Civic Nebraska will host the final Civic Saturday of 2025 in Lincoln at 11 am on Saturday, Nov. 15, at The Gathering Grove, 2649 N. 48th St. The gathering will bring neighbors together for reflection, inspiration, and fellowship as participants explore the theme “These Truths.”
Civic Saturdays are a national movement that blends elements of a civic gathering with the structure of a faith service. Instead of worship, participants come together around the ideals of democracy. Each Civic Saturday includes civic scripture readings, music, a civic sermon, and time for connection. Since 2016, Civic Saturdays have been held across the country to create shared spaces for people to reflect on civic life and strengthen the bonds that hold communities together.
The November gathering will center on the theme “These Truths.” Attendees will consider the nature, shape, and role of truth and untruth in public discourse, and how, as modern democratic citizens, we can navigate these forces. From disinformation online to everyday conversations with neighbors, the concept of truth is a live question in civic life.
“This Civic Saturday will ask us to pause and consider how truth operates in our democracy,” said Steve Smith, a National Civic Saturday Fellow and the director of communications at Civic Nebraska, who will deliver the Civic Sermon. “It is easy to despair at the volume of untruths in our politics today. But Civic Saturday reminds us that truth is something we practice together. Democracy depends on us continually seeking, discerning, and speaking truth in our public life.”
Community members will read Civic Scriptures — passages from speeches, essays, and writings that have helped shape the American democratic tradition. Jonathan Leach will serve as the Civic Musician, weaving music into the gathering to open hearts and connect participants across backgrounds.
As with all Civic Saturdays, the Nov. 15 gathering will be an opportunity for reflection and meaning-making. Participants are invited to consider what “These Truths” mean in their own civic lives. Following the program, there will be time for fellowship and conversation, allowing attendees to reconnect with old friends and meet new ones.
“Democracy is not something that happens only at the ballot box or in the halls of government,” Smith said. “It happens wherever people gather to reflect, to share, and to commit themselves to the common good. When we practice democracy in this way, we strengthen the bonds of trust and belonging that our communities need to thrive.”
The gathering is free and open to all. Whether you are a longtime participant in Civic Saturdays or considering attending for the first time, this gathering offers an opportunity to reflect, connect, and recommit to democratic values. For more details, click here.
