Fall is an influential time for churches to pop up in the city! Two churches are launching next Sunday September 8th – Awaken City Church in Jamaica Plain and Resurrection Church in East Boston. Read below to hear about how their families ended up in Boston, as well as their hopes and dreams for their churches and the broader community.

By: Kelly Fassett

When did Pastor Melinda Priest first feel a stirring to come to Boston to start Awaken City Church? She describes an encounter with God that she had while attending seminary in Indiana, when she noticed the sun coming up over a field of corn, looking at the “harvest.” She remembered the passage in Luke 10:2 – “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field” (NIV). Melinda felt God inviting her to consider all the people who didn’t know God and the significance of launching a church that would create a multiplication movement.

Two years later, the district superintendent for the northeast region of the Wesleyan church asked Melinda and her family if they would consider coming to Boston to pray and see if God might call them to plant a multiplying church in the city. On their visit to the city, they were told they needed to go to Jamaica Plain, and particularly J.P. Licks. She started weeping when she saw people in line from all over the world in conversation with one another. She describes, “God has always called us to multi-ethnic ministry. That was the moment we knew God was calling us to Boston and to plant our first church in the city in the neighborhood of Jamaica Plain.”

They started hosting the Alpha Course this past February, started launch team meetings, family vision dinners, then monthly preview services in March, and then weekly preview services this month. In her time in Boston so far, she has learned that “God is on the move! I have met many Christians leaders who were willing to encourage and prayer for us. I do not sense any competition. We are all on the same team. I love the ministry of UniteBoston, because I believe it epitomizes this kind of collaboration in order that the Gospel might reach as many as possible. “

Awaken City Church’s name is based out of Psalm 57: 7-11 “My heart, O God, is steadfast, my heart is steadfast. I will sing and make music. Awake, my soul! Awake, harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn. I will praise you, Lord, among the nations. I will sing of you among the peoples. For great is your love, reaching to the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens: let your glory be over all the earth.” They desire to be an inter-generational, multi-ethnic, courageous community of Jesus followers who have been awakened to Jesus love and purpose for them. This presence-driven missional community desires to carry the light and hope of Christ into every corner of our city.

Christians throughout the city can support Awaken City by praying for their weekly service launch on September 8th, at 10am at the Boston Teachers Union School (Gym), 25 Walk Hill Rd. You can also be praying for leaders to serve as Children’s Ministry Coordinators at their church. They believe that God has called them to be a family church, and this is crucial for them to serve families well. If you want to send a word of encouragement to their team, you can email them at info@reachboston.org. 

Rev. Justin Ruddy is a lifelong Northeastener, and has called Boston home for 12 years. He is a graduate of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (M.Div., Th.M.), and has served as a minister in downtown Boston since 2011. He and his wife Sarah live in Eastie with their newborn son. They are launching Resurrection Church, a new church plant in East Boston on September 8th with the Christian Reformed Church. He describes that the church will be “Hyper local, with deep roots, and strategically small, because we desire to live life with God in community for the neighborhood.” While East Boston is most commonly thought of as the “neighborhood by the airport,” they believe that it really ought to be known for its vibrant immigrant communities, lovely green spaces, passionate community organizations, talented artists, and top-notch cuisine.

However, Pastor Justin and his team also recognize that for all of its loveliness, the neighborhood experiences significant tensions. Whether its economic hardship, racism, environmental strain, illness, isolation, hopelessness, or loneliness, there is brokenness within and around us. They desire to start Resurrection Church not to “resurrect” East Boston; rather, the resurrection in our name is about the hope found in the history-defining resurrection of Jesus over death. They simply want to join in with what God is already doing here so that more people might come to live a satisfying life with God, find meaningful community, and love their neighbors well. Their worship services are predominantly in English, but they welcome Spanish speakers, along with all other language speakers.

We invite Christians throughout Greater Boston to be praying for Pastor Justin and his team for their launch on Sunday September 8th. Launch team member Adam Montalbano suggests that we can be praying for them in the following ways:

• For the launch of Resurrection Church: that it would start God’s church to bring glory to God according to God’s will
• For the core team and hands on deck to be encouraged and strengthened to work with God to build the church in Eastie
• For many in the neighborhood to see and meet with our God personally where they are at

These are just two of many ways in which God is at work in Greater Boston. If you know about another church starting, or if you have a story that you want to highlight, email Kelly at kelly@uniteboston.com to be considered for publication on UB’s website or weekly newsletter!

