It was awesome! UniteBoston’s 2019 summer worship gathering celebrated how people are reaching across barriers and engaging one another with the love of Jesus. There were 33 different organizations hosting ministry tables surrounding the perimeter of the gathering, 80+ volunteers, and an estimated 2,000 people who stopped by for a portion of the evening to listen to the music, learn about the various organizations in the city, or receive prayer.

Click here to read a few stories about people who were impacted by the gathering, written by Kelly Fassett, UniteBoston’s Team Leader.

Highlights from this year were a new stage to highlight the diversity of the worship team and an LED screen so that everyone could sing along to the songs together. Music director Bill Mooney McCoy incorporated a songset that highlighted local Christian talent, including hip-hop artist Caleb McCoy, Latina rapper Ada Betsabe, a capella group Boston Found, painter Lori Dupre, and spoken word artist Fugi. The UB worship band came from incredibly diverse backgrounds, seeking to display visibly the reconciling love of Jesus Christ.

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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.

-Shanell Alyssa, Liberty Life Church (Avon)

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.

Richard Mussachio, Grace Community Church (Marblehead)

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.

Bill Mooney-McCoy, River of Life Church (Jamaica Plain)

I was so blessed with the diversity of people and styles of worship, all in harmony to bring the light and truth of Jesus to the greater Boston area. My soul was lifted in praise to the only One who can bring hope to a hurting world. It was an amazing night of seeing how THE church of Jesus Christ is alive and thriving.

Peggy Hothem, Our Savior Lutheran Church (Topsfield)

UniteBoston’s event powerfully reminded me how we are sisters and brothers in Christ despite our differences. I felt nearly an immediate infilling and also receiving of supernatural love and joy as I interacted with all those who were at our event.

Kristine Leung, Symphony Church (Boston)

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It was an incredible blessing to worship paint alongside other artists whom I had just met! One was visiting from Columbia who is incredibly gifted and he did not speak English nor do I speak Spanish. We had a special time communicating through our art instead. I could never have dreamed up how our amazing God orchestrated this blessing. Now we are facebook friends! Other artists from the crowd came up to us afterwards and asked to be a part next year. God is indeed at work in Boston and it is spreading out to the world.

Lori Dupre, Revive Community Church

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I invited 128 people.  Needless to say, they all didn’t show up.  One of my friends did. She is, in my opinion, still looking for Jesus.  She LOVED the event. She was singing, waving her hands, and really experiencing the love of God.  She raved about it so much, another mutual friend insists I tell her when it happens next year. Talking about reaching the world for Jesus.  Who knew that all you had to do was come together, as one, and worship? Well, clearly Jesus did.

David Wright, People’s Baptist Church (Boston)

The UniteBoston gathering impacted my understanding of how God is working in Boston by getting to see hundreds (if not thousands) of people excited and unashamed about worshipping God publicly. It’s easy to worship when we are in the safe confines of our church homes, but getting to see this in the heart of Boston was truly life changing.

Jen Aldana, Impact Church (Medford)

I saw lots of people engaging with each other. People from various churches saying hello and re-connecting as brothers and sisters in Christ. It was wonderful. I was introduced to one or two individuals for the first time. UniteBoston continues to do an excellent job of bringing the church of Jesus together in Boston.

Pastor Dave Hill, Abundant Grace Church (Brighton)

Thank you to our event sponsors: Park Street Church, Pentecostal Tabernacle, Emmanuel Gospel Center, Boston Pide Vida, and Awaken City Church. Thank you to everyone who contributed to the event and helped us reach 100% of our fundraising goals. We also want to thank Park Street Church and St. Paul’s Cathedral for letting us borrow tables and chairs for the event.

Last, thanks to each of you for being part of the UB community – it is a joy to serve alongside each of you, as together we seek greater gospel movement in our city!

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