As a pastor serving for the past twenty-five years in mostly rural and suburban areas, moving to the immigrant city of Lynn, Massachusetts was an adjustment for me and my family. It also brought a wonderful and surprising discovery – an abundance of active faith communities.
If you are from New England, perhaps you have heard the rhyme: “Lynn, Lynn the City of Sin, you never come out the way you went in.” Many view Lynn as only filled with crime, gangs, drugs, and poverty. But come to this city of seventy nations and you will also find God, faith, and many churches.
Faith has been important for almost all groups coming to America over our history. Here in Lynn, you will find a large number of new Americans, whether they are Christian, Jew, Muslim, Buddhist, or other, who bring a vitalized religious faith, a strong emphasis on family and community, and a desire to bless the city.
Why isn’t this spiritual story told more? In today’s political climate, many conservatives are fearful and hesitant of new immigrants. Progressives have been wary of the church due to past failures of leadership and hypocrisy. Immigrant churches themselves can remain insular and keep a low profile.
City of God is a multi-year documentary photography project I am undertaking that is partially funded through a grant from the Louisville Institute and includes advisory help from fellow faith leaders in Lynn. My hope is that through this project the hidden story of the immigrant church can be told for the benefit and advocacy of these faith communities themselves and also for the better understanding and appreciation of the city and region.
About Peter Balantine
Peter Balentine is a pastor and photographer who lives and works in Lynn, MA. His photography seeks to build bridges between the worlds of faith and art, through finding expressions of spirituality in the beauty, brokenness and grace of everyday life.
Peter has exhibited at the Galleries of Lynn Arts, Griffin Museum of Photography, Newburyport Art Association, Lynn City Hall, Lynn Public Library and the Social Documentary Network online. In 2021 he was awarded a grant from the Louisville Institute Pastoral Study Project for his documentary project “City of God: Understanding, Valuing and Celebrating the Immigrant Church” focused on immigrant faith communities in Lynn, MA.
Peter majored in English Literature at Boston University and holds both a Master of Divinity and a Doctor of Ministry degree from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. He has studied at the New England School of Photography, Griffin Museum of Photography and Massachusetts College of Art.
