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| Boston Partnership E-Update
February 2006
Dear Friends, We've enjoyed our first large "Nor'Easter" here in Boston. I don't remember anyone warning us about all the snow in New England! We are still digging out from the 18 inches we received Sunday.
Last month we told you about a building in the Fenway area. The door has closed on that property. We would have had to rely almost completely on investors. Ultimately, we feel God has prevented us from overburdening our resources early in the life of the church. While it was a great space and location, we are confident God will provide something even better. We'll keep you updated. Thanks for all your prayers.
I (Hank) recently started a part-time job at a Cafe near my apartment. Our team has been praying for ways to connect with unchurched people and I thought this way was as good as any to make new friends. It doesn't take long for questions about my "other job" to come up. People often ask, "So should I call you 'Father'?" I tell them that a few folks from back in Chicagoland (my small group) used to call me that, but they were just kidding around. So if you're ever in the South End, stop by The Buttery. I make a mean latte and a wicked good California BLT.
For the Kingdom,
Hank, Mike, John, and Phil
For the Bostonians! Our First Gathering, February 19th
We are having our first Launch Team Gathering on the 19th of this month and will continue to meet monthly. We are expecting over 30 people for the food, folks, and vision of what the church could look like. We are meeting at Boston Worship Center in the North End. This church has been especially gracious to us here in Boston. (Thanks Nick!) The doors that are opening continue to surprise us everyday and we thank God for each one. If you live in Boston, we want you there!
The Movement Introducing Tim Hawkins
 We want to introduce you to Tim Hawkins, an invaluable member of the Partnership Team here in Boston and the Director of Sojourn Collegiate Ministries.
Who is Sojourn Collegiate Ministry?
Sojourn Collegiate Ministry is a new campus ministry expression that is regionally focused (Boston), collaborative by design (Partnerships) and missional (Relational) by intent. Obviously, this makes our relationship with the Boston Partnership pretty natural.
Why would a collegiate ministry want to partner with a church?
We often refer to the university campus as the gated city within the city. We believe that college students are spiritually healthy when nurtured in the friendship of a cross-generational context and not simply people within the gates. You can never replace the experience of watching people live out their faith as parents and spouses, not to mention the love and care of older people in the community. How many great memories do we have of the "little old ladies" in the church that nurture and shape us. Real unity in a community is seen through its love in diversity. College can be one of the most self-centered times in a person's life, but a diverse church can help form a person's concern for the widow and orphan as well.
Why are you so passionate about starting college ministry in Boston?
I tell people that my not-so-spiritual reasons about Boston are that I love baseball, politics and history...so...where else would you go! To the extent that even those things have a sacred connection, they form a crossroads of my spiritual journey in Boston. With 250,000 university students at many of the world's most influential colleges, a place so ripe with political clout and a place that people from all over the world come to study and live...I honestly cannot imagine a more important place to do collegiate ministry. Even more poignantly, the number of college students living their life connected to Jesus is only a small fraction, less than 3%, of that population.
You and your wife Stephanie have four kids. How many other families have you met in Boston with four or more children?
Are you kidding?! Not many. When the Hawkins, Wilsons and Browns go to most churches, we ARE the childrens' ministry!
Prayer...
 We are so grateful for all of you that have kept us in your prayers. Here is how you can pray for us this month. Please pray...
- that God would open doors in the Fenway Kenmore Square area as we seek space for offices and worship.
- for all our new friends we're meeting at work and everywhere else.
- for more financial partners (individuals and churches) to come aboard this spring.
- for our first Gathering on the 19th.
- for our collegiate ministry partner, Sojourn, and the Hawkins family.
I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now... Phillipians 1:3-5
Quiet Revival
 Recently there was a great article about Boston in Christianity Today. It feels like we are on the brink of something significant.
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