worship and prayer – Page 12

Nov 28 2016

Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is an international initiative where Christians worldwide are reminded of Jesus’ prayer for his disciples that “they may be one so that the world may believe” (John 17:21). Locally, UniteBoston coordinates evening collaborative gatherings of fellowship, prayer and worship from January 18-25 annually.

This Year’s Theme: Drawing from the resilience and liturgical richness of the Christians of Armenia—Oriental Orthodox, Catholic, and Evangelical—this year’s Week of Prayer for Christian Unity invites us to reflect on Ephesians 4:4: “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling.” As the first nation to officially embrace Christianity in 301 CE, Armenia offers a profound witness to unity that has survived centuries of persecution and displacement. The materials for 2026 highlight that our shared identity is rooted in a ancient covenant, symbolized by the safe arrival of Noah’s Ark on Mount Ararat and the promise of the rainbow. By focusing on our common vocation and the “one hope” of salvation, we are challenged to move beyond historical divisions toward a conversion of heart, practicing a unity that embraces diversity while remaining steadfast in the love and mission of Christ.

Mark Your Calendars – You are invited to mark your calendars and plan to attend the evening gatherings! In this time of Epiphany, we encourage you to receive the manifestation of Jesus Christ through those of different denominations, races and cultures. Let’s make the most of these opportunities in order to truly be the family of God and serve as the body of Christ in the world. Let’s also pray with our feet – consider how our beliefs can come together in common action and witness.

Spread the Word – We also appreciate help spreading the word to people in your congregation, family, friends, and neighbors. A personal invitation goes a long way.

UB Board Devotionals – This year for the Week of Prayer, the UniteBoston Board and Staff will be sharing video devotional and prayers, which will be shared on our social media. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram!

Calling to mind our common commitment to ‘love thy neighbor,’ may the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, January 18-25, 2025 be full of moments of conversion of heart through our encounters, so that “all may be one.”

Resources for Your Week of Prayer Experience

Litany for Christian Unity

Christian Unity Daily Prayer Guide – Created by the Greymoor Institute or The Initiative

Introduction on the Theme from Greymoor Ecumenical & Interreligious Initiative

As you are able, please also share this invitation with other churches and communities in your network so that more communities may gather to pray at this pivotal time in our country and city.

Schedule for Gatherings in Boston & New England

*All events are free and open to all.*

Thurs January 15 – Taizé Prayer with the Sisters of St. Joseph

7:00 to 7:45pm at Motherhouse Chapel of the Sisters of St. Joseph, 637 Cambridge St, Brighton, MA 02135

Taizé prayer is a simple form of Christian prayer centered on scripture, silence, and song based on the daily prayer of the religious community in Taizé, France. As women rooted in the Gospel whose mission is to deepen relationships with God and neighbor, the Sisters of St. Joseph invite you to join in praying for unity and love in our world and in our own hearts.

Mon January 19 – Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

We encourage you to join into many different opportunities to remember the life and legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.. Events listed with Meet Boston, City of Cambridge. Various volunteer and service opportunities listed through Boston Cares and City Year.

Tues January 20 – Tuesday Noontime Prayer

12:00 to 1:00pm at Currie Chapel, Tremont Temple Baptist Church, 88 Tremont Street, Boston MA 02108

Based on the model of the 19th century noontime city prayer meetings preceding the Third Great Awakening, the Navigators host a noontime prayer meeting at Tremont Temple Baptist Church every Tuesday. We gather to offer prayers of adoration and supplication with an emphasis on awakening and revival in the city of Boston and beyond. All are welcome. Contact: Craig Parker, craig.parker@navigators.org

Tues January 20 – ‘It Ain’t Over:’ Music for Hope, Joy and Justice

6:30 – 8:30pm At First Congregational Church of Wareham, 11 Gibbs Ave, Wareham MA 02571

Join the First Congregational Church of Wareham, UCC and the Arts at the Stone Church ministry for an evening of music, story, and reflection with Rev. Devlin Scott on Tuesday, January 20 in the Greozinger Room (11 Gibbs Ave, Wareham). A singer-songwriter, pastor, worship leader, and choir director, Devlin Scott’s music bridges faith, culture, and justice with honesty and hope, featuring songs from his debut single It Ain’t Over, which speaks to resilience and God’s presence in both joy and struggle. Light meal at 6:30 PM, performance at 7:30 PM. Free and open to all; donations welcome, with free parking available.

Wed January 21 – Forgiveness: An Alternative Account

6:00 to 8:00pm at the Cathedral Church of St Paul, 138 Tremont Street, Boston, MA 02111

Rev. Dr. Matthew Ichihashi Potts explores the complex moral terrain of forgiveness from his book ‘Forgiveness: An Alternative Account.’ Though forgiveness is often linked with reconciliation or the abatement of anger, Potts resists these associations, asserting instead that forgiveness is simply the refusal of retaliatory violence through practices of penitence and grief. Join us at 6:00 PM for refreshments; the talk begins at 6:30 PM. Free and open to all. Sign up HERE

Thurs January 22 – United as One Body Worship and Prayer Night

6:00 to 8:00pm at NewCity Church, 1135 Walnut Street, Newton MA 02461

Join us for a powerful worship and prayer night hosted by Rev. Devlin Scott from NewCity Church as we focus on the Ephesians vision of one body in alignment with the theme of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. Childcare will be provided; contact Rev. Devlin to request, devlin@newcitychurch.cc.

Thurs January 22 – Prayer for Christian Unity

7:00 to 8:00pm online – Zoom Link here

You are warmly invited to join pastors and leaders from the United Methodist and Episcopal Churches in New England for a prayer service for Christian Unity. We are honored that Bishop Thomas Brown, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Maine, will preach and share the gospel with us. Bishop Thomas Bickerton, Bishop of the New England Conference (UMC), will also be present. Join via Zoom here

Sat January 24 – Building Bridges Workshop

9am to 2:30pm at First Federated Church, 200 Central Street, Hudson, MA, 01749

Grounded in Ephesians 2:19–22, this gathering celebrates our shared identity as “one household” in God, with Christ as the cornerstone. We are honored to welcome Dr. Virginia Ward as our keynote speaker. A dynamic pastor and educator, Dr. Ward will inspire us to build bridges of grace and unity across our diverse cultures and generations. $30/person or $100 for a group of any size. Register here.

Sun January 25 – Week of Prayer for Christian Unity Prayer Service

7:00pm at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 61 Wood St, Hopkinton, MA 01748

Join pastoral leaders in the Hopkinton area for liturgical prayer using the International Week of Prayer for Christian Unity worship service. Fr. Len Cowen from the Abbey of the Way will be the homilist.

Mon Jan 26 – Taize prayer with The Crossing

7:00 to 8:00pm at the Cathedral Church of St Paul, 138 Tremont Street, Boston, MA 02111

Join the Crossing Community for Taize prayer, a simple form of Christian prayer centered on scripture, silence, and song based on the daily prayer of the religious community in Taizé, France.

Thursday February 12 – Christian Unity Prayer with St. Mary’s Hakuna

7:30 to 9:00pm at St. Mary of the Assumption Parish, 134 Norfolk St, Cambridge, MA 02139

Join for worship, prayer and adoration on Christian unity, followed by an informal social hangout. Hosted by St. Mary’s Hakuna group which seeks to cultivate a “Eucharistic lifestyle” by following Christ through joyful community, music, and a commitment to seeing God’s beauty in all aspects of life.

Photos from Previous Years

In 2017, we coordinated a large worship service on January 21st in alignment with the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation, that had over 8 co-sponsors and was attended by over 800 people.

Here are many of the leaders hosting gatherings for the 2019 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

UB City-Wide Dinner Launch – November 2017

UniteBoston dinner at Sally’s house in West Roxbury

Prayer Gathering at the Greek Metropolis of Boston

Neighborhood Dinner at Adam’s house in East Boston

Co-presiders from various Christian traditions at the 2017 Week of Prayer Anchor Gathering

Oct 31 2016

Happy Reformation Day!

It’s not just Halloween – I also want to wish you Happy #ReformationDay!

It’s the 500th Anniversary of Martin Luther nailing his 95 Theses in Wittenburg, Germany. This eventually gave rise to what has become known as the Protestant Reformation, which changed the world forever.

As of today, a year of events worldwide has begun to herald growing cooperation between Protestants and Catholics: http://www.wittenberg2017.us/

UniteBoston is joining into this vision for a reconciled Church by hosting nightly prayer gatherings throughout Boston with the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity on January 18-25, and coordinating a city-wide day of community service on May 6, 2016.

Pope Francis encourages Christians worldwide in the following: “While theologians continue their dialogue in the doctrinal sphere, continue insistently to seek opportunities to meet each other, to get to know each other better, to pray together and to offer your help to each other and to all those who are in need. In this way, freed of every prejudice and trusting only in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, that announces peace and reconciliation, you will be true protagonists of a new season in this journey that, with God’s help, will lead to full communion. I assure you of my prayer, and ask you, please to, pray for me, as I am in need. Thank you.”

Truly, the irresistible purpose of Jesus is that we might return to a united universal Church. Here are more of the principles posted by Wittenberg 2017:

1. The irresistible purpose of Jesus is to return to a united Church universal.

2. The current reality is that the Church universal is divided – in heart, purpose, thinking, and organizational structures.

a. Each division has a story.
b. Every division brings pain to God’s heart.
c. No division can be simply “undone.”
d. Any division can be healed and reconciled with the power of God.

3. Division weakens the Church universal.

a. Jesus said, “Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and a house divided against itself will fall.” (Luke 11:17) We certainly don’t believe that the kingdom of God is ruined or will fall, but do believe that Jesus’ principle is clear: division weakens.
b. St. Paul said, “Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good … there should be no division in the body.” (1 Cor. 12:7,26)
c. Externally imposed sameness also weakens the Church. St. Paul also said, “There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit … Now the body is not made up of one part but of many … in fact God has arranged the parts of the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be?” (1 Cor. 12:4, 20, 24-25) Manmade uniformity is not the same as God-inspired organic unity. As opposed to division and uniformity, which both weaken the church, diversity strengthens and enriches the Church.
d. Jesus tells his diverse group of disciples, “By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:35). Then Jesus prays “that they may be one even as we are one … that the world may know” (John 17:23). Thus Jesus ties the need for unity to the credibility of the Church’s witness. In our day, the divisions in His Church are a commonly cited reason to doubt Jesus and His message.
e. There is cause for great hope! The New Testament addresses division (between the Jewish and Gentile followers of Jesus) and presents the Christ-centered model for transforming division into a reconciled diversity. “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.” (Ephesians 2:15-16, see also Acts 15:1-35).

4. The Church universal should feel the pain of her divisions and grieve them.

a. Grieving is a public posture of lament before God.
b. Grieving requires memory.
c. Grieving requires emotion.
d. Jesus grieved the division of people of Jerusalem, longing to “gather their children together.” (Matt 23:37) Does he not also grieve the division among his followers and long to gather us together?
e. Grieving does not solve the problem of division. It recognizes the gravity of that problem, and presents it to God the Father for His solution.
f. Grieving does not dishonor people or traditions.

5. The Church universal should pray for reconciliation and unity.

a. Jesus did it. (John 17)
b. St. Paul did it. (Romans 15:5-6)
c. The Church historically has done it. For example, the following prayer is from the Catholic Liturgy of the Hours:
Lord, hear the prayers of your people and bring the hearts of believers together in your praise and in common sorrow for their sins. Heal all divisions among Christians that we may rejoice in the perfect unity of your Church and move together as one to eternal life in your kingdom.
d. In our day the Holy Spirit is inspiring a mighty wave of worship and prayer. Much of this prayer is directed towards asking God to heal the wounds of the Church and create a united body of Christ.
e. Prayer requires faith, not ingenious solutions. A seemingly unsolvable problem is not unprayable. Prayer about such subjects is the glory of the Church, because it requires faith and a reliance on the power of God. Prayer asking God to unify His Church is prayer about a problem that cannot be solved by a clever idea, a charismatic leader, or a carefully thought out program. It must be God, or it will not happen.
f. Jesus came to restore relationships – our relationship with the Father, and also our relationships with one another – “until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.” (Ephesians 4:13). When we pray with sincere hearts, God will show us our part in the process of restoration. Our response will require the good and hard work of repentance and reconciliation. This will take place person to person, leader to leader, group to group, faction to faction, church to church, culture to culture, and ultimately one historic stream of the Church to other historic streams of the Church. In this process, we repent for the sins of our own faith stream, not the streams of others. We honor other faith streams.
g. Christian unity is a natural outcome of Christ-likeness. As we mature in Christ-likeness, we mature in our capacity to celebrate and strengthen diversity; prevent diversity from becoming division; and take steps towards healing the divisions that are damaging the Church. “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” (Ephesians 4:3)

Dec 13 2015

Guest Blog: God Is Not Served By Human Hands

Kelsey Karys, UniteBoston Rep and previous intern with Cru campus ministry, is passionate about Christian unity. She shares her reflections after attending the Taize Prayer service at MIT during UniteBoston’s 10 Days Boston event.

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I remember helping my dad build our swing set when I was a child. He handed me a hammer, and showed me how to pound, pound, pound a nail into a piece of wood while he looked on, guiding my hand when I needed, and always giving the finishing pound, burying the nail into the wood. I eventually reached an age where I realized that what took me thirty pint-sized pounds, my dad could have done with one, but his affection towards me was so great that it didn’t matter.

CALLED OUT

As I take a step back from college ministry for a season, I am having one of those moments again, where I realize first, how great an architect my Daddy is, and second, how much love and patience He has for me, fumbling around in this grown-up world.

I worked in campus ministry for two years, with the goal of seeing a house of prayer rise up on every campus in Boston. So when God called me out of the campus scene so quickly, in my me-centric world I asked Him, “How is there supposed to be a revival in Boston if I’m not on campuses starting houses of prayer?!” I thought my fears were validated when I heard the news that the MIT House of Prayer would not be continuing this school year.

I heard a familiar voice saying, though, “Hey Kelsey, answer me one thing. Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?” (Job 1:4)

A NEW THING

I was seated in MIT’s dimly lit chapel before an icon of Jesus, surrounded by flickering candles. I knelt on a prayer rug with about 30 others, and while they chanted in Latin, I just listened. I tried to listen beyond the haunting echoes off the tall stone walls, past the frustration that I didn’t know the language, and beyond the discomfort of having to sit still, so different from the charismatic worship gatherings that I so easily box God into.

As I listened, I asked, “God, what are you doing here? Where are you?”

Sitting next to me was Sabrina, a new Catholic missionary at MIT with a heart to bring together the different fellowships in prayer and worship. Kelly, a close friend who leads a movement called Unite Boston, bringing together churches and denominations around the city to pray and worship Jesus together, chanted on my other side. In front of me was Erik, one of my former Cru students with a heart for unreached people groups. Behind me was a large group from the Lutheran-Episcopal Ministry, who in all my time at MIT I had never seen gather with the larger Christian population. A girl from Intervarsity sat nearby, and a professor stood in the shadows in the back.

In the stillness of this Taize gathering, God whispered back, “I am doing a new thing”.

Taize prayer is a contemplative ecumenical prayer style started by a protestant monastic community in Switzerland in 1940. There is no one leader, and much of the gathering is silent, but at a few points different people read scripture in their own tongue, and the songs, which are more like chants, are often sung in Latin.

At the end of the gathering, one of the Lutheran campus ministers stood and announced that a Taize prayer gathering would be happening once a week in the MIT chapel for the remainder of the year.

MY DREAMS ARE TOO SMALL

I have dreamed and prayed for weekly prayer gatherings in the MIT chapel for years, but my dream was too small because it was just that — my dream, shaped by mycomforts, my prejudices, and my ambitions. Just as King David wasn’t allowed to build God a house, it was never going to be my job to build God a house at MIT. I may have placed a few nails and pounded them a few times with my hammer, but God won’t be limited by the ceiling of the dreams I’ve built. Instead, He lets me dream with Him, just big enough to require faith, and even shows me the fulfillment of some of those dreams.

This year, the MIT chapel is finally becoming a house of prayer — Taize-style prayer that is. For me, it stands as a reminder that “the God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything,” (Acts 17:24-25).

*Note: Taize services take place on Sunday evenings at 8:00pm in the MIT Chapel. Come and join for a rich contemplative time of worship and prayer.

*Originally published on campusrenewal.org; republished with permission

Oct 16 2014

10 Days Boston Praise Report

With Catholic, Orthodox, Evangelical, and Taize services, the denominations of host churches for this year’s 10 Days Boston evening gatherings was more diverse than ever before. There were 19 different churches present the first night in Cambridge! Additionally, the Indian gathering brought together five different Indian people groups for the first time!

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18 churches represented at the first night in Cambridge

With this diversity, though, comes the difficulty of defining the unity we share in Christ. The 10 Days theme that we chose this year was “One Heart” – When Jesus prays that we would be one as He is one, what does that mean? Who is involved in this oneness?

At one of the evening gatherings, I was sitting down for a time of fellowship, and one of the women asked me what my home church was. I told her that it was an evangelical church called Journey Church in Harvard Square. She turned to another lady at the table and asked, “Is she a Christian?” and then they spoke in five minutes in another language before determining that yes, I was.

This was an external example of the question that I believe we all are wrestling with. Is this denomination really following Jesus? Is this person really “saved?” Who is “in” and who is “out?”

But perhaps this is the wrong question for us to be asking. In engaging with brothers and sisters of different Christian streams, I believe our approach towards one another should be filled with grace and love rather than suspicion or judgement. We should seek to learn and understand, by asking “Who have you put your trust in?” and “What is your relationship with Jesus like?”

The bible describes that the unity we share in Christ as a unity not of doctrine but of Spirit (Eph. 4:3, 1 Cor 12:7, Phil 1:27). When I started to think about it, I’ve discovered that any two individuals don’t agree completely due to the nuances of theological understandings.

As Rev. JP Robins and the Northern Suburbs team grappled with the question: “What unites us and who do we unite with?” they determined that “We are one with whoever confesses ‘Jesus as Lord.’”

Yes, what makes us one is our revelation of Christ – our acknowledgement that before Him we are all desperate for His redeeming grace.

We must never lose the centrality of Jesus in our quest for unity because He is the only one who unites us.

Other testimonies

There’s truly nothing like getting to spend time with God, and one man who was able to join us for the majority of the daytime gatherings, remarked, “That was the best week of my life.”

A young couple was so inspired by the 10 Days vision after the first night in Cambridge that they traveled around the city every evening, making it to eight of the 10 Days gatherings with their young one-year-old son.

Here is a video clip from one of our morning worship sessions out in front of Harvard University. As you can see, God really released His joy over us and many students came to join in the dance!

At the last gathering of 10 Days Boston, we stood in front of a wall of windows overlooking Boston to make declarations over the city. We also divided into groups and shared about how God was working among our various communities.

Read the insights that Christians throughout the city shared here.

Worshipping and praying over the city of Boston

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Night 2 – Pastors in the Northern Suburbs uniting in prayer

Night 4 – Praising God at the Indian gathering in Natick

Taize group photo

Night 5 – UniteBoston friends coming together for the Taize prayer gathering at Trinity Church

Many were blessed to engage in the contemplative Taize prayer for the first time

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Connecting with God at the Fenway gathering on Night 7

Night 9 – Father Dimitri explains about the history of the Orthodox Church

Daytime prayer at Harvard University

We praise God for the work that He has done to unite followers of Jesus during 10 Days Boston this year. We also celebrate the many other unity-minded initiatives that are bringing together the body of Christ in Greater Boston.

May God continue to bind us together to proclaim that Jesus is Lord over Boston!