Member Care
Caring for one another’s spiritual, emotional, and physical needs in Christ.
“that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together”
— 1 Cor. 12:25-26
Diaconate Care
The diaconate exists to serve our church family by meeting practical needs through deeds of service and the ministry of mercy.
Financial Assistance: Offering temporary financial assistance, as a way of supporting your flourishing in Christ.
Practical Support: Coming alongside members and regular attenders to:
Encourage biblical stewardship of resources
Plan wisely for the future
Experience gospel-shaped community
Move toward wholeness in Christ
Our Goal: Our goal is to see a care recipient’s situation change over time until diaconate care is no longer necessary.
Please direct any questions to diaconate@citylifeboston.org.
Meal Trains
The diaconate coordinates care during life events like caring for a newborn, an injury or illness, etc., by providing meals (doordash, drop-offs, etc.) with members of our community.
If you or someone you know at Citylife could use some help, please contact Karen Lau (karen@citylifeboston.org), a member of our diaconate.
Pastoral Care
The pastors at Citylife are here to walk alongside you in every season of life - for counseling, spiritual guidance, or prayer. If you’d like to talk to one of our pastors for pastoral care please contact us below set up a time to meet with one of our pastors.
If you would like trauma-informed care or want to talk to a female ministry staff member, please reserve a time with Nam Hee Kim our Director of Justice & Mercy Ministries.
Engagement and Weddings
Premarital Counseling
Premarital counseling is an opportunity to prepare not just for your wedding day but for a lifelong marriage. Together with one of our pastors, you’ll explore various topics to build a strong foundation for life as husband and wife. Our desire is to help you enter marriage with wisdom, grace, and confidence in the gospel. The couple must participate in at least four sessions of premarital counseling (each 1–1.5 hours), led by the officiant. Sessions may be adapted (fewer but longer) depending on schedules but must be arranged in advance.
Wedding Officiating
Outside Counseling Services
We believe that biblical or licensed clinical counseling is a valuable resource for and partner with the local church in providing care for our people. For Christian counseling, contact:
Diaconate Subsidy: For members and regular attenders of Citylife, the diaconate offers counseling subsidies of up to $500 per person for counseling. Harbor Christian Counseling offers a discounted rate at $100/session for Citylife, but the diaconate subsidy is not limited to Harbor Christian Counseling or even Christian counseling. Please complete the intake form to request assistance or email diaconate@citylifeboston.org.
Additional financial assistance for counseling can be requested and will be reviewed by the diaconate according to our standard care policy.
Healing and Restoration
Resources for healing, abuse, and sexual violence.
Healing Cohort
The Healing Cohort is a fellowship of believers that walks together to seek healing from hurts, recovery from addictions and freedom from secret sin, for lives wholly surrendered to Jesus. Loosely based on the principles of Celebrate Recovery and other 12-step programs, we invite God and each other into the spaces that we struggle to give fully to God, that we keep in the dark, or away from church and from others.
Our Cohorts have included people who brought:
Hurts—from growing up, sexual violence, abuse, betrayal, trauma
Unwanted behaviors and sin—abuse of substances, misuse of food, unwanted sexual behavior, and other captivating sins
Other burdens—depression, anxiety, lack of spiritual flourishing
On the 2nd Sunday of January each year, we hold an orientation for those interested in learning more. The Cohort runs for 8 sessions, on the 2nd and 4th Sundays from January through May. For more information, email Nam Hee Kim (namhee@citylifeboston.org), our Director of Justice & Mercy Ministries.
Abuse and Sexual Violence
No scripture condones the physical, sexual, emotional, or spiritual abuse of an image bearer. If you have questions about or would like to receive care for an experience of shame, abuse, neglect, gender-based violence or stalking, please reserve a time with Nam Hee Kim (namhee@citylifeboston.org) our Director of Justice & Mercy Ministries.