February 2009 Meeting

The BBSU Supports Christian Work

This was a delightful evening of testimony and music. We heard about the work from four of the ministries that received grants from the Committee on Christian Work of the Boston Baptist Social Union. In between each testimony we were blessed with the singing of Geoff Dana Hicks while he accompianied himself on the piano.

Our meeting tonight featured just four of the ministries partially funded by grants from the Boston Baptist Social Union. We heard how God's kingdom is being advanced in these local ministries. A founding purpose of the Boston Baptist Social Union (BBSU) was to carry on the work of Daniel Sharp Ford in advancing the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ by showing God's love to the layman living and working in the Boston area. The BBSU has been doing this since 1864.

Bread of Life

Tom Feagley leads this ministry that provides food for those who would otherwise go without. This ministry is needed now more than before with the recent downturn in the economy. We learned that the ministry has increased the number of meal equivalents it provides ten fold since its inception, last year providing a quarter of a million meals. The ministry began in the Episcopol church in Malden, and later added a food pantry housed at the First Baptist Church of Malden. Mr. Feagley talked about their expansion into Everett. Now the ministry serves people in many surrounding communites.

The Boston Christian Counseling Center

Rev. Dr. Effie Sidiropolous, “Effy” to her friends, shared with enthisiasm how God has used her and her staff to bring psychological help from a Christian point of view. Many of these sessions are with those who cannot afford to pay for the professional service they receive.

Dr. Sidiropolous told us of her ministry with many of the elderly, and many times forgotten people, living in the city of Boston and its suburbs. She allocates a portion of her schedule to go these people’s homes to meet with them, listen and talk with them, learn of their needs, and find help for them.

Ethnic Initiative Ministry

Rev. Dr. Mar Imsong shared about his work in the Asian community bringing together Christian leaders and pastors who reach out to many rapidly growing ethnic people groups in our local neighborhoods. We can see that some of the fastest growing churches draw members from these groups.

Rev. Imsong has assisted pastors in achieving official standing in the American Baptist Churches of Massachusetts. He explained in Asia things are much simpler, and fewer options. In Massachusetts things are very complicated especially when it comes to ordination. His ministry has brought together over 200 people at a recent meeting. Rev. Imsong perceives his ministry as advocacy; helping dedicated Christian leaders find their way in their new homeland.

Cooperative Metropolitan Ministries - Interfaith Youth Initiative

Originally IFYI was outreach of Andover Newton Theological School (ANTS), Alex Kern led this ministry to reach out to teens in the inner city and bring them to ANTS to introduce them to Christian theology. No longer supported by ANTS the ministry is now part of the Cooperative Metropolitan Ministries (CMM). The ministry has shifted focus to provide a forum to open a dialogue among youth of all faiths, whether Christian, Hebrew, Muslim, or Budhist. The ministry states that its top priorities include

• youth violence prevention
  • poverty,
  • housing,
  • and homelessness
• protecting the rights of immigrants
  • working people,
  • and religious minorities
• confronting domestic violence
• promoting civic engagement
• promoting responses to environmental justice

CMM was founded in 1966 to address poverty, housing, and racial justice in Boston when its founders were moved by the late Dr. King's vision of a “Beloved Commmunity” for all citizens.