City on a Hill: The Gathering

1	Shall We Gather at the River (Prelude) / Sara Groves 0:51
2	The Gathering / Sara Groves 3:36
3	Kyrie Eleison / Leigh Nash 0:59
4	Beautiful Scandalous Night / Sara Groves 3:47
5	Jesus Went to the Garden / Paul Coleman 4:18
6	Table of the Lord / Paul Coleman 3:31
7	Holy Is the Lord / Andrew Peterson 3:27
8	We Will Trust You / GlassByrd 4:09
9	Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing / Jars of Clay 2:10
10	Come Be Who You Are / Sara Groves 4:18
11	Instrument of Peace / Paul Coleman Trio 4:19
12	Hallelujah Never Ending / Silers Bald 4:33
13	Open Our Eyes Dear Savior / Ginny Owens 2:00
14	Marvelous Light / Ginny Owens 2:07

Barnes & Noble

Of all the City on a Hill releases (Songs of Worship & Praise, Sing Alleluia, and It's Christmas Time), The Gathering is certainly the most topical. The theme is Christ's exhortation to love one another, and the ensuing 14 tracks offer the expected artist collaborations (FFH & Paul Colman Trio, Sixpence None the Richer, and Bebo Norman), plus some stellar solo performances, all wrapped in the series' signature folk-pop melodies. This organic, mellow musical vibe is one of the series' strengths, and there are some truly excellent performances here, as well: Leigh Nash on "Beautiful Scandalous Night" and Sara Groves on "Come Be Who You Are" are two standouts. What The Gathering doesn't do nearly as well is address its topic, especially the part Christians so often overlook: Love your neighbor, even when you don't want to, even when it's hard -- when he's on death row, or believes in Allah, or is gay. That's what Jesus taught, after all, and in this day and age the message is more timely than ever. Unfortunately, The Gathering missed a good opportunity. Lisa Zhito

All Music Guide

The Gathering serves as the third and final album in the City on a Hill series. Released by Essential Records on September 23, 2003, the album remains true to the collection's theme of community. However, it does depart from the series' focus on the church's love for God. Instead, co-producer Steve Hindalong says it communicates that "the way we love each other is the way we show our love for God."

True to the musical legacy of City on a Hill: Songs of Worship and Praise and City on a Hill: Sing Alleluia, The Gathering includes a strong collection of artists such as Ginny Owens, Jars of Clay, Sara Groves, Bebo Norman, and Sixpence None the Richer. Musically, it is a combination of pop, folk, and ethereal sounds. Definite highlights are Andrew Peterson's "Holy Is the Lord" and Owens and GlassByrd's "We Will Trust You." Piano-carried, "Holy Is the Lord" is a lyrically moving description of Abraham's obedience to God in offering Isaac as a sacrifice. Songwriters Peterson and Ben Shive paint an intimate picture of Abraham's love and obedience to God at any cost, while tenderly describing Abraham's relationship with Isaac. "We Will Trust You" serves to reinforce the lyrics of "Holy Is the Lord," while offering a beautiful blend of voices in the shared vocals of Owens and GlassByrd. There isn't too much that distinguishes The Gathering from the other two albums in the series. So for listeners who are looking for consistency in sound, The Gathering does not disappoint. ~ Ashleigh Kittle Slater, All Music Guide