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 Pastor Megan
Rev. Megan Berkowitz
February 20, 2026 All of us live with loss in our lives in so many ways: the death of spouses, children, parents, and other loved ones; the loss of our own or loved ones’ capacity due to illness and aging; the loss of work or other roles that give us a sense of meaning and purpose; and so many more losses. If you are in a season of living with loss and would like to be in supportive spiritual community with others, please join us. Learn More - From Pastor MeganRev. Megan Berkowitz
February 13, 2025 Have you been following the Olympics? This year, a dear friend of mine is in Milan covering the Games as a journalist for the Associated Press, so I’ve been following the news and also her reports from being present there. It has been a lifelong dream of mine to go see the Olympics in person and having a close friend there is almost (almost…) as good. Learn More - From Pastor Megan: February 6, 2026Rev. Megan Berkowitz
February 6, 2025 It is time to begin turning our hearts and minds to Lent — and what a year to return to the themes of repentance and repair, of wandering the wilderness, of death and new life. Our theme for worship and community life in Lent this year will be “Tools for Survival in the Wilderness,” and we’ll reflect on how the ways we learn to survive in the literal wildernesses (and I know there are some hiking, camping, backcountry skiing, and other outdoor enthusiasts in this congregation!) teach us about how to survive the metaphorical wildernesses of our time. More to come in worship, of course. Learn More - From Pastor Megan: January 30, 2026Rev. Megan Berkowitz
January 30, 2025 As violence has escalated from ICE and other institutions, and as protests have intensified in response, I have heard from a number of you wondering what to do now, especially for those of us who cannot travel to where witness is most needed. I don’t have all the answers, but I have some suggestions of what you might do if you’re feeling helpless and hopeless, as so many of us are. Learn More - From Pastor Megan: January 23, 2026Rev. Megan Berkowitz
January 23, 2025 Happy January, with over a foot of snow headed our way this weekend! Given the weather predictions, Newton Mayor Mark Laredo has asked people to refrain from driving and parking in the city on Sunday and Monday whenever possible. With the uncertainty of when the storm will begin, and predictions that when it does, it will snow as much as an inch an hour, we will move our worship service on to Zoom for the day. Learn More - From Pastor MeganRev. Megan Berkowitz
January 16, 2025 I have exciting news to share about next Sunday, 1/25, when we will welcome two special guests from FamilyAid into our worship service to share about the good work continuing at the Family Navigation Center in West Newton. Learn More - From Pastor MeganRev. Megan Berkowitz
December 24, 2025 Warmest Christmas wishes to you and all your loved ones. As we celebrate the Light of Christ coming into the world, may your life be filled with that light and all of the peace, joy, love, and hope it brings. It is no small thing to celebrate God’s presence in a world in need, or to remember God’s faithfulness in accompanying us in all things. Let us dwell in that grace and goodness together this week. Learn More - From Pastor MeganRev. Megan Berkowitz
December 12, 2025 I attended the “fall” meeting of the Metropolitan Boston Association of the Southern New England Conference of the United Church of Christ (say that three times fast) on Sunday afternoon. Interestingly, the Association is engaged in a very similar kind of vision and strategic planning work as we are. Learn More
