The First Lutheran Church of Boston supports two outreach programs to the blind and visually impaired: Boston Light of the World and Lutheran Braille Workers.
Boston Light of the World
Our Mission Statement: To reach the Blind Community with the Gospel of Jesus Christ and His love through feeling His presence in all we seek to do at our center.
Boston Light of the World welcomes all in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and we want to share His love and Gospel of salvation to all who come in our midst.
Our objective is for those that are blind to be touched by Jesus's love and spread it to the world through our services by helping others develop -- not only in their physical needs, but spiritual as well. We seek to emphasize the love of Jesus Christ through our actions, making His love contagious so that all will be touched.
Fellowship & Education
Boston Light of the World is one of a growing number of Christian organizations throughout the United States that offers blind and visually impaired people opportunities for fellowship, Bible study and Christian teaching on a variety of topics.
Additionally, we offer educational opportunities for people to learn how to read and write braille, as well as training in computer-related skills.
One of our important goals is to help churches become more aware and sensitive to the needs of and issues that are faced by blind and visually impaired people. This is accomplished through a process of education and dialogue. We emphasize the importance of accessibility, showing churches how they may become a more welcoming environment for blind and visually impaired people.
>Outreach Trip to Brazil<
It's ironic that blind and visually impaired persons are often all but invisible to their sighted counterparts! This is true both in the United States and abroad.
In 2006, Boston Light of the World founders Charles Goumas and Rosalie Hoffman-Goumas, who are both legally blind, seized an important opportunity to help set in motion the first-ever organized outreach to the blind by any Christian denomination in Brazil.
Presentations and dialogue with the Goumases and The First Lutheran Church of Boston's Pastor Augusto Riss showed church leaders and laypeople of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Brazil (IELB) blind ministry's potential to meet the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of the visually impaired. And, Rosie's professional-level piano concerts reminded audiences -- or perhaps opened their minds to discover -- that many visually impaired persons have extraordinary talents to offer the Church and the community.
Please pray for God to bless this groundbreaking work to share the light of Christ with blind persons in Brazil!
Contact Boston Light of the World
Boston Light of the World's founders, Charles and Rosalie, are husband and wife and are both legally blind. They know the needs, joys, and burdens of the visually impaired firsthand and are eager to offer the benefits of their experience and their faith in Christ.
You are welcome to contact them by email: ronamoss@rcn.com (for Rosie) or coasterrider@rcn.com (for Charlie). Their phone number may also be available by request. Simply email them or contact the church (information is available both at the end of this page and at the main Contacts page, here).
About Lutheran Braille Workers
Did you know that Lutheran Braille Workers is an organization that provides Braille Bibles, and other materials for blind and visually impaired people?
The director of First Lutheran Church of Boston's program is Joan Forester. To learn more about this organization, please contact the church office to be put in touch with Joanie.
The First Lutheran Church of Boston
299 Berkeley Street
Boston, MA 02116-2001
tel:617-536-8851 fax: 617-247-9827 E-mail: flc@flc-boston.org
When e-mailing, please include "Lutheran Braille Workers" in the subject line.