From our Pastor: July 19, 2024

Rev. Megan
Berkowitz

Rev. Amy
Clark Feldman

Pastor Amy
July 19, 2024


On Thursday, July 18th, travelers and members of UCW gathered to share learnings, photos, and stories from our recent service trip to Puerto Rico.  The trip at the end of June was transformative for the 20 members (mostly high school and college youth) who travelled.  Our host, Carlos (founder of The Happy Givers, Vega Baja) reminded us at the start of our week of the verses in Matthew 25  when Jesus shares that “whatever you do for one of the least of these… you did for me.”  Carlos asked us to look for presence of God in each of the beloved and resilient people we served.  In our service and the relationships we formed — new relationships in Puerto Rico, and deepened relationships among our group — we did indeed experience God’s love in new and transformative ways.  If you weren’t able to attend our gathering on Thursday (or if you were!), please take a moment to look at the presentation we shared by clicking on the link in the sidebar.  Ask questions and listen to stories of our travelers, and look ahead to the fall, when we hope to share a book and movie related to our experience.  May we all be led, inspired, and transformed by our youth and how they lived out their faith, serving, learning and growing together. 

Peace,
Pastor Amy

Past Posts


  • From Pastor Megan
    Rev. Megan Berkowitz
    July 24, 2026

    Big news from our partners at GBIO! The “Not with our money, Citizens!” Campaign has succeeded, and Citizens Bank has committed to severing ties with the private prison companies building and operating ICE detention facilities. Read more about it on the GBIO website: HERE

    Learn More
  • From Pastor Megan: July 17, 2026
    Rev. Megan Berkowitz
    July 10, 2026
    Introducing our Bridge Pastor
    I am delighted to share that Rev. Rick Chrisman will be joining UCW as the parental leave Bridge Pastor this fall, from September 1st until my planned return at the start of Advent. Rev. Rick’s bio is below, though some of you may know him from a period some years ago when he was a member of UCW while serving as an interim pastor elsewhere. Closest to home for UCW, Rev. Rick has twice served as interim at the Eliot Church in Newton. Learn More
  • From Pastor Megan: July 3, 2026
    Rev. Megan Berkowitz
    July 3, 2026
    We had a lovely first summer service this past Sunday! Though we won’t meet this upcoming Sunday, 7/5, summer services resume the following week, 7/12 at 10:00 a.m. Worship Committee Chair Julie Heffernan will lead us in worship that morning. And though Katie Brown-Bright is off from her role as Bridge Associate for Children, Youth, and Families for the summer and there’s no Sunday school, she did put together an amazing activity cart for kids to participate in worship (crafts, streamers for some liturgical dancing, and more!). Learn More
  • From Pastor Megan: June 19, 2026
    Rev. Megan Berkowitz
    June 19, 2026

    I want to thank everyone who presented, contributed to, engaged in, and attended last Sunday’s Annual Meeting. You took seriously the invitation to let the Holy Spirit speak through you to others, and to you through others, and our church is better for it. For those who were not present, you can still engage with the Annual Meeting via the Annual Report, which we sent in this email last week, and by looking over the presentation from the Vision Team that was offered during the meeting: view HERE or click on image below.

    Learn More
  • From Pastor Megan: June 12, 2026
    Rev. Megan Berkowitz
    June 12, 2026
    My goodness, it has been a busy year at UCW! I hope you take some time to sit with and read the annual report for 2025-2026. Come to the Annual Meeting ready to discuss the budget and nominating slate, yes, but also to thank our committee chairs and members, to connect with someone over something you didn’t even know had happened at church this year, or to learn more about how you can get involved in different projects and programs. Learn More
  • From Pastor Megan: June 5, 2026
    Rev. Megan Berkowitz
    June 5, 2026
    Though it turned out to be quite a hot night, it was a joy to join with Katie, members of the congregation, and our siblings from other affirming faith communities in Newton at the annual Newton Pride flag raising celebration and resource fair this past week. In a season in our country when the rights of LGBTQ+ people are under attack and public support for our rights is waning rather than increasing for the first time in decades, we gathered to remind ourselves and the world that LGBTQ+ people are deeply and beautifully woven into the fabric of our community. Learn More
  • From Pastor Megan: May 29, 2026
    Rev. Megan Berkowitz
    May 29, 2026
    Things remain busy at UCW in these last few weeks of the church year! We are in the final contract negotiation stage with our new settled music director (so keep an eye out for an official announcement and bio soon!), continuing Visioning work with more to be presented at Annual Meeting, and of course preparing the annual budget review, nominating slate, and other Annual Meeting business. Learn More
  • From Your Stewardship Chair
    Tools for Audacious Living: Church Service The UCW Nominating team asks everyone in our church Learn More