Converge Partnership Launch Week!
Support the life-changing work of refugee leaders!
1) Join our virtual gathering on Tuesday, December 3rd, from 9-9:30am to learn about the Converge Partnership with the Intercultural Ministries of Emmanuel Gospel Center (EGC) and Universal Human Rights International, leveraging the skills of our diverse community with refugee leadership at the forefront of refugee work.
2) Register to attend our fundraiser dinner on Thursday, December 5 from 6-8 pm to hear from refugees about how they are taking initiative to support their communities.
3) Mark your calendars to donate on Giving Tuesday. Thrivent Financial Services will match $1 for every $2 donation to the partnership made on Giving Tuesday!
To learn more, join the virtual gathering, to donate toward the match, or to RSVP for the dinner, please visit: www.egc.org/refugee
Pentecostal Tabernacle’s Honduras Benefit Concert
Join us for an evening of music as we celebrate God’s love for the world at our Honduras Benefit Concert! For the past six years, Pentecostal Tabernacle has partnered with World Resources Group (WRG), to send a missions team to Honduras to work with mentors who have devoted their lives to serving the youth in their communities. These trips have given us the opportunity to build relationships with the children, their families, and the dedicated Honduran mentors who serve them. This year, our missions team will depart for Honduras on July 28th, and proceeds from the concert will benefit their trip. Tickets are $10, and you must purchase one to attend this event.
Date: Saturday, May 4th 2019
Location: Pentecostal Tabernacle North Campus – 77 Columbia Street, Cambridge MA 02139
Time: 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Featured Artists: Nicole Schmidt, 7th Degree, Kamva, Caleb McCoy
Tickets: Purchased online at www.ptspice.org
Meet the 2018 UB Worship Team
It’s been incredible to momentum growing for the upcoming UniteBoston worship night – over 950 people have already indicated that they are interested/attending the event on Facebook! One of the most beautiful aspects is the diversity of people represented on our worship team.
A few members of the band include:
- A Catholic singer/songwriter
- A Protestant drum teacher from Berklee
- A Nondenominational Gospel Singer
- A Boston-based Rap Artist
- An Indie/Jazz Worship Leader
- A Messianic Jewish Musician
- A Latino Worship Leader
- A young man from one of the first Pentecostal churches in Indonesia
With our diversity, we seek to be a witness of the power of a reconciling, loving, redeeming God…See below to meet the members of the worship team!
Name: Korleen Sheridan
Instrument: Guitar & Vocals
Home Church: St Cecilia Parish (Roman Catholic Church)
“The worship night allows people to experience God’s love through song. To be able to bring Boston together to showcase this unconditional love is powerful, humbling and transformative.”
Name: Caleb McCoy (http://www.welcometotheoak.com/)
Instrument: Vocals
Home Church: Neighborhood Church of Boston
“I am excited to worship with a diverse group of people from different backgrounds. I think the fact that the worship team is represented by different races, denominations, and styles of worship will make this night extra special.”
Name: Jireh Calo
Instrument: Piano & Voice
Jireh is a graduate of Berklee in Contemporary Writing & Production, and an incoming master’s student for the Berklee Global Jazz graduate program
Home Church: Revive Community Church
“The more I grew as a believer, the more I felt the desire and need for more unity within the Church. We may attend different churches and come from diverse backgrounds, but as believers of the risen Christ, we are all essentially part of one Church — God’s church. Together we embody Christ. I am so excited to be part of UniteBoston’s worship night because I get to worship together with my fellow brothers and sisters!”
Name: Ola Olukorede
Instrument: Vocals
Home Church: Dayspring Chapel (Non-Denominational)
“I’m excited to worship with an amazing group of people who are determined to make a difference. We want to show the world that a new generation of Christians are rising. God is equipping His people – We are God’s instruments of praise to shake up the city of Boston, for His glory.”
Name: Ope Olukorede
Instrument: Vocals
Home Church: Dayspring Chapel (Non-Denominational)
“I love the idea of bringing people of different ages, backgrounds and even denominations together to worship the one true God. I am excited to sing and worship God with my friends, family and city! I cannot wait to see where God brings us next as we pour our hearts out to him on this special night! ”
Name: Joseph Miterko
Instrument: I am a pianist, percussionist, and vocalist. I have been playing piano since the age of 5. After attending Berklee College of music, gigging in quite a few venues, and doing some teaching, I finally settled down and am now teaching at the Yamaha Music School of Boston.
