UniteBoston

Bridging Divides Across Christians for the Flourishing of the City

United Gospel Experience Tour 2025–2026: Come Together, Stay Together, Worship Together

UniteBoston is thrilled to share the launch of the second year of the United Gospel Experience Tour! Centered on the theme “Come together, stay together, worship together” (Mt. 18:20), the tour centers on Jesus’ promise that “where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” 

 In these challenging times, our prayer is that, through this united worship, God’s Spirit will move mightily to bring healing, reconciliation, and new life. We’ve discovered that when students from across New England join their voices in one choir, gospel music rises as a powerful proclamation of hope and freedom. Read below to learn more about this year’s tour and how you can be part of it.

Building Momentum: From Vision to Movement

When the United Gospel Experience Tour began last year, it was a dream that students from different campuses could come together and experience the power of worshiping Jesus as one. What unfolded was both beautiful and surprising.

Through four gatherings, students and community members discovered the joy of being part of something larger than themselves. Small choirs of 10–15 became part of a mass choir of more than 150. At each of the worship gatherings, people gleaned from the enthusiasm and faith of being led in worship by the next generation.

Anthony from Trinity College Gospel Choir shared, “Participating in the tour has reignited the passion that my students have for Jesus Christ. To see that others their age believe and want to worship like they do has helped them be more confident in their walk with Christ and in their desire to share the good news.”

What we’ve seen so far has encouraged us that God is at work. But we also know this is just the beginning, and we step into this second year with open hands, asking the Lord to continue guiding us.

Click below to watch a documentary of highlights and testimonies from last year’s gospel experience tour

Gospel Music as Witness and Liberation

For Dr. Craig Ramsey, founder of God’s Chosen Gospel Choir at Gordon College and visionary behind this initiative, gospel music is more than harmonies and rhythms. It is a living history of God’s liberating power — from the fields of slavery to the struggles for civil rights, to today’s call for reconciliation.

In rehearsals, Dr. Ramsey weaves in moments of reflection on this heritage: “Gospel music isn’t just another form of worship. It tells the story of a God who walks with people in their suffering, who sets them free, and who continues to bring liberation today.”

Students are not only learning songs; they are learning to see themselves as bearers of this story of hope and grow as disciples. As Dyna from UMass Lowell shared, “I’m so grateful to be part of this vision and have seen God move in the gatherings so far. I want to see miracles this year—people responding to the gospel, students healed and delivered and set free. Greater works shall we do!”

Dr. Ramsey with the students in the “God’s Chosen” choir

Unity in a Divided World

This year’s theme, “Come together, stay together, worship together” lifts up Jesus’ promise that “where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them” (Mt 18:20).

For many students, this theme cuts straight to the needs of our time. Anthony from Trinity reflected, “The theme highlights something that is needed in our communities, country and world today. More and more people are watching church online or not even participating in worship anymore, which I believe has stifled the church as well as choirs while separating people from the love and need of community.”

Dyna from UMass Lowell added, “In this year’s theme, the word ‘together’ stands out. To me this means unity, as I know that God’s Spirit moves freely in unity. We can anticipate God to move freely and do miracles when we are all on one accord and unified together.” 

We have seen that when hundreds of voices gather together, something shifts. Gospel music becomes not only a sound but a witness—proclaiming that Jesus Christ still heals, still reconciles, still saves. What better ‘good news’ is needed than this in our world today?

Testimonies of Transformation

We were grateful to see how the first year of the tour was marked by testimonies of God’s restoring work. Jeremy Davis from the University of Hartford noted, “Being part of the tour has brought a sense of boldness to the members of the choir. They’re able to see that other students from other colleges are doing the same thing, which puts their fears aside and makes them want to be better disciples.”

At one concert, students opened space for prayer at the end of the evening. Dyna recalls:

“A student came up for prayer and God healed her from anxiety that was of a demonic persuasion. As she was being prayed over, her hands slowly started being lifted up. She was free!”

Stories like this remind us that the United Gospel Experience Tour is more than a concert series—it can open up a space where the Holy Spirit can move.

