peace – Page 13 – UniteBoston

May 18 2018

Salt and Light: A Visual Prayer and Liturgy for Boston

“You are the salt of the earth.”

“You are the light of the world.”

-Jesus, in Matthew 5:13-16

In the weeks following Easter, Park Street Church is celebrating a “Season of Light,” which is an invitation to “enter more deeply into the beatitude life Jesus describes by serving people in need.” They describe that “the way of Jesus is for the renewal of our city.”

Here is their visual liturgy and prayer for Boston:

Dear God,

We pray for our city. There are so many needs all around us. We lift up to you those who are broken, those who are lost, those who are forgotten. Touch each one of them. May they find peace in you. Give us your eyes, Lord, that we might see this city as you do.

This city is yours, God. We ask that these streets would know your joy, and these people would feel your love. Help us to be great listeners. Help us to hear people’s stories.

You have called us to the nations. You have called us to love our brothers and sisters. Empower us also, by the power of your Holy Spirit, to love our neighbors. Show us how to be salt and light to the city. May our worship not be confined to these sanctuary walls, but let it overflow to the streets and onto the sidewalks. May we be your hands and your feet in this city. Your kingdom come, your will be done, in Boston as it is in heaven.”

Additionally, Park Street Church is organizing “Salt and Light” projects as tangible opportunities for people to show mercy and bless their neighbors.

We encourage the UniteBoston community to get outside our church walls this summer to demonstrate the love of Jesus in practical, tangible ways. For ideas on how to get started, check out The Art of Neighboring.

May 09 2018

Living Out Unity: Louisiana, Boston, and other Adventures

“Poking holes in one another’s theologies is easy; what is difficult is looking at someone who thinks about God in a completely different way than I do and finding a way to see its loveliness.”

This week’s blog is written by Elizabeth M. Smith, Ph.D. Elizabeth works as a pastoral associate at Holy Family Parish in Concord and is a Catholic systematic theologian and ecumenist in the Boston area. She received her doctorate from Catholic University in 2017, and also holds a Master of Philosophy, a Master of Divinity, and a Master of Sacred Music. In this blog, she describes the journey that God has led her through in her understanding of the work towards Christian unity.

I never liked the idea of practicing theology as an exercise in calling out those who don’t get it, or emphasizing those who aren’t in the club. My experience with fellow Christians in grad school was, unfortunately, often just such an exercise. Hoping to be aspiring apologists, I believe, I witnessed many well-intentioned Christians from various denominations in the DC area try to poke holes in one another’s theology and in one another’s traditions. These discussions – most of which were outside the classroom – always seemed to leave participants frustrated and drained. If we know a tree by its fruits, I was hopeful that I could find another tree.

I’ve always felt like a peacemaker. I feel more at home finding ways to describe similarities than confronting difference. More at home highlighting ways our differences complement each other rather than ways they separate us. I’m learning that the term for this is “receptive ecumenism.”

I felt the Holy Spirit create in me a deep desire to construct conversations that ran counter to the apologetics I heard in DC. While apologetics is a praiseworthy field, the movement of the Spirit doesn’t seem to reside in apologetics the way it did in the early centuries of the Church. The days of sorting out heretical positions have yielded, in my view, to a new age in which the Spirit beckons us to stop weeding, lest we uproot the entire garden.

I moved from DC to Boston in 2014, the time I began to write my doctoral dissertation. Although my major area up until this point was theology of God (mainly Trinitarian theology), I felt a strong move within myself pulling me toward ecumenism. As much as I loved pouring over the various views that theologians asked us to consider about who and what God is, I felt the Spirit telling me, “You’ve spent so much time trying to understand me, but do you understand you?” By “you,” in this case, I felt God meant “the entire Christian Church.” I spent years of my life discussing various understandings of God with other Christians, but I realized the conclusions didn’t matter if they divided Christians rather than united them. If our Christian theology draws us further from, instead of closer to, the maxim “they’ll know we are Christians by our love,” then it may be theology, but it isn’t all that Christian.

My dissertation seemed to pour out of me when I approached it as a reconciling tool rather than yet another exercise in making distinctions that divide. After graduating, I turned much of my paper into articles and a book. The Spirit seems to be working in the hearts of so many people I’ve encountered, because I’ve been invited to speak on my topic – mainly Anglican-Lutheran dialogues and their ecumenical successes in the US, Canada, and Northern Europe – in Louisiana, Minneapolis, Boston, and hopefully more. I know that our hearts are hungry for God, and if anyone is finding something attractive in my work, it isn’t of me; rather, it’s the Spirit of love that is of God, and I’m fortunate enough to be tapping into it as an ecumenist. That’s what people are attracted to, and I find that the more I open myself to it, the more opportunities keep springing up for me to do ecumenical work.