This week, Erik Johnson is our guest blogger. Erik lived in Cambridge for 7 years and was a member of the original “UniteBoston Reps” team. Erik is an electrical engineer who recently moved to Oakland CA with his wife Erjona to join a friend’s startup. He is passionate about deep theological conversations, being with friends, hiking, playing rugby and engineering hobby projects. Read his story below to hear how Erik’s experiences inspired him to yearn for greater unity across Christians.

I grew up in a rather homogeneous area of West Michigan, where my family regularly attended an independent Baptist church. I am eternally thankful to this church and my parents for their genuine example of following Jesus and the education I received early on of the Bible and the Christian faith. Generally speaking, my understanding of the Christian faith was pretty narrowly focused on my experience at this church. Though I did occasionally meet in a formal setting with other Christians as a public school student, I didn’t ever give much thought to the various Protestant denominations. With Catholics, however, I was taught that they were more seriously in error in matters of doctrine related to salvation and the pope.   

As I began college at MIT, I discovered that the world was much bigger and more complex, with both more magnificent beauty and more twisted evils than I had yet known.  Within a couple of weeks, I had somehow or another made friends with many Muslims, in particular one who would become my best friend and roommate for the next 5 years. After about a year or so into college when the excitement of classes and student clubs had waned, I started to consider the reality that the worldview which I grew up with was just one of any number held by my fellow classmates. And, if in fact Christianity is true, what version of Christianity should I be a witness to? Over the following years, I attempted to read about and discuss the big questions of life, and criticisms of Christianity, as I wrestled with the historical and theological Christian claims, especially vis-à-vis the Islamic claims about Jesus. 

Throughout these years in college, I was fortunate to have fairly extensive travel experiences where I could worship and be challenged in different churches. This included attending a Pentecostal church in Ghana for three months, then a Catholic Church in India for five weeks, and finally an Anglican Church in Jordan for two months. During various layovers, I managed to attend services at Westminster Abbey, Notre Dame, St. Peter’s Basilica, and the Cathedral of the Ecumenical Patriarch in Istanbul. Finally, during a trip to Jerusalem while I was in Jordan, I was able to experience a representation of nearly every major Christian tradition.

 Through all of these experiences and personal study, I began to realize that I had gained a much deeper knowledge of what it meant to follow Jesus, both in the first century context and in other places around the world. Back on campus, I was able to relate with Christians coming from different backgrounds in a deeper way. For example, I spent any Friday afternoons walking over the bridge to St. Clements to pray with a good Catholic friend. Through my experiences and readings of Christian history, it became ever more apparent to me that the Christian tradition was much bigger and richer than I had previously known, with a saddening amount of painful disunity throughout the centuries. Thus, I had to go beyond associating myself as only within a local like-minded Protestant church, and instead intentionally relate to brothers and sisters in Christ from other backgrounds and traditions. As I got to know these other Christians, I felt the pain of division and disunity more strongly, and desired to make a difference to heal these divisions in some way.

At some point on this journey, I connected with Kelly and UniteBoston. I was super excited to hear that I was far from alone in my yearnings for real connections across Christian traditions.  UniteBoston’s worship and prayer gathering at an orthodox church during the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, and the mass at the MIT Catholic chapel with a focus on Christian unity was particularly impactful for me. I vividly remember the adoration time after the mass where we all worshiped together—Jesus’s presence was certainly in the room.

So why Christian unity? I have written a more detailed paper on this question, but I see at least four reasons for why we should want unity. First, Christian unity is God’s desire and the final prayer of Jesus in John 17. Second, St. Paul exhorts and even demands us to be united. Third, our failure to be united in our witness of the good news and new life in Jesus is one of the most significant reasons why people throughout the centuries have rejected the Gospel. When I was reading through the Quran for the first time, I was shocked to see that in Surah 5:14, it states that Allah put enmity and hatred in the hearts of Christians towards each other. Considering the fact that Arabia at the time of Muhammad contained various Christian groups ostracized by the Byzantine Orthodox Church, this perspective fits. The divisions would sadly continue to prove true in the following centuries of Islamic expansion and interaction with Christians, up until even today. Given that Islam teaches that Christianity became corrupted in various ways, I don’t have to be a Christian missiologist to see that our disunity is a significant factor in Muslims being historically resistant to the gospel. Finally, the formation of a united “catholic” people of God from all nations is implicit in the kingdom of God that Jesus inaugurated and that the Jewish prophets looked forward to. 

