Hope for the City (Stories from Tell Week)

Here's a powerful and wonderful account of one of our Community Group's experiences last week for the tell portion of our "Pray, Serve, Tell" theme for the fall.

Our Community Group went out to do the 'Challenging Outreach' one night last week in Boston's busy Prudential Center.The more that I do this outreach, which involves asking people about the biggest challenge they face, the more I am filled with boldness! This is largely because I am so delighted and surprised by people's willingness to open up about the things that matter most to them, even to a complete stranger, and even in academic and largely secular Boston. God is moving in this city!

As we asked people about the biggest challenges they faced, their answers moved us. Here are some of them.

• 'Going to work everyday even though I want to quit' 
• 
  
• 'Overcoming my father's Alzheimers' 
• 
  
• 'Adjusting to life in a new city'
•  
• 'Telling people that I'm adopted.' 

This simple question allows people to honestly share where they are at and opens up the opportunity to pray and be invitational with people. Last week, we prayed with a young Hindu man who was visiting Boston for a conference, invited an Asian couple to church for our Christmas services, and exchanged email addresses with a Buddhist gentleman who has since been in touch to find out more about FenwayChurch! 

Our CG had fun together meeting new people and were thankful for the opportunity to be a part of Tell Week.

To learn more about the Challenging Outreach click here.

Serve Week @ Fenway Church – The Pleasure of Serving

In the spirit of our desire to engage our communities through prayer, service and telling God’s big story, our community groups (CGs) will be serving their neighborhoods the last week of October. Below is an update and celebration of what we’re up to and why we’re doing it. 

Why We Serve 

Standing in the bright morning sun last Sunday, surrounded by college students from our church and gardeners at the Fenway Victory Gardens, I couldn’t help but think two thoughts – “why did they come?” and “this is so fun!”

A bunch of students (who probably would have preferred to sleep in) got up early on Sunday to serve at the final Community Participation Day at the Fenway Garden Society, kicking off Serve Week at Fenway Church. Rather than hitting the snooze button, they chose to sort through and clean up compost piles, plant daffodil bulbs and build and repair fences (with and for people they didn’t know). And why? My guess is that they want to be more like Jesus, who came as a servant among us (Luke 22:27).

But, I think it’s also because there is a pleasure in serving. When we give freely of our time, energy and talents to others, we experience the same love that our Heavenly Father has for us and gives us unconditionally. When we serve, we act out a quality of kingdom living, characterized by giving freely of ourselves for the benefit of others. Through service, we embody a key component of God’s character and, as God’s children, that is enjoyable and fun! 

How We’re Serving

This week, all of Fenway Church’s community groups are serving the different neighborhoods in which they meet. Here are some of the ways we’ll be serving our neighbors:

• Getting the word out about family and community services by helping Operation Peace distribute their newsletter throughout Fenway businesses and residences
• Offering warmth and love by serving free hot chocolate to residents of Jamaica Plain as they head home from work 
• Completing random acts of kindness for our neighbors in Jamaica Plain, East Boston, Quincy and Roxbury
• Preparing and sharing a meal with people rising out of homelessness
• Partnering with Abundant Grace Church to let residents in Oak Square know about their new location
• Receiving and sorting through bikes with Bikes Not Bombs for parts that will contribute to overseas economic development and programs wherein Boston youth get active, make friendships and are empowered as leaders in their community

Looking at this synopsis, I am amazed at the impact we’re having on the city! Powered by God’s love, we’ll be serving many of Boston’s neighborhoods and, in doing so, enjoying the fun of becoming more like Jesus. 

Prayer Walking

This Fall all of Fenway Church's community groups will be taking specific action steps to engage the communities and neighborhoods they live in through learning how to pray, serve, and tell together.  September's action will be prayer walking.  Below is a how to guide on prayer walking.  Enjoy!

PRAYER WALKING

What is it?

Prayer walking is simply walking through neighborhoods, observing what God is doing and what the needs of the community are, and praying into those things.

Abraham was a man who enjoyed a conversational relationship with God in which they walked and talked through prayer.  Once, God told Abraham, “Look around from where you are… Go, walk through the length and breadth of the land, for I am giving it to you” (Genesis 3:14-17). Like Abraham, we want to walk through our neighborhoods seeking out God’s hopes, purposes and plans for them.

Prayer walking uses the power of observation to understand the areas we live in so that we can more effectively pray for them.  It also gives us an opportunity to imagine and visualize how God might transform the lives of the people in a neighborhood.

This type of prayer moves us beyond our own concerns to praying directly for the needs of our neighbors.  This prayer is called intercession.

How do you do it?[1]

Pray with a Partner/Group. 

• You can prayer walk alone, but prayers are more focused when expressed with a friend. If you go as a larger group, plan to break up into groups of 2-4 so you are not disruptive to the natural flow of the neighborhood.
• Pray audibly for clarity and agreement. It may feel awkward at first, but praying aloud enables us to agree together for things. This is very important because Jesus said agreeing in prayer is vital to its effectiveness. (Matthew 18:19)
• Pray as you walk, but also find locations where you can stop to pray.

Seek to Observe. 

• Invite the Spirit of God to accompany you, guiding your steps and your words.
• Be attentive during moments of silence, allowing the Holy Spirit to help you see with His eyes and pray in accordance with His heart.
• Note the needs and demographics of the community as you walk through it.

Pray with Purpose. 

• Pray for the present-hour needs of people and places that you see.
• Pray God’s Word. You can read scriptures or sing worship songs.
• Sketch a map to focus on select streets, buildings, parks, etc.
• Pray quietly. You can be on the scene without making one. In confidence of God's unfolding purpose which includes your preparation prayer, don't look to initiate gospel conversations during your prayer walk.
• Explain what you are doing to inquirers: "We're praying God's blessing on the neighborhood. Are there specific ways we can pray for you or others?”

Review after.

• Gather your full group and write down the prayers, people, and places that seem most important before you leave or when you arrive back at your meeting place.
• Use these observations to continue to pray for the neighborhood and ask God how your group might serve the needs of the community.

---

[1] These guidelines were based on “How to Prayerwalk,” http://www.waymakers.org/prayerwalking/howto.html