Haiti Benefit Concert - Monday February 1st

ALPHA: Ever Wondered What Life's All About?

Type:	Party - Mixer
Network:	Global

Date:	Sunday, February 14, 2010
Time:	1:15pm - 2:45pm
Location:	CHURCH (Boston's newest restaurant & music venue...)
Street:	69 Kilmarnock Street
City/Town:	Boston, MA
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Description

Why Alpha?

Alpha is a worldwide phenomenon. It’s found in over 160 countries. More than 13 million people have taken this opportunity to explore the meaning of life. Perhaps it’s your turn.

What is Alpha?

Alpha is an opportunity to explore the meaning of life in a relaxed, friendly setting. Alpha Brunch will meet on Sundays @ 1:15pm for seven weeks. Each session, people enjoy great food, laughter and learning in a fun and welcoming atmosphere where no question about life or God is seen as too simple or too hostile…questions like—Is there a God? Why am I here? Where did I come from? Where am I going?

Who Is Alpha For?

Alpha is for anyone…anyone who thinks there may be more to life than meets the eye.

People attend from all backgrounds, religions, and viewpoints. They come to investigate questions about the existence of God, the purpose of life, the afterlife, the claims of Jesus and more. Some people want to get beyond religion and find a relationship with God that really changes life.

Many guests have never been to church, others may have attended church occasionally but feel they have never really understood the basics of the Christian faith. Everyone is welcome.

Hosted by Fenway Church
www.fenwaychurch.org

If you plan to attend the first brunch, an RSVP would be welcomed!

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RSVP FOR ALPHA ON FACEBOOK

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=265535634732&ref=nf

"And they devoted themselves..."

The word devotion means ardently dedicated to, giving or directing effort to a cause of activity.  Today, Americans are devoted to many things.  Ardent Red Sox fans will spend 140+ evenings watching 3+ hours of baseball.  Band junkies will spend hours a day listening to music, voicing adoration on blogs, and checking myspace and facebook fan pages every 2 hours.  Gym enthusiasts direct daily effort and dozens of hours a month to becoming fit, and we haven't even touched on the computer game addicts.

In Acts 2:42, the church was experiencing a powerful move of the Holy Spirit.  Tongues, prophecy, salvations, baptisms, and soon healings were becoming common place.  In the midst of all this, we find the church is devoted to something.  "And they devoted themselves to the apostle's teaching and the fellowship, to breaking of bread and to prayers."


I honestly believe we may be coming into a genuine move of the Holy Spirit. Our church gatherings are being touched by the presence of God and over the last months several people have been instantly healed including 2 in the last week at Boston University!

We can give our time to many activities in our culture.  As the Holy Spirit begins to move, are you prepared to sacrifice some of those activities, pick up your cross to follow Jesus, and devote yourself to gathering with your church, prayer, and reading the Bible?  For a move of God to be sustained, we need to be prepared for such sacrifices.  Interestingly, one of the Merriam-Webster definitions for devotion is "religious fervor."  Let's stir up that fervor and devote ourselves now to what God is doing!

It starts by taking time each day to read the Bible, pray, and listen to and obey the voice of the Holy Spirit.  We can do this together!

Video of Today's Announcement

The announcement to the church regarding our shift to combine the two services at 11AM and to launch out with evangelism and prayer at the 1PM time slot.



Sunday Jan 17th Announcement from Fenway Church on Vimeo.

Announcement of Shift in Sunday Structure (Text)

Today, we announced the shift from two 10:30AM & 1PM Sunday worship gatherings to an 11AM gathering.  The text of the announcement and our vision for 2010 and beyond is below.  I am excited for all God has in store for us this New Year; may his kingdom come!

Where We Have Been

Since the public launch of our church last fall, we have enjoyed God’s grace as we have tripled in size.  God promised when we launched that we would “gather quickly,” and he is fulfilling that promise.  Every day we are making progress in fulfilling our vision of transforming the Fenway neighborhood through preaching the gospel, serving our community, and forming Jesus worshipping communities in the Fenway.  We have built strong relationships with many residents and organizations like Operation Peace,  CHURCH, and other neighborhood associations.   In 2009 many members of our church community represented Jesus at block parties, service days, and after school programs.  For these demonstrations of grace we rejoice.  God has been faithful.  With thanksgiving, we now look to our future.

Where We Are Going

We started this church because God called us here to the Fenway; a neighborhood where less than 3% of residents attend church (that’s less than mainland China at 5%!) and where many residents come to study from other nations (21% of residents are international!).  We are here to reach the people of this neighborhood with the transforming message of the gospel and send church planting teams to the nations.   It has and always will be our desire for every member of Fenway Church to live out this calling to see both the Fenway and the nations saturated with the worship of Jesus.

The Immediate Future

As our leadership team looked to the future, we became convinced through the guidance of the Holy Spirit that our church would benefit from uniting together for a series of Sunday gatherings.  Our desire is that the WHOLE church would gather in ONE PLACE to worship Jesus, pray for His Kingdom to come, and mobilize for the mission God has given us.  As we have been preaching through the book of Acts, we see the power of the whole church gathering to pray, worship, and hear preaching.  We believe we are entering a season where this corporate expression of unity will propel us forward into what God wants to accomplish through our church in the Fenway.

For the next eight months our Sunday gathering will be at 11AM.  We want everyone who attends Fenway Church on Sunday to gather together as ONE corporate body at this time.  We are expecting the Holy Spirit to meet us powerfully and for the club to quickly fill with worshippers of Jesus.

We will continue to utilize the 1PM time slot to host a series of training and evangelistic gatherings over the next eight months that will focus on equipping members for mission, hosting conversational events like ALPHA, and gathering to seek God for missional ideas.  Our desire is to actively engage those in the Fenway and our city who are interested in learning about Jesus and do not want to attend a “church” service.  The 1PM gatherings should serve to share the gospel with those that would otherwise not be reached by our 11AM gathering.

The Fall and Beyond

As we look to the fall we expect our growth will result in the “re-launch” of a cutting edge 1PM service.  Throughout this year, we will work to train and form a strong launch team of thirty made up of current members and those who will be getting to know Jesus over the coming months. 

In the next 3-5 years, we will start new services, launch new meeting sites, and begin forming new churches.  We know this because God has promised us that he will “build his church,” “we will gather quickly,” and “we will impact cities and nations.”  We know that this church will welcome in many people who will meet Jesus, be transformed by his Spirit, and catch a vision for loving their neighbors, transforming this neighborhood, and going out to serve nations.  We will seek to partner with everyone who calls Fenway Church ‘home’ and with God’s global purposes as we start new works, go to the nations, and build a strong community in the Fenway that will serve to strengthen “home base” making all of this possible.

In Conclusion

We are making this shift to one corporate gathering at 11AM because we envision our Sunday gatherings as a catalyst for mission, service and evangelism.  We appreciate your flexibility, willingness to embrace change, and partnership in the mission of Fenway Church.  We invite you to actively participate in prayer, community groups, and sharing the gospel of Jesus with your friends.  

Thank you for your commitment to Jesus being known in the Fenway, in the city of Boston, and beyond.

David W., Jayan Koshy, Chris Bressoud, & Jesse Sudirgo

Fenway Leadership Team

When the Church Prays

"When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting... And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit."  (Acts 2:1-4)

"After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly. All the believers were one in heart and mind."  (Acts 4:31-32)

The power of corporate prayer gatherings cannot be underestimated.  The life and work of a church hinges on meeting together with God in the place of prayer.  Our vision to "Saturate Fenway and the nations with the worship of Jesus" can only be accomplished when we unite together in prayer as a church family.  Corporate prayer fills us with the Spirit, empowers us to speak boldly, and unites our hearts and minds together.  It is vital.

Please note the upcoming prayer gathering dates (students & 20s make special note of One Mission) and plan to attend.  We truly believe we can accomplish more together than we can alone!

Corporate Prayer Gatherings

Monday January 18 @ 7pm (Fenway Church, MLK Day)

874 Beacon Street  Boston  3rd floor

Saturday January 23 11AM - 9PM (One Mission Student & 20s conference)

77 Guest Street  Brighton  Abundant Grace Church

Click here to register (free) & learn more.

Friday January 29 @ 7pm (City-wide Gathering of Churches)

77 Guest Street  Brighton  Abundant Grace Church

Early Morning Prayer @ 874 Beacon St. 2nd Floor

Tuesdays 6am (ALL)

Wednesdays 6am (Men)

Thursdays 6am (Women)

Sunday Pre-Meeting Prayer 10AM

Room next to stage.

CHURCH IN THE CITY: CULTURE SHIFT (Jan. 10 - 24)

In the Book of Acts, the gospel shook cultures, turned cities upside down, & began to influence almost every aspect of Roman government and society. Does it still have the power to do that today?

Over the next 3 Sundays, we will discover how Paul sought to demonstrate the fullness of the kingdom of God through preaching Jesus, working in team, moving in the power of the Holy Spirit, & forming churches. Watch Paul's church planting strategy evolve as God leads him on a journey through ancient Athens, Corinth, & Ephesus and learn how we can still be done today!

Sundays January 10, 17, 24 @ Fenway Church
www.fenwaychurch.org