While the road to unity is neither clear nor easy, I think the obvious first step is for more Christians to desire unity. When there is a will, there is a way, especially when that will is motivated by love, and how much more is this true considering Christ’s love and the power of the Spirit. Second, Christians can nurture positive respect for each other. This can be accomplished by purposefully learning more from each other through finding time to serve, worship, study and pray together. We can even try and find ways to support each other financially when one community is particularly in need. We can begin to learn the rich Christian spiritual traditions of one another, and how we have, especially in the last 100 years, come to agree on many, though not all, of our historically divisive issues. Through these relationships, we will better know and love each other, better understand where the real differences lie, and be brought towards the necessary conversion of being more visibly one. 

 “I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” (Ephesians 4:1-6)

The UniteBoston Celebration of Worship is only two weeks away, and we’re excited to introduce you to the members of this year’s UB worship team! This year’s team includes people of incredibly diverse races, denominations, backgrounds, and generations, which both broadens and deepens its range to authentically reflect the notion of unity within diversity found in Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2). At the Celebration of Worship, this team will be inviting participation in many expressions of worship, including dance, art, and spoken word. Meet each of the musicians below to see how preparing for this event has strengthened their music, their values, and their faith! 

Name: Luisamaria Hernandez

Instrument: Soprano singer

Home Church: St. Paul Catholic Church

“I am excited to perform music that worships God in a place that has the potential to reach many. At its core, the Celebration of Worship is a great way to witness God’s love and share that with others. We have a loving God who is open to everyone, and having a place where people can come together is a great way to show this.”

Name: Shanell Alyssa

Instrument: Vocals and Acoustic Guitar

Home Church: Liberty Life Church in Avon, MA.

“The Celebration of Worship is a great opportunity for artists with mission-driven music to share it with Boston in one of the most public places in the city. I believe the goal of artists is to engage with communities, to be the cultural barometers of the times, and to speak to the hearts of humanity. “Engage Boston” promotes the idea of engaging the city from a Christ-centered perspective, and I’m all about doing just that through my art.

I think it’s really cool that we’re doing older and newer gospel songs, some contemporary Christian, and some hip-hop. The different genres of music speak to the diversity found in Christianity, and that you can experience this sort of celebration with Christ.” 

Name: Vidya S.

Instrument: Vocals

Home Church: Reservoir Church

“I am excited to join with others in song to give thanks to God. In so many ways, we are siloed in our church congregations. It is a privilege to get together and sing praise as one body in Christ. Reservoir Church envisions “a day when many in North Cambridge and Greater Boston are connecting with Jesus and our church in deep ways and absolutely thriving as a result.” The Engage Boston theme is certainly aligned with Reservoir’s vision and with our values of Connection, Everyone, Action, Freedom, and Humility in order to reach across barriers and engage one another with the love of Jesus.”

Name: Crystal Dixon

Instrument: Vocals

Home Church: Life Church in Boston

“To me, the word ‘engage’ means being intentional about participating in the lives of one another. I’m excited about this event reflecting the unity of the church body, and folks really believing and acting on the fact that we are one body. If we are one body, this means we need each other to actually function and to be who we are called to be. I think we can get lost in our churches and our denominations, and only focus on our piece of the body. Sometimes we say, “I’m the arm, and I’m only going to do arm things. I’m not going to worry about the foot–it may be hurting and crying, but I’ve got the arm to worry about” (1 Corinthians 12). I love when we push ourselves to get outside of our comfort zones, and really pay attention to one another.”

Name: Noa Carter

Instrument: Vocals

Home Church: Neighborhood Church of Dorchester and a part of Freedom Journey Outpost in Plymouth MA

“This will be my first experience with UniteBoston’s Celebration of Worship, so I most look forward to seeing everyone engaging in worship together. The act of engaging is the gospel. As the body of believers, we are to attract and involve people in our lives so that they can see Christ and in turn be drawn to Him.”

Name: Ada Ruiz Betsabe                       

Instrument: Vocals/Rap–both with the band and her own original music. 

