UniteBoston

Nurturing Relational Connections Across Boston's Christian Community

Spirituality & Social Justice: Abraham Joshua Heschel & Martin Luther King, Jr.

Abraham Joshua Heschel and Martin Luther King met in the early 1960’s and established a friendship based on shared values and mutual respect between their Jewish and Christian traditions. Through our study, we will pursue several key biographical, theological, and political questions:

  • How did each emerge as a public figure?
  • What were their understandings of the relationship between religion and American democracy?
  • How did they weave together ritual and ethics concerns?
  • Can we apply lessons from their interreligious, cross-cultural, and interracial efforts to oppose bigotry and hatred today?

By studying Heschel and King together, we will have the opportunity to learn by way of comparison and contrast—including the impact each had on the other—thus offering us two intriguing models of “spirituality and social justice.”

This is a 5-week interactive course; the cost is $120. Register here.

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

Celebrating the Life and Legacy of Dr. King & MLK Day Service Projects

Martin Luther King was a doctoral student at the school of theology at Boston University, and lived in the South End. He was an assistant preacher at Twelfth Baptist Church. He led a mile-long civil rights march from the South End to the Boston Common.

Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. also stood at the Parkman Bandstand (the same location as the UB summer worship night!), in front of 22,000 people, speaking to the racial divisions: “Now is the time to make brotherhood a reality. Now is the time. The vision of the new Boston must extend into the heart of Roxbury. Boston must become a testing ground for the ideals of freedom.’’

This week, the world commemorates the 51st anniversary of his assasination, and King’s legacy lives on in our city. Pastor Larry King from Cambridge Community Fellowship Church seeks to extend this legacy and shape the identity of his church around social justice and racial reconciliation. Their congregation was featured on Channel 10 News – Click here to watch this!

Martin Luther King’s Prayer for the Church

We thank you for your church, founded upon your Word, that challenges us to do more than sing and pray, but go out and work as though the very answer to our prayers depended on us and not upon you.
Help us to realize that humanity was created to shine like the stars and live on through all eternity.
Keep us, we pray, in perfect peace.
Help us to walk together,
pray together,
sing together,
and live together
until that day when all God’s children
– Black, White, Red, Brown and Yellow –
will rejoice in one common band of humanity
in the reign of our Lord and of our God, we pray.
Amen.

Martin Luther King Day Service Projects

One of the best ways to live into Martin Luther King’s legacy is to participate in service projects. A few are listed below, or email Kelly Fassett, kelly@uniteboston.com if you know of any others that should be added to this list. It would be great to see Christians come together to serve alongside our neighbors!

St. Stephen’s Youth Program’s MLK Day of Action

Monday, January 21, 9:00am-2:00pm at Blackstone Innovation School, 380 Shawmut Ave, Boston.

Join for a variety of projects to honor Martin Luther King. There will be physical maintenance projects (painting and cleaning) and projects appropriate for children under age 13 and those with physical mobility limitations. Breakfast and lunch will be provided, and the day will conclude with an MLK Day Reflection and Education Equity Workshop. 

In addition, the Blackstone is requesting donations of hypoallergenic and fragrance-free hygiene supplies such as soap, deodorant, toothbrushes, toothpaste, and especially skin lotion. If you can provide any of these, please bring them with you to the Day of Action where we will be organizing an area for young people to receive these essential items. Sign up here. 

9th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Interfaith Day of Service 

Monday January 21st, 9:00am to 1:00pm at Brandeis University, Waltham

Come honor and learn from the life of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., pack meals for food pantries & congregations that serve the homeless community and participate in social justice discussions with Brandeis clubs and local non-profits.

This year’s theme is “Continuous Giving” and features guest speaker Kevin Peterson from The New Democracy Coalition. Workshops for the day include: Chaplains on Way – Spiritual Companioning, Prejudice or Empathy with CMM’s IFYI Program Director Shelton Oakley Hersey, Habitat for Humanity, Community Day Center of Waltham, with activities for younger kids too. Sign up here.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service 

Monday January 21st, 2:00 to 5:00pm at Cambridge City Hall and various locations in Central Square, Cambridge

The 9th Annual Cambridge Day of Service organized by Many Helping Hands 365 to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The event is FREE and open to the public.

All ages are welcome to help with projects that benefit children, teens and adults in need. Join us for an afternoon of hands-on service projects! Make fleece scarves and blankets for homeless children and adults. Make Valentines for elders and veterans. Sort food, winter clothing, books and toiletries for people in need and more! Come spend an afternoon making a difference in the lives of others. Sign up here. 

Martin Luther King Jr. Service Project with Courageous Conversations

Monday January 21st, 9:00 to 11:00am at the Church of Our Savior (453 Adams Street, Milton, MA 02186) 

Come to assemble blessing bags and distribute to homeless attendees at a mid day luncheon in Boston. Supplies needed include toiletries, granola bars and small snacks, and $5 gift cards to local restaurants. Unscented toiletries are preferred. Bags will be assembled.  At 12:00pm, the blessing bags will be distributed at St. Paul’s Cathedral (138 Tremont St, Boston, MA 02111). Sign up here.

Martin Luther King Jr. Outdoor Service Project

Monday January 21st, 9:30am to 12:00pm, 500 Walk Hill Street, Mattapan

Join us for the outdoor service project at the Boston Nature Center and Wildlife Sanctuary. Help us collect litter from the trails. Sign up here.

Courageous Conversations MLK Day Celebration

Monday, January 21st, 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM, Concord Baptist Church, 180 Blue Hill Avenue, Milton

Milton Interfaith Clergy Association invites you to participate in the Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration. This program is supported in part by a grant from the Milton Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency. Sign up here.

Martin Luther King Day Community Conversations on Race

Monday, January 21 from 8:30am to 3:00pm at Grace Chapel, 3 Militia Drive, Lexington and surrounding towns

the Town of Lexington will commemorate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day with its 6th annual family-friendly day of volunteer activities supporting the underserved. The events begin at 9am (doors open at 8:30am) with a community dialogue on race in the Courtyard at Grace Chapel. This year’s topic is Dismantling White Privilege and Institutional Racism in Lexington and Beyond: the 400-year Struggle for Racial Justice. From 1-3pm, there will be fleece scarf and blanket making in the gym at Grace Chapel as well as a drop off station for donations of non-perishable foods, new and well-preserved toys, media, and more. Town activities will include cookie and card making, delivering sand to seniors for their winter walks and driveway and more.  Visit the website for more information.

2019 Town of Brookline MLK Day Celebration

Mon, January 21, 3:00 to 4:30pm, Coolidge Corner Theatre, 290 Harvard Street, Brookline

Join together for Brookline’s celebration of the life and values of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at 3 pm Monday, January 21, 2019, at the Coolidge Corner Theatre. The theme for this year’s event is “Reflections on Race – Brookline Then and Now.” This year’s program will feature Brookline: Facing Civil Rights, a documentary film conceptualized by the MLK Jr. Celebration Committee and Produced by R. Harvey Bravman. Sign up here.

MLK Day of Learning: 50th Anniversary of the Poor People’s March

Saturday, January 19, 8:30am – 1:00pm at City Mission Boston, 185 Columbia Rd
Boston

Fifty years ago, Dr. King announced the Poor People’s Campaign. Although launched in 1968, this movement continues to be relevant today. Join City Mission for our annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Learning, where we will continue this important work. The US Census reflects the huge disparities in Boston, where the poverty rate for white residents is just under 7%, and for Black residents is 21.5%. The event is coordinated by City Mission Boston and will include guest speakers and facilitated small group discussion to help us learn from, and build community, with each other. Sign up here.

Boston Cares MLK Day of Service

Monday, January 21st, 10am to 1pm at Boston Latin School, 78 Avenue Louis Pasteur, Boston

On January 21, 2019 Boston Cares will organize 600 volunteers at the Boston Latin School, to support local immigrants and refugees through the creation of ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) learning tools for community organizations and schools throughout the city of Boston. Volunteers will create English journals, conversation games, and vocabulary and citizenship flashcards for organizations for immigrant and refugee families learning English and preparing for the citizenship exam. New this year, volunteers will also create magnetic lapdesks and phonetics kits for beginners who may not be literate in their native languages. Additionally, our sponsors will join us in building beds for families who do not have a bed of their own. MLK Day is always kid-friendly and open to youth 5+. No orientation is required. Register here. 

 

 

Praise and Worship Vigils for Life

Led by host Pastors Brian Watson & Don Bryant

HELP SAVE LIVES IN BOSTON! You can protect mothers and children by joining this worldwide mobilization to pray and fast for an end to abortion! Through prayer and fasting, peaceful vigils and community outreach, 40 Days for Life has inspired 750,000 volunteers!
With God’s help, here are the proven results in 22 coordinated campaigns:
• 14,643 babies saved from abortion
• 177 abortion workers converted
• 96 abortion centers closed

40daysforlife.com/boston  Praise/Worship Vigils, Tuesdays, 6 pm  October 9, 16, 23, 30

The Abundant Life Prayer Conference

This healing prayer event integrates the four primary areas of the ministry of Jesus – deliverance, healing, building up in maturity, and connecting people into deep community. Come for yourself and come to get equipped to help others.


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