Sarah-Ann Long from UHart added, “Last time on the tour, I was going through a lot and didn’t have a church home in Connecticut. Then I met Miss Elizabeth from Apostolic Fellowship Church; she took me to church and that church has been my church home. They filled the void I was having in my heart.”

These testimonies reveal the heart of the tour: united worship often leads to further blessings of healing, belonging, boldness, and deeper discipleship.

Strengthening Campus Choirs and Directors

Another unexpected blessing has been how the tour strengthened individual campus choirs and their leaders. For small choirs, the vision of being part of something bigger has been invigorating.

Dyna noted, “It’s very appealing to be able to tell students up front all the concerts and travel opportunities we have. I believe it has helped with member retention and the students have something to look forward to.”

Deion Kelly from Trinity College Gospel Choir shared, “This tour reminded the choir that we are part of a bigger picture than just our campus – we are part of the kingdom of Jesus Christ! 

For directors, the tour has fostered a sense of solidarity. Anthony shared, “Being part of this tour has helped me to strengthen my connection with other gospel choir directors. They understand the struggle and the victory that comes with doing what we do; I now have a network and a support system that I feel I can call on when I need encouragement or advice.”

As you can see from these testimonies, this collaboration is sowing seeds for long-term sustainability of gospel choirs on campuses across New England.

Looking Ahead: This Year’s Tour

From fall 2025 through spring 2026, the tour will travel to Hartford, Providence, Lowell, and Boston. Each concert will gather students from Gordon College, UMass Lowell, Trinity College, University of Hartford, and Providence College into one united choir.

Deion Kelly, an alum of Trinity, expressed his excitement: “I am most excited about having my alma mater school be one of the locations! The tour was such a light to other campuses, and I want it to be shared at Trinity College!”

And looking toward the finale in Boston, Anthony said: “The Bible states that, ‘Where two or three are gathered together in Jesus’ name, I am there in the midst of them.’ I am excited to see what miracles God will do when not only two but 300+ people are together, with like minds and hearts ready to worship Jesus Christ.”

Culminating Together in Boston

The tour will conclude on April 18, 2026, at Morningstar Baptist Church in Boston, gathering hundreds of students, alumni, and community members to celebrate God’s presence through gospel music.

Sarah-Ann put it beautifully: “This theme means that, while we are each going through a lot, when we worship together, we are one—raising our voices and praising our God. No matter who’s around us or what we’re going through, the praise for Him is always there.”

Our hope is that this finale will not just be the end of a concert series; it is a glimpse of the kingdom of God on earth—diverse, united, and ablaze with the love of Christ.

Save the Date & Join Us

We believe that the United Gospel Experience Tour is more than music—it’s a movement of young people bearing witness to the reconciling love of Christ through worship. As Jeremy Davis reminds us: “In today’s day and age, there are more reasons than ever to separate ourselves, but as children of God, we ought to overcome our differences and beliefs to lock in together.”

Mark your calendars for the 2025–2026 Gospel Experience Tour, and especially the finale at Morningstar Baptist Church, April 18, 2026. Stay connected for updates through UniteBoston’s weekly e-newsletter and social media (IG / FB). Together, let’s make this year a testimony of what happens when God’s people come together, stay together, and worship together.

Building Beloved Community: A Journey of Unity, Truth, and Transformation

A year ago, a group of thirteen Christian leaders gathered under the shared hope of building something that could help the Church become more whole. Month by month, conversation by conversation, we started co-creating a discipleship experience for those longing to see reconciliation in the Church and the world. Our work together birthed the Beloved Community Lab—a hands-on curriculum for Christian leaders to come together across lines of difference to learn and practice unity, justice, and reconciliation in their leadership contexts.

We met monthly, each time bringing our full selves to the table. Our conversations were deep and vulnerable, marked by prayer, laughter, and the hard, necessary work of reckoning with the barriers that keep us from living out the oneness Jesus prays for. One standout moment was a case study exploring tensions between the Church and the LGBTQIA+ community. We examined two parallel narratives: one naming the harm and hubris often perpetuated by the Church, and the other acknowledging the pain and posture of resistance within some parts of the queer community. These conversations required courage and humility—and they reminded us of the work of holding truth with compassion that was central to Jesus’ ministry.

