It's one o'clock on a Sunday afternoon. The morning snow has turned into a relentless sleet, driving this faithful congregation from its usual gathering place on Boston Common to the sheltered steps of St. Paul's Cathedral across the street. It's one of the few times in its five-year history that Common Cathedral has not met in the open air around the fountain in the park.
Bundled in a winter coat, the Rev. Debbie Little lifts up her bare hands and opens a service that actively embraces the homeless community in Boston, Massachusetts. The informal group huddles together to sing hymns and read prayers from paper programs. The Rev. Debbie Little's homily is on the transfiguration of Jesus.1 She invites spontaneous comments from the congregation on the subject before sharing with them the communion bread and cup. There is more praying and singing. Then, everyone holds hands during the final hymn, forming a single circle connecting the housed and the homeless, familiar faces and newcomers.
After the service, members of Ecclesia Ministries serve lunch to those attending, with some extra sandwiches and fruit going into pockets to be eaten later. Next, quite a few in the congregation head toward a meeting room in the basement of St. Paul's for their Sunday afternoon Bible study. For some of them, a Bible is among the few possessions they carry with them wherever they go.
