A Place Apart VERMONT 
The spiritual core of the A Place Apart community is found only within our daily seeking to step away from all that separates us and into all that would connect us to the life that Jesus came to reveal.

Through the observance of daily practices - such as time spent outdoors, scripture reading, and corporate prayer - helping us to make God a part of every aspect of life. A Place Apart welcome others to join us in this practice, with a special emphasis on reconnecting them and ourselves with God's created order.

A Place Apart is where men and women, young and old, married couples and singles, clergy and lay people, Christians, other faith traditions, and those without any religious affiliation can comfortably come to break with the frenzied pace, empty value systems, and develop a new relationship to God, to others, to themselves, and to the Earth.

   A PLACE WE LIKE

Tree of Life

Of particular note, how Tree of Life describes its core value of Community: "Many churches view community as a club. You are welcome when you look a certain way, act a certain way, believe particular things, and so on. You are “welcome” but only as a marginal visitor, not a member of the family – that is of course unless you conform to the culture of these churches. It is not this way at Tree of Life. We ask that you bring your baggage but leave your masks at the door. There is no need to pretend. Come with your doubts, quirks, in shorts or in a suit and tie – it doesn’t matter. We love you warts and all. All we ask is that you be an active participant and, over a long enough period of time, develop lifelong friendships within this little church community of ours."

Tree of Life was planted on April 24, 2011 – a coming together of Serrano Hills Church of Tustin and The Gathering Community Church of Orange, which was led by Bobby Schuller at Crystal Cathedral.
It is a "community is made of a mosaic of people from many different walks of life, races, ages, and classes all journeying toward a better Christian life through life-long friendships, the celebration of the arts, and intentional social action- helping the poor and the disenfranchised. Many people call this grass roots movement ‘church for the rest of us.’"

"The Gathering was a part of a movement called Emerging or Emergent Churches. Emerging churches are defined in many ways, but primarily can be described as places where the multiple expressions of Christianity come together.

These churches are:

1) Prophetic, declaring the need for radical change in the church.

2) Post-modern, recognizing the values present in society and utilizing them for ministry.

3) Praxis-oriented, involving practical Christian living. Their worship is a blend of contemporary and ancient worship styles.

4) Post-evangelical, emphasizing that the evangelical culture is shifting and becoming more inclusive.

5) Political, becoming involved in the political and social issues of the day. "