Celebrating A Year of Ministry in Boston!

We are coming up on CSM Boston's one year anniversary! It seems like just yesterday that I was starting my job here at CSM, charged with the task of opening up CSM Boston for its inaugural year in the city. To start the year, I spent much of my time getting to know Boston, its people, and its problems, finding and building relationships with various ministries around the city, and many long hours planning and scheduling out what summer would look like with actual groups in the city.

After some intense months of training for CSM, I was able to jump right in and start building relationships with local ministry partners. CSM had partnered with some sites when they brought in "test groups", like Place of Promise and Seafarer's Friend, but many other beautiful, new relationships were formed with some amazing ministries like Eagle's Nest Learning Center and New England Seafarers Mission.

As June was quickly approached, I was able to see the fruit of many hours spent scheduling groups, traveling across the city to meet with different ministry partners, and hiring a staff team to lead the groups that would come in to serve.

Over the course of the summer, we had close to 300 students and leaders from 17 different groups come through our doors! Groups from as far away as California to Canada traveled to serve here in "The Hub". They were able to serve in areas from homeless ministry to kid’s camps.

Here’s a sample of some of the feedback we received after a long summer from group participants and leaders:

"CSM challenged the way I thought and made me realize that I had been stereotyping and judging certain types of people. CSM opened my eyes and helped me to work through this.”

"I love the way faith is integrated into everything at CSM, without implying that we have it and others don't. I love the emphasis on Jesus' heart for the poor.”

"I really enjoyed seeing the city with all of its diversity. It’s an amazing city and I wish I had more time to serve here and experience the culture.”

We are overjoyed with the ministry that happened in Boston this year! God has heaped amazing blessings not only on this city, but us here at CSM as we opened our doors in our 10^th city in the US. Thank you to everyone who has been faithfully praying and financially supporting this endeavor!

We here at CSM Boston would LOVE to have you come serve with us in 2013! Please email or call 949-248-8200 to find out what dates are available.

We are still in need of more financial partners, too. Please consider giving to the Launch CSM Boston Campaign today!

- Chris Nazareth, CSM Boston City Director