Rev. Megan
Berkowitz
Rev. Amy
Clark Feldman
Pastor Megan
November 15 2024
Dear church,
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. Doing that workshop mattered to us deeply enough this fall to bring it to a whole congregational meeting – not just Nominating, or Mission, or other groups that may have used that model in the past – because it matters that we are all connected as deeply as possible.
Beyond specific purposes of building power for community organizing (though that is and will continue to be important in our church’s witness for justice in the world), relationship-building through 1:1s will help us to build a deep network of trust within our congregation. As we have begun preparing for this year’s visioning process, where everyone in the community will be asked to weigh in on who we are and who God is calling us to be next, we will rely on those bonds of trust and goodwill to hold us. Together in relationship, we will engage in discernment, listening to each other with openness, curiosity, and hope.
If you were unable to attend the meeting or had to leave early, and would like more information, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
Peace,
Megan
Past Posts
- From Pastor Megan
Rev. Megan Berkowitz
July 24, 2026Big 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, 2026Rev. 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, 2026Rev. 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, 2026Rev. Megan Berkowitz
June 19, 2026I 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, 2026Rev. 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, 2026Rev. 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, 2026Rev. 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 ChairTools for Audacious Living: Church Service The UCW Nominating team asks everyone in our church Learn More
