Pastoral Letter from Rev.Dr. Jay Williams

August 2, 2025

Beloved,

I write from my hometown of Buffalo, where I’m spending a few days with my biological family. With excitement that I can worship with my Union family virtually tomorrow, I’m grateful that we’ll continue reflecting on our theme, “Extra-Ordinary Discipleship: Everyday Acts of Love and Liberation.” The scripture is true: “All who believed were together and had all things in common. And day by day, the believers spent much time together, breaking bread, eating with generous hearts, and praising God” (Acts 2:44, 46)

Tomorrow during First Sunday Worship, we will gather At Table for Holy Communion. What a gift it is to partake in the Lord’s Supper as we celebrate God’s amazing grace. And following worship, we will continue to celebrate by breaking bread together during our First Sunday Meal. These meals nourish and sustain us — especially during this time of extraordinary change and transition.

This afternoon, I write to address some of the changes in our midst and to acknowledge their impact on the Union Combined Parish. It’s an exciting time at Union — and because there is so much going on, it’s important to provide a couple updates and to speak into this season:

1. CIRCUIT RIDING CLERGY— Since July 1st, Union’s clergy team has also been pastoring two sibling congregations: Bethany First UMC (Roslindale) and St. Stephens UMC (West Roxbury). This model returns to the early days of the Methodist movement in the Americas, where a pastor served a “circuit” of congregations and moved about from place to place.

   • As part of this appointment, your clergy are leading two Sunday morning worship services and guiding three distinct congregations.

2. OLD WEST CHURCH — I must acknowledge the irony that we suspended Sunday worship at Old West in May, only to begin worship leading in West Roxbury in July. For some, this series of events is disappointing. We hear this frustration. And we remain committed to the future of Old West Church as a vibrant mission hub:

   • Our OWC Dream Session (March 2025) sketched out hopes for emerging worship and connection experiences.

   • Last month, an exciting new round of historic preservation of Old West Church began as we improve life safety and accessibility at our beautiful sanctuary.

   • Our Food Forest Stewards have been hard at work caring for the land and building beloved community.

3. UNION CHURCH — Our South End headquarters continues to be a place of welcome, vibrancy, and radical hospitality!

   • Renovation of Classroom #1 is currently underway and will be completed later this month. This reno will increase the usable space as we welcome more church and community groups to Union, including expanded youth and senior programming through our partnerships with Boston Children’s Chorus and the Age Strong Commission.

• The Grants Committee and staff are working on a historic preservation grant application (preliminary submission due at month’s end) to address the stonework and re-pointing needs.

4. SUSTAINABILITY: CHURCH COUNCIL + ADMINISTRATION — On Thursday, August 14th the Union Council will meet to continue charting our pathway forward during this time of extraordinary change and transition.

   • Our administrative committees (Trustees, Finance, Staff-Parish Relations) are working diligently behind the scenes to develop sophisticated capital, financial, and personnel plans that enact our comprehensive Strategic Missional Plan.

   • Highlights from these emerging plans will be shared at the 2025 Church Conference (congregational business meeting), which will likely occur in November.

   • For those who are concerned that there’s too much going on, we hear you. Clergy and lay leadership are faithfully working together to strengthen our position and streamline our operations.

In conclusion, let me re-turn to where I began this update letter: Gathering for Holy Communion and First Sunday Meal nourishes and sustains us — especially during this time of extraordinary change and transition.

A hymn writer said it this way: we are “In the Midst of New Dimensions” (check out a write-up on the hymn). Based on the journey of the Israelites from captivity in Egypt to freedom in the promised land, the hymn’s refrain echoes the provisions that God provides during wilderness seasons: “The Lord went in front of them in a pillar of cloud by day, to lead them along the way, and in a pillar of fire by night, to give them light, so that they might travel by day and by night. Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people”

(Exodus 13:21-22).

Indeed, the God who always provides is providing for us in this season. We give thanks for God’s grace and your faithfulness, the people of the Union Combined Parish! These are exciting times for us to be together! We covet your prayers and patience.

In love, liberation, and light,

Lead Pastor