What a gathering is like.
About ninety minutes, start to finish, and then nobody goes home right away.
What to expect the first time.
Come as you are. Bring a Bible if you have one — we have extras. Chairs are set out for you. It is outdoors, so dress for Florida.
- 1
We open in prayer.
Someone in the circle prays us in. It is not polished and it does not need to be.
- 2
We read.
A Psalm or a passage, sometimes read by one person, sometimes passed around the circle.
- 3
We worship.
A song or two, played out under the trees. There is no band and no stage.
- 4
We brag about God.
This is the part people remember, and it came straight from Haiti, where our teams ended every day asking where each person saw God move. Anyone can share what God is doing in their life right now. Not a lesson, not a report, just what is true this week.
- 5
We meet the new folks.
If it is your first time, you will be invited to introduce yourself and tell us whatever you want to share. You get some warning first. Nobody gets put on the spot.
- 6
We dig in.
A discussion leader shares what is on their heart — a short teaching or an honest question — and the conversation goes where it needs to go. Two guides are always present to keep us anchored in Scripture.
- 7
We close, and then we stay.
We pray, and After Hours starts right there. Coffee, conversation, and the friendships that make the rest of the week easier.
What it actually looks like.
No stage, no spotlights — just real people walking honestly with God.
The Open Circle
Men and women with open Bibles on their laps, sharing what God is teaching them.
The Trusted Circle
Warm conversation around the circle as the elder guides the younger.
Brotherhood + Prayer
Brothers praying together with an open Bible on the deck.
Under the Shade Tree
No building, no pressure to perform. Just chairs, Scripture, and real life.
Authentic Connections
Genuine smiles and honest walk with God that makes the week easier.
Community & After Hours
Dinner, laughter, and friendships on the deck that make the rest of the week easier.
Nobody is drafted. But most people, sooner or later, take a turn.
Discussion leader
You open the conversation with a teaching, a question, or a passage that has been on your heart.
Facilitator
You run the gathering so it flows and the quiet person gets heard.
Guide
You bring biblical oversight and Godly wisdom. Every gathering has at least two.
Meeting leader
You host a gathering of your own.
Questions people ask before they come.
- Who is it for?
- Believers who want more than Sunday morning — men, coed gatherings, younger and seasoned. If you want to talk honestly about your walk with God, you fit in.
- Where and when do gatherings meet?
- We have multiple weekly gatherings across Seminole and Lake County: Longwood (Tuesday morning), Lake Mary at Carter Road on the back screened-in patio (Tuesday evening coed, Wednesday evening men, Friday morning men), and Mount Dora (Thursday morning). All exact addresses and times are on the Visit page.
- What does it cost?
- Nothing. Nobody is ever charged to attend. Shade Tree is free and always will be.
- Do I have to be a member of anything?
- No. There is no membership, no dues, no signup. You just show up.
- Does this replace my church?
- No — and we never want it to. We send people back to their own congregations stronger than we found them. We hope you stay planted right where you are.
- Can I bring my kids?
- [Kids & childcare policy — confirm with Brian]
Come pull up a chair.
Tell us which gathering you're coming to and we'll save you a seat and an open Bible.