City Mission Society's 190th Anniversary
An amazing day!
Almost 300 friends and supporters, volunteers and staff gathered at Old South Church on Sunday, October 1, 2006 for an inspirational service celebrating CMS’s legacy of 190 years of service to the city.
The celebration exceeded our expectations. Former campers, staff and program participates came to reminisce, celebrate and share stories about City Mission Society with one another. Members from CMS’s founding churches, Old South and Park Street, were also there to testify to their on-going commitment to the agency. All of the musical presentations were spiritually uplifting, reflecting the joy of the occasion. And we were blessed by the 45 singers from eleven United Church of Christ congregations who joined together to sing in our combined choir. The individuals who offered their Voices of Praise gave us all some personal insights into the direct impact CMS has had on their lives and their work. Each and every person’s participation in the service made for an extraordinary event.
The highlight of the celebration was the message from our guest preacher, Reverend Liz Walker. While most people know Rev. Walker for her years as a journalist and host on Channel 4 TV in Boston, others don’t realize she completed her Master’s in Divinity at Harvard and is an ordained Youth Minister.
Rev. Walker shared stories of her time growing up in the segregated South, her work in the Sudan as well as her participation in a group of clergy selected to welcome survivors from Hurricane Katrina. Each story reflected a message of hope and each reminded us that responding to the needs of our own community is an ongoing effort. As Rev. Walker told us “one does not need to go to the Sudan, or New Orleans to build God’s kingdom. They can go outside of the doors of our churches” and work for justice.
Certainly Rev. Walker’s message called to mind our own work breaking down the barriers of economic and social injustice and CMS’s commitment to these efforts in the future! .
