A discussion group for people involved in the child welfare system in Boston has led to collaboration as members learn from each other and better understand the system which affects their lives and directs their work.
Why I Love CUME
Would you be willing...?
Cry Out: New Music Video & Lyrics
Cry Out
This year, EGC’s annual urban ministry celebration was a bit different. Instead of a party, we sent out a gift. Straight from the heart and spirit of EGC’s creatives, this song and music video is for you to enjoy, reflect on, and share. Below you’ll find the video link, lyrics, and art photos.
Like the Christian leaders we serve, EGC is in a time of deep listening—to God and to other leaders—in this unexpected season of distancing and connecting, conserving and giving, caring and surviving. Friends, may this song inspire you to cry out to God with all that you need, as you also hear the cries of those Jesus loves.
Music Video
Cry Out. Music and Lyrics by Caleb McCoy & Jaronzie Harris. Sound Production by Caleb McCoy. Video Directed & Edited by Elijah Mickelson. Videography by Giovanni "Fugi" Acevedo and Sue Murad. Behind the scenes Photography by Rosa with R9Foto. All precautions were taken in the filming of this video to ensure the health and safety of the artists, film crew, and Boston public.
Lyrics & Photos
CALEB
See I just wanna go on record
That this is never what I expected
Take away our pride and possessions and
It’s gonna beg the question, what is anybody left with?
What do you do in a pandemic?
Who takes the blame and who gets the credit?
Some will second guess it and others will get prophetic
Some sayin’ it’s the endin’, I think it’s a new beginning
We still have abundant life, we can live it up
But when Lord speaks we should listen up
And it shouldn’t take a virus that’s killing us
To think about the elderly, the poor, and the prisoners (that’s real)
It changed the whole world as we know it
But hopefully we can learn from this moment
We need beauty from artists and words from the poets
It’s time to dive deep, like the pearls in the ocean
I know you sad Sunday service is closing
But this the best time for the Church to be potent
How can we go serve the hurt and the homeless?
Do we really believe every curse can be broken?
I think we do, so let’s see it then
Some people need food, some will need a friend
Some people need a song, go and sing it then
This our prayer ‘til we meet again, that
We need perseverance through the pain
We need God to clear it when it rains
It’s only by the Spirit that we change
So let the people cry out
And God gave a command—it was, “Love one another”
Through the hard times enemies become brothers
The only thing certain is the God that’s above us
Let the people cry out
Jaronzie
We cry out in this world where calamity’s conjectured on a curve
We confront our own fragility
Raising up petitions and repenting on our bended knees
Seeking asylum from a sickness of a different breed
Shadow of death looming long on society
But servants of the Most High still trust in His authority
Who grasps the globe in His hands? Who is the King of Kings?
Holding all of our existence in supreme dexterity
Lifting up the cup of my salvation, calling urgently
Hoping that the God who formed creation will deliver me
Resting in His promise, drawing power from the NIV
Knowing that He’s faithful so I give Him this doxology
Chorus
We need perseverance through the pain
We need God to clear it when it rains
It’s only by the Spirit that we change
So let the people cry out
And God gave a command—it was, '“Love one another”
Through the hard times enemies become brothers
The only thing certain is the God that’s above us
Let the people cry out (So we all pray together)
ALL
Let the people cry out to you
Let the people cry out to you
Let the people cry out to you
Let the people cry out
Let the people cry out to You (for healing)
Let the people cry out to You (for breakthrough)
Let the people cry out to You (for deliverance)
Let the people cry out
The Word
When the righteous cry out for help,
The Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles
The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.
Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers them out of them all.
Psalm 34:17-19
About the Artists
Caleb McCoy
Caleb writes, performs, records, and shoots videos for Christian hip-hip through his ministry called OAK. His ministry also mentors other Christian hip-hop artists in Boston. Before the stay at home advisory, you could find Caleb ministering in schools, communities of youth at risk, and sold-out concert venues across the region. The OAK albums are available on Apple Music, Google Play, Spotify, and wherever albums are sold. Caleb also is EGC’s Development Manager and teaches the EGC 101 introduction to EGC’s city ministry.
Jaronzie Harris
Jaronzie is an educator, worship leader, playwright and director who uses research and the arts to unite communities and promote justice. She is currently a scholar in the Institute for the Study of the Black Christian Experience at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and the Research & Networking Associate at EGC for the Boston Black Church Vitality Project. Before the stay at home advisory, you could find Jaronzie meeting with Christian leaders across eastern Massachusetts to bolster youth programs and develop spiritual vitality through collaboration and the arts.
Elijah Mickelson
Elijah is a storyteller, pastor, and director. He serves as EGC’s director of communications helping churches and Christian leaders tackle the complexity of the urban environment. He is also the founder of the Filmmaker Collaborative. The purpose of the Filmmaker Collaborative is to build community, encourage one another in the creative process, and explore collaboration. Contact Elijah at emickelson@egc.org.
Rosa Cabán
Rosa Cabán is R9 Foto. Rosa is a photographer who uses the arts to bring influence to communities in need of God's love. She is currently serving on the creative team in the media department at Impact Church. Before the pandemic, you could find her cooking, hosting friends, and working on projects with other Kingdom artists.
EGC FILMS
Courage for Troubled Times: The Surprising Power of Hymn Poetry
Resources for Christians Navigating Political & Theological Divides
[Video] The Power of Story: Defying the 'Godless New England' Narrative
Why Christian Activists Wait For God
From the Bible Belt to Boston: What God's Doing in New England
Choosing to Listen
What is Living System Ministry?
Emmanuel Research Review
The Emmanuel Research Review (2004-2014) was a digital journal from the Emmanuel Gospel Center’s Applied Research department that featured articles, papers, resources, and information designed to be a resource for urban pastors, leaders and community members in their efforts to serve their communities effectively. Ninety-five issues of The Review were published during its ten-year run from 2004 to 2014. On this page we offer a list of all issues published, and links to those that have been reposted to this new site.
The City Gives Birth to a Seminary
Based on an interview with Rev. Eldin Villafañe, Ph.D., the founding director of the Center for Urban Ministerial Education (CUME), this article tells the story of Dr. Villafañe’s calling to launch CUME in 1976 and how the school rapidly took shape. Dr. Villafañe recalls the fruitful synergy at work among three primary players: CUME, the Emmanuel Gospel Center, and a network of new churches emerging from the Quiet Revival.
The Process of the Gospel
The Process of the Gospel is not a program, but a model for building relationships that nurture effective, incarnational ministry, helping people experience the presence and power of Jesus Christ for themselves. By internalizing this process, Christians can be involved in loving people in some of the same ways that Jesus modeled for us in the Gospels.
A New Kind of Learning: Contextualized Theological Education Models
The challenge of dealing well with the different cultures in our modern cities is the most significant challenge facing theological schools today, according to Dr. Alvin Padilla, former Dean of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary’s Boston campus. In this issue, he begins to unravel the problem by offering several perspectives to help us move from being bewildered to better understanding what God might be doing in our cities.