UniteBoston

Bridging Divides Across Christians for the Flourishing of the City

Boston’s Christian Community Comes Together to Commemorate Christian Martyrs

Last Saturday, more than 500 people of various cultures and denominations gathered to remember and honor those who have gone before us and died for their faith in Jesus Christ.

Dr. Vito Nicastro, associate director of the archdiocese’s Office for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs noted that it was the largest gathering of its kind in his 23 years with the office.

It was incredible to see how this event brought together the body of Christ in the city. I identify with what the Coptic Orthodox priests wrote, that “It is the blood of the martyrs that we honor; because of their blood shed, we glorify God. It is because of their blood that was shed, that we gather together in prayer. It is because of their blood that was shed, that we are able to build relationships between the different churches. It is because of their blood shed, that Christians are encouraged and strengthened in their faith.”

Learn more
Read the article published in the Boston Pilot here: http://thebostonpilot.com/article.asp?ID=16917

Watch the video interview:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0DrS8aC_U1k

Watch the prayer-length of the service here:
http://www.catholictv.com/shows/americas-catholic-television-network/ecumenical-prayer-all-christian-martyrs

Kendall Ramseur: Bringing Unity Through Music

Kendall Ramseur is a budding new artist in the Greater Boston area, and was recently awarded the Gospel/Inspirational Arts of the Year at the Boston Music Awards. This week, UniteBoston interviewed him to hear more about his journey, and how God is using his music to bring together Christians in Greater Boston.

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Kendall Ramseur describes one goal of his music: to inspire. And this is just the beginning of what he does.

When I first saw Kendall Ramseur play, I was struck by its unique sound: Classical instruments coupled with a strong rhythmic vibe and fresh lyrics. Somehow the instruments were able to pull in the older generation, yet the younger generation was head-bopping to the beat. The music had Christian undertones and values, and yet it wasn’t so explicitly Christian to turn off those who might not share the faith. As an artist, this tension is difficult to manage, and thus regardless of who you are or where you come from, Kendall Ramseur has something for you.

This was made evident at Kendall’s performance at First Night Boston, where a kaleidoscope of people were in the audience – Asians, African Americans, and Caucasians. Temi, manager of Kendall Ramseur Music Enterprise, states that “Kendall’s music is universal. It crosses gender, race and nationality. Everyone can listen to it and relate to it. In this way, it’s boundless.”

But Kendall hopes for so much more than just bringing people together. When asked about his dream for the Christian community, Kendall said that he hopes “We can all be in one accord, that we can be united and able to move past the whole denomination thing.” So how does he think this could happen? “It would be great if everyone could sit down together at the same table, making it clear that we’re all children of God and need to work together.” It sounds like God is already making this happen through the kaleidoscope of people that connect with his music.

For Kendall, it’s not just about playing music; he also sees the band as his greatest ministry. “When I played at the Dana Farber Cancer Center, someone came up to me and said that it brought him so much comfort. People sense things in my performance, and tell me that they have perfect peace.” He has also seen people physically healed by the power of God, simply through listening to the music.

It’s been quite a journey for Kendall this past year, and the one thing he would like to tell Christians in Greater Boston is that “God is faithful. I started out with no job, no income, and no clue of what I wanted to do. Within 8 or 9 months, I was playing fifty shows, and nominated for the Boston Music Awards. These are two opposite extremes – from nothing to great favor & blessings within a few months. This just shows that God is capable, God is faithful, and He is real. Once you find out what God is calling you to, give your all to that and trust it all to Him.”

What an incredible piece of advice. As you can see, God is using Kendall Ramseur to bring hope, inspiration, and unity to a world that is so desperate for it.

-Kelly Steinhaus
Team Leader, UniteBoston

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Learn more:
– If you’d like to see Kendall play, you can visit him at the Celebration of the Arts, downtown at the Fairmont on January 26th from 6 to 10pm.
– You can also help Kendall get a “real cello” by contributing to the Go Fund Me Account here
– Kendall Ramseur’s Documentary
– Click here to check out his TIME CD on iTunes

Lighting the Night

 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.” (Jesus, in the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5:14-15)

In 1630, as the Puritans were traveling to America, John Winthrop proclaimed that their future community would be a city on a hill, a light for the world to see true Christian charity. Last Sunday evening, a group of us had a chance to step into Boston’s inheritance that John Winthrop spoke of.

Gathering at the gazebo in Boston Common, seven bundled kingdom warriors came bearing candles. We huddled together to strike the matches and set the wicks alight. Although the frigid night air swirled around us and tried to snuff our lights out, Christ Otto found a few discarded cups to guard the light from the harsh wind, and soon scents of hot chocolate and coffee wafted around us like scented candles.

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We tromped through the snow bearing torches of these Starbucks cups, feeling the crusty ice crunching beneath our feet. We tread confidently, carrying the same good news of great joy for all the people as the angel that bore the news of Jesus’ birth over 2,000 years ago (Luke 2:10).

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This was a different sort of prayer walk. Rather than the usual standing and interceding together, we found ourselves singing carols, declaring Christ’s reign in this place. “Joy to the world, the Lord has come. Let earth receive her king!…Come and adore him, born the king of angels. Oh come let us adore him.”

What impressed me most was the number of people who came to us to ask what we were doing. Passers-by stopped their conversations to listen and take it in, despite our lack of practice and my mumbling of the lyrics. We were blessed by the joy on stranger’s faces and cheery calls of “Merry Christmas.”

We traveled to a street deemed the combat zone of Boston, known for its crime, prostitution, and drug trafficking. We spoke prayers aloud, then continued singing. A man on the street came up to us with a tear in his eye. “I don’t know when I have heard people singing Christmas carols before.” We stopped and prayed with him in the dark. He was touched by us, as we with him.

The thought came to me: This is the way it’s supposed to be. When Christ’s light shines, people come to see. They can’t help but pause from their hurried lives to watch, to listen, and to soak up the love that lights the night.

My friend Christ Otto told me later that this was one of the most significant evenings of his time in Boston. This says a lot, because Christ has been laboring in Boston for nearing six years.

And so we sing, holding up His illuminating beam in our hands and hearts, declaring the praises of him who called us out of darkness into his wonderful light. We band together, joining our distinct lights as one until the day when the city of Boston does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of the Lord will give it light, and the Lamb its lamp, and the nations walk by its light. (Revelation 21:23).

Yes, here we are, love lighting the night in Boston.Image

Boston’s “Quiet” Revival Gets Noisy

Basil Yarde has a unique “birds-eye” view of God’s work throughout the region as Director of Church Relations at Salem Communications. It was an honor to sit down with Basil to hear more about the spiritual revival and awakening that he sees.

At a recent New England leader’s gathering, Basil Yarde enthusiastically proclaimed that he has the best job ever. When asked to explain, he said, “I get to interview and see what God is doing all over the region.”

These past ten years, Basil has seen remarkable change among the spiritual landscape of the city: “When I came to the city, I knew that revival was coming, but people told me that I was crazy. They would say to me that Boston is God’s frozen chosen and that nothing happens here. And some of these same people are now saying the thing that I came saying, that revival is here.”

What indicates that the revival is here? Basil has seen a number of churches recently inherit huge parcels of land and large buildings. One is the ever-growing North River Community Church, which was built recently on 45 acres of land. The same thing happened with International Family Church in North Redding, who was able to get a large factory for half price (7 million dollars). Basil remarked, “When the Reebok people were building, they had no idea they were building for God’s harvest!”

In addition to this, here in the metro Boston area, several large Catholic churches have become home to smaller Pentecostal ministries and churches, such as the Greater Boston Vineyard in Cambridge. Youth With A Mission in Somerville recently acquired a massive 21,000 square-foot building in Somerville. Other churches are forming new sites to reach more people, such as Fenway Church, Grace Chapel, Pentecostal Tabernacle, and Alethia Church. He says, “All of these churches have a vision for souls – God is giving them barns to bring the harvest in. These churches are not pulling people from other churches, but rather being filled with new people that are coming into the Kingdom. For me, that is major proof that revival is here.”

Not only is God increasing the capacity of churches, but He is birthing dozens of new ministries in the city. Ten years ago, Basil heard about one new ministry every month. Now, there are three or four times that many popping up.

There is one vision of revival that stands out as prominent in Basil’s mind, a vision that God gave him when he first arrived to Boston: “The Lord showed me that people were walking down the street crying. They didn’t know why they were crying, but the weight of God’s glory was so strong that people were feeling remorse and wanting to repent. Rather than churches going out, people were knocking on church doors to get right with God.”

Personally, when I moved to Boston, I was inspired hear many groups of Christians believing for a large spiritual revival and awakening in the region. However, each time I left the prayer room I became discouraged in my neglect to see the answered fruit of these prayers.

Despite this, I believe that the lack is not on God. He is working; it just takes eyes to see. Through creative genius, He is birthing new ministries, increasing the capacity of churches, and reviving our city. It is only when we are able to have a bigger perspective not on us and our church but on God and His Church that we are able to truly detect the mighty workings of our King. Indeed, there is a monumental fabric of redemption and restoration that is being woven through the Greater Boston region.

The Church is growing…do you see it?
Boston’s Quiet Revival is becoming loud…can you hear it?
What is God doing in your midst? I invite you to post below…

-Kelly Steinhaus
UniteBoston Team Leader

United Together, Hand in Hand

Today, Megan Lietz, Administrator at Abundant Life Church and member of the The Greater Boston Minister’s Prayer Summit team, shares her reflections from 10 Days Boston’s Cambridge service. This article was written for and initially published in ALC’s monthly electronic newsletter.
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Photo credit: Lydia Maxwell
“My prayer is not for them alone. 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 is often quoted as an ideal for us to strive for, but the week of Oct. 4th – 14th, as churches gathered together for worship, we got a glimpse of this in-breaking reality. 

For the 10 days between the Jewish holidays, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, churches came together across the greater Boson area to fast, pray, and host collaberative worship services. Each evening was hosted by congregations of a certain ethnic group, tradition, or geographical location that was encouraged to lead the greater Body in worship in a way that reflected their own community. These same churches opened their doors for prayer during the day and gave people the opportunity to participate in local evangelistic outreach. What made the gatherings so beautiful is that they were not the fruit of any single church, but the result of diverse churches working together to worship God in a way that reflected their experience in the Body of Christ.

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Photo Credit: Lydia Maxwell

 Abundant Life was honored to participate in the 10 Days by hosting the Cambridge gathering on Friday Sept. 6th, 2013. We gladly welcomed ministers and laypeople of diverse cultures, ethnicities, and ages to lead worship and prayer.We used a concert of prayer format, small group intercession, scripture reading, musical worship, and personal reflection to lift up the Church, our city, and especially the youth of our community. 

Ministries that participated included A Place to Heal Ministries, Cambridgeport Baptist Church, First Holiness Church, Journey Church, Pentecostal Tabernacle, Rush Memorial Zion Church, Spirit of the Living Word Ministries, St. Paul AME, Union Baptist Church, The Greater Boston Vineyard, and Young Life. It was a beautiful expression of the diverse members of the Body of Christ in Cambridge. As we concluded the night, hand in hand as a sign of unity, there was expectation for what God would do. As we work together, may people know that Jesus was sent by God and encounter his transformative love in their lives.
Please explore the following links to learn more about 10 Days Boston or other 10 Days Gatherings across the country.  

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Photo credit: Kelly Steinhaus


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