The journey wasn’t just intellectual—it was formational. “Participating in an ecumenical cohort gave me an opportunity to build friendships with Christians who are different than me,” shared Dr. Elizabeth Woodard. “This is of vital importance in being the diverse, beautiful Body of Christ in the community.” Others, like Pastor Sophia Kim from First Korean Church in Cambridge, reflected on how the experience fostered healing: “It helped me realize I wasn’t alone… We weren’t just gathering for discussions—we were creating a space where it felt safe to put our problems on the table, and to support one another as we sought God’s Kingdom together—in Jesus’ way.”

(Above, Pastor Jihyon (Sophia) Kim shares her testimony of participating in the cohorts at our spring “Fortify” Fundraising Party)

We concluded our cohort with a retreat in New Hampshire that deepened our learnings and close out the year together. Each group took time to present the “building blocks” they had developed for the Beloved Community Lab through embodied experiences that stirred mind, heart and imagination. One of our members shared her gifts by cooking an incredible meal, and we gathered around the table as a community—eating, singing, praying, and celebrating what God had done. We even sung songs around a makeshift “campfire” made out of stringed lights because it was too rainy to be outdoors. It was a glimpse of what unity in Christ could look like: a mosaic of voices, perspectives, and traditions seeking to love God and neighbor well.

Several participants shared how deeply this experience impacted their faith and leadership. “This cohort helped me see and know God more fully because of the insights and perspectives of this diverse body of believers,” said Katelyn Hannan. “They expanded my imagination for how I can love my neighbor—especially alongside the whole body of Christ as a collective witness.” Additionally, Pastor Sarah Gautier, pastor of Living Stones Boston, reflected, “The beauty of this journey was affirming that every part of the body is necessary in the work of unity… In our affirmation of one another’s belovedness, we saw the body of Christ come alive to new possibilities across differences.”

For many, the experience has already left a lasting impact. “The relationships I built in this cohort have already been transformative, impacting my ministry and my life in general,” wrote Rev. Tom Reid, pastor of Newton Presbyterian Church. “Thank you, UniteBoston, for your creativity and inspiring witness to the work of the Church here in Boston.” Kat Hampson, pastor of Riverwalk Church, adds, “This journey with my cohort has been life-changing. I have come to cherish these individuals, who were very different from me, as dearly beloved friends and siblings in Christ. Together, we have learned to listen to each other’s stories, seek deeper understanding in how we each engage with God and the world, and share our hearts for God and His Kin-dom.”

As we look ahead, we are excited to refine and expand this curriculum so that others might experience what we have—a journey that moves beyond surface-level unity toward deep reconciliation and repair. “Reflecting on my time in this cohort,” one participant shared, “one of the most significant lessons I learned was how to navigate disagreements without building walls of quiet judgment, but instead build stronger bridges of understanding.”

The Beloved Community Lab is a journey of spiritual formation—shaping participants into peacemakers and ambassadors of reconciliation, growing into the life and way of Jesus. We call this a “lab” because it combines core theological concepts with real-world application through case studies, interactive exercises, and spiritual practices.  

We believe that if we want to see a different kind of world and a more embodied Christian witness, we must become different kinds of people. It is an experiment in Christian unity that seeks to change not just what we know, but how we live.

This fall, UniteBoston is launching a pilot group to experience the curriculum in community—and we’d love for you to consider joining us. If you want to grow in learning how to lead your community in the peacemaking, reconciling Way of Jesus, we invite you to come be part of this next chapter. Click here to learn more! 

Hit Hard: One Family’s Journey of Letting Go of What Was— and Learning to Live Well with What Is

Today, we’re excited to celebrate Hit Hard, a powerful new book by Harvard chaplains and long-time Cru staff Pat and Tammy McLeod. After their son Zach suffered a traumatic brain injury during a high school football game, the McLeods were thrust into a journey of “ambiguous loss”—grieving the son they once knew while embracing the son who remained.

