Wednesday, February 20, 2008

less is more

From the poet Mary Oliver:

Someone I loved once gave me
a box full of darkness.
It took me years to understand
that this, too, was a gift.

It's week 3 of Lent, the season of humility, of letting go and discovering in that emptiness a real gift. It's a hard practice to take on, so we're doing it together at The Crossing. You can join us. Each day, look over your closet, your bookshelves, your CD collection, your stuff. Each day, find one good thing you can let go of, one thing someone else could really use. Every Thursday, bring it all to The Crossing. We'll find a home for your stuff. You will discover the blessing of life less weighed down, a life with more of God, less of the rest. This is real practice for real life.

What's Going On @ The Crossing?
EVERY THURSDAY / Spiritual practice (6pm) & worship (6:30pm): Come at 6pm as Andrea leads us in the month's spiritual practice: body prayer. Worship begins at 6:30, with Hal Carter sharing reflections on the Lenten journey throughout February. Driving? We validate parking at the Boston Common Underground Garage -- $3 for the whole evening. See more at our website:
www.thecrossingboston.org (soon to be revamped!).

TUESDAYS IN LENT (2/12-3/11) @ 6-8pm / Foundations of the Faith: It's not too late to join this 5-week Lent series! Our own Rev. Steph and the other two very cool priests at The Cathedral will lead a weekly class on the big topics in faith (God, Jesus, Holy Spirit, The Bible, Prayer). Participants will explore big questions in small groups. Contact Rev. Steph at
sspellers@diomass.org or reply to this email to sign up. NOTE: If you've thought about getting confirmed in the Episcopal Church, this is great prep!!

WEDNESDAYS IN LENT & EASTER @ 7-8:30pm / Lazarus at the Gate Bible Study: Our friends in the Emergent Cohort at Harvard Divinity School are hosting a "Lazarus at the Gate" group. This discipleship group encourages those with economic privilege to seek justice in relationship with those who are poor -- starting with transformation in our own lives. Dates: 2/13 through 4/23, exc. 2/27, 3/26. Contact Anna Gerdeen at agerdeen@gmail.com to sign up. Note: These groups are sponsored by the Boston Faith and Justice Network (www.bostonfaithjustice.org).

SOCIAL JUSTICE & SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES: Want to receive word on ways to engage in AND pray for social action, service and healing? Then get on Edith's list! If you want to receive the news, email her at
edith.bross@gmail.com. And if you'd like to add something to the list -- an event, a prayer, a proposal for action -- email her that, too! There's also an open door to join the two homeless ministries we're tied to: St. Francis House (daily: contact Lynn @ lynnmcam@aol.com) and Monday Lunch Program (every Monday: contact Hal @ halcott.carter@gmail.com).

MONDAYS, 2/25 @ 6:30-8pm / Harvard Square Scripture Chat: Join us 2nd and 4th Mondays (next one is the 25th) at 6:30pm at Grendel's Den for our Harvard Square Scripture Chat. Don't know much about scripture? Fine by us. Come and discover how our stories connect with the ancient story and with God's story. Bonus: Grendel's half-price dinner menu. Getting there: JFK St., toward the river, on right, same strip as Peet's Coffee, just before Staples). Contact Chris Ashley at
chris.ashley@gmail.com or 312.451.5124.

PLUGGING INTO MINISTRY @ THE CROSSING: There's room for everybody's gifts in this community (it's part of what we mean by "radical welcome.") Connect with any of our leaders to get linked:


  • Stephanie Spellers, sspellers@diomass.org, 617.482.4826, x318 (Priest; Pastoral Care; Communications)
  • Chris Ashley, chris.ashley@gmail.com, 312.451.5124 (Scripture Chat Group; Greeting & Hospitality)
  • Edith Bross, edith.bross@gmail.com, 610.248.1734 (Justice & Service)
  • Lynn Campbell, lynnmcam@aol.com, 617.230.5272 (College Connections)
  • Hal Carter, halcott.carter@gmail.com, 425.238.0505 (Logistics and Administration; Monday Lunch Program)
  • Ben Garren, bgarren@alumni.unc.edu, 919.691.5585 (Worship/Creative Input)
  • Anna Gerdeen, agerdeen@gmail.com (Emergent Cohort and Newcomer Connections)
  • Jason Long , jason.long.1@googlemail.com, 617.519.1538 (Small Groups)
  • Ashley Merrell, amerrell@berklee.net, 330.883.9089 (Music Ministry)
  • Kirsten Wesselhoeft, kirsten.m.w@gmail.com (Justice and Service)
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