South Boston, MA   02127

 

Church:  617-268-1281

Burns’s Cell phone:  617-285-0039

Email: bstanfield@hds.harvard.edu

www.fourthpresbyterian.org

Fourth Presbyterian Church

340 Dorchester Street

South Boston, MA 02127

 

BURNS-in-the-MARATHON   campaign
Text Box: RUNNING FOR OUR KIDS Text Box: FOURTH PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH Text Box: Dear Friends, Family, and Fourth Church Well-Wishers: The Boston Marathon beckons again! And this year I’m running for the kids in the Andrew Square neighborhood of Fourth Presbyterian Church, where I’m the pastor. Many of you will recall that I’ve run these 26.2 miles before, but always to raise funds to expand our building. In the last year, I’m very happy to report, we purchased the building next door, so space is not the crucial need it once was. Now, however, more young people than ever are coming in search of support and quality programs (especially youth from the nearby housing projects), so we are working hard to enhance and expand programs for children and youth. So this year, I run for our kids. In particular, I’m requesting your support for Fourth Church programs like these: · The Childrens Theater Program, which this year presented A Christmas Carol, Godspell, and an original revue of mock movie trailers. Right now we have 60 kids working on Seussical.. · Three “Harambee” groups in which teens work toward a rite of passage through in-depth conversations of life issues (friends, family, faith, relationships, school, vocation….) · The Summer Meals Program- up now to 110 kids a day for six weeks with two meals, arts-oriented programming, and a stupendous staff of caring adults. · The Mazemaker component of the summer program for pre-adolescents. It is thriving and – thanks to the new space -- now able to take more people off the waiting list. · Teen Crib - a brand new effort last summer to open our doors to teens on crucial summer evenings. This project was part of a sity-wide “summer safety collaborative” which has been credited with reducing youth crime in 2007. · And more: tutoring, Saturday Creation Station, Friday youth group, a NEW initiative to explore song-writing workshops led by Berkeley Music students, a NEW youth organizing project, expanded theater, music and art lessons….. and the great stuff that happens when local (and indeed “high-risk”) kids become part of a inter-generational community. It’s all very exciting. And of course it needs funding for staff, supplies, trips, and all the rest. So I’m running the marathon one more time! Whatever gift is possible, thank you. Your contributions are tax-deductible, of course, and together they make possible a special presence to the families of South Boston and Dorchester. Thanks, too, for your prayers and your cheers. Through those heart-breaking hills of Newton, that support makes all the difference in the world. Peace to you, Burns Stanfield PS Boston Globe photographer Dina Rudick covered our run for the church last year. You can see the 3-minute video: Go to www.fourthpresbyterian.org, click News and Fourth Notes, and go to “in the news” where you will find the marathon video. Text Box: April 13, 2008