A Community Living Room
Gather is a space of welcome, rest, and connection located at 76 Court Street in downtown Middlebury. Everyone is invited to come just as they are. Whether you’re looking for warmth, good conversation, a creative spark, or simply a break from the demands of the day, Gather is a place where people from different parts of the community can get to know one another. In doing so, we strengthen the bonds of community—right here, close to home.
Gather is part of Bread Loaf Mountain Zen Community’s work of practicing care, hospitality, and friendship with our neighbors. It’s a place where community grows through simple, everyday moments—sharing a cup of coffee, enjoying a meal together, listening to music, or exchanging stories. Each person who walks through the door adds something to the spirit of the place.
You are welcome here.
Weekly Hours
Gather is open each week during the following times:
- Tuesdays – 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM
- Midday Mindfulness meditation offered at 12:00 PM
- Thursdays – 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM
- Midday Mindfulness meditation offered at 12:00 PM
- Saturdays – 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM
- Featuring our popular Community Music Jam—open to all levels and all instruments!
- First and Fourth Fridays of Each Month – 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM
- These evenings include our Circle of Joys and Concerns, shared community meals, occasional events, and good company.
Additional Services
For those who are unsheltered or in need, Gather also offers:
- Shower facilities
- Laundry service (as available)
Our Core Values
At Gather, three core values guide everything we do:
Safety – We create a space where everyone can feel physically, emotionally, and spiritually safe. We ask that no substances be used anywhere on the property, and Gather is a weapon-free space. We also practice kind and respectful speech, even when we disagree. Differences are welcome here—but harm is not.
Hospitality – We offer a wholehearted welcome to all, meeting people just as they are, without judgment or agenda. Everyone is treated with care, respect, and dignity—regardless of beliefs, identities, lifestyles, or health and well-being.
Belonging – We nurture a sense of connection and community where everyone has a place and every voice matters. We practice being genuinely interested in one another, discovering what we share, and building a culture of care for each other’s health, happiness, and safety.
These values shape how we show up for one another and how we grow a culture of care—right here, close to home.