party on the common!!!

It may rain: we've got a big tent. We may look like evangelicals proclaiming the word of God out in public: um, yes, that's the point.

THIS THURSDAY, we celebrate our 5th birthday, the 5th year since God stirred The Crossing to life, and we want to say thank you: to Boston, to God, to the Cathedral and Diocese, to members past and present.

There will be rocking worship, followed by a party and concert featuring bands connected to our ministry (don't miss Jamie Hart's band doing some life-affirming dance music, plus a foot-stomping gospel set).

This will be a family affair, our gift to the city we love, and it's gonna take ALL of us to make it happen. If this community has been part of your journey, then ...

1. ATTEND, bring 2 friends and give us a shout on Facebook

2. VOLUNTEER to make it happen:

• BRING FOOD: kevin@thecrossingboston.org ormichael@thecrossingboston.org
• HELP TO GREET: leigh@thecrossingboston.org oreli.zigdon@yahoo.com
• SET-UP/CLEAN-UP: vicki@thecrossingboston.org orthompsonh@diomassintern.org

3. GIVE a special birthday gift to The Crossing community. We're working to raise $10,000 in one night, and giving 10% away to justice efforts.

READ THE REST OF THIS WEEK'S LIFE @ THE CROSSING BLAST HERE.

go public with your love

This fall has turned into a season to witness to God’s love.

This past weekend, people all over Boston and all over the world prayed and marked 10 years since the terror and heart-rending sadness of 9/11, and we wondered aloud how to bring reconciliation and peace to this hurting world.

This coming weekend, thousands will gather in New York City to occupy Wall Street and demand an end to the unchecked rule of greed and might. A local group of Protest Chaplains -- many of them from The Crossing -- will head to the city bearing prayer, hope and the dream of God’s justice among the protesters.

On Thursday, September 29, we’ll step out to Boston Common to celebrate The Crossing’s 5^th anniversary with a Birthday Worship Party. It will be less a celebration of ourselves, and more a chance to step out, give thanks and bless the city with music, prayer, communion and real live food (I can’t wait to pass out brownies and lemonade on the corner of Boylston and Tremont Streets). We’re dreaming of a tent revival like The Common hasn’t ever seen. Come celebrate God’s love out in the open.

Progressive Christians don’t often go public with our witness. By the end of September, we’ll have enough practice to put the lie to that old story. Let’s be a different kind of Christian, world-changing Christians, starting now.

Read lots more in this week's Life @ The Crossing blast here.

welcome back

How I've longed to write something beautiful and deep in this, my back-to-church community blast. But part of returning to church after time away is that there is sooooooooo much to do!

So here is everything you need to know about the coming weeks at The Crossing, in more or less chronological order. Enjoy the ride ...

this week

THIS THURS. @ 6-7:30pm / Worship

We return to the Sanctuary for Eucharistic celebration. Come see the face of Christ shining back at you.

THIS THURS. AFTER WORSHIP / Fajitas 'n Ritas

We share good, cheap food and community just around the corner from church. It's a Crossing institution, and if it's your first time, we subsidize with $5 (you'd be amazed what you can get for that much).

coming up @ the crossing

THURS., 9.29 @ 6pm / 5th B-day Worship Party on Boston Common

Show some Christian love to the entire city, as we celebrate 5 years of ministry with worship party on Boston Common. Bring friends, bring strangers, bring some potluck and get ready to worship and share food and blessing with our city.

Download the invite here. Pass it around!

CONTACT Vicki at Vicki@thecrossingboston.org or Valerie at Valerie@thecrossingboston.org for info and to help out. 'Cuz this party will take a whole village!

READ A WHOLE LOT MORE IN THIS WEEK'S "LIFE @ THE CROSSING" BLAST.

did someone say barbecue?

