UniteBoston

Amidst the number of new immigrant and refugee families arriving to our city, many churches are opening their doors and hearts to serve and care for our new neighbors. One of these churches is St. Michael’s Episcopal Church in Milton with Pastor Hall Kirkam, which served as a day shelter site for many of our new community members from Haiti.

Read below or check out our Linktree to read Pastor Hall’s reflection on the experience and how they have lived out Jesus’ call to welcome the ‘least of these.’

https://uniteboston.com/blog

“Pray for President Biden. Pray for President Trump. There is no political position or objection that justifies an attack on either presidential candidate. May we all pray for our country, our leaders, the upcoming election, and the impressions being created in upcoming generations.” - , Pastor of One Boston Church in Jamaica Plain

👆Behind the scenes with UB! 👆This week, Rev Kelly and Rev Devlin had the opportunity to grab lunch 🍔 🍹with some great community leaders - Pastor Corey Sanderson from Second Church in Newton to discuss partnering on an initiative to combat Christian nationalism, as well as Stacie Mickelson and Jane Kim from around big-picture strategic development with UB. Grateful to be working with great people doing God’s kingdom work in our city - truly we are stronger together! 💪

Let's Rally for Refugees! 🤝 With the number of immigrants and refugees continuing to come to Massachusetts, this is a great way to join into God’s invitation to “welcome the stranger.”

Welcome NST is coordinating Neighborhood Support Teams, which come alongside refugee families to support them with the resettlement process, such as finding housing, employment, registering for school, navigating transportation and more. Any group of 4 to 7 people can become a support team, and church congregations and communities are optimal as they are already set up with the relational capital and community connections to come alongside families who are navigating life in America for the first time.

There is even an opportunity for grant funding of up to $10,000 💵 to offset the cost of housing, transportation, and supplies for these new families, with application deadline July 31!

If your church would like to learn more about being a neighborhood support team, you can click below to watch the video recording from the leaders call this week or email Kasey Dillon, director of outreach at Welcome NST, to set up a call together!

https://youtu.be/1PzD6bGdlEQ
https://www.welcomenst.org/rallyforrefugees

Thirty local leaders and creatives joined us for an incredible day last Saturday at the third annual UB BIPOC island retreat 🛥️🏝️🌤️ It was such a gift to enjoy delicious food, massages, fellowship, and respite from our daily routines with these incredible leaders. Gifts from and music provided by were 🔥🔥 too! Praise God for the gift of community - We don’t have to carry our burdens alone 🤲🙌

Last week, Boston’s faith based leaders, police and government officials joined together for a prayer walk around Harambee Park in Dorchester.
It’s moving to see so many joining to “Seek the peace and prosperity of the city where we are called” Jer 29:7
🙏 Lord, make us an instrument of your peace:
where there is hatred, let us sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.
O divine Master, grant that we may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Amen. 🙏
- Prayer attributed to St Francis

A resource list on the history of slavery in Boston — Emmanuel Gospel Center This resource list includes theological reflections, historical sites, local organizations, as well as exhibits and reports on the history of slavery in the city of Boston in Massachusetts.

Did you see that the City of Boston has been hosting a Belonging Festival this month for Immigrant Heritage Month? Immigrant Connection at Awaken City Church partnered with the Mayor's Office for Immigrant Advancement - Boston to provide a community party last Saturday to recognize all of the partners, including many churches, who are working to create a city of belonging for our new neighbors! 👏 Check out the full calendar of events here: https://www.boston.gov/departments/immigrant-advancement/city-belonging-festival

Dr Chuck Hunt and Dr Virginia Ward hosted a “Growing Young” brunch for pastors last week. Not only did we enjoy delicious chicken and waffles 🍗 🧇, they also offered some key strategies essential to engaging the next generation including: empathizing with today’s young people, taking Jesus’ message seriously, fueling a warm community, prioritizing young people and families, and being the best neighbors. Many young people are leaving the church, but that’s not the end of the story. How can we journey with young people, give away power, and amplify their voices so they can lead, rather than leave, the Church?

“People with disabilities don’t just want to be tolerated, they (we) need to be desired.” - Dr. Lamar Hardwick

Dr. Lamar Hardwick and local leaders Pastor Josh Wilson, Pastor Valerie Kim Copeland, Pastor Kelly Fassett, Ashley Williamson, and Maggie Rose Austen met this week for a great dinner and conversation on Ableism, Racism, and the Church. Jesus told us that when we have a banquet, we should invite the poor, crippled, the lame and the blind (Luke 14:13-23), yet would these neighbors feel welcomed and desired in our churches today?

Too often, church spaces have been built for and by white, non-disabled men. If we design church for the marginalized, including people with disabilities, then there will be room for more. Their advice: Do not start a ministry for people with disabilities or to the marginalized. Do start something WITH us.

This week, the Boston Flourish team had the opportunity to view our new venue at Artists for Humanities in South Boston! It’s going to be such a great space for collaboration and creativity!
Join us on October 30 in this movement to help tackle some of the most pressing issues that impact the City of Boston and its surrounding area. Registration is now open! Early-bird Rate: $55 per person, until July 31, 2024. More info at www.bostonflourish.com

✨Boston Flourish is a movement for dreamers and doers to activate and partner towards a Boston where everyone flourishes, intentionally bridging church, business, governmental, and social sectors.

Please save the date to join us on Wednesday, October 30 at Artist for Humanity in South Boston to join the movement to transform our city! ✨

Boston Flourish 2024 Save the Date

Join us in welcoming Michael James to the UniteBoston Board of Directors! 👏 As a Resident Minister at Boston College and a dedicated member of the Focolare Movement, Michael brings a deep commitment to Christian unity and spiritual growth. We're thrilled to have him join the leadership of UB!

Learn more about Michael and all those who are serving behind the scenes to make UniteBoston's mission happen via our Team page! https://uniteboston.com/the-ub-team/

As we celebrate Juneteenth, a powerful reminder of freedom and the end of slavery in the United States, our hearts also hold the memory of George Floyd's tragic death and the global movement for racial equity and justice it sparked. While Juneteenth marks the progress made and the resilience of those who fought for their God-given right to freedom, the memory of George Floyd reminds us of the ongoing systemic injustices that persist in our society. As Christians, we are called to honor those who have suffered and renew our commitment to the teachings of Christ, which emphasize love, justice, and the inherent worth of every individual.

Our featured article is written by Johane Alexis-Phanor, as she reflects on George Floyd’s death four years ago. She shares a powerful reflection on the role that fear plays to perpetuate the status quo of systemic racism.

Read more here: https://medium.com//a-morning-walk-into-the-wrong-neighborhood-2f3ee84401f4

Today, we say goodbye to a hardworking and dedicated team member Ray Carrasco our former Communications Administrator. Your contributions have been invaluable, and we wish you nothing but success in your creative future. Keep shining and making waves! 🌟 "

Today, we are celebrating the Boston Higher Education Resource Center-HERC and the gathering they hosted last week to celebrate 25 years of equipping first-generation-to-college high school students with the resources, connections, and skills they need to get in and stick through college and launch careers! Thousands of students have been impacted by their programs… congratulations to UB cohort alum Carolina de Jesus who is serving as the Chief Executive Officer of HERC for her leadership in making their programming possible! 👏🙌

Boston Flourish is a movement for dreamers and doers to activate and partner towards a Boston where everyone flourishes, intentionally bridging church, business, governmental, and social sectors.
Please save the date to join us on Wednesday October 30 at Artist for Humanity in South Boston to join the movement to transform our city!
Learn More: https://www.bostonflourish.com/

June is a month where we are celebrating Boston as a “City of Belonging!” The city of Boston is hosting a festival where 30+ organizations are opening up their communities to celebrate immigrants. Check out the calendar here: https://www.boston.gov/departments/immigrant-advancement/city-belonging-festival

IFSI - Immigrant Family Services Institute-USA in Mattapan is in urgent need for congregations to open their doors for the overflow of new neighbors coming. At any given time there are 50+ adults and children that would appreciate having somewhere to practice English, rest, share a meal and engage in children’s activities. Might you be interested in hosting them for a half day, either in your building or a neighborhood park? Reach out to Jennifer at [email protected] to learn more about this opportunity!

Here at UB, we love to see collaboration taking place across churches, and today we’re highlighting Alpha. Alpha is a way for people to discover the questions of life and faith through small groups; at Alpha, “there’s nothing you can’t ask, and everyone is welcome.” Last fall, there were thirty different Alpha groups happening all across Boston, in a variety of Christian traditions, contexts, and languages! This fall, churches all across Boston will again be launching Alpha together. Explore more about Alpha and how you can get involved at a Boston City-Wide Alpha Vision Night on Monday June 17 at 6:30pm! Find out more via :https://www.tryalphaboston.com/what-is-city-wide-boston-alpha

This Tuesday, we launched a new Christian unity working group that is developing a discipleship curriculum on being ambassadors of reconciliation and repair (2 Corinthians 5:18-20). We feel incredibly blessed to journey with this incredible group of leaders from many different cultures and backgrounds! 🙌 They jumped right in the conversation exploring the barriers of unity and sharing stories of where they have seen repair and reconciliation take place across Christian divides. We are excited to start this journey together as a “beloved community” to become practitioners of reconciliation in the places where we live, work and play. 👣 ✝️

Clergy colleagues, here’s a great opportunity to consider!

Have you applied to be apart of the Compelling preaching Cohort? If not, you still have time!

The application will close on June 15, 2024.

https://www.masscouncilofchurches.org/equip-the-saints/

An incredible panel discussion happened yesterday, bringing together local pastors and young Christian creatives, as a collaboration between the pastors breakfast hosted by WEZE and Elevation Conference

Here is some advice from Next Gen:
-In this Information Age, you are competing for attention. Look at your content and see what questions you are answering, because people go where their questions are being answered
-Different doesn’t mean demonic. Just because we look different or talk differently, doesn’t mean that it is evil. Create spaces of belonging for us to come, just where we are.
-Be willing to break outside the mold of how you do “church,” being careful to not put tradition in the place of God’s truth.
-Find mentors to bridge young people with the wisdom of the older generation. We have big dreams about how the gospel changes the world and we need you to serve us, defend us, and care for us. Don’t put us in boxes but let us dream and be who God made us to be.

We wanted to spread the word about this great event happening THIS SATURDAY! Salem Media Group’s WEZE 590am and WROL 950am and 100.3FM in partnership with Elevate Boston would like to cordially invite local pastors to their 2024 Pastors Appreciation Brunch on Saturday, June1, 2024 at 11am at The Salvation Army Kroc Center, 650 Dudley Street, Boston.

Theme: “Where are all the Young Leaders?”: Cultivating the next generation of pastors and leaders.

This is a free event, and they welcome you to be their guest. Register here today!

Tickets | Pastors Appreciation Brunch - Salem Media Group Boston in Dorchester, MA | iTickets Pastors Appreciation Brunch - Salem Media Group Boston

This Week We’re featuring Pastor Dieufort ‘Keke’ Fleurissaint, who is supporting newly arrived Haitian families by connecting individuals with services such as housing, jobs and English classes. There are so many people who are doing the work to support our new neighbors, and we’re proud of how a pastor in the community is leading the way!

Learn More: https://www.dotnews.com/2024/haitian-community-migrant-crisis-brings-pride-heritage-fore "

✨ Missing the EGC fundraiser? No worries! Tune into their virtual concert from the comfort of your home and show your support. The video premieres at 7 PM –Dont forget to tune in!

Faithful through Generations! EGC's Virtual Concert & Fundraiser 2024 Give to strengthen Christian leaders at https://www.egc.org/fundraiser-give-portal For more of the story visit https://www.egc.org/

At UB, we are big fans of the work that Emmanuel Gospel Center (EGC) does - so we wanted to share about their annual fundraiser and virtual concert happening this Sunday May 26th, at 7 pm. It’s an evening of community connection, storytelling, and celebration. The presentation will consist of music videos, EGC program content, and other voices from the city. Their watch party will be at Kowloon Restaurant in Saugus, where you can come listen to great songs, fellowship with Christian leaders from across the region, eat great food, and watch this event on the big screen! Check out https://www.egc.org/fundraiser to learn more or to join them on Sunday!

The Elevation Conference is the premier urban leadership conference in the New England area infusing urban arts and cultural thought leaders in its attempt to bridge cultural divides.

Featuring Beleaf in Fatherhood, Chris Durso, Aaron Cole, Mike Teezy, Steven Malcolm and More.

“The Plug” Live Music Feedback Session with Judges from Capitol Christian Music, BET, and Reflection Music Group

and a FREE concert Sunday Night. Check out the ticket link for the Full Schedule!

Just released! The number of new immigrant neighbors has only increased these last few months - and we are calling on churches to continue to welcome our new neighbors as a “sanctuary for strangers.” Join us for Migrant Sunday on Sunday, June 23, 2024, in honor of World Refugee Day. A comprehensive preaching package is now available in English, Spanish, Portuguese, and Haitian Creole complete with designs, multimedia content, sermon examples, and more! Check it out and share it with your church and communities!

https://uniteboston.com/a-sanctuary-for-strangers-understand-believe-act/