Elizabeth giving a talk at her parish (Holy Family Parish) on ecumenism

Poking holes in one another’s theologies is easy; what is difficult is looking at someone who thinks about God in a completely different way than I do and finding a way to see its loveliness. We are all unlovely in some way; yet, Christ died for all of us. What I’m learning in my work as an ecumenist is that the heart of Christian theology is to love the unlovely as Christ does, loving it into loveliness: “My song is love unknown; my saviors love to me. Love to the loveless shown, that they might lovely be.” We are all unlovely in some way, yet wholly lovable. The same is true for our theologies. This may sound like a watered down version of merely feel-good extractions from the cross of Christ; it is, in fact, the cross itself.

I’m attempting to argue this point as a theologian and scholar. I’m continually working to adopt it as a way of life, as well. I’m thankful to those in my ecumenical cohort and to Unite Boston for helping me move towards that goal.

Elizabeth is participating in the ACT 3 Network Missional Ecumenism cohort here in Boston this spring, along with a number of other local clergy

Apr 18 2018

Christos Anesti: Catholic and Orthodox Christians Celebrating Easter

Cardinal Sean O’Malley and Metropolitan Methodios light Paschal candles. Photo Credit: Alex Mavradis

Christians around the world have recently celebrated the resurrection of Christ. The Paschal greeting to people in the Coptic or Greek Orthodox Church is: “Christos Anesti!” which means “Christ is risen!” and the response is: “Truly He is Risen!” or “He Has Risen Indeed!”

Did you know that here in Boston, the Catholic Cardinal Sean O’Malley and the Greek Orthodox Metropolitan Methodios often attend parts of each others’ Easter Week services to celebrate Easter together? The Orthodox Easter Vigil service begins at 10pm and often lasts until 3am, and Metropolitan Methodios welcomes Cardinal Sean at the proclamation of Christ’s resurrection. Cardinal Sean always says what a joy it is to share this with brothers and sisters within the Orthodox Church. This is a testament to the strength of their ecumenical relationship across Christian traditions.

Read below to see Cardinal Sean’s reflections from this Easter Celebration, which has been reprinted with permission from from Cardinal Sean’s blog.

While this weekend we marked Divine Mercy Sunday, it was also the time when the Eastern Churches celebrated Easter this year. So, that evening I had an opportunity to take part in two different Easter Vigils.

First, I went to the Greek Orthodox Cathedral to join in their celebration.

Metropolitan Methodios always very graciously invites me to read a passage from the Gospel and to address the congregation.

We are so grateful that the Metropolitan comes to our Chrism Mass each year. As he often says in his remarks at the Chrism Mass, it’s a great joy to be able to celebrate Easter twice, once with us and once with his own community.

Well, I may have one up on him, because I returned from the Orthodox Vigil in time to greet the Ethiopian and Eritrean Ge’ez Rite Catholic community at the cathedral, who were celebrating their Easter Vigil that night, as well. So, it was my third Easter Vigil of the year.

Their liturgy ends with very joyful singing, dancing and playing the drums, and it’s always a very lively celebration.

Below is Pope Francis’ prayer from World Communications Day, May 13, 2018. Communication is central to relationship; Pope Francis reminds us how we can be communicating across our Christian traditions to build greater unity:

Lord, make us instruments of your peace.

Help us to recognize the evil latent in a communication that does not build communion.

Help us to remove the venom from our judgements.

Help us to speak about others as our brothers and sisters.

You are faithful and trustworthy; may our words be seeds of goodness for the world:

Where there is shouting, let us practice listening;

Where there is confusion, let us inspire harmony;

Where there is ambiguity, let us bring clarity;

Where there is exclusion, let us offer solidarity;

Where there is sensationalism, let us use sobriety;

Where there is superficiality, let us raise real questions;

Where there is prejudice, let us awaken trust;

Where there is hostility, let us bring respect;

Where there is falsehood, let us bring truth.

Apr 08 2018

Martin Luther King’s Legacy Continues in Boston

Cambridge Community Fellowship Church Lives Out MLK’s Legacy

Martin Luther King was a doctoral student at the school of theology at Boston University, and lived in the South End. He was an assistant preacher at Twelfth Baptist Church. He led a mile-long civil rights march from the South End to the Boston Common.

