MBS Newsletter
With our historic building, the Old West Church congregation inherits a distinct legacy. We are both proud and humbled to be the stewards of this legacy. We carry on the tradition of innovation and advocacy on behalf of those whose voices are muffled; a tradition that was established when the original West Church was gathered on this ground in 1737. We are a living congregation with a vision of the future. Our congregation is committed to “seek the welfare of the city . . . and pray to the Lord for it;” (Jer. 33:3) for we believe that we will find our own welfare in the city, while we live here. This welfare is more than doing our bit to relieve suffering, it is a state of peace and justice for all and a living into the fullness of life for all people as a part of the reign of God and God’s plan for all creation. In contrast to our building, we are a relatively new community. Many people come to Old West while their lives are in transition. They may not plan to settle in Boston permanently, but we the people of Old West welcome them for however long they make this place their home — whether for six weeks, six months, six years, or a lifetime. Ours is a very diverse congregation in every sense of the word – age, race, economic status, education, marital status, nationality and denominational background. Yet, we all seek to be the body of Christ together as part of the United Methodist Church and the whole people of God. Although many of us come from other parts of this country and even the world, we have chosen to live in Boston. Old West Church gives us the opportunity to live our faith and mission together in Christ’s name. We do this in a variety of ways.
Worship is central to our faith and our community. We hold our regular service at 11:00 AM each Sunday, seeking to sing praise, lift our human condition, receive God’s word, and rededicate ourselves to be faithful disciples. Communion is served on the first and third Sundays of every month and on other special occasions. Our worship is dynamic and seeks to incorporate both traditional and contemporary elements, as we encourage everyone to participate. Nurture and growth is also an important part of our community. We have established a Family Ministry that focuses on the needs of children, youth, and their parents. We also believe that growth in faith and the need for nurture and support is life-long, so there are study and social groups for adults as well. Some of our study courses have included: Introduction to Christianity; Introduction to the Bible; and seasonal topical studies. Usually, our special short-term adult-study programs are held on Sunday mornings prior to the service.
Mission as service to others is an essential part of our being and history in response to the call of God. Mission projects may be long or short term. In recent years we have participated in summer work camps to build homes in Appalachia; financial support and regular volunteer service at the West End Drop In Center; and work alongside other faith organizations on a variety of social issues, including homelessness, domestic abuse, and children’s issues. Old West Church is a member and participant in the Greater Boston Interfaith Organization, which focuses its efforts on homelessness and affordable housing in Greater Boston. Old West people helped found Safe Havens (formerly Boston Justice Ministries), which provides support and guidance for victims of domestic violence. We continue to support Safe Havens in a variety of ways, including our providing office space in this building. We are also available for counseling and connecting people to United Methodist and community resources and support. Old West Church is a United Methodist Church, a part of the Rainbow Cluster, and the Metro Boston/South District of the New England Conference of the United Methodist Church.
Stewardship of our building is also a part of our mission. We believe in using all of our gifts according to God’s purposes. We are privileged to open our doors to those who serve others or share their creativity with the community; to provide religious groups beyond our congregation a place to live their faith and mission together in Christ’s name; in the areas of child care; and the arts. We do not open this house to just anyone who pays the most. We view stewardship of our facilities as an extension of our witness. That is why we provide office space free of charge to Safe Havens and welcome the Metropolitan Community Church of Boston to share our sanctuary, along with so many others. We are in continual connection with other faith communities. We are a member of the Greater Boston Interfaith Organization (GBIO), the largest faith-based community program in the Boston area. We also work with the Ten Point Coalition and FIAT (Faith In Action Together) and other groups organized around different issues. We believe that we are a part of the larger church of Christ.