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Nurturing Relational Connections Across Boston's Christian Community

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Apr 24 2025

A Night to Remember: Celebrating Bridge-Building and Beloved Community

We are beyond grateful for everyone who joined us at the UniteBoston’s Fundraising Party & Community Gathering on April 11, 2025! Over 100 people gathered together for an incredible evening where we enjoyed a delicious Caribbean BBQ meal, gained wisdom from a keynote talk by Rev. Michelle Sanchez, and heard a live music performance by Rev. Devlin Scott.

A HUGE thank you to those who generously donated and pledged throughout the evening. Your support helped us raise an incredible $5,000 in just one night! This brings us to a total of $32,000 raised toward our $40,000 goal for the season – Praise God! Your generous gifts enable us to host all of our programs, including:

  • Our cohorts, which are building a “beloved community lab” for people to be formed as peacemakers and bridge-builders—agents of unity in a fractured world
  • Our newsletter, which connects hundreds of churches across historic divides and is read by ~2000 people weekly
  • Our united gospel choir tour, where 140+ college students are growing in leadership skills, cross-cultural discipleship, and leading the Church in worship of Jesus Christ

We are absolutely blown away by the outpouring of generosity – Every dollar raised, every conversation shared, and every connection made is a step forward to build our capacity of equipping Christians to be peacemakers, bridge-builders, and reconciling leaders.

It’s truly a joy to have you alongside us on this journey and are excited to keep the momentum going! We recognize that transformative movements don’t rest on individuals alone, but are sustained by many working together to do God’s work in Boston more fully, where every joint supplies (Eph 4:16). Thank you for believing in us – You make us stronger!

“Love is creative and redemptive. Love builds up and unites; hate tears down and destroys. The aftermath of the ‘fight with fire’ method … is bitterness and chaos, the aftermath of the love method is reconciliation and creation of the beloved community…. Yes, love — which means understanding, creative, redemptive goodwill, even for one’s enemies — is the solution.” — Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Towards beloved community,

– Rev. Kelly and Rev. Devlin


Photo Gallery and Video Highlights from the Evening

Photo Gallery


More Photos Here

Written by uniteboston · Categorized: Blog · Tagged: community, jesus, peace, uniteboston, unity

Feb 06 2025

UniteBoston’s Fundraising Party & Community Gathering

Join Us for UniteBoston’s Eighth Annual Fundraising Party & Community Gathering!

You are invited to UniteBoston’s Fundraising Party and community gathering on Friday, April 11 from 6:30 pm – 9:00 pm at the Bruce C. Bolling Building. This is an evening of celebration with food, fun, and an opportunity to partner with us in our bridge-building work.

Our team has chosen the theme of “fortify” for this season of UniteBoston, as it is a pivotal moment for Christians to fortify the foundation that we are standing on. At UniteBoston, we are working to equip Christians to be peacemakers and bridge-builders—agents of unity, reconciliation, justice, and repair in a fractured world. These aren’t just lofty ideals but actionable values that should shape the way Christians engage with one another and everyone they meet. Through intentional convening and discipleship, we are nurturing a “beloved community” where Christ’s love can overcome even the most entrenched divides.

This year’s event will feature a special keynote address by Rev. Michelle Sanchez, author of Color-Courageous Discipleship and Beloved Community. Rev. Sanchez is currently serving as a coach for our curriculum development, and we are excited to glean from her perspective. This will be followed by a conversation with Rev. Kelly and Rev. Devlin and testimonies of impact by our team.

This gathering will take place in Nubian Square. A list of nearby parking lots is available here, including the Blair parking lot and Dudley Square municipal parking lot around the corner of the building. We also received permission for this community to park in the large Urban League parking lot at 17 Warren Place, a five minute walk from the Bolling Building.  The Bolling Building is also adjacent to Dudley Station, with plenty of bus and public transportation options.

Join us to connect with the UniteBoston community and how you can be part of God’s reconciling, restoring, peacebuilding work through our ministry.

  • Live music!
  • Great food!
  • Friends old and new!
  • Inspiring testimonies of how God is at work in Greater Boston!

REGISTER HERE

We’re excited to offer childcare for ages 3-10 during our event, provided by safe and vetted volunteers from Neighborhood Church of Dorchester!  Your little ones will have a blast while you enjoy the event, knowing they’re in great hands. Please be sure to register your children in advance so we can make their experience fun and safe. We can’t wait to see your kiddos! Children do not need a ticket to the event but you do need to register them through a separate registration form.