He also stood at the Parkman Bandstand, in front of 22,000 people, speaking to the racial divisions: “Now is the time to make brotherhood a reality. Now is the time. The vision of the new Boston must extend into the heart of Roxbury. Boston must become a testing ground for the ideals of freedom.’’

While this week, the world commemorated the 50th anniversary of his assasination, King’s legacy lives on in our city. Pastor Larry King from Cambridge Community Fellowship Church seeks to extend this legacy and shape the identity of his church around social justice and racial reconciliation. Their congregation was featured on Channel 10 News – Click on the above image to watch this!

Where Martin Luther King, Jr. Lived, Worked and Played in Boston

Martin Luther King’s Prayer for the Church

We thank you for your church, founded upon your Word, that challenges us to do more than sing and pray, but go out and work as though the very answer to our prayers depended on us and not upon you.
Help us to realize that humanity was created to shine like the stars and live on through all eternity.
Keep us, we pray, in perfect peace.
Help us to walk together,
pray together,
sing together,
and live together
until that day when all God’s children
– Black, White, Red, Brown and Yellow –
will rejoice in one common band of humanity
in the reign of our Lord and of our God, we pray.
Amen.

Jan 20 2018

Dinner Dialogue Questions: Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

First “Week of Prayer for Christian Unity” Dinner Dialogue at Pastor Stephen’s house in Watertown

Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2018 Dinner Dialogues

Christians all over the world are taking time this week to pray for Christian unity during the annual Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. We want to encourage you to pray for Christian unity this week in your congregation, small group, or family, so we’ve posted our dinner and prayer template below for you to use.

The theme, chosen by the Caribbean churches, is from Exodus 15:6 – “Your Right Hand, O Lord, Glorious in Power,” from the song of Moses and Miriam after they had seen the miraculous power of God parting the Red Sea and destroying Pharaoh’s army. This guaranteed that God’s people were now free from bondage and able to take up their call to worship God and live as God’s people in the land God has promised to their ancestors. The hymn is Israel’s song of praise to God for God’s victorious work and triumph over oppression.

Here is one suggestion of how to facilitate the dinner:

Have each person briefly introduce themselves
Eat dinner together
Read the song of Moses & Miriam from Exodus 15
Have a discussion, using the questions below or your own questions
Pray and sing together, using the prayer model below or your own

Exodus 15:1-6, 12-13

Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the Lord:

“I will sing to the Lord, for he is highly exalted. Both horse and driver he has hurled into the sea. The Lord is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him.

The Lord is a warrior; the Lord is his name. Pharaoh’s chariots and his army he has hurled into the sea. The best of Pharaoh’s officers are drowned in the Red Sea. The deep waters have covered them; they sank to the depths like a stone.

Your right hand, O Lord, was majestic in power. Your right hand, Lord, shattered the enemy.

You stretch out your right hand, and the earth swallows your enemies. In your unfailing love you will lead the people you have redeemed. In your strength you will guide them to your holy dwelling.”

Sample Discussion Questions

What were the Israelites feeling in this moment?

Which part of this passage stands out to you?

What does this story teach us about who God is and how God works?

Our theme this year calls us to acknowledge the God whom we know intimately in our lives and in our covenanted relationship with Him has acted, is acting and will act for us. Where have you seen God’s victorious work in your own life? Share a story that comes to mind.

Where do you see God at work in your church or neighborhood? Where is there evidence of the healing, redeeming power of God? Share a story that comes to mind.

In this passage, God acted on behalf for justice for God’s people. The Bible has continually been a source of inspiration for the Christian community to address conditions that currently undermine human dignity. Where do you see an opportunity for the Church to come together for the cause of justice?

“Your right hand” is an Old Testament metaphor for power, but also relationship, hospitality, and fellowship. We like to think that fellowship happens naturally but it takes effort to bond with people different than us. Where do you see the greatest division among the Christian community in Boston? What might be done to reconcile this division?

WEEK OF PRAYER FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY 2018: PRAYER

This time of prayer has been modified from the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity prayer template that is being used worldwide this week.

Person 1: The scripture for this year’s Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is Exodus 15:6 – “Your Right Hand, O Lord, Glorious in Power.” This passage is the song of Moses and Miriam after they had seen the miraculous power of God parting the Red Sea and destroying Pharaoh’s army. The hymn is Israel’s song of praise to God for God’s victorious work and triumph over oppression. With thanks for our liberation from slavery to sin, let us place our needs before the Lord, asking God to shatter the chains that enslave us and to join us instead with bonds of love and communion.

Person 2: God of the Exodus, you led your people through the waters of the Red Sea and redeemed them. Be with us now and free us from all forms of slavery and from everything that obscures human dignity.