UniteBoston

Bridging Divides Across Christians for the Flourishing of the City

Making A Difference in Allston/Brighton

 

Sisters celebrating 55 years at the Founder’s Day Celebration in September

Did you know that there is a Christian community of vowed women in Brighton, whose mission is to realize Christ’s prayer “that they would be one,” and seek to work for unity and reconciliation where there is brokenness? Since 1873, these Sisters of St. Joseph have worked in schools, parishes, hospitals, nursing homes, retreat and campus ministry centers, refugee services, literacy programs, shelters, food pantries, and more.

The Sisters of St. Joseph of Boston are excited to host the 2018 “Make a Difference in Allston/Brighton” this Monday evening in Brighton. Their press release describes that this event, “seeks to honor the great work of active volunteers in Allston/Brighton and to recruit new volunteers for the 20 different non-profit organizations that will be represented.” These organizations all share the common goal of “loving the dear neighbor without distinction” throughout Allston/Brighton. We encourage the UniteBoston community to support their great work to serve and love our neighbors in Allston/Brighton.

Read their “Make A Difference Day” press release 

Learn more about the Sisters of St Joseph

Read “The Neighborhood as the Unit of Change”  (New York Times)

“Unity in Christ” Sermon

Prashan de Visser, graduate of Gordon College and founder of the Global Unites, preached a powerful message entitled “Unity in Christ” at Highrock Arlington this month. Global Unites equips youth to transform global societies through movements that promote hope, non-violence and reconciliation.

His sermon highlights the polarization that is taking place within America today, and  five practical steps that Christians can take to embrace our spiritual mandate as peacemakers that bridge the current lines of divisions.

Click on the video below to be inspired by the scriptural mandate for oneness among God’s people from a global perspective!

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.

Thanksgiving = Friendsgiving?

In the American culture, holidays provide a unique opportunity for reconciliation because it’s not often that we intentionally spend time with those we are close to and those we might not normally connect with. Alexei Laushkin from the Kingdom Mission Society writes that Thanksgiving is an incarnate moment of Psalm 23:5:

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; My cup overflows.

He goes on to describe that, “Thanksgiving often brings the juxtaposition of peace and reconciliation in the midst of ongoing brokenness in the life of any family. Thanksgiving puts relationships into sharp focus in a culture that doesn’t do relational intimacy very well.”

Research from The Barna Institute shows that often, Americans choose to celebrate Thanksgiving with friends. In fact, practicing Christians are 17% more likely to eat dinner with their neighbors than those with no faith.

Here is a snapshot of Barna’s research on how Americans interact with people in their neighborhood. Millennials are the most likely generation to say that their neighbors are like family (12%, compared to 3% and 5% among Boomers and Elders). In fact, 30% of Millennials include those who live nearby in their holidays or at their dinner tables.

This Holiday season, let’s be a Church that is known for loving and serving our neighbors. Here is a liturgical worship service that you can use in your congregation or small group to consider Jesus Christ’s call to love our neighbors.  https://www.faithandleadership.com/preparing-love-and-serve…

 

The 500th Anniversary of the Reformation: From Conflict to Communion

On Tuesday October 31, we commemorate the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation. This is a timely opportunity for all Christians to turn towards one another in efforts to help answer Jesus’ prayer in John 17 that we would “be one.”

Christians from all over the world will be gathering in Wittenburg this week to pray for 72 hours for healing and reconciliation in the Christian Church. UB Board Member Dr. Vito Nicastro and Scott Brill from the Institute for Christian Unity will be attending – please keep them in prayer.

Here are 5 key principles from the Wittenburg 2017 :

1.    The irresistible purpose of Jesus is to return to a united Church.
2.    The current reality is that the universal Church universal is divided – in heart, purpose, thinking, and organizational structures.
3.    Division weakens the universal Church.
4.    The universal Church should feel the pain of her divisions and grieve them.
5.    The universal Church should pray for reconciliation and unity.

The overall vision of Wittenburg 2017 is the beauty of a healed, mature, united body of Christ (John 17:20-26). They propose that the primary obstacle is hostility (Eph. 2:14), which divides God’s children and dims the glory of the Church.

