From Our Search Committee!

Rev. Megan
Berkowitz

Rev. Amy
Clark Feldman

 Search Committee
May 3, 2024


We are delighted to celebrate the pastoral installation of Reverend Megan Berkowitz this Sunday, May 5, at 3:oo p.m. in the UCW Sanctuary.

We have been on a wonderful journey which began in February 2022 with the Transition Team and their work to identify who UCW is now, who is our neighbor, and who is God calling us to be. Their work set the foundation for our search which concluded in March 2023 with the selection of Megan. On Sunday April 30, after a beautiful worship service, our congregation voted unanimously to call Megan to be our Senior Pastor, and she started leading our congregation shortly after in August 2023.

We, as the Search Committee, were searching for a candidate who exhibits strong pastoral leadership skills and who could minister across faiths, someone who is passionate about extending our ministry beyond the doors of our church to our neighbors locally and globally, someone who values youth ministry and faith formation, and someone who could help us to grow to become a more inclusive and welcoming church. We are blessed that we found all of this and more in Megan. She is the candidate we all felt being called to us over all others. Reflecting on our time together, we could not be happier or feel more blessed that we found each other.

In this process, we learned about ourselves, formed lasting bonds with each other, and experienced UCW in ways we hadn’t previously. Most importantly, we got to know Megan and got to see her enter our ministry and lead our wonderful congregation into a new chapter of spiritual growth, fellowship, and service.

Having Megan and Leila as part of our church family is a joy and an honor and we invite everyone to celebrate her installation with us!

With gratitude,
The Ministerial Search Committee

Carol Bascom-Slack (co-chair)
Buz Bedford (co-chair)
Bart Kelso
Soo Laski
Elisabeth van Reijendam
Susan Hunt Stevens
Jandi Strong-Dennis

Past Posts


  • From Our Pastors
    Pastor Megan
    January 17, 2025

    Spiritual Resilience

    Last Sunday was the first in an 8-week worship series on Spiritual Resilience, where we will together explore how tools from Joanna Macy’s Work That Reconnects and from Christian scripture and tradition can help us all to foster spiritual resilience through challenging times.

    Learn More
  • MOSAIC
    Pastor Amy
    January 10, 2025
    Last week, nearly 40 youth came from all around Newton and Boston, almost exactly one-third from the Muslim Al-Huda Society in Chelsea; one-third from the Jewish community; and one-third from Christian churches.  Learn More
  • From Our Pastors
    Pastor Megan
    January 3, 2025
    The new year is a time when many of us choose to reflect on what is behind us and what is ahead. I have a few traditions at the new year: Learn More
  • From Our Pastors: December 20, 2024
    Pastor Megan
    December 20, 2024

    Baking Christmas Cookies

    Advent is the season of Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love; it is the season of anticipation and joy in the gift of Christ we already know has entered the world and is eternally present among us; it is, for many of us, a season of parties and gift-giving and whirlwind celebrations. Learn More
  • From Our Pastors: December 8 2024
    Pastor Megan
    December 8, 2024
    Advent is the season of Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love; it is the season of anticipation and joy in the gift of Christ we already know has entered the world and is eternally present among us; it is, for many of us, a season of parties and gift-giving and whirlwind celebrations. Learn More
  • From Our Pastors: November 29, 2024
    Pastor Megan
    November 29, 2024
    UCC Professional Development Program
    I returned last week from the fall gathering of NGLI, the UCC’s professional development program for young clergy. We gather each fall in Arizona for a time of creative learning, prayer, worship, music, and more. The setting, in the desert outside of Phoenix, is an intentional choice by the program organizers. Learn More
  • From Our Pastors: November 15, 2024
    Pastor Megan
    November 15, 2024
    Congregational Meeting Recap
    Thank you to everyone who joined in the Congregational Meeting last Sunday, and particular thanks to co-moderators Susan Hunt Stevens and Susan Gedrick for leading us, and to Jaap van Reijendam for ensuring those on Zoom could take part as well. The brief workshop Leila led on 1:1s, in the GBIO and community organizing model, gave us a tool for connecting with one another more deeply. Learn More
  • From Our Pastors: November 8, 2024
    Pastor Megan
    November 8, 2024
    Post Election Interfaith Gathering
    I want to share with you a small portion of how I opened our interfaith post-election gathering, as we prepare to gather in community together this Sunday for worship and the congregational meeting. Learn More