Why yes, Cara Mancini welcomes everyone to South Boston on Enjoy all this AND prayer @ Cara's house on Thursday Thursday evening for House Church AND barbecue. Come for the food (and bring some drinks and desserts, too). Come for the music: Cara is a terrific musician and so is her dad, and they can't wait to lead us all in Evening Prayers. RSVP to Cara at cara.v.mancini@gmail.com- good to plan for a crowd :) I'm back from vacation and looking forward to a rockin' good time with you all in Southie. I can't believe summer is nearly over, so one more barbecue sounds like a really good idea to me. So bring friends, kids, pets (um, I think), and join us by the water.

Read the rest of this week's email blast for lots more details.

summer church = house church

This Thursday at 6pm we return to our August tradition of doing "House Church" at members' homes. Newlyweds Leigh Foster and Kelsey Holmes are opening their new home in Brookline tomorrow evening; please join for a house blessing, evening prayer and yummy munchies. ANYONE in The Crossing community is encouraged to come to House Church. Follow the link below for the main email blast to get details and PLEASE RSVP as soon as you know you're coming. Hosts like to plan for guests :) Because I'm a mean person, here's a picture of the sunset from Menemsha, a lovely fishing village here on the Vineyard. I'll be there praying y'all up on Thursday night :) Sending you big love from the Little Rev ... The blessing of sunset at Menemsha Beach

Read the whole Life @ The Crossing email blast here.

summer update -- this'll be quick!

Why so quick? Because this is Day 1 of my vacation, and the beaches of Martha's Vineyard beckon! But church goes on in my absence, and there's plenty to share for this week and the weeks ahead: Please give Bishop Gayle Harris lots of love, as she comes to serve as guest presider this Thursday (what does it say that this is the first time a bishop has presided at The Crossing? Hmm ... not touchingthat one). Plan to join our weekly House Church gatherings in the month of August. Each Thursday at 6pm, we'll shift to a different member's home to share prayers, food, community and whatever the host wants to toss into the mix. Read on for locations and stay tuned to this weekly blast for even more details. Even on the beach, I promise to keep in touch :) READ THIS WEEK'S FULL LIFE @ THE CROSSING E-BLAST: CLICK HERE.

baby, you're a firework

It was so much more than a fireworks display, and I think most Boston's Fireworks people knew it. There we were, 500,000 of us staring up into the heavens, in complete awe at the miracle unfolding far above us. A collective "oooo" - rather like an "amen" -- erupted spontaneously from the crowds. Our necks hurt from craning to see the spectacle. Our faces hurt from the goofy grins plastered there for 20 solid minutes, the length of Boston's massive fireworks show. It's hard not to think of God and church at a time like that, and that's true for me (the priest) as well as for the mostly non-religious, not-even-especially-spiritual people with whom I spent the 4th of July. As we walked back, Sam talked about the "beatific" smiles on everyone's faces (beatific, as in saintly, filled with light). Steph talked about how cool it was to feel so small next to something so huge, and how rarely we experience that, especially in the city. I chimed in, "Kinda like when you're in one of those huge, Gothic cathedrals." And they all said, "Yeah, like that!" Why invite someone to church? Because part of living well as a human being is getting perspective on where we are in the grand scheme. We need moments when we feel utterly connected to each other and to the great transcendent reality just beyond our reach. We need moments to say "ooo" together, and moments to say "amen." We need to feel the sizzle that reminds us we're alive, and to look around and see bright, joy-filled faces around us, in spite of the crumbling world around us. We're children of God, each filled with the Spirit as bright as any firework. I don't know about you, but I need all the reminders I can get.

Click here to read all of this week's Life @ The Crossing e-news blast.

got pride?

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 (click here for the flyer and details). 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

Click here to read the whole Life @ The Crossing weekly email update.

you belong here

What does it mean to belong to The Crossing? What does it mean to be a member? On Thursday, June 2, we'll have a Ritual of Commitment for people who want to join. But what does joining even mean?