Home Church: Ruach Israel (Messianic Jewish)
“It’s always amazing to worship with other Believers from an array of backgrounds! You never know what is going to happen next….I’m excited to see God do something new and exciting in our midst.”
Name: Christian Schmutz
Instrument: Drums (Berklee graduate ’15 in Drum Set Performance)
Home Church: Antioch Community Church (Non-Denominational)
“I really believe that when believers come together as one body to worship, we get an idea of what the Heavenly throne room will be like. It was such a beautiful thing to see God move during the worship gathering last year. I’m excited again this year because I believe this gathering really ministers to the heart of God, blesses his church, and is a powerful step in the advancement of the kingdom here in Boston!”
Name: Chae Rin Park
Instrument: Voice
Chae Rin grew up listening to church music and started going to music school since when she was 17, and she is currently attending Berklee College of Music.
Home Church: City Life Church (Presbyterian)
“I have been on tours around the US for Korean Churches on a team called “True Worshippers 12.” Since I’ve been in school, I haven’t had a chance to participate on a praise team. I am excited to be a part of this worship night with people to praise and worship God.”
Name: Ben Hills
Instrument: Sound Team
Home Church: First Presbyterian Church Northshore
“I’m excited to see people from all different denominational backgrounds worship Our Creator as one body. It’ll be a distant echo of when we are united in the new heavens and new earth.”
Name: Calvin Limuel
Instrument: Keyboard, graduate of Berklee College of Music (Jazz Piano/Drums Performance, Contemporary Writing and Production)
Home Church: Anchor Church Boston (Assemblies of God/Pentecostal), Forest Hills Covenant Church (ECC), Heart Change Fellowship (EFCA), Gereja Pantekosta di Indonesia (Pentecostal Church of Indonesia/International Church of Foursquare Gospel Network).
“One of the aspects that I enjoy in my ministries and musical occupations is diversity. I’ve played different kinds of music, both inside and outside the church setting. I’ve been engaging in conversations with Christians of different denominations and theological understandings, but also I’ve been exposed to different cultures and languages. I see myself personally as a mesh of all these things, and it’ll be beautiful to see those things manifested in a night of worship.”
Name: Jordan Knott
Instrument: Vocals
Home Church: The Shepherd’s House, Woburn, MA
“Though I’m from Northern Mass, I attended UniteBoston’s Worship Night last year. It was so refreshing to worship with the body of Christ in such an open area. I have been a worship leader at my church and campus ministry for years. I knew I wanted to be apart of this amazing event this year! It’s an honor to meet all the diverse and talented people that help to make it happen!”
Name: Alyssa Fuller
Home Church: Alyssa is a member of Hillsong Boston and is the technical director for Hillsong.
Instrument: vocals, cello, and piano
“I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body,whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain”
Name: Ben Laine
Home Church: Victory Chapel (Pentecostal)
Instrument: Guitar/Vocals
Influenced by his drummer father, Ben started playing the drums at 6 years old. He picked up the saxophone at 9 and piano at age 10. Since then, he has heavily focused on piano, singing and songwriting. Many of his songs are influenced by life struggles and his faith in God. Ben’s music is a pop/rock sound, with heavy piano and rhythmic parts. Through his music, Ben wants to reach out to the lost and give hope to a world in need.
“I’m super excited to be worshipping with such amazing people and ushering the spirit of God into Boston and All of New England!”
Name: Ronald Ayala
Instrument: Electric Bass
Home Church: Hillsong Church
“I’m excited about UniteBoston because I believe that there is power in worship. It allows us to bring people from different backgrounds to create an atmosphere that is entirely devoted to bringing God glory.”
Name: Volt Jingjit
Instrument: Violin
Volt is a graduate of Berklee School of Music in Violin Performance, and he was also a part of the Berklee Global Jazz Institute.
Home Church: Mars Hill Fellowship
“I have been on worship teams since I was young. After I moved to Boston, I was far from my home in Thailand, but God is always the same, and God’s presence has stayed with me. The UniteBoston worship team feels like family to me; I enjoy that together we have a thirsty heart to worship and praise God!”
Name: Erich Clark
Role: Sound/Tech. Erich Clark has over two decades of live and recorded sound engineering experience. He started in bars, meeting halls, and private recording studios. In 2006, he attached himself to Ipswich Presbyterian as media tech, trainer, and renovator.