Home Church: International Family Church in North Reading, MA

“I’m excited to see different races and denominations come together to worship Jesus. I believe that for us to impact our city as Christians, we must unite first. I am non-denominational, but I believe that engaging our city and community is at the core of what Jesus’ taught and did while on earth.”

Name: Cliff W. Chuang

Instrument: Violin

Home Church: Reservoir Church 

“I am excited to be in a worship band led by the amazing Music Director, Bil Mooney-McCoy again! Finding common group across lines of difference of all kinds is so important today. The Engage Boston theme aligns well with our values of connection, everyone, action, freedom, and humility at Reservoir.

Name: Calvin Limwell

Instrument: Keyboard

Home Church: Anchor Church Boston

“I have lived in Boston for about 7 years now. It feels like a lot of the people here are transient, with people coming and going for work and study. Boston is such a diverse city, and people come here from all over the world to study in top universities or colleges, or start companies. At this event, we are a symbol of God’s love being sent out not only to the city of Boston or the United States, but to the whole world, and engaging with people from every nation.” 

Name: Richard Mussachio

Instrument: Electric Guitar and Acoustic Guitar

Home Church: Grace Community Church 

“The Celebration of Worship symbolizes the Kingdom of God, as opposed to a homogenous group of people, like so many other worship events. This event incorporates different ages, different cultures, different colors, and that’s really important, in this time especially, because that’s what the Kingdom of God looks like.” 

Name: Doully Yang

Instrument: Electric Guitar

Home Church: Symphony Church

“If you start going to one church or one type of church for too long, you start associating your relationship with God with a very specific culture that doesn’t necessarily have to do with God, it just happens to do with the people you worship with. Something like UniteBoston’s Celebration of Worship reminds you that God is outside of all of these distinctions. There are a lot of different ways to participate in a relationship with God, and you don’t always see that when you are involved with your own church all the time. So, I’m really looking forward to seeing all of us come together and yet still be united in Jesus Christ.”

Name: Kyla Wright

Instrument: Electric Bass

Home Church: Holy Tabernacle Church

“The Celebration of Worship is about making sure that we stay united through love. Together, we can show love and worship together.”

Name: Andrew Turner

Instrument: Drums

Home Church: Light of the World Empowerment Center and Emmanuel Gospel Center in Dorchester

“I’m so excited for the Celebration of Worship this year because I love worshipping God and meeting new people. People in Boston need to see that Christians can all worship God together, and are not as different as they may seem. We often have different denominations, but we should all come together and serve one God.”

Name: Bil Mooney-Mccoy

Position: Music Production Director

Home Church: River of Life Church

“As the Music Director of this event, one of the exciting things for me is seeing people build friendships with others whom they never had met before. The highlight of my night [in our first rehearsal] was watching Rich and Duay talking. They played fantastically, but there’s these two people who never would have met if it weren’t for this event. They found they had so much in common, and if you looked at the two of them, they never would have realized that. It’s a gift to see people who have have nothing but Jesus in common to meet each other and grow in faith.

The audience can expect high quality music: some songs they know and a lot of songs they don’t know, with a lot of variety.”

Name: Chloe Gaydos

Position: Production Coordinator Director

Home Church: Reality Church

“A lot of pastors tell their congregations to come to the Celebration of Worship because you’ll hear your favorite worship songs but you will also step outside of your own Christian bubble to experience something different. Engage Boston means that as a Christian, I have been called to step outside of my comfort zone to relate to other Christians from different backgrounds. If I prioritize those relationships, then I will be able to repaint a picture of what my non-Christian friends see as the role that faith plays in my life.”

By: Kelly Fassett, UniteBoston Team Leader

The UniteBoston celebration of worship on August 17th is proving to be a monumental gathering! Here are eight reasons why you should plan to come:

1. We rarely have the opportunity to gather together publicly as Christians

The longest recorded prayer of Jesus is for the oneness of His disciples: “I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” (John 17:20-21)

We come together because it is the direct expressed will of Christ that he prayed for, and the New Testament frequently references the need for unity among all who are claiming the name of Jesus. Yet often, our churches function within our own congregational or denominational walls, which can be isolating. This is especially true in Boston, where being a Christian puts you in the minority. We need to capitalize on every opportunity to come together and see how God is working beyond our own context because in doing so, we realize that we are just one small part of a whole. Core to UniteBoston’s mission is to build relationships between Christians of varying backgrounds so we can see one another as members of the broader Christian family and reach out to serve our neighbors. This strengthens the gospel movement that we are seeing locally and helps to identify opportunities for collaboration.

