UniteBoston

Nurturing Relational Connections Across Boston's Christian Community

Hospitality in a Polarized World

“If you think about the issue you are most passionate about, have you ever had the chance to sit down with someone to hear the opposite perspective? The challenge we have is to put real people – stories and experiences, on the other side of the issues we care about. Having a posture of hospitality means approaching these conversations with a humble curiosity to find the deeper values beneath someone else’s position.”

Kelly Fassett, Q Commons

Through hosting neighborhood dinners and inter-church prayer and worship events, hospitality is a large component of UniteBoston’s ministry. Kelly Fassett, UniteBoston’s Executive Director, was one of the key speakers at Q Commons Boston’s “The Power of We” gathering last fall. Using Jesus as a model, who didn’t treat others as an enemy, but built a bridge and reconciled himself to people who were vehemently against him, watch the 9-minute video below to hear Kelly’s advice for building bridges and promoting hospitality in our divided, polarized world.

Photo Credit: Anchor Community Church

We also want to highlight the great work of A Faith That Does Justice, who hosted a community forum on “Kindness and Civility: A Call to Common Purpose” last week.

Panelists at the “Kindness and Civility: A Call to Common Purpose” gathering on March 28, 2019. Photo Credit: A Faith That Does Justice.

The panelists in the room offered these strategies for civility:

  • Practice self-reflection
  • Look people in the eye
  • Find common ground in shared projects that allow you to develop relationships beyond your disagreements
  • Recognize our shared humanity
  • Research your opinions and consider the perspectives of people who are different from you
  • Embrace collaboration
  • Accept that a person is more than just their objectionable idea
  • Surround yourself with people who hold you to a common standard

Finally, the Christian Community Development Association published a valuable Lenten blog this week on Hospitality.

May God teach us how to build relationships among diverse siblings in Christ, so that our love for each other will be a witness to the reconciling power of the gospel!

Two Dozen Pastors Are Already Collaborating About the UB Summer Worship Night

The UniteBoston Summer worship night will take place in August, but the planning has already begun! On Tuesday March 19th, two dozen pastors and leaders gathered into a room at Park Street Church to collaborate together about the UniteBoston worship night. Special thanks to Pastor Michael Balboni from Park Street Church for hosting us, as well as The Well Coffeehouse for donating the coffee and pastries!

The gathering was led by Kelly Fassett, UniteBoston’s team leader, and Chloe Gaydos, UniteBoston’s worship night coordinator and band manager. The afternoon began with sharing why Christian unity matters and the history of the UniteBoston worship night. Tom Baskett also shared a powerful testimony from his experience directing last year’s worship team. Click here to check out the photo gallery and a video from last year’s summer worship night.

The ministry leaders also broke up into collaborative groups to dream about what each person wanted to see at a public worship night, and how participating in the worship night might impact local congregations. Here are a few key ideas that people shared:

  • Testimonies and spoken word
  • Highlighting the diversity to understand what we’re seeing/experiencing through different forms of worship
  • Incorporate building relationships across churches/traditions
  • Evangelism – Prayer tent, potentially part of a serve weekend
  • Supporting young adults and their role in the leadership of the church
  • Organizing the evening around God’s big story, including creation, the fall, lamenting our disunity publicly, and redemption in Jesus Christ
  • Do you have any other ideas? Please email kelly@uniteboston.com with anything you’d like to see at the UB worship night! 

Photo Credit: Elizabeth Lohones, Park Street Church

 

Key themes from the collaboration time that emerged with the group

Finally, Chloe Gaydos went through the practicals of the worship night, including different options for the budget. Click here to view the Powerpoint presentation from the afternoon.

The beautiful thing about a vision like this is that it will take all of us participating in different ways, through prayer, resources, and finances, so we’d love to have you involved! If you are a pastor or ministry leader, please click here to take our 2-minute survey about how you’d like you and your church to be involved. If you are interested in volunteering on one of the teams, including the musician, logistics, or prayer teams, email Chloe Gaydos, ccgaydos@gmail.com.  We are pleased to share that $3,300 has been pledged thusfar for the worship night – yahoo!