“The family of God in Boston is so colorful, talented, and skilled. Bringing top notch music that glorifies God to such a beautiful park is a life changing experience.”
Name: Tom Baskett
Role: Tom is this year’s UniteBoston Worship Team Director. Tom is also a singer, percussionist, producer and teacher on the faculty of Berklee College of Music. He specializes in gospel, R&B and jazz, and has directed music and worship events throughout Boston and the U.S., and in Asia and Africa.
Home Church: Tom currently worships at Highrock Church Cambridge and Highrock Church Arlington. He comes from a long line of Black American gospel singers, preachers, teachers and church leaders.
“I am moved and thrilled to worship with the universal Body of Christ in Boston! Stretching over divisions of race, language, nationality and generation makes us more like God, Who transcends all barriers and breaks every chain.”
Name: Chloe Gaydos
UB Role: Worship Team Coordinator
Home Church:
Congregation Lion of Judah
What Chloe enjoys about UB:
“My transition to Boston is vibrant because of my relationships with other Christians who are different than me. When I’m with the UB volunteers, I feel another level of love and support that I want my city to also experience. Through UB, I have not only learned about the power of Christian unity, but I have also experienced the impact firsthand through planning the worship night.”
About Chloe:
Chloe works in the consultant field in Boston. She loves to climb, play the drums, and serve the community in her spare time.
First UB Worship Team Rehearsal
Week of Prayer for Christian Unity
The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is an international initiative where Christians worldwide are reminded of Jesus’ prayer for his disciples that “they may be one so that the world may believe” (John 17:21). Locally, UniteBoston coordinates evening collaborative gatherings of fellowship, prayer and worship from January 18-25 annually.
This year’s theme, liturgies, and prayer guides were developed together by Christian churches from Burkina Faso in western Africa. This year’s theme is based on the text from the Gospel of St Luke: “You shall love the Lord your God … and your neighbor as yourself” (Luke 10:27). In response to the question of who is my neighbor, Jesus responds with a parable illustrating love extending far beyond the limits expected by the lawyer. It is not shared identities that should prompt us to come to the aid of the other, but love of our ‘neighbor.’
Here in Boston, it may be common to relate to one another like Samaritans and Jews, divided culturally and theologically and living with unfriendly or hostile relationships. However, Jesus points us to a different way: to engage with those on the “other side” and even understand the situations of one another so intricately that we can ‘pour oil or wine’ on one another’s wounds.
Our times of insecurity and fear confront us with a reality where distrust and uncertainty come to the forefront of relationships. This is the challenge of the parable today: to whom am I a neighbour?
Mark Your Calendars – You are invited to mark your calendars and plan to attend the evening gatherings! In this time of Epiphany, we encourage you to receive the manifestation of Jesus Christ through those of different denominations, races and cultures. Let’s make the most of these opportunities in order to truly be the family of God and serve as the body of Christ in the world. Let’s also pray with our feet – express love to our neighbors as an act of prayer.
Community Dinner Template – You can use this template for conversation and prayer along this theme with your church or community group!
Spread the Word – We also appreciate help spreading the word to people in your congregation, family, friends, and neighbors. A personal invitation goes a long way.
Calling to mind our common commitment to ‘love thy neighbor,’ may the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, January 18-25, 2024 be full of moments of conversion of heart through our encounters, so that “all may be one.” God of welcome, grant us the grace to risk embracing the stranger, tending their wounds and standing in solidarity with them. Strengthen our resolve to be kind and merciful and to act towards our sisters and brothers at all times as you do towards us. Lord Jesus, who prayed that all might be one, we pray to you for the unity of all Christians, according to your will, according to your means. May your Spirit enable us to experience the suffering caused by division, to see our sin and to hope beyond all hope. Amen.
Schedule
Loving Our Unhoused Neighbors: HOME Thursday Night Outreach
Thursday January 18, 5:45 to 7:15pm with optional prep time beforehand and debrief afterwards | Park Street Church, 1 Park Street, Downtown Boston
Join to serve with Park Street Church’s HOME ministry, where they welcome 60-100+ unhoused neighbors and other neighbors in need to fellowship meals hosted on Thursday evenings from 5:45-7:15pm and Saturday mornings from 8:30-11am. Come join us as we fellowship with our guests over a warm meal, while also providing other essential support, ranging from clothing and toiletries to prayer, Bible study, and ESL. You don’t have to sign up in order to serve with us, but feel free to contact Simon & Maria at home@parkstreet.org if you have any questions!” You can also click here to watch a video about this ministry.
Loving Our Unhoused Neighbors: Miracle Mile Service Opportunity
Saturday January 20 | 8am to 11am | Congregation Lion of Judah, 20 Reed Street, Boston (South End)
Miracle Mile Ministries is a collaborative of churches devoted to a sustained, deliberate, strategic response to the area we call “Miracle Mile,” a roughly 2-square-mile area in the South End of Boston often referred to as “Mass & Cass” or “Methadone Mile.” It is led by a core group of six Boston-area Lead Churches (Congregación León de Judá, Antioch Community Church Brighton, Cornerstone Church, Restoration City Church, Hilltop Church and Symphony Church) and also involves a dozen or so churches and parachurch ministries from throughout Boston’s neighboring communities who faithfully support this effort, week after week. Please come join us on Saturday January 20 at 8am to serve our neighbors, build relationships, and share the love of Christ on Miracle Mile. We will be serving breakfast, distributing clothes, and ministering on the street. Learn More about Miracle Mile Ministries here, and you can sign up to volunteer here. For questions, email Heidi, heidi.marie99@aol.com
An Afternoon of Christian Unity with The Focolare and Chemin Neuf Communities.
Sunday January 21 | 1:30 to 4:30pm | Our Lady of the Annunciation Melkite Catholic Cathedral
7 VFW Parkway (West Roxbury)
The Focolare and Chemin Neuf communities are hosting an afternoon of activities and prayer around the theme “You shall love the Lord your God… and your neighbor as yourself.” (cf. Luke 10:27)
1:30 – 2:30 Children’s Program (ages 4-18) Adults welcome
2:30 – 3:30 Love Thy Neighbor // The Art of Loving (all ages!!)
3:30 – 4:00 Prayer for Christian Unity in the sanctuary
4:00 – 4:30 Closing conversation in Fellowship Hall
Questions? Email julie.james.boston@gmail.com
“Love Your Neighbor” Neighborhood Dinner
Monday January 22 from 7:00pm to 9:00pm | Dorchester near JFK/UMass
Join Cleo for dinner, prayer and reflection on the story of the Good Samaritan with a creative arts lens. RSVP by emailing cmuhammad85@gmail.com and she will give you the specific address.
Christian Unity Taize Prayer
Tuesday January 23 at 7:30pm | Swedenborg Chapel at Havard University, 50 Quincy Street, Cambridge
Join for a prayer gathering on Harvard Campus with the Taize liturgy of prayer and song. The Taizé Community is an ecumenical Christian brotherhood in Burgundy, France, composed of over 100 brothers from all over the world, from Catholic and Protestant traditions, a true “parable of community” that wants its life to be a sign of reconciliation between divided Christians and between separated peoples. Join in this time of song, prayer, and silence around the theme of ‘love thy neighbor.’
The service will be streamed on Facebook here: https://fb.me/e/4cMP31pZf
Christian Unity Prayer Gathering
Thursday January 25 at 7:00pm | The Paulist Center, 5 Park Street, Downtown Boston
Please join us in prayer using the worldwide prayer template around the theme “Love Thy Neighbor” that Christians throughout the world will be using this week. This gathering is hosted by the Paulist Center – Fr. Rich Andre will be presiding, Dean Amy McCreath will be preaching, and other clergy in the service include Rev. Kelly Fassett and Rev. Colin Leitch. We look forward to praying with you.
Loving Our Vulnerable Children: Faith & Foster Care Seminar
Saturday January 27 from 10am to 1pm | SEND Relief Ministry Center, Tremont Temple, 88 Tremont Street, Downtown Boston
With over 9,000 youth in Massachusetts foster care, the needs of local foster families, biological families, and social workers are great. Join Fostering Hope New England and SEND Relief to learn how you can make a difference in the lives of these vulnerable children and families. You will be inspired as you hear from biological families involved with foster care, Department of Children & Families staff, trauma experts, and experienced foster parents. This event is for anyone passionate about vulnerable children—not just those ready to foster or adopt.
The seminar will take place at the SEND Relief Ministry Center at Tremont Temple in Boston, on January 27th from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and includes brunch. Register for FREE at bit.ly/faithfostercare