From Our Pastors: December 8 2024

Posted onAuthorAidan Cuningham

Rev. Megan
Berkowitz

Rev. Amy
Clark Feldman

Pastor Megan
December 8 2024

Dear Church,

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.

Even so, we are blessed, here in the fairly far North of the Northern Hemisphere, by the way Advent draws us into the deepest darkness of the year and the meaning we can find in that juxtaposition. At its most joyful, Advent is a season of remembering the wait for the birth of a precious baby; a wait that, as the day draws nearer, requires ever greater rest and reprioritization of focus and attention. Darkness, too, removes all that is extraneous — even our color vision fades in the dark — and shifts our focus.

Beyond that, we cannot forget the whole of Jesus’ life as we celebrate his birth. We cannot forget that the same mother who tenderly wraps her babe in soft cloths will see his body broken at the hands of the empire. We cannot forget that we live in a world in deep need of peace even as we celebrate the coming of the Prince of Peace.

All of this to say, beloved ones, if you are not feeling the hope, peace, joy, and love this season, Advent is still for you. May the darkness of the year, may the focus of the season, attune us to the needs of the world and of our hearts, and invite God to draw near to us in it all.

Peace,
Pastor Megan

Past Posts

  • From Pastor Megan
    Rev. Megan Berkowitz
    December 5, 2025
    This week, with the amazing music that led us all through this meaningful worship still ringing in my ears, I am particularly pleased and grateful to share that Karen Harