Fr. Brian
received his BA in Speech Communications from Boston College and
his MA in Divinity from The General Theological Seminary of the
Episcopal Church in New York City.
The idea of a “village” church so close to my home
was very appealing. I consider Boston and specifically the Fort
Hill section of Roxbury home and the ability to find a parish with
a history rooted in West Roxbury/Roslindale in such close proximity
provided a real sense of place for me.
I also liked the idea of being part of a church or
faith community in transition. Emmanuel wanted to make changes
and it was also rooted in its history, sacred life and trusted
in God’s calling. The parish leaders were honest about who
they were, had learned a lot in the past and were open. That perspective
allows for a real adventure for growth. I felt this could be good
life and work. I thought yes, we can do this together and
it’s a good match for me.
Being part-time has its advantages, believe it or not. You can
pick a few things to focus on and jump right in. The first year
I was here we participated in the Roslindale parade which gave
us some visibility. We quickly organized a church homecoming which
brought parishioners together; we invited another parish in Dedham
to join us during Advent, to reach out beyond our immediate community.
We ran a Lenten lecture series entitled “Meeting Your Angel
of Death.” This series began with the “end” of
life in mind and focused each of us on our legacies. We offered “Moving
Movies” on Thursday nights. We’ve secured some grants
from the dioceses to make us even more visible and part of the
community this second year. Perhaps most importantly, we
learned to work together, to lead and serve as a small parish.
Simply put, in a big world, we’re a small church that remains
intimate. I believe we hold much of what that synagogue at Nazareth
held for Jesus. Our parish is a force for spiritual life that can
fill your need for an honest relationship with God in whatever
form that grace takes.
Sunday morning offers expansive Episcopal spirituality and allows
people to know your name. We welcome you without overwhelming
you. We guess well about the look on your face. People
have told me that our service is fun and meaningful. It
enables you to be intimate with the kingdom of God. We want you
to come as you are no matter where you are in your journey. We
have a place for you. You don’t even have to shave! Come
in your play clothes!
We offer the great catholic tradition of Christianity. No matter
what your religious tradition, I think you can find a spiritual
home with us. We flow and you can find your path with the living
God. We have families, single people, couples, guests, visitors—even
God’s four legged creatures join us. We offer a home with
the extended human family of Jesus. Our Kid’s Corner in the
sanctuary is great for children who want to play but still be part
of the service.
To continue the work of building the authentic relationships we’ve
started. I personally want to be more a part of the team and let
the leadership rise up. We have many individuals who have talents
to share and I want to see us listen to them about our next steps
and our direction. I look forward to continue to grow our numbers.
Our size—we are a small and varied community and maturing.
The actual physical size of our church—we can seat 140—enables
us to be intimate without being intrusive. A worshiper is never
lost or uncomfortable. You can rest with respect—but you
can’t duck!
I think we mirror the community but I would also like us to reach
out beyond just our neighborhoods, to anyone looking for a spiritual
home who is seeking to be part of a warm, friendly, active parish.
Put simply, we support you without being in your face. We try to
connect with everyone. There is room with us to connect all of
the parts of your life. And we’re like you—we have
jobs, families, life—yet we know we need to tend a beautiful
place of God—our church. This is a place to find peace, hope,
and renew your faith with God.
Anyone who wants to meet God at eye level is welcomed. Come
and see.
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