2. It’s an opportunity to impact the public perception of Christianity

Unfortunately, many people today have a negative view of Christianity, and the press tends to focus on negative stories. We recognize that our churches and institutions aren’t perfect, but there are a lot of people doing good work and serving as Jesus’ hands and feet in our city that rarely get recognized! 

This event is celebratory, in that we seek to highlight and celebrate the ways that God is at work in our city through churches, ministries, and individuals seeking to be faithful to the gospel. Together, our witness is magnified as we come together to stand together for what the church is for, rather than being known for what we are against: for engaging our neighbor across barriers with unconditional love, joy, and fellowship.

3. This event is geared towards engaging people who don’t normally attend church

John 17 points out that our unity as Christians is meant to be a witness to the world about the reconciling power of Jesus Christ. Because of this, this summer, we are calling this event “Engage Boston: UniteBoston’s Celebration of Worship” (rather than simply “UB Summer Worship Night.”) Our use of the term “engage” speaks to how we desire to minister to people who might not normally go into a church building.

It’s a fun event with innovative, fresh music, in an informal park setting. At this gathering, all people can take part in the event through singing, dance, spoken word, and painting. We’ll also have a tent for people who want to learn more about the Christian faith or receive prayer.

4. It highlights diverse forms of worship and Christian expression

There are many ways to worship and praise God, and this event is designed to highlight the beautiful myriad of Christian worship in our city. UniteBoston’s music production, coordinated by Bill Mooney-McCoy, has incorporated a variety of local artists in the program, including local Christian hip-hop artist Caleb McCoy, spoken word artist Fugi, and Boston Found, a local Christian a capella group. We have a worship band of Christians that bring together Gospel, Traditional, Pentecostal Indonesian jazz, hip hop, rap, and Latino music and worship styles. There will be a charismatic dance group coming to lead the crowd in dance moves. Finally, Lori Dupre will be leading a team of artists to form an “artist’s row” near the stage on the grass. We are hoping that there will be something for everyone, as well as the opportunity to experience the vibrancy of the Christian faith in new ways.

5. You can see the great work that is happening within a variety of local churches and ministries

At the event, there will be sponsored tables where 20+ different churches and ministries will sit at tables surrounding the perimeter of the event to share about their inspiring work in the city. This is a great way to see what is happening within the larger Christian community. Seeing churches working collaboratively, side by side, also models the body of Christ that we are created to be.

If you are interested in sponsoring a table, the cost is $200 to $500 depending on your organization size. All proceeds go to support the costs of hosting this event. You can learn more here and email Kelly at kelly@uniteboston.com for more information.

6. It is part of an entire week of outreach opportunities 

More than a single evening event, this year we are collaborating with local ministries to incorporate Christian outreach throughout the week. One of these ministries is Boston Pide Vida, a one-week missionary outreach that draws people to Christ through unconventional ways of sharing the gospel, such as through art and music. From August 10th-17th, 2019, both international and local Pide Vida missionaries will share the love of God in Boston and other cities by serving them in parks, streets, shelters, colleges, and youth centers. To connect with Boston Pide Vida, email them at bostonpidevida@gmail.com

Also, on the day of the event, we will be partnering with Jesus Across the Border, a Catholic young adult’s ministry, for a lunchtime community service opportunity. We will be making loving connections and deliver bags and sandwiches to individuals in the Boston Common area. Click here for more information! 

7. It’s endorsed by many different church bodies

This event has received endorsements from Park Street Church, the Black Ministerial Alliance, and the Paulist Center. We are also having a launch party on Sunday August 4th, where you can meet some of the key leaders and musicians, and take home postcards to share with your community. Thanks to the efforts of many people to help get the word out, there are already 500+ people who are interested/attending the event on Facebook. Please come, and invite friends and neighbors to join you!

8. Worshipping together is transformative

There is nothing like joining our hearts together in worship, and throughout the eight years of UniteBoston’s ministry, we have seen that God really shows up when we come together from all of our different backgrounds to worship Jesus. This year, we are fundraising for the additional costs of quality projection and a stage to enable everyone an equal opportunity for seeing the lyrics and musicians, and join together in singing praises to God. This is especially important for people who might not normally go to church.

Rev. David Wright, UniteBoston’s Board President, describes his experience at UniteBoston’s summer worship night, and how much he enjoys worshipping with “over one thousand other of my brothers and sisters from across the spectrum of Christianity, gathering from different colors, ethnicities, cultures, denominations backgrounds, and languages.  If it is remotely like last year, people will worship with abandon, dancing in praise, lifting their hands, and raising their voices. We’ll join in honoring our Father alongside brothers and sisters we’re meeting for the first time. And something else will happen. Other people will come. Not because of fancy lights; not because of a big screen. They won’t be drawn because of some multi-media spectacle with a huge stage. They’ve seen all that before. No, they’ll be drawn because they see what they’ve been looking for; the diverse Church acting as one Body. They’ll be drawn by Jesus’ Promise that when He is lifted up, He’ll draw all people to himself.”

Let’s come together to see the Church in all her glory and splendor and sing praises over our city!

RECRUITING FOR TOP TALENT TO JOIN OUR VOLUNTEER TEAMS

• Tech team: lighting manager, stage manager, slide presenter, monitor mixer, and sound runners
• Ministry team: Event Development, church connections, and prayer/outreach
• Painting team: Artist’s Row and Live Painting Backstage

Click on this link for specific information about the teams, and fill out the form below if you are interested in joining. 

The UB Celebration of Worship in the Boston Common is just a few weeks away! Join in this launch party to hear the vision, meet friends old and new, listen to great music, and take home postcards so you can spread the word to your church and community!

Please invite your friends – see you there!

Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/403422460304024/

Revelation 7:9a

Yeah, we’re not quite there, yet.  But we are getting closer.  

I’ll be at the Unite Boston’s Celebration of Worship on August 17th at 7:00pm.  If it is anything like last year, so will over one thousand other of my brothers and sisters from across the spectrum of Christianity, gathering from different colors, ethnicities, cultures, denominations backgrounds, and languages.  If it is remotely like last year, people will worship with abandon, dancing in praise, lifting their hands, and raising their voices. We’ll join in honoring our Father alongside brothers and sisters we’re meeting for the first time.

And something else will happen.  Other people will come. Not because of fancy lights; not because of a big screen.  They won’t be drawn because of some multi-media spectacle with a huge stage. They’ve seen all that before.  No, they’ll be drawn because they see what they’ve been looking for; the diverse Church acting as one Body. They’ll be draw by Jesus’ Promise that when He is lifted up, He’ll draw all people to himself.

Yeah, I’ll be at the Unite Boston Celebration of Worship on the Boston Commons.  I hope to see YOU and your community there too. 

-Rev. David Wright, President of the Black Ministerial Alliance and Associate Minister at Peoples Baptist Church in Boston

“The worship night on the Boston Common is important for all the churches of Boston to get behind and back. As a spirit of discord and outrage swirls around us and seeks to suppress the gospel, an evening of united prayer and worship of our Lord Jesus Christ puts the Accuser on notice. As we cry out for spiritual revival over this great city, let’s gather together in the middle of this great city, and let a watching world see and know Him by our love. I hope the pastors of the city to come, invite your flock, and together reveal to Boston what God is doing in our hearts and wants to do in theirs.”

-Pastor Michael Balboni, Park Street Church

“The Boston Common is surrounded by churches:  Evangelical, Pentecostal, Episcopalian, Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Congregational…and a few more.  We all worship in our own styles and traditions on Sundays and times in between. And the Common itself is a place of worship, including the wonderful, faithful outreach of St. Paul’s to the Unhoused Community.  But one day a year, led by UniteBoston, many of us put aside some of our strongly held positions on some important issues, and remember that it is Jesus Christ who is the source of it all, for only in the Holy Spirit can one affirm, humbly, that Jesus is Lord.  I am eager as Director of the one Catholic representative on the Boston Common to endorse UniteBoston’s Celebration of Worship on August 17th, 2019. May we come out of our buildings, join other disciples of Jesus and warmly welcome one another as we give praise to our God.”

-Father Michael McGarry, Director of the Paulist Center