That's a question we've mulled intensely for the last three years. The leaders of our Community Circle met over fried chicken and waffles Monday night, and Michael Zahniser, who is establishing our new Crossing house in Jamaica Plain, broke the whole idea of belonging wide open for me. He said, "We're a community that tries to hold people loosely, but membership is about wanting the community to hold me tighter."

Right. We focus so much on how transient our community is, but the fact is that everybody needs to be held, to have people love you enough to expect more of you. We worry about making heavy demands on busy people and asking too much; but maybe I want someone to ask me to stick, want to be held more tightly. You can only roam and skim the surface but so long.

Our Rule for Real Life is the primary way that we hold one another as we seek to live the Jesus Way more intentionally in our everyday, messy, mucky lives, and now we've surrounded it with more relational structures so it's got some power. Details are below, but just plan to come out next Wednesday, May 25, to learn about membership and commitment at The Crossing. Then, on June 2, you're invited to take on the Rule and to take up practices that bind us to one another and to God.

Moving away soon? Member of another Sunday church? You still need to know there is a community sending you with blessing and continuing to pray for and hold you. It's what we all need to thrive ... not just as Christians but as human beings.

Never doubt it: You belong here.

Read this week's entire e-news blast here.

how radical is YOUR welcome?

Radical welcome is easy to talk about. It's easy to write about in your Rule of Life. Last Thursday, we got to the hard part: the practice of radical welcome.

A man - we'll call him Pete - took a seat in the pews, and I invited him to join us around the altar for worship. He seemed engaged enough, until I finished offering the reflection, a meditation on the first commitment in our Rule of Life, the commitment to practice Radical Welcome (embracing the gifts and voices and wisdom of The Other, such that we and our communities are changed).

When we opened for comments, Pete spoke up, said he didn't understand how we could call ourselves Christians if the women were sitting with their heads uncovered. Then he questioned how faithful we could be to the Bible, considering we have a woman minister.

It could have degenerated into a shouting match. People could have ignored him, frozen him out or shut him down. Instead, throughout the rest of the evening - including during Open Space and later at Fajitas n Ritas - I saw person after person engage truthfully, lovingly and energetically with Pete. Folks offered their stories and their love of the Bible and of God, and welcomed him to share his passion for God and reverence for God's word, and how all that had led him to our door. It became a teaching moment, and yes, Pete did quite a lot of the teaching.

Will he be back this week? I hope so. Not because I want to slam his logic and convince him that "we" are right, not because I expect he'll convince me that women shouldn't be priests, but because walking together is bound to expand all of our hearts. And because - sigh - the only way we're gonna get to the kingdom is together.

Click here to read the full Life @ The Crossing email blast for May 4. It's got even more articles, news and updates.

a holy week surprise

Surprise. Holy Week is many things - beautiful, arresting, heart-

Click image; link to flyer

breaking - but "surprise" is not one of the words we associate with this annual ritual observance. We know how this story goes, right? As of Palm Sunday, Jesus had entered Jerusalem. As of Thursday, he will have shared a Last Supper with his friends, and then he will enter the garden to await the horrors ahead. On Good Friday, he will be crucified. Then early, early on Sunday - basically Saturday night - everything turns, the world changes, and there's a whole new story to celebrate.

Not surprising. And yet, as you walk through this week, I pray that you will be surprised. Allow yourself to visit the texts, no matter how familiar they may be to you, with fresh ears and an open heart (see bottom box for art and links to readings for Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday). Allow yourself to grieve for our brother, God, Jesus, who suffers the unimaginable and then dies a death you wouldn't wish on the world's worst criminal. Let your tears surprise you. And if some part of you has been slowly dying and falling away, but you've been gripping it in desperation, imagine letting it go. Imagine what else God has in store.

Jesus' journey may look the same every year. How we walk with him, how we inhabit his story - that is what keeps changing. There is always some other part of you that needs to die, and some part of you that God is just about to resurrect. And you usually have no idea.

Surprise. And amen.

Read the whole "Life @ The Crossing" newsletter HERE.

a good word from north carolina

I write to you from the Episcopal House of Bishops meeting in North Carolina, where I'm serving my first term as Chaplain to the House. (Jason Long and Arrington Chambliss presented Saturday and set it off right!). It's insanely intimidating to be one of two priests providing pastoral support, organizing liturgies and preaching multiple sermons to the gathered body of nearly 200 bishops. But last Thursday night, before I left for North Carolina, The Crossing community did a laying on of hands for me. Folks stretched out to touch my head and shoulders, or the shoulder of the person closest to them, and Kevin Vetiac prayed an amazing Holy Spirit-filled prayer over me. I took that power, and stories from our community and images of your faces, with me to the House.

It's been a beautiful and heartening experience walking with the bishops and praying with them as they cast a vision for what's next in the life of the Episcopal Church. If I've preached well, listened well, loved well in my time here, it's because you are with me and I'm representing the hope we find in Jesus Christ at The Crossing. So big thanks to God and thanks to you. And now, back to the bishops ...

Read the whole Life @ The Crossing blast for this week: click here.

welcome to the village -- as in, the episcopal village gathering

I'm sitting in the kitchen with my friend Ian Mobsby, priest to the Moot community, our sister church in London, and the big speaker for this

our friends @ moot

weekend's big ol' Episcopal Village conference at the Cathedral. Ian and I are co-editors for the slammin' book Ancient Faith, Future Mission: Fresh Expressions in the Sacramental Traditions. But we've just finished shopping at Trader Joe's (he's amazed at these American stores), and now we're eating soup and talking the future of church on our respective continents. I can't

wait to welcome everybody else into the conversation this weekend. It's gonna be good!

The Background: The Crossing is helping to throw a Spring Learning Event/Episcopal VillageMission Event on Saturday, March 5, from 9am to 4:30pm. Presenters are coming from all over the country (inc. Karen Ward, exec. director of Episcopal Village; Tom Brackett, staff officer for Church Planting and Fresh Expressions for the Episcopal Church) and around the corner (including Jack Jenkins on Social Media; Isaac Everett on Emergent Psalms; Rev. Steph Spellers on birthing a fresh expression in a conventional church; Jason Long and Arrington Chambliss on intentional Christian community; Nicholas Hayes and Marisa Egerstrom on organizing for the earth). Think of it as one big village gathering of practitioners and dreamers and activists and lovers of God's dream.

Many of you are volunteering, providing homes for out-of-town guests, presenting on your own work and visions, and I'm so grateful for this outpouring! Even if you're just tuning in now, get registered and come. Cuz it takes a village to embody the dream of God.

• You can register for Saturday here.
• You can check out and print or share the flyer here.
• You can attend the Saturday event plus a pre-conference talk with Ian Mobsby in a cozier setting on Friday at Episcopal Divinity School in Cambridge (same registration site).
• You can experience worship Moot-style at EDS' Thursday 12:15pm Eucharist (no registration necessary).

That's one piece of the news, but click here for the whole weekly news blast.

mission possible

It's easy to think of church as an institution, but it's also a movement: a body of people pursuing the radical, world-changing, compassionate

check it out: www.episcopalvillage.org

mission of God. And next Saturday, right here at the Cathedral, you'll see the movement in full bloom.

The Crossing is helping to throw a Spring Learning Event/Episcopal Village Mission Event on Saturday, March 5, from 9am (ouch!) to 4:30pm (ah, that's more like it). Presenters are coming from around the corner and all over the country, with a keynote speaker -- our friend Ian Mobsby, author and priest to our sister church in London, the Moot community -- coming from the UK. The whole point is to explore the many, many, many ways communities around us are sharing the gospel and forming sustainable Christian communities in a changing world.

How can you engage this amazing gathering?

• You can register for Saturday here.
• You can check out and print or share the flyer here.
• You can volunteer + attend free by writing to me here: revsteph@thecrossingboston.org.
• You can attend the Saturday event plus a pre-conference talk with Ian Mobsby in a cozier setting on Friday at Episcopal Divinity School (same registration site).
• You can experience worship Moot-style at EDS' Thursday 12:15pm Eucharist (no registration necessary).

And as long as you're following links, read the week's entire email blast here!

small groups, big deal

It's deceptive to call them "small groups." These small gatherings make such an incredible difference in so many people's lives and to our whole community. Now that I've been part of one (bonafide member of the Faith Transitions group in the fall), I can tell you that I don't know a better way to become true companions; share practices, hearts, hopes & resources; and really commit to each other's transformation into Jesus-people.

Cuz here's the thing: We can talk about it. Uh huh. We can begin to make the connection in worship. Yes. We can spread it in action. Of course. But these committed cells are where new life-faith life-real life all shift into hyper drive.

So wherever you are as part of The Crossing community, please look at the offerings below. Listen for God. Contact a leader for more details. Mark your calendar. And step out on faith. You're gonna find some beautiful, transformative relationships -- and more of God and more of yourself -- along the way. It's the whole secret of following Jesus :)

Follow this link for the word on Small Groups and the rest this week's Life @ The Crossing email-blast ...

the annual report

Every year, I write a report to the Cathedral Church of St. Paul, letting our wider Cathedral family know what we've been up to in the past year at The Crossing. It's by no means exhaustive -- I've got one page to sum up a whole year! But as I sent it to the Cathedral administrator, I thought, "Hmm ..., maybe folks in our own community would appreciate this update, too?"

So here it is: The Annual Report! One page that begins a conversation about the ways we've been stretching, praying, committing and partnering over the last year (hence the artwork to the right: Joseph Holston's "Sun Warms Free Men", which says all those things to me). Please read and then feel free to reply and share what YOUR highlights have been over the last 6 or 12 months and what you hope we'll take up in the year to come ...

Link here to the full Life @ The Crossing e-blast, including the Annual Report ...

and we're back!

It's not that I stopped sending out regular postings to our community. I've just been doing it using Constant Contact. Alas, there's not the easy post-to-blogger as you post-to-gmail function with this new service. So I've been woefully out of touch with anyone keeping tabs on our community via this blog.

So here's my promise: From now on, I'll provide 1) the opening thoughts from the community e-blast and 2) a link to the webpage where the new "newsletter" is kept.

Sound good? Here goes! First, to get back into the flow, here are some recent links:

December 30, 2010: Children of the Light

January 4, 2011: What Can I Give?

And here's the opening and link for today's posting:

January 12: Tweet Tweet

I hope most of you enjoyed a much deserved Snow Day today. Some of us -- especially telecommuters like me -- worked the same as always. So unfair! But the grace is that I hit send on the edits

One good book! Tweet If You [Heart] Jesus

for a new book that kicks church booty: Elizabeth Drescher's Tweet If You [Heart] Jesus: Practicing Church in the Digital Reformation.

Will being the editor for this book finally force me to carve more time for Facebook, get a Twitter account and write a more meaty blog? I'm guessing no (but hey, miracles happen!). It has certainly stirred my thinking about the extraordinary community that meets, gathers, shares, prays and nurtures each other in social digital space. And it makes me wonder what the physical church can learn from all of you who are making authentic community happen online, or enriching your face-to-face community with a commitment to listen, attend and connect digitally.

I could tell you more. Instead, you can click here and go to Elizabeth's homepage.

The book comes out later this spring. The revolution has already begun. Can we keep up?

what a difference a week makes!

With Transgender Awareness Week starting this weekend AND Homeless Youth Awareness Month going throughout November, it made sense to invite our Minister for Justice and Action, Vicki Morte, to give us all some background and inspiration. Take it away, sister ...

As a community, we’ve chosen some specific ways to pray and act around injustices that threaten the lives of our friends and neighbors. We stand in solidarity as allies and members of the GLBTQ community. We're also developing partnerships to support young, homeless people in the city of Boston. This week is a huge week for action around both of these issues.

Over the last decade, the number of deaths due to transgender-based hate or prejudice has risen monthly. The numbers are likely to keep rising, as even a progressive state like Massachusetts still offers no explicit legal protection for the Transgender Community. One bright light is Transgender Awareness Week, which begins this weekend. It started with one day -- following the 1998 murder of transsexual woman Rita Hester here in Boston, the International Transgender Day of Remembrance was established to memorialize all those who lost their lives due to hatred and ignorance.

The day has expanded into an empowering week of outreach and education. From November 13–20, the city of Boston and others across the nation will have the chance to be a part of Transgender Awareness Week. The Crossing will provide welcoming and loving space as the host site for the Day of Remembrance service here in Boston, and for other events throughout the week.

At the same time, the number of homeless youth in the United States stands somewhere around 1.5 million, and it has been estimated that up to 40% of these homeless young people identify as LGBTQ. Recent reports approximate that every day 13 youth die on the streets. To address this growing epidemic, Congress declared November National Homeless Youth Awareness Month. We're taking action by partnering with Bridge Over Troubled Waters and Join the Impact, two local groups that provide support and advocacy for homeless teens and young adults. We want to step forward as loving supporters of these young people, even as we move to end youth homelessness in this country.

As these two important times intersect, we’re joining the movement in Boston to act up and out against injustice, returning hate with love to end discrimination and violence. Please support what's unfolding this November with your presence, your prayers, and your hope.

this week @ the crossing

• TODAY: Cambridge/Somerville Neighborhood Group @ 7-9pm at Beth Graham's house
• THU: Crossing Paths @ noon in front of Cathedral
• THU: Worship @ 6-7:15pm
• THU: Everyone Does Theology after worship -- topic: Jesus
• SAT: Join the Impact action on Boston Common with homeless LGBT youth
• SUN: Faith Transitions Group @ 6-7:30pm at Cathedral
• SUN: Sexuality & Faith Group @ 6-7:30pm at Cathedral
• AS NEEDED: Communion Delivery

worship: where we fall in love with God

Worship / Thursdays @ 6pm

This Thursday Kevin Vetiac offers a reflection on Luke 21:5-19, while Ben Whaley and Vicki Morte tag-team on the spiritual practice: encountering The Other as Christ.

If you joined us last week, you witnessed a moving profession of vows by Adwoa Lewis-Wilson, who became an oblate in the

Order of St. Julian of Norwich. The order is based in Wisconsin, but we're privileged to serve as the local community that supports her in this deep commitment to the Jesus Way. Click the link above to learn more about the Order.

• WAY BEFORE WORSHIP: Come anytime between noon and 1pm for Crossing Paths. Crossing folks reach out and share art and spiritual practices with the city. (details under "action")
• BEFORE WORSHIP: Creative juices flow! Help set-up for worship at 4:45pm. CONTACT Cara at millsc@diomassintern.org to volunteer regularly!
• AFTER WORSHIP: Community Potluck Dinner -- bring a dish inspired by your ancestors (details under "community")
• 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

Communion Delivery / New offering!

Got a Thursday night class or work, and it's keeping you away from The Crossing worship? Going through a rough work stretch and can't make a couple of weeks? The Worship Circle is helping to knit all of us together as a body by organizing communion delivery to your house, class ... wherever you need some Jesus! To request communion, help with delivery or just get info, CONTACT Ben at ben@thecrossingboston.org.

Thanksgiving Worship and Dinner / Thu., Nov. 25 @ 6pm at Rev. Steph's house in Cambridge

Yes, we'll have our annual Thanksgiving feast for The Crossing community. Plenty of turkey (maybe some tofurkey, too). If you'd like to help cook, set-up, welcome, etc., CONTACT Rev. Steph at revsteph@thecrossingboston.org. RSVP by Monday, Nov. 22.

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

AFTER WORSHIP

THIS Thursday,

Nov. 11 / Everyone Does Theology -- Topic: JESUS

Second Thursdays, we settle in to learn and kick around deep thoughts on the big religious questions Christians have wrestled with for millennia. The series that will guide our exploration:

Embracing an Adult Faith, featuring progressive theologian Marcus Borg and a host of regular folks talking about all things faithful. CONTACT Keith at keith@thecrossingboston.org.

Thursday, Nov. 18 / Open Mic Night with Transcriptions

For the second year in a row, during

Transgender Awareness Week we open our doors to co-host a night of creativity, music, poetry and general fierceness. Our partner is Transcriptions, an open mic night in Jamaica Plan that's especially geared to welcome the voices of transgender and other queer folks. Sign up to share a poem, a song, a reading. And plan to stay for this AMAZING night! CONTACT Penny at penny@thecrossingboston.org.

Thursday, Nov. 25 / Thanksgiving Dinner

Ordinarily, 4th Thursdays equal Education for Action, a gathering hosted by the Justice and Action Team. But on Thanksgiving, everybody's welcome to Rev. Steph's house to celebrate the holiday. See details under"worship."

Thursday, Dec. 2 / Community Potluck Dinner

Every first Thursday, we share a good, old-fashioned church potluck! Bring a dish, drink or dessert AND bring a friend. Done by 9pm @ the latest. Got questions or want to help with set-up/clean-up? CONTACT our resident chef, Stephen Gire at

stephengire@mac.com.

SMALL GROUPS

Neighborhood Groups: share prayer, food, community and service with neighbors

Cambridge/Somerville Neighborhood Group

Date + Time: THIS WEDNESDAY @ 7-9pm (every other week)

Location: Beth Graham's house in Porter Square: 38 Berkeley St, Apt. 5, Somerville

Commitment: Open to newcomers, but all who join should commit to attend regularly

Contact: Beth at ElizabethLGraham@gmail.com or 617.767.1969 -- to RSVP

Brookline/Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Group

Date + Time: CONTACT ALEX & LEIGH TO TALK DATES

Location: Alex Froom's house -- 118 Winchester St., Brookline

Commitment: Open to newcomers,

Contact: Alex alexfroom@gmail.com or Leigh at lsfoster83@gmail.com.

Journey Groups: share around common hopes and struggles on the faith journey

Faith Transitions

Focus: Dealing with big shifts in the way we understand God, Jesus, church, theology and more

Date + Time: Sundays @ 6-7:30pm

Commitment: Open, but consistency appreciated to deepen experience for all participants

Location: Cathedral, Lawrence Room (1st floor, off reception area)

Contact: Rudy at rpreyes2@gmail.com

Faith and Sexuality

Focus: Explore the intersection of gender, sexuality, our bodies and our faith

Date + Time: Sundays @ 6-7:30pm

Commitment: Closed group

Location: Cathedral office building (5th floor conference room)

Contact: Andres at andres.castro.samayoa@gmail.com

Praying Our Lives

Focus: Prayer, practice and integrating Christian commitment into the whole of our

Date + Time: Every other Tuesday @ 6-7:30pm (Nov. 16, 30; Dec. 14 -- break for Christmas, restart in January)

Commitment: Covenant group, so closed after first few gatherings

Location: Cathedral office building, 5th floor conference room

Contact

: Adwoa at adwoalw1@gmail.com or Bill at billcomerjr@gmail.com

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

bridge over troubled waters

Bridge

is an amazing organization literally around the corner from the Cathedral. They work with homeless youth and young adults, offering tutoring, shelter, meals, counseling, fun, safe space and more. Here's how we're partnering with them this Thanksgiving ...

Make Thanksgiving decorations /

Saturday @ 4:30-6:30pm in Brookline

Thanksgiving celebrations are usually pretty minimal at Bridge, but we’re helping to spruce it up.

Join us in making festive decorations. Supplies will be provided.

Bring a snack and/or a friend! LOCATION:

Vicki Morte's house in

Brookline (40 Prescott Street, near St. Mary's stop on C line or BU Central on B line).

CONTACT Fiona at fionabcampbell@mac.com.

Help with decorating and serving at Bridge / Wednesday, Nov. 24

The Bridge Thanksgiving meal takes place the day before the official Turkey Day. CONTACT Fiona to help with decorating and service that day.

crossing paths

THIS WEEK: Ignatian Jenga / Thursdays at 12-1pm

Drop-in with Crossing folks as we share art and spirit with the city. This week,

NOTE: Can't make Crossing Paths? The same practice will also be featured during Open Space on Thursday nights.

transgender awareness week

Lots happening all week -- check out the full calendar at www.masstpc.org. Here's what we're co-sponsoring:

SATURDAY @ noon-4pm: Join The Impact on the Common (look for the tent)

We're supporting JTI as they launch a campaign to educate and advocate for Homeless LGBTQ Youth. JTI has complied a comprehensive fact sheet with current numbers, statistics and information, along with all upcoming events related to youth homelessness and the queer community. The event will feature speakers addressing current legislation and shelter services and offering ways to be more deeply involved. CONTACT Vicki at vicki@thecrossingboston.org or Dani at morellda14@gmail.com.

THURSDAY after worship: Transcriptions/The Crossing Open Mic Night

Transcriptions is a queer-friendly Open Mic Night that usually happens in Jamaica Plain. For the 2nd year, during Trans Awareness Week, we'll welcome members of the Transcriptions community to worship and then co-host an open mic night after worship. Open Mic runs from 7:30-10:30pm in Sproat Hall (Cathedral lower level). Admission: $5-10 sliding scale -- all proceeds will benefit Bridge Over Troubled Waters. Everyone is welcome to perform! Each performance will run 3-5 minutes.

How to help? Step 1: CONTACT Penny at penny@thecrossingboston.org. Then ...

-- Come ready to perform: share a poem, sing or play a song, tell a story, paint a picture in real time -- all offerings welcomed!

-- Come early to help with set-up

-- Bring items to share at the Transcriptions Bake Sale.

SATURDAY @ 6pm: Transgender Day of Remembrance Service and Vigil

Every year on November 20, the transgender community turns its attention to its family, friends and loved ones lost to violence. A tradition inspired by the Allston vigil for slain transsexual Rita Hester in 1998, this day has become the worldwide rallying point for a community long under siege. We are proud to host this year's vigil here at The Crossing. It promises to be an inspir

ing program of speakers, community speakout, and a candlelight vigil on Boston Common, plus words from our own Bishop Tom Shaw. The program begins at 6 and the candlelight march and vigil follows immediately after. CONTACT Penny at penny@thecrossingboston.org or Vicki at vicki@thecrossingboston.org.

ALSO: During Trans Awareness Week ...
TUESDAY, Nov. 16 @ 6-8pm / In Their Own Words: A Forum on Youth Homelessness
Youth on Fire -- a Cambridge drop-in center that serves homeless youth -- hosts this moving gathering that features personal stories of homeless young people, expert commentary and info on getting involved. CONTACT Vicki atvicki@thecrossingboston.org.

behind the scenes

giving @ the crossing

We gather in a big, rich-feeling Cathedral, and we're located at the seat of the Diocese of Massachusetts. But when it comes to finances, we're actually a tiny operation doing God's work on the cheap: about $100K funds EVERYTHING we do (salaries, programs, admin, music team, outreach). Simple fact is, giving from our community makes The Crossing possible. It's also a spiritual practice that can change your life. To learn about regular giving, CONTACT Lura at lura@thecrossingboston.org.

NOTE: We need to raise $4,500 to close the funding gap in the next two months. If you haven't contributed, please prayerfully do so NOW.

Big blessings in all your prayers, your struggles and your dreaming ..