UniteBoston

Bridging Divides Across Christians for the Flourishing of the City

Locked in Solidarity Conference

Highrock Beyond Bars invites you to gather with and on behalf of those affected by incarceration to encourage practitioners, engage with stories of change, and be equipped in the pursuit of justice, redemption, and restoration.

This year’s conference will focus on being Locked in Solidarity with those who are currently and formerly incarcerated, particularly in relation to their experiences of trauma before, during and after incarceration and their journeys of healing. The conference will feature leaders with lived experience of incarceration and long-time experience working directly with returning citizens and people who are currently incarcerated. Among others, we’ll be hearing from:

  1. Joy Stevens: Trauma Healing Trainer of Facilitators in jails and prisons domestically and internationally
  2. Milton Jones (Boston’s Louis Brown Peace Institute)
  3. TJ Weaver (Chaplain at Massachusetts Correctional Institute – Shirley)
  4. Sophea Sou-Krauss (Thrive Communities)
  5. Todd Fournier (Highrock Church)
  6. Chris Bolder, Bolder Faith LLC
  7. Jua Robinson, Boston Collaborative

All conference participants are invited to an optional lunch following the morning’s programming.

There is no cost to this conference.

Register here to attend so that we have an accurate count for lunch.

Contact Joe Marcucci, joem@highrock.org, for more information.

Honoring All Mothers

Connected Mother’s Day by GLOO

Happy Mother’s Day! Today we honor all of the mothers in our lives. Whether you come with hope or pain, in joy or in sadness, we see you. God sees you.

1. The Biological Mothers

“I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him.” 1 Samuel 1:27

We honor biological mothers because this is how God designed that each of us enters the world. We appreciate your sacrifices, acknowledge your pain, and thank you for instilling faith in us.

2. The Adoptive Mothers

“God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.” Ephesians 1:5

The process and intentionality of adoption is an honor of its own. You have chosen to adopt children and have a special calling to care for other children as if they were your own. We honor the sacrifices that you have made and recognize how we, too, have been accepted into the family of faith through Jesus Christ. 

3. The Single Mothers

“[Hagar] gave this name to the Lord who spoke to her: ‘You are the God who sees me,’ for she said, ‘I have now seen the One who sees me.’” Genesis 16:13

Today we honor your faithfulness. Like Hagar who was forced into single parenthood; your circumstance may not be one you chose. As the church, we rally around you, we support you, and we recognize all that you do.

4. The Stepmothers

“But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.” Ruth 1:16

Today we honor your faithfulness to God in loving children that you did not bear. Like Ruth, you have chosen not only to love and unite with a spouse, but to also love and unite with your husband’s children as your own. We celebrate your choices as a reminder of the choice all believers have made to commit to Christ and to Christ-followers.

5. The Foster Mothers

“I looked for someone among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found no one.” Ezekiel 22:30

We honor your willingness to fill in the gaps, likely between a biological mother and an adopted one. You choose to show up for children however you can. We thank you.

6. The Expectant Mothers

“So in the course of time Hannah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, saying, ‘Because I asked the Lord for him.’” 1 Samuel 1:20

This time of pregnancy is often filled with anxiety, especially for the first time mothers who don’t know what to expect, and it can be especially challenging for those who have experienced miscarriage or

7. The Grieving Mothers

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” Matthew 5:4

For those who’ve lost children or your own mother, today we see you. God sees you. We make room for your grief and the healing power of God’s love at every stage of life and loss.

8. The Grandmothers

“I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.” 2 Timothy 1: 5

For the first time in many decades, our church is seeing mothers, grandmothers, and great- grandmothers all at the same time. Today, we celebrate the prayers and faith of grandmothers and great-grandmothers that allowed each of us to be where we are today.

9. Those Longing for Motherhood

“But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31

We acknowledge your longing for children and honor your desires to the Lord. We pray for you and support you on your journey. God, show compassion to these mothers.

10. Our Church mothers

“After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases…These women were helping to support them out of their own means.” Luke 8:1-3

To those who are mothers of all in our church, we thank you. You shepherd, guide, and care for us, and are models in the church. God recognizes the sacrifices you’ve made, and we do too.

Giving Presence, Like Jesus

Photo Credit: Koo Chung

Americans spent $658 billion on holiday spending in retail stores in 2016,  yet, some estimate that it would take only $30 billion to be able to provide clean water throughout the world…

Does the way we spend our time, money, and energy testify that we worship God incarnate?

 

The Advent Conspiracy encourages people to spend less on gifts and give more presence relationally to one another, in the likeness of God giving God’s Son to us at Christmas. As we do this, we will be better able to dedicate our resources towards causes that make a global impact, such as funding wells for clean water.

They describe: “We believe that the best gifts celebrate a relationship. Think back on the most meaningful gift you’ve ever received. Chances are that there is a story and a relationship that was connected to that gift.

It sounds obvious, yet we seem to have drifted away from this liberating, straightforward truth: The Father gave his one and only Son.

God’s answer for the world’s problems has never been material things. God did not give us more stuff – even good stuff like work, food, or health. He gave us himself. The most priceless and personal gift of all!”

Here are some ideas of how you can give relationally:

-Invest in experiences you can share. Sign up for dance lessons, go camping, plan a vacation, take cooking classes.

-On Christmas morning, turn off your cell phone. Take a couple hours to be present with your family and focus on the people God has put in your life.

-Share memories. Make a recipe book or photo album.

-Get a blank journal and write notes and prayers to your kids or spouse.

-Give a copy of your favorite book to a friend and then meet up for coffee and discuss it. Then switch and read their favorite book.

-Buy someone a gift that relieves a burden: babysitting money, yard work, groceries.

-Give the gift of hospitality. Invite a new family over for dinner and games.

-Do an activity with your kids – puzzles, jewelry making, baking, hiking, fishing.

-If someone on your list is passionate about an organization or cause, find a gift that celebrates their interest.

20 Relational Gift-Giving Ideas

Why do we give gifts at Christmas?

Boston’s Healthcare Professionals Share Stories of God at Work

Did you know that Boston has a Healthcare Fellowship, which provides fellowship, education and mentorship for people in diverse medical fields?  Their vision is to reunite faith and healthcare, in line with God’s intention of bringing holistic healing to the whole world.

They host a monthly dinner, and in September, their gathering highlighted stories about how people had seen God at work at their work. Click on the link below to hear more from one pharmacist, two researchers and a doctor about how their faith in Jesus impacted their work!

http://www.healthcarefellowship.org/recordings/

Dr. Tracy Balboni speaking to around 80 people at the hall in Harvard Medical School.

The Boston Healthcare Fellowship is a fellowship for people training in diverse fields such as clinical medicine, public health, nursing, research, dentistry, and physical therapy. For more information about the Boston Healthcare Fellowship, check out their website, and be sure to sign up for their monthly newsletter for updates on events.

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.


Give to Further Christian Unity

DONATE!