Fourth Presbyterian Church

A few things that stand out about this vibrant little church nestled among two housing projects, old tripledeckers and new condos by Andrew Square in South Boston (no particular order):
1) The congregants mirror all God’s children… babies, kids, young couples, middle aged and seniors of different races and ethnicities; locals, transplants, immigrants, many income levels, workers, professionals, disabled, retirees, students. And they all seem to really love each other. The choir sings a song almost every week which seems almost like a themesong for this place: «This is the Lord’s house, everybody is welcome.»
2) Music! When I first visited, I was cynically hoping I’d find boring organ hymns instead of a lame contemporary praise band, assuming these would be the only two options. But I was thrilled to find a «third way» thriving at this church! In addition to classic hymns, the congregation and choir both embrace old American classics from both black and white traditions… gospel, shapenote singing, bluegrass, and even church-​appropriate classic r&b, rock, folk, and showtunes. But more importantly, the music seems to function in a really welcoming, community-​building way. The variety of genres and the tendency toward classic simplicity enables the choir to truly reflect the diversity of the congregation (i.e., no advanced music degree required… though some people probably have one). The perfect is never the enemy of the truly beautiful. It all works thanks to the leadership of the pastor, who is topnotch A+ on the keys, has impeccable taste (and rhythm!), and likes to see people shine at every skill level. A pretty sacred thing.
3) Activity. Any day I stop by, the church is buzzing with activity. It is a hub for children’s programs: tutoring, after school programs, large-​scale summer meals programs, theater, music lessons. It also runs a food pantry, ESL lessons, a summer teen drop in center, and lots of other random stuff. The church is very involved in broad-​based community organizing, and I find that organizing practices infuse the church as a result… perhaps helping to account for the unusually high level of integration and real relationships among the people in the community.
4) Faith. This church really challenges the stereotype that churches either prioritize «the gospel» or «social justice.» In that respect, it’s really faith put into action. The sermons are biblically rich while avoiding culture wars of either stripe. The adult Sunday School class is usually taught by Harvard/​BU seminarians or doctoral students (of which there are a good few in the church) and often get more deeply into the study of scripture, theology, or church history. But more than anything, I’ve found it to be a place where love dominates fear, and the gospel of Jesus Christ has a wide and welcoming reach.

This unassuming church is a gem. With a racially and economically diverse mix of Southie locals and Harvard-​Div-​school-​type young adults and couples, and remarkable ministry to the South Boston and beyond, I wasn’t surpised when I heard a fellow attender say «this is everything a church should be.»