With deep honesty and hope, Hit Hard offers a moving testimony of how we can pick up the pieces, redefine expectations, and trust God for hope in the midst of unresolved pain.

This book will resonate with anyone facing loss—from brain injuries to addiction, divorce, foster care, or Alzheimer’s. Read a snapshot of Tammy’s story below!

P.S. There is a sale going on THIS WEEK for their book re-release – Get the ebook for only $2.99 or the paperback for the low price of $9.99 from July 7th through July 13th!

The dreaded phone call. “Get to the hospital quickly. Doctors need your consent for emergency brain surgery for Zach.” 

Our sixteen-year-old son was playing in a football scrimmage that night. What? 

When we arrived at the hospital, the surgeon told us that our son’s prognosis was death to full recovery or anything in between. We signed the paperwork, kissed and prayed for our unconscious son, and nurses wheeled him into the operating room. 

Zach survived the surgery, but a portion of his brain did not. 

During four months of acute rehab, he learned to walk again with a brace, to say a few words, and to do activities of daily living with help, but seventeen years later, he still has little short-term memory or speech, and right-side weaknesses of all kinds. 

Zach chokes easily and can fall if someone doesn’t hold onto his gait belt every minute. He lives in a group home and needs one-to-one care twenty-four hours a day. He will never be able to work for a living, marry, or have children. You can meet our beloved Zach here:

@notaloneinambiguousloss

Meet our beloved Zach! We love him and his community who supports and loves him as well. #hithard #awareness #ambiguousloss

♬ original sound – Tammy McLeod

Ambiguous Loss 

By the two-year anniversary of Zach’s injury, after trying every available intervention, I realized he would not have a strong recovery. 

I poured through grief books only to realize that loss to death differed from our type of loss. I asked others if they knew any books dealing with our sort of loss, but no one did. 

I finally called the librarian at Zach’s former rehab hospital. The next day he emailed that the term for our loss is ambiguous loss and sent articles by Pauline Boss who coined the term. 

I immediately devoured the articles and then ordered her book.

Boss describes two types of ambiguous loss. One is when the person is physically absent, yet psychologically present in the minds of loved ones. Examples include those missing due to war, natural disasters, kidnapping, divorce, adoption, or immigration. 

The other type of ambiguous loss occurs when a person is bodily present but is not the same emotionally or cognitively. Examples of this loss include people affected by Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, addiction, severe mental illness, or debilitating brain injury.

Every sentence, every paragraph resonated with my pain. Ambiguous loss validated my conflicted feelings over our situation: In so many ways Zach was gone, but he didn’t die. What kind of grief is that? Ambiguous loss. Finally, our pain had a name. 

Boss wrote about how people who are closely attached and become separated through ambiguous loss, suffer a trauma even greater than death.

Someone understood. 

Zach and I had been so closely attached, connected through music and deep discussions and praying for and with each other. No wonder his situation felt like a trauma even greater than death. 

And more. Grieving people often talk about the importance of closure. I had sensed that in our type of loss, there wasn’t and shouldn’t be closure. Couldn’t be closure. Zach was still with us.

Boss confirmed my belief. To pursue closure was a fruitless and impossible endeavor. Instead, I learned that we needed to learn how to hold two opposing ideas in our minds at the same time—having and not having. 

@notaloneinambiguousloss

If you guys would like the full version, comment down below for more! #ambiguousloss #revisingattachment #music #awareness #yourebeautiful #CapCut

♬ original sound – Tammy McLeod

Ambiguous Loss and Relationships

Living with ambiguous loss is incredibly stressful. There are many reasons why this is so, but one is that it can be tough on relationships. Many marriages don’t make it through ambiguous loss. 

Rather than holding two opposing ideas in our minds at the same time, my husband and I tended to fall off on one side or the other of “having and not having.” This set up the conflict in our book Hit Hard: One Family’s Journey of Letting Go of What Was and Learning to Live Well with What Is.

In addition to dealing with our own grief and trying to communicate with each other through the loss, we also had three other children and wanted to help them deal with their pain.

Then there were our friends. Since there are no public ceremonies to acknowledge ambiguous loss and its fallout, or honor the memory of the loved one, friends were unsure how to respond to the endlessness of our unique form of loss. Should they grieve with us, or pretend life was fine now that Zach had lived through it all? 

We hope that through our story you will experience the nearness of God in ambiguous loss and learn how to be resilient in it. If you are not experiencing ambiguous loss at this time, we hope our story will help you to help others navigate the rocky terrain. 

Learn more:

  1. We want to highly recommend everyone pick up a copy of their book  Hit Hard: One Family’s Journey of Letting Go of What Was— and Learning to Live Well with What Is. Their book is on sale for Amazon Prime Day. Get the ebook for only $2.99 or the paperback for the low price of $9.99 from July 7th through July 13th!
  2. Follow Pat and Tammy’s journey on TikTok @notaloneinambiguousloss, or Instagram and Facebook @patandtammymcleod

Radiance: EGC’s Ministry Celebration & Annual Fundraiser

You are invited to an evening of community connection, storytelling, and celebration! EGC’s Ministry Celebration and Annual Fundraiser is Saturday, May 17, at 5 pm at Hibernian Hall in Roxbury (184 Dudley St., Roxbury, MA 02119). Join us to connect with friends old and new, hear original content from some of Boston’s most talented local musicians, enjoy amazing food, and experience the ministry impact of EGC and our partners!

The theme for this year’s event is Radiance based on Psalm 36:9: “For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light.” This will be a celebration highlighting some of the ways we’ve seen God’s radiance illuminate our city.

This is a free event, and there will be an opportunity to support the work of EGC. Register today!

Highlights from the 2025 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

From January 18 to 25, Christians worldwide gathered for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, a time to reflect on Jesus’ prayer “that they may be one” (John 17:21) through fellowship, worship, and shared faith. This year’s theme marks the 1,700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council at Nicaea, celebrating the Nicene Creed as a foundation of Christian unity while acknowledging the divisions that still exist today. Read highlights and testimonies below from this year’s inspiring prayer gatherings in Greater Boston!

Click above to watch a reflection on the significance of the Nicene Creed from Dr. Elizabeth M. Woodard, Catholic theologian, musician, author, speaker, spiritual director, and ecumenist. She is a member of our Christian unity cohort and considers her vocation as bringing people to God and to each other. 

Our week began with a pre-inauguration vigil hosted by the Cathedral Church of St Paul. Dozens of people and leaders from a variety of Christian traditions gathered to pray for our county and its leaders preceding the inauguration. We recommitted to uphold our baptismal vows to “seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving our neighbor as ourselves” and heard testimonies of tangible actions by leaders committing to do just this including Jimmy Lim from the Crossing Congregation, Rev. Arrington Chambliss from Episcopal City Mission, Sandra Soto from St. Mark’s Dorchester, and Rev. Canon Jean Baptiste Ntagengwa from Immigration and Multicultural Ministries. There was a time of sharing stones of our burdens and also a passing of the light.

Rev. Devlin Scott (NewCity Church & UniteBoston), Rev. Kelly Fassett (UniteBoston), Fr. Tom Ryan (The Paulist Center), and Very Rev. Amy McCreath (Cathedral Church of St Paul) at the pre-inauguration vigil.

On Tuesday, a variety of clergy from many Christian traditions were invited to join for a prayer service by Archbishop Henning. Greek Orthodox Metropolitan Methodios presided over the gathering, a testimony of the value that the Archbishop places on ecumenical relations. Archbishop Henning described, “I hope and pray that, in gathering together, we will all be strengthened in that same power of Gospel, in the midst of a world that is too often about violence, hatred, and taking, to give that witness of solidarity, of compassion, and faith in God.”

Lutheran Bishop Nathan Pipho preached the homily, sharing that, “Our unity in Christ, in the faith, is our proclamation of faith to a world, as the archbishop said, who needs to see people who can get along, who can love one another, who can unite with one another, who can persist with one another, who can be in relationship with one another.” Read more in the Article in the Catholic Pilot.

On Tuesday, a small group also gathered at Tremont Temple for a powerful noontime prayer service, led by Craig Parker from the Navigators. We were grateful to offer their regular Tuesday noontime prayer gathering as part of our Week of Prayer events.

On Thursday evening, Rev. Devlin hosted a moving prayer service at NewCity Church, joined by members of the Boston Catholic Focolare Community.

“Thank you again for a beautiful evening together in prayer at your church. You could see that none of us wanted to leave! The incredible reflections, song and movement created a Well of Faith to drink from that was wonderful to share and deeply edifying. I wanted to share personally that last night’s time with all of you renewed a deep sense of hope that I was lacking and needed; and that it really has me digging deeper with the question that Jesus asks Martha at the tomb. Do I really believe this (no, I mean, really, really)?…believe that our Savior has got this. Got it all…So thank you all for being that catalyst for me. It is a precious gift to journey and grow in faith together.” – Janis Pochini, Focolare Community

The week closed out with a neighborhood dinner hosted by Cleo Muhammad. We were blessed to be in the company with a few long-time Dorchester Christian pastors. Through a nourishing meal, conversation and prayer, we celebrated our common faith and prayed into the areas of discipleship and common mission for the coming days.

“Personally, I experienced it as a very rich and meaningful time, and I’ve heard similar sentiments from some of you. Seeing us come together representing different generations, churches, and racial backgrounds was beautiful. I especially enjoyed hearing from those I affectionately call the “seasoned saints” (those who’ve been walking with the Lord for a long time). Your continued commitment to the gospel and to running your race and helping others run their race is truly inspiring and extremely refreshing! As the year progresses, I pray we continue to wrestle with, pray about, speak on, and take action regarding the themes that came up in our time together: unity, discipleship, our response in these times, and the challenge to believe in Jesus’ revelation of Himself. To this last theme, may we give a wholehearted and emphatic “Yes Lord, I STILL believe!” – Cleo Muhammad

“It was a real blessing to be able to have Pastors Rocklyn and Eva, Mark and Jay attend; each of you are a wealth of knowledge and wisdom. I echo Cleo’s prayer for unity, justice and reconciliation, at this pivotal time in our country and city.  I wholeheartedly agree—it was such a meaningful evening of encounter and receiving one another’s faith, passions, and life experiences! While ‘Christian unity’ can seem like a far-off ideal, Friday night makes it feel a little more tangible, leaving me feeling more hopeful.” – Rev. Kelly Fassett

“In addition to all the powerful stories of love & prayer greater than division from around the Boston area, I was deeply encouraged by similar encounters across difference taking place that week all around the country – from Connecticut to Chicago to St. Louis to Tuscon to Los Angeles.” – Scott Brill, The Initiative

We also offer this video where Episcopal Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde share a homily on the foundation of unity at the Inauguration Service. She describes the need to pray for unity as a people and a nation — not for agreement, political or otherwise — but for the kind of unity that fosters community across diversity and division and the need to respect the honor and dignity of every human being.

In today’s new era in our national life, let us heed this prayer by Rev. Dr Martin Luther King,

“Most gracious and all wise God, before whose face the generations rise and fall; You in whom we live, and move, and have our being. We come before you painfully aware of our inadequacies and shortcomings. We realize that we stand surrounded with the mountains of love and we deliberately dwell in the valley of hate. We stand amid the forces of truth and deliberately lie. We are forever offered the high road and yet we choose to travel the low road. For these sins, O God, forgive. Break the spell of that which blinds our minds. Purify our hearts that we may see you. O God, in these turbulent days when fear and doubt are mounting high give us broad visions, penetrating eyes, and power of endurance. Help us to work with renewed vigor for a warless world, for a better distribution of wealth and for a fellowship that transcends race or color. In the name and spirit of Jesus we pray. Amen.”


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