There are more great resources from Wittenburg, including historical conclusions from both Catholics and Protestants, prayers for Christian unity, and a free online course on the history and nature of church divisions.

We encourage everyone to check out these events happening in the area.

Reformation-Focused events in Boston / Massachusetts:

Catholic Miracles in the Age of Reformations: a History of the Impossible – Carlos Eire, Ph.D., T.L. Riggs Professor of History and Religious Studies at Yale University, will discuss the Reformation and its impact 500 years after the publication of Luther’s 95 Theses on Friday, October 27, at 4:30 p.m. at 500 Salisbury St., Worcester.

Reformation Conference: Boston – A panel of guest speakers looking at the history of the Reformation and discussing why the Reformation still matters in 2017 and beyond. 10:00am to 3:00pm on Saturday October 28 in Quincy.

Reformation Commemoration Conference, 25 speakers on Martin Luther’s theology and actions for the life and ministry of the Church today, October 26 to 28, Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary, Essex MA.

“Now Thank We All Our God: A Celebration of Five Hundred Years of Continuing Reformation” at 3:00pm on Sunday, October 29, in the chapel of the Society of St. Margaret, in Duxbury, MA.

UniteBoston Dinner & Worship Night, community conversation around our shared mission as Christians and intimate time of worship on Sunday October 29 at 6pm in Revere.

Arts in Celebration! The Word in Color, Action, Music, and Form, an international symposium commemorating the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation with sessions on art, theology, and ecumenism from October 27-29 in Orleans, MA.

“Luther and the Reformation” Film and Discussion. Join the BU School of Theology for a showing of Rick Steves’ film Luther and the Reformation. A brief discussion follows the film, and a German-themed dinner is provided. Space is limited! UniteBoston has spots for five people to attend – Email kelly@uniteboston.com to RSVP. October 31 from 6 to 8pm at Marsh Chapel in Boston.

“An Evening with Martin Luther and Friends” experimental theater piece in commemoration of the 500th anniversary of the Reformation from October 31 to November 4 at Faith Evangelical Free Church in Acton, MA.

A Sunday Service in German Celebrate the 500th anniversary of the Reformation on November 5 at 2:00 pm at the Faith Lutheran Church, Cambridge (311 Broadway) followed by coffee at 3:00 pm. Children welcome! Contact Pastor Robin Lutjohann with questions: 617.945.4395.

Ecumenical Worship Service: 500th Anniversary of the Reformation on November 5 at 3:00pm at St Mary’s Cathedral, Fall River, MA.

Holy Spirit Weekend with Evangelical, Anglican, Catholic, and Pentecostal speakers on November 11 from 9:00am to 7:00pm in Lowell.

UniteBoston City-Wide Dinner Party – Christians from all denominational backgrounds are joining together to build relationships and let our relationships inform how we can better love our neighbors. At this gathering, the UniteBoston team will model the neighborhood dinners that we’re launching throughout the city. Wednesday November 15th at 6pm at Lion of Judah Church in Boston.

Learn more:

Faithlife has created a timeline covering over 1,300 years of Christian history. Martin Luther posted his 95 Theses on October 31, 1517, giving voice to ideas that had been stirring in Christendom. Join Faithlife for a Protestant, scriptural-based perspective in exploring the technology and history behind this historic event.

John Armstrong from ACT 3 Network writes on “How Shall We Remember the Protestant Reformation this year?” and “What Luther Means and How Can We Move Toward Unity Now?”

Lutheran-Roman Catholic Commission on Unity’s latest report “From Conflict to Communion” which encourages Catholics, Lutherans, and all Christians to look back on our history, the last 50 years of ecumenical dialogue, and how we can continue the movement towards the unity that Christ wills for His followers.

One perspective: The Advantages and Disadvantages of the Protestant Reformation by Joseph Mattera

Father Thomas Ryan, director of the Paulist North American Office for Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations in Boston writes that the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation is “A Year of Unparalled Opportunity.”

And something fun – “Who Said That?” quiz that tests your understanding of Luther’s utterances.


Give to Further Christian Unity

DONATE!