Grateful Gatherings

Living Gratefully -- The power of gratitude to transform

“The root of joy is gratefulness… It is not joy that makes us grateful; it is gratitude that makes us joyful.”
— Brother David Steindl-Rast, Grateful Living

Living gratefully is a practice of striving to engage the present moment more fully and to find deeper connection with the world in which we live. Living gratefully does not mean a person has no aspirations or minimizes negative experiences. Quite the opposite! We invite you to join others in our community to explore the transformative possibilities of living gratefully, and discover greater meaning, purpose, and joy in life. 

Arlington Community Church UCC is excited to host a series of virtual monthly Grateful Gatherings starting in October, 2026. The Gatherings, free of charge, are designed by Grateful Living, a global nonprofit organization that empowers people to live meaningful lives through the transformative practice of living gratefully. The Gatherings are not associated with any particular religion, and are open to anyone seeking inspiration, connection, and resources to live more fully with purpose and joy.

Informed by spiritual wisdom, scholarship, and scientific research, the Gatherings provide a space for deeper connection, reflection, and conversation. They also offer some practical tools for living a more meaningful and flourishing life.  

The Gatherings will be hosted by a trained Grateful Gatherings facilitator using a curriculum developed by Grateful Living. After the first two grounding sessions, the Gatherings will focus each month on a particular theme, such as “awe” or “simplicity,” using resources provided by Grateful Living. The group will meet monthly on Zoom on the second Saturday of each month 9:30-10:30 AM. 

To learn more about Grateful Living: grateful.org

To learn more about Grateful Gatherings: grateful.org/gatherings

To learn more or to sign up for the opening session on October 10th, please fill out the form below and click submit.