life @ the crossing

6.8.11

Crossing image
what's going on ...
this week @ the crossing
giving @ the crossing
contact us
our mission
one big community
meditate on this: the ascension

this week @
the crossing
more details? check

THIS Thursday

6pm

Worship and Buy your Crossing t-shirt ($17)!

 

THIS Thursday

After Worship

Everyone Does Theology

Topic: Holy Spirit

 

Fri., June  10 @ 8-10pm OR Sat., June 11 @ 7:30-9:30am

Assemble the Pride Float

 

Saturday, June 11

11am-2pm

Boston's Pride Parade

Meet on steps of Trinity-Copley Church

 

Thursday, June 23

6-8:30pm

Crossing 5th Birthday Party w/ Worship, Concert + Fundraiser on Boston Common

 

 

giving @

the crossing

It takes prayer, care, people and money ($30,000 from our own community, to be exact) to bring the ministries of The Crossing to life. If we pool our resources -- and invite others to share, too -- we can do this! Here's how:

 

GIVE NOW

Click DONATE to give right now. And share the link with family, friends and others you think would love to help a ministry like The Crossing flourish.

 

PLEDGE FOR 2011:

Download and fill out this Giving @ The Crossing card to promise your support for the year to come.

contact us

The Crossing community has been blessed with passionate, gifted members who give a whole lot of themselves for love of God.

 

If you want to learn more, share more or engage in worship, community or action, please contact the conveners for each of our ministry areas:

 

WORSHIP: where we fall in love with God

Isaac Everett / [email protected]

Ben Whaley / [email protected] 

 

COMMUNITY: where we grow in love for each other and ourselves

Rev. Steph Spellers / [email protected]

Keith Nelson / [email protected]

 

ACTION: where we share God's love with our community and the world

Vicki Morte/ [email protected]

Penny Larson / [email protected]

 

CONTACT US BY PHONE: 617.482.4826, x318
 
LINK WITH US ON THE WEB: www.thecrossingboston.org
our mission

the crossing at the altar 

The Crossing is a community that seeks to walk in the life-changing, world-changing Way of Jesus, sharing the love, hope, beauty and justice of God in the city of Boston.

 

Everybody is welcome to join as we gather for transformative worship, spiritual practice and 

authentic community; as we fuse the wisdom and mystery of ancient traditions with that of urban mystics, artists and activists; and as we move out to join God in healing, freeing and blessing all people, communities and the earth. 

 

got pride?

I'm sorry for sending this blast out so late, but I've got a good excuse. From 2 to 8pm, I was camped out at the State House, surrounded by members of the Interfaith Coalition for Transgender Equality, Mass Equality and the Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition and waiting to testify to the Mass. legislature in favor of the Transgender Civil Rights Bill. The measure has been hung up in committees for years. I don't know how much difference I made, but I shared my hopes, shared a letter from our bishop and read the comments from a local rabbi, who had to leaveat 6pm because it's Shavuot, a major Jewish holiday. So it was me and the Unitarian district exec. Yes, the people of faith spoke up.

                   

It felt right to be at the State House today, so close to Pride Weekend. Marching in parades and witnessing to God's love is important, and God knows many hands have prepared for Saturday's Pride Parade (download details here). But we also have to take specific action against discrimination, writing letters, talking with legislators, showing up with your cross and your desire for equality. As long as transgendered people are disproportionately beaten and murdered, as long as they are fired and kicked out of their homes, as long as so many commit suicide rather than suffer another dehumanizing day ... as long as any child of God suffers like this, someone has to speak up. So join us and show your pride on Saturday. Just be sure you show it again every other day of the week.

one big community

radical welcome_hands

THIS THURSDAY @ 6pm / Worship 

This week, we settle back into our regular rhythm. Rev. Steph preaches on the journey from Jesus' ascension to Pentecost (the coming of the Holy Spirit - text below). Adwoa Lewis Wilson leads the spiritual practice: prayer postures.

 

For directions and lots more, go to www.thecrossingboston.org.

 

AND: Bring $17 and buy the first ever Crossing t-shirt.

Perfect to wear in the Pride Parade ... 

 

THURSDAY after WORSHIP / Everyone Does Theology

Of course, with the feast of Pentecost coming on Sunday, we have to focus on the Holy Spirit. Come share wisdom and ask all the questions that would've gotten you a stern glare in Sunday School. CONTACT Keith / [email protected].

 

THIS SATURDAY / Pride Parade

Join The Crossing and the whole Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts as we march and pray our way through the streets of Boston. Here are the details:

 

To help with float: Fri., 6/10 (8-10pm) or Sat., 6/11 (7:30-9:30am). 

 Timing depends on Parade instructions, which we will not receive til Fri. morning. Float assembly at 40 Prescott Street in Brookline: Green Line to St. Mary's on the C line or BU Central on the B line. CONTACT Vicki / [email protected] or 508.333.6458 or or Rev. Steph / [email protected] for details early Friday.

 

 

To march: Meet on the steps of Trinity Episcopal Church in Copley Square at 11am.

 

THURS., JUNE 23 @ 6-8:30pm / Crossing 5th Birthday Party

An amazing team is organizing our 5th Birthday Party, a combination worship gathering + fundraiser + concert on Boston Common. We hope to meet our goal of $30,000 in pledges by night's end. Block the night and tell your friends.

 

General info: Valerie / [email protected]

Set-up/clean-up: Kevin / [email protected]

Food: Deejay / [email protected]

To perform: Isaac / [email protected]

 

 

 

 

 

meditate on this: the ascension

In this in-between time -- after the Ascension of Jesus (celebrated in most churches last Thursday or Sunday), before Pentecost (celebrated on Sunday) -- we're treating this week as a time of preparation for the coming of the Holy Spirit. Read on for the Acts account of the Ascension and the promise of the Holy Spirit. Check out the other resources for prayer and meditation, too! 

 

Acts 1:1-11

In the first book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus

Brother Anthony-Francis' Cross of Ubuntu
Brother Anthony-Francis' "Cross of Ubuntu" at www.ecva.org

did and taught from the beginning until the day when he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions

through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. After his suffering he presented himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. While staying with them, he ordered them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for the promise of the Father. "This," he said, "is what you have heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now."

 

So when they had come together, they asked him, "Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?" He replied, "It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. While he was going and they were gazing up toward heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. They said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven."

 

Collect (or thematic prayer, appointed to complement the reading) from the Book of Common Prayer

Almighty God, whose blessed Son our Savior Jesus Christ ascended far above all heavens that he might fill all things: Mercifully give us faith to perceive that, according to his promise, he abides with his Church on earth, even to the end of the ages; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.