hooking up (the old-fashioned way)

Sometimes, technology is just a way of hiding from the world of flesh and blood, real people and real mess. But sometimes, it dissolves barriers, brings us closer, facilitates community, helps us to share the journey.

That’s how we hope you’ll approach this Small Groups @ The Crossing survey, via Survey Monkey. It was crafted with love by our Community Life crew, and in 10 simple questions you'll help us to figure out which small groups will truly capture interest this fall. Feeling drawn to a space where you can learn again how to share meals, share prayer, share life with the people who live around you? That’s a Neighborhood Group. Hope to do some deep work around a particular spiritual issue: faith shifts, body & sexuality & faith, an intentional deep prayer practice? Those are the topics we imagine for the new Journey Groups. Other formation and fun opportunities come up on Thursdays (no need to sign up!).

So read on for updates on worship, action and community life. Click the survey link to check the options and point us in the right direction. Or just talk to someone on a Thursday. Either way, let’s get hooked up (and I mean it in the most wholesome, Christian way possible).

worship
Worship / Thursday @ 6pm
Beth Graham offers this week’s reflection on Luke 16:19-31. Sue Spilecki continues to draw us together for the month’s spiritual practice: community singing.

• BEFORE WORSHIP: Creative juices flow! Help set-up for worship at 4:45pm.
• AFTER WORSHIP: Simple snacks, community and clean-up, followed by a ritual procession to Fajitas n Ritas for cheap Brazilian/Mexican food. We'll subsidize your first visit!
• BY SUBWAY: 138 Tremont St -- across from Park St T stop (Red or Green Line); near Downtown Crossing T (Orange)
• PARKING: Boston Common Garage, Charles Street between Boston Common and Public Garden ($5 with validation @ church -- ask a Greeter)
• FOR MORE INFO: Head to our website -- www.thecrossingboston.org

action
The Laramie Project @ Emerson College:
* Panel discussion (inc. Crossing leaders!) / TODAY, Sept. 22 @ 6:30pm -- FREE BUT REGISTER HERE
* Performances of The Laramie Project(s) / Fri., Sept. 24 - Sat., Oct. 2 -- FREE TIX AVAILABLE (read on)

The Details: On October 6, 1998, Matthew Shepard was beaten, tied to a fence and left to die on the outskirts of Laramie, Wyoming. Ten years after interviewing Laramie residents and creating the ground-breaking play The Laramie Project, the original team returned to discover how Laramie had changed: politically, socially and religiously. The result is the epilogue, The Laramie Project: Ten Years Later. Now Boston audiences will be able to watch both plays and engage in discussion about what they mean today.

The Panels: The event launches with a panel discussion TODAY, Sept. 22 @ 6:30pm. Our own Penny Larson will speak about “Be[ing] Part of the Solution.” LOCATION: Bright Family Screening Room at the new Paramount Center, 559 Washington St.

The Plays: Performances run Sept. 24-Oct. 2 at Cutler Majestic Theatre, 219 Tremont St. TO GET A FREE TICKET, contact Vicki Morte at mortev@diomassintern.org. To purchase a ticket or get info on the plays, CLICK HERE. Use the code THELP4 and $5 of your ticket returns to The Crossing.

Justice & Outreach Team / JOIN NOW
If you have a passion for justice, or want to build deeper relationships with more of our neighbors, CONTACT Vicki Morte at mortev@diomassintern.org. As our Relational Evangelist -- the intern who’s building relationships and helping us to share love, justice and faith more broadly -- she’s building the team now. She’d love to talk about how you can engage with God’s dream.

community

Learn and Play on Thursdays / Weekly after Worship, beginning October 7

This fall we’ll build a rhythm of formation and play every week. First and third Thursdays are all about play and connection. Second and fourth Thursdays we focus on learning, formation and engagement.

Community Potluck Suppers / 1st Thursdays

Bring a dish and a friend, as we share a community meal at church right after worship.

Everyone Does Theology /2nd Thursdays

Our turn to explore the big theological questions Christians have wrestled with for millennia.

Episco-Disco / 3rd Thursdays

Continue The Crossing tradition of dancing after worship at Estate, a nearby club that’s free if you arrive right at 10pm. 21 and up.

Education for Action / 4th Thursdays

Our Justice & Action Team hosts this monthly action/reflection space. Everyone’s welcome to stay, learn and get ready for The Movement.

Small Groups @ The Crossing

Groups will run mainly on two tracks: Neighborhood Groups link people who live in similar space. Journey Groups link people at a similar place on the spiritual journey.

Neighborhood Groups

Gather every other week or monthly (group to decide) to share food, community, prayer and service in the neighborhood. In other words, make yourself at home. Contact leaders IMMEDIATELY, as they’re picking dates and kick off in October.

• Brookline/Jamaica Plain: CONTACT Leigh Foster at lsfoster83@gmail.com
• Cambridge/Somerville: CONTACT Beth Graham at ElizabethLGraham@gmail.com

Journey Groups

These groups share the spiritual journey, based on a common experience or common hope. They’re taking shape now and will launch in October. The strongest interest is around these areas -- see the Survey for more details and opportunities to share where your passion runs:

• Gender, Body, Sexuality & Faith: Share the journey with others who seek to ask challenging questions and live a more fully embodied Christian faith.
• Faith Transitions: Is your understanding or experience of God, Jesus or Christian community in transition? Join others wandering through uncharted spiritual territory.
• Praying Our Lives: Experimental, year-long Covenant Group for those seeking a deep level of mutual support and accountability on their spiritual path. Echoes the practice and vow of monastic stability: we are changed by our relationships to and with one another only if we learn the discipline of staying put.

PLUS: Discernment Groups

In addition to the Neighborhood and Journey Groups, you may seek short-term Discernment Groups. In these Quaker-style listening circles, a small group will sit for about 3 hours with one person’s big decision about the issue they bring into the circle: vocation, relationship, identity and more. If you need such a circle, or want to offer to be part of one when someone requests it, CONTACT Rev. Steph (a former career counselor) at revsteph@thecrossingboston.org.

our leaders

The Crossing community has been blessed with passionate, gifted members who give a whole lot of themselves for love of God and each other. If you want to learn more, share more, or engage in worship, community or action, please contact the conveners who gather leaders in each of our ministry areas:

• WORSHIP: Isaac Everett / isaaceverett@gmail.com OR Ben Whaley / ben@diomassintern.org
• COMMUNITY: Rev. Stephanie Spellers / revsteph@thecrossingboston.org OR Keith Nelson / nelsonkr@gmail.com
• ACTION: Vicki Morte / mortev@diomassintern.org OR Penny Larson / penny@pennylarson.net

this week’s scripture: Luke 16:19-31

Jesus said, "There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who longed to satisfy his hunger with what fell from the rich man's table; even the dogs would come and lick his sores. The poor man died and was carried away by the angels to be with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried. In Hades, where he was being tormented, he looked up and saw Abraham far away with Lazarus by his side. He called out, `Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am in agony in these flames.' But Abraham said, `Child, remember that during your lifetime you received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in agony. Besides all this, between you and us a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who might want to pass from here to you cannot do so, and no one can cross from there to us.'"

Lazarus said, `Then, father, I beg you to send him to my father's house-- for I have five brothers-- that he may warn them, so that they will not also come into this place of torment.' Abraham replied, `They have Moses and the prophets; they should listen to them.' He said, `No, father Abraham; but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.' He said to him, `If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.'"