We really appreciate your prayers and support for this opportunity to worship Jesus in the heart of Boston.  We know that a public worship night is just one of many ways by which Christians can attest to the reconciling power of the gospel, for the glory of God and the good of the city – Thank you for joining in!

With hope,

Kelly Fassett and Chloe Gaydos

A Christian Politician Offers Advice for Community Engagement

Learn about how churches should connect with their community through the eyes of newly elected State-Rep Nika Elugardo. Nika is a devout follower of Jesus Christ, and Nika and her team knocked on hundreds of doors to understand the needs and opportunities of the community as she ran for office to the 15th Suffolk/Norfolk District, which includes the neighborhoods of Brookline, Jamaica Plain, Mission Hill, and Roslindale. Last fall, she won her election in 2018 to become MA State Representative in this district!

Kelly Fassett, UniteBoston’s Executive Director, interviewed Nika as part of a revisioning process for River of Life Church in Jamaica Plain. Listen to the 10-minute interview to hear Nika’s advice for how churches should engage in their community, including getting involved with existing community initiatives by showing up consistently and building relationships. These relationships can be great bridges to help share the gospel in everyday life.

Key points that Nika shares in the interview:

  • In her conversations with Boston residents, Nika found that people are looking for integrity, transparency, and leaders who will boldly fight for justice.
  • In her work in the Massachusetts State House, she is focused on changing the policies within three pillars: housing, healthcare, and education. She is seeking to change laws that have systematically shut out certain groups of people from accessing the resources they need, including youth, elders, LGBTQ + populations, people with disabilities, and people impacted by mass incarceration. She describes her need to consider how God’s love and justice play into these policy decisions, and that love and justice cannot be disconnected from one another.
  • Her advice for how Christians should get involved in their neighborhood: “Throughout Boston, people from age 4 to 94 are doing a ton of things, so all you have to do is show up and build relationships. People are so welcoming when people are consistent. Just open the newspaper or go online, find out what is already happening and join in to a group of people that are doing something that you care about. Consistency is key. Churches shouldn’t over-programmatize community engagement; rather, just go and be part of what is already going on in your neighborhood because people would be delighted to have consistent friends.”

Here’s how Christians in Boston are Participating in Lent

Churches take to the streets on Ash Wednesday, offering ashes on-the-go to busy Christians and passerby’s. Photo by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston, courtesy of Flickr

Lent is a time to intentionally create space for focusing more deeply on Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. As Western Christians throughout the world have entered the Lenten season, and Eastern Christians will begin on March 11th, we’re sharing some ways in which Christians in Boston are participating in Lent.  There may be an idea that will spur you on in your own Lenten devotion and practice!

Here’s how Christians in Boston are participating in Lent:

A Catholic Perspective – “This year, Lent has particular significance for the leadership of the Church at every level, local, national and universal. Recently Pope Francis called bishops from every country in the world to come together at the Vatican for the Summit to Protect Children and Minors. The summit included powerful testimony from survivors of clergy sexual abuse, religious sisters and laypersons who made clear that a meaningful and effective response from the Church is long overdue and of critical importance…I have decided to implement EthicsPoint, a confidential, anonymous and third-party system, exclusively for the reporting of misconduct by a Cardinal, Bishop or Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Boston.” Cardinal Sean’s Lenten Letter to the Archdiocese of Boston

An Evangelical Perspective – “Lent is a season of preparation. It’s a season where we give up good things so we can focus on better things. It’s not a rote ritual of fasting simply so we can fulfill a religious requirement. It’s an opportunity to give up some things for a season, so we can focus on Jesus and align our hearts with his.” Reunion Christian Church is participating in an “Experiential Fast,” where each day and week is focused on a particular element of fasting and devotion.

An Episcopal Perspective – “Throughout the six weeks of Lent, I will have a weekly conversation with a spiritual and/or grassroots leader to learn how they are understanding the connection between healing and justice – between repentance, forgiveness and justice. I want to strengthen my leadership by hearing how others tend to or pull at the root causes of this spiritual and social upheaval which I believe is racism. And I want to discover, how is the Spirit inspiring them to turn towards God and one another in bringing about healing and justice?” – Lenten Reflection from the Rev. Arrington Chamblis from the Episcopal City Mission

Resources from a Catholic Perspective– “I think really what fasting and Lent are all about is creating space in your life to focus more deeply, see more clearly, and act more authentically. It is the joyful preparation for Easter, where we take a good look at ourselves to get ready for the celebration. Fasting helps clear our vision but it also helps create space to be filled with other and better things than we usually fill ourselves with…Practices are meant to help draw us closer to God, to community, and to our best selves. So it’s not about extreme measures, perfect adherence, or spiritual status. Try to follow what seems right, challenging, and honoring to you.” Lenten Resources from the Paulist Center, including a list of practices and blogs

A United Church of Christ Perspective – “Rend your hearts,and not your garments” I’m embracing #visiblemending for Lent. Late last night, after #AshWednesday was over, I noticed how much the ash cross on my head looked like the #darned holes on my beloved, moth-eaten sweater. So here’s my Lenten practice: 40 days of repair. A daily commitment to mend or fix something, each day. I don’t have a grand plan or scheduled posts, just a clear sense that I need to do some repair work in this season. If you want to join in, #40DaysofRepair.” – Laura Everett from the Massachusetts Council of Churches

An Orthodox Perspective – “March 18 marks the beginning of the Great Lent. It is known in Greek as ‘Kathara Deftera’ or Clean Monday. The word kathara is closely related to catharsis or cleaning. Everyone needs cleanliness. Fortunately, scientific technology has given us many ways of achieving cleanliness, of keeping our bodies clean. Are our bodies entirely clean? Are our tongues clean? Is it not true that they speak words which are not clean, but are offensive, words which show malice or envy, or which indicate a hostile attitude to the progress of others? It is obvious that our tongues need to be cleaned… During Great Lent, our Church guides us to the cleanliness of our eyes and tongues, of our ears and hands, our feet, our hearts and minds, that is to say, to our whole being. Our church prepares us to approach the Cross and receive His Precious Body and Blood.”- Metropolitan Methodios, Archbishop of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Boston

A Catholic Young Adult’s Ministry – St. Mary’s of the Assumption Parish in Brookline is participating in  “Theosis in Action,” which is an online community to help provide resources for young adults to grow in their faith and opportunities for fellowship as they navigate through adulthood. Theosis in Action is hosting an online Bible study during Lent on Sunday evenings with the focus of “Journey Back to Christ” that all people are welcome to participate in.

An Evangelical Perspective – “Although Lent can be a season of sober reflection on the frailty of our souls, Lent is primarily about the counter-formation of our affections. As we reclaim our own belovedness in Christ, we reorient our love toward Christ. In this season, we’re going to commit to feasting on scripture together. One of the ways we’ll be do this is to memorize Psalm 23 in community. On Sundays during the gathering and through social media, we’ll share stories about how feasting on scripture is transforming the life of our community.” Lent Blog from Reality Church Boston

We’re also featuring a blog article written by Rev. Rita Powell, priest at Trinity Church Boston and UniteBoston board member. Rev. Rita shares about her Lenten practice of taking the daily office outside to God’s creation. If you’d like to add how you or your church are participating in Lent this year, email kelly@uniteboston.com  May God meet you deeply in this season of physical and spiritual devotion!

Taize Song and Prayer led by Rev. Rita Powell on the first night of a Taize Pilgrimage for racial reconciliation in Jefferson National Forest

Charged with the Grandeur of God

If you have ever gotten an email from me, you have seen this quote in my signature, “Nor can foot feel, being shod.”  It’s from the famous poem by Gerard Manley Hopkins called God’s Grandeur.  It is one of the anchoring texts in my life.  The opening line is “The world is charged with the Grandeur of God.” In that one phrase, Hopkins captures both the way that the world is filled with God as with electricity—an unseen but real force of energy and a fullness that shimmers—and the way in which we, as that world, are accountable to God.  We are “charged with”—filled with and responsible for—all the grandeur.

The poem goes on to reflect on all the ways in which we have obscured that noble calling.  Our world, our economy, our carelessness with the earth—all create a way of life that dulls the force of that electrical charge that is the divine life.  And so the poem brings us to the line in my email signature- “nor can foot feel, being shod.”  Our way of life swaths us in comforts and normal routines that blind us, dull us, diminish us.  We grow far apart even from our own bodies.  I wear shoes every day.  I am not connected to the earth or my own body the way I might be.  That line in my email is meant to remind me of this flaw daily.

So this Lent, I’ve decided to take my daily office (a distilled version of it with a big chunk of silence) outside.  To behold, in prayer, the God who is in creation.  I have found a small corner of a ruined foundation in the meadow behind my neighborhood, and am determined to pray out there each morning in Lent.  I have to say, the massive snowfall and plummeting temperatures are not quite what I had been hoping for!  And I will be wearing boots, thank you very much.  But I will try to begin again this season, to recall the charge we are placed under as members of the grandeur of God.

 

What does it mean today to be ecumenical?

“The message we joyfully proclaim is that we are reconciled to God and to one another through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. “Being ecumenical” means feeling a holy unrest at our failure to live consistent with our message, more interested in proving our “rightness” and the other’s “wrongness” than in seeking together to know what the Spirit is asking of us and to do it.”

You may hear people using the term “ecumenical,” but what does it mean? The word “ecumenism” is used to describe the efforts to bring together Christians of varying traditions and backgrounds. This week’s blog is written by Father Tom Ryan, director of the Paulist Office for Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations in downtown Boston. Father Tom has valuable recommendations for how all Christians can be “ecumenical” in their day-t0-day lives. Read his post below to learn how you can take part in the healing movement of uniting God’s separated people.

 

UniteBoston Neighborhood Dinner at Tony’s house in Revere, which Father Tom Ryan attended.

What Does It Mean Today To Be Ecumenical?

by Fr. Tom Ryan, CSP

Recently a friend asked, “What does being ‘ecumenical’ mean?” It was one of those questions that stop you cold because the answer goes off in so many directions you don’t know where to begin. Later, I took paper and pencil in hand and began to reflect on the lessons of my last 35 years in ecumenical work.

Here are some of the things which, in my experience, “being ecumenical” means:

1. To pray regularly for the unity of the Church, as Christ wills it and when he wills it. As theologian, Yves Congar, said; “The way through the door of unity is on our knees.” Prayer is important because prayer’s effect is in us. Prayer changes our hearts, and it is our hearts that most of all need to be changed.

Photo at a Taize Prayer service, MIT Chapel

 

2. To be rooted in a particular Christian tradition, to know it well, and to be able to present to others the coherency of that tradition’s response to the Gospel. The genuine ecumenists are not at the margin of their church’s life, but at the heart of it. They know what is important in the Christian life and can recognize those elements in other churches even if they may be differently expressed.

3. To take an active part in the careful and honest appraisal of whatever needs to be done for the renewal of one’s own church. Ecumenism is not a specialty within the Church, but an expression of every dimension of its life. It helps the Church to be more the Church and to be faithful to her calling. Dialogue is the meeting of churches.

4. To be fascinated and curious about that which is different. Risk peeping out of our provincial perspectives and opening ourselves to the bigger picture. Ecumenism is a way of living that dares to think globally and live trustfully with differences in community.

5. To be willing to learn. Truth is seldom discovered in isolation but rather through dialogue in diverse community. Each Christian tradition has preserved better than others one or more aspects of the mystery of God’s work in Christ. The work of unity aims at restoring the fullness to our common appreciation of that mystery.

Photo from a prayer gathering at the Greek Orthodox service during January’s Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

6. To cultivate a historical consciousness. We’re on a journey. The church we have is not the church God wants. An ecumenically minded person refuses to worship false gods, and the present expression of the church is not God. Similarly, there is a refusal to make absolute a stage of development that is only the next step on the way to something greater.

7. To be ready to celebrate vitality in the body of Christ wherever it is found. What advances the reign of God in any church helps all churches. The churches are not like competing corporations in the business world, so that the stakes of one rises as the lot of others falls. Any loss of divine truth and life is a loss to Christ and his Church. The only triumph a Christian seeks is that of Jesus and his cross. Our rivalry is not with one another, but with sin.

8. To be willing to work together. Ecumenism is an understanding of human society that identifies fear of the “other” as one of the greatest evils we face. The principle given to all the churches for their life together is: Do everything together as far as conscience permits.

9. To feel the scandal of our divisions. Unity is for mission. Our primary mission is to announce the Good News. The message we joyfully proclaim is that we are reconciled to God and to one another through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. “Being ecumenical” means feeling a holy unrest at our failure to live consistent with our message, more interested in proving our “rightness” and the other’s “wrongness” than in seeking together to know what the Spirit is asking of us and to do it.

10. To be open to God’s will for the Church. Our unity is God’s gift, and the way to give more visible expression to that gift will also be God’s gift. But we will have to empty ourselves of our self-righteousness and let go of our power games in order to let this be God’s work.

11. To appreciate the important role of provisional regulations and church structures in our evolution from alienation to reconciliation. To accept that the only constant is change and the only refuge is the insecure security of faith. To struggle against the temptation to live in a closed, safe, secure system that reduces our level of fear and satisfies our desires for control. God is a verb. And in the dynamism of the provisional, God’s Spirit is at work, endlessly correcting, improving, adjusting, reorienting.

12. To have an appreciation for the hierarchy of truths in Christian doctrine. A belief has greater or lesser consequence in the measure in which it relates to the foundation of the Christian faith. Grace has more importance than sin, the mystical aspect of the Church more than it’s juridical, the Church’s liturgy more than private devotions, baptism more than penance, the Eucharist more than the anointing of the sick. Placing the greater stress on those doctrines in closest relation to the heart of Christian faith enables us to build further agreement.

13. To try to understand others as they understand themselves. To avoid any expression, judgment or action that falsifies their condition. Ecumenical honesty means we do not look upon others through the prism of their weakest elements, or over-generalize their positions with statements like “Protestants say … Anglicans do … Orthodox are … Catholics will …” Rather, our ideals are put next to their ideals, our practices next to their practices, as opposed to our ideals next to their practices.

West Roxbury neighborhood dinner at Sally’s house

14. To be alert to the presence of God and the action of the Holy Spirit in the lives of other Christians and members of other living faiths. The Church of God does not have a mission as much as the mission of God has a church. The Church is the sign and sacrament of God’s presence in the world, but God’s activity is by no means limited to the Church and its members. The Church serves the advance of the Kingdom but is not tantamount to it.

15. To have a biblical patience. Biblical patience calls for creative waiting, doing now what we can instead of moaning about what church disciplines will not allow us to do. It means being willing to accept or absorb negativity so that the person who is the source of it will eventually go beyond it. Christ suffered for unity. At times so will we. Biblical patience involves staying with it, searching for the healing that comes from understanding and forgiveness. Everyone is in favor of Christian unity. Some are even willing to work for it. But few are willing to suffer for it.

Fr. Tom Ryan leads the Paulist National Office of Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations. You may find more information about the office, it’s newsletter/journal Koinonia, ecumenical retreats, and inter-congregational Gospel Call missions at tomryancsp.org


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