REGISTER YOUR CHILDREN HERE

Ticket Options:

  • General Admission: $50
  • Student Admission: $25
  • Volunteer: Free

Sponsorship Opportunities:

  • Gold Sponsor – $2,000
    • Recognition at the event venue, food stations, and entertainment areas
    • Logo displayed in event signage, program, and materials
    • A dinner table sponsorship – 8 event tickets
    • Social media promotion as a Gold Sponsor
    • Mention during the event program
    • Sponsorship table available for you to place promotional items about your organization at the event
  • Silver Sponsor – $1,000
    • Recognition in event signage, program, and social media
    • 4 event tickets
    • Social media shout-out as a Silver Sponsor
    • Mention during the event program
    • Sponsorship table available for you to place promotional items about your organization at the event
  • Bronze Sponsor – $500
    • Recognition in event program and materials
    • 2 event tickets
    • Social media recognition as a Bronze Sponsor
    • Sponsorship table available for you to place promotional items about your organization at the event
  • Table Sponsor (Organization) – $300
    • Sponsor a dinner table for 8 people
    • Recognition at your table and in event materials

Our Goal: Raising $30,000

GIVE HERE

TABLE SPONSOR SIGN-UP

Fortify Fundraising Letter PDF

Your generous contributions will directly support our efforts to fortify Christian unity in Boston through strategic planning, staff and consultant support, and partnerships with local ministries.

*All new monthly donors contributing $50 or more will receive a UniteBoston mug and a free copy of Color-Courageous Discipleship!

Thank you for partnering with us to fortify the work of Christian unity in Boston. If you have any questions or need further information, please feel free to reach out. We are deeply grateful for your friendship, encouragement, and support, and look forward to seeing you at the event!

Written by uniteboston · Tagged: christian unity, peace, reconciliation, uniteboston, unity

Jan 08 2025

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.

Written by uniteboston · Tagged: boston, faith, heal, massachusetts, peace

Dec 12 2024

German Christmas Service

Hi everyone,
In two weeks we are celebrating Christmas, and Faith Lutheran Church in Cambridge will once again hold our annual Christmas service in German!
Since our own building sadly burned down a year and a half ago we cannot worship there yet, but one of our sister congregations, the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer in Woburn, generously offered us their building this year, so we will meet at 60 Forest Park Road in Woburn, MA, at 3:00 p.m. on Christmas Eve for our family service in German.
You are all invited to celebrate this service with us, and please also invite anyone you know who is from the German-speaking parts of the world, would like to practice their German, or is simply interested in German-language traditions! There is plenty of parking and seating, the building is wheelchair/stroller accessible, and the service is child-friendly and will take about an hour, so we will be done with plenty of time until dinner.
Please contact us with any questions: info@faithcambridge.org, and see you on Christmas Eve!

Written by Andrew Walker · Tagged: advent, body of christ, boston, cambridge, candle, christ, Christmas, collaboration, community, ecumenical, faith, fellowship, friends, gathering, glory, gospel, home, hope, jesus, Life Together, light, love, movement, music, neighborly faith, new england, party, pastors, peace, prayer, reaching, service, social, worship, worship and prayer, youth

Dec 10 2024

Following Jesus as the Prince of Peace: Removing Walls of Hostility

 For [Jesus] himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.

Ephesians 2:14-18 NIV

In this Advent season, we are called to follow Jesus as the Prince of Peace by actively removing walls of hostility in our lives. These barriers—whether political, cultural, or personal—perpetuate division and conflict, preventing us from upholding the ‘ministry of reconciliation’ (2 Cor 5:18). Through Jesus’ work on the cross, walls of hostility can be broken down, creating a new humanity of reconciliation, peace, and love, so together we can bear witness to the Way of Jesus.

On December 8, UniteBoston’s Executive Director Rev. Kelly was honored to be invited by UB Board Member Pastor Kat Hampson to preach at Riverwalk Church! Click below to watch the sermon or read some of the notes!


The Problem of Hostility

The polarization in our society today mirrors the animosity between Jews and Gentiles in Ephesians 2:11-22, with divisions physically, relationally, and attitudinally. Research shows that Americans increasingly view those with opposing views as threats, with 80% of people believing that the other party “poses a threat that if not stopped will destroy America as we know it” (NBC News). Unfortunately, we see this hostility present even among Christians called to the ministry of reconciliation (2 Cor 5:18). This divisive posture contradicts our calling as peacemakers (Mt 5:9) and repairers of the breach (Is 58:12).

Jesus: Transforming Hostility into Enemy-Embracing Love

As Prince of Peace (Is 9:6), Jesus inaugurated a new way; he redefined who and how we associate with others. Ephesians 2 reveals that Jesus broke down the dividing walls of hostility, reconciling people both to God (vertical peace) and to one another (horizontal peace). His purpose was to create one new humanity, transforming enmity into fellowship. This is exemplified in His life: dining with outcasts, forgiving enemies, and welcoming diversity among His disciples.

The type of peace we have in Christ breaks down societal barriers rather than building them, a peace where love banishes all fear, and a peace that breaks down walls of hate and hostility by upholding belovedness as all made in God’s image. This posture is summed up in Jesus’ statement that we are not just to love those who are most like us but to love our enemies (Mt 5:43).

Early Christians embodied this boundary-crossing nature of the faith, and people took note. Historians believe that it was in Antioch that they were called Christians because they saw early Christ followers crossing ethnic walls to worship with one another. Historian Harvey Conn writes that, “Into a world where class, power and ancestry divided rich from poor, free from slave, men from women, came a society that welcomed all who bore the name Jesus.”

Our Call as Followers of the Prince of Peace

Following Jesus as Prince of Peace is counter-cultural and vitally important. To embody Jesus’ boundary-breaking love, Rev. Kelly offers four steps:

  1. Find Your Wall of Hostility
    Reflect on the groups or individuals you feel animosity toward. Here are some questions we can ask to help us identify who this may be:
    • Which groups do you avoid or feel threatened by? Who makes you uncomfortable?
    • Is there a particular group that you cringe at the thought of praising them; that you don’t even want to be exposed to the ideas or ways, much less earnestly listen to them? Who do you believe that the world would be better off if there were less of “those people” around?
    • Howard Thurman said – “Often the degree to which we oppose a thing marks the degree to which we do not understand it. Sometimes we use our opposition to an idea to cover up our own ignorance.” Have you met the person on the ‘other side,’ and heard their story?
  2. Remember the Belovedness of the ‘Other’
    Every person is made in God’s image and is beloved by Him (Gen 1:27). Commit to seeing this inherent worth in everyone you meet, especially those on the ‘other side’ of a particular background or ideology.
  3. Go with Curiosity
    “You can’t hate someone whose story you know.” Our assumptions and conclusions are often built on what have heard, rather than face-to-face conversations. With the rise of siloed media and social media platforms, we have become so accustomed today to talking about one another rather than with them. One of the biggest tools we have as peacemakers is curiosity: when someone shares a strong or ‘loaded’ statement, we can ask, “Is there a story behind that?” Engage others’ stories with humility, seeking to understand their longings, hopes and fears.
  4. Reflect and Discern
    Opening yourself up to new experiences and ideas is often uncomfortable. Yet, it is also a sign of maturing in our faith (Eph 4:15). Prayerfully reflect on what you have heard using frameworks like the Wesleyan Quadrilateral (Scripture, Reason, Tradition, Experience) to evaluate your theological conclusions. Growth requires embracing discomfort and balancing openness with a firm foundation in Jesus Christ.

One caveat: When we talk about getting beyond a wall of hostility, a situation of abuse or trauma does not apply. There are some ‘walls’ that are necessary for self-protection, health, and safety. We must differentiate between a wall of hostility and a wall of protection as there are times when you need to be with “your people” to say the things you need to say, for healing and restoration.

Why This Matters

Our unity is both the fruit and the witness of the gospel. As we remove hostility, we demonstrate the reconciling power of Christ and live into His mission. The early church modeled this radical love by breaking barriers in a divided world, and we are called to do the same today.

Invitation

Will you follow Jesus, the Prince of Peace, by removing your walls of hostility? As John Howard Yoder said, “This new Christian community in which the walls are broken down not by human idealism or democratic legalism but by the work of Christ, is not only a vehicle of the gospel or only a fruit of the gospel; it is the good news. It is not merely the agent of mission or the constituency of a mission agency. This is the mission.“

Reflection Questions:

  • 1. What walls of hostility exist in your heart? Consider which groups do you avoid or feel threatened by? Who makes you uncomfortable?
    • With this group in mind, what assumptions do you hold? What conclusions are you making? What do you fear? Be on the lookout for these biases
  • 2. How can you actively uphold the belovedness of all of God’s children, even those who believe differently than you?
  • 3. Who can you listen to with curiosity this week or month? Holiday gatherings are opportune spaces where we can listen, learn, and have tough conversations with people of differing perspectives and convictions.
    • Make a plan. Consider what type of structure will allow you to have the conversation you need to have. What do you fear? What do you wonder? Here are two conversation guides from Essential Partners that we recommend.
      • Partisan Conversation Guide
      • Political Conversation for Trust & Understanding
  • 4. How might God be calling you to grow in your understanding on a particular divisive issue? Consider how your perspective is informed by Scripture, Reason, Tradition, and Experience.

We’d love to hear from you if you take some of these steps to follow Jesus as the Prince of Peace! Rev. Kelly can be reached at kelly@uniteboston.com Be blessed friends!

Written by uniteboston · Categorized: Advent, Blog, Devotionals, FROM THE UB LEADERSHIP, RESOURCES, SPIRITUAL FORMATION & EVANGELISM, Who is My Neighbor? · Tagged: christian love, community, jesus, peace, polarization, reconciliation, uniteboston, unity

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