Protection Training. ALL volunteers connected to First United Methodist Ormond Beach or The Gathering Place are required to be Child & Youth Protection trained and receive a background check.
Email beckypittard@gmail.com to sign up.
Civil Rights Pilgrimage
Civil Rights Pilgrimage
The Gathering Place is leading a Civil Rights Pilgrimage Tour over Labor Day Weekend to Montgomery and Selma, AL. We believe that the work of anti-racism and learning from our past is a spiritual discipline. Click the interest-form link below to learn more information and to sign-up. At this time, we are limiting the trip to 15 people (no age restrictions), but we will have a waitlist. Scholarships will also be available.
Leading up to this trip, we will be in a Sermon Series and encouraging small group to study Bryan Stevenson’s book, Just Mercy. We will also offer a local Civil Rights Pilgrimage for those who can not travel.
TGP Work Day
To make this new unit ready to welcome guests, we need as much help as we can get! Join us on Saturday August 23rd from 9am-2pm for a TGP Work Day. We’ll be moving, painting, assembling furniture, cleaning, reupholstering chairs, etc.
"Just Mercy" Book Club
Thursday August 21st @ 6:30pm located at The Foundry
"Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson is a powerful memoir that explores the injustices of the American legal system, particularly for those who are poor, wrongly convicted, and on death row. The book focuses on the story of Walter McMillian, a black man wrongly convicted of murder and sentenced to death, and Stevenson's fight to free him.
Back to School Sunday!
We are celebrating Back to School Sunday on Sunday August 10th during the service for students and educators. We will say a special prayer and ask kids/teens/college students to come up to the front where they will receive a special gift.
Back to School Breakfast
Email aarmistead@firstunited.org if you’d like to help with the Back-to-School Breakfast for Westside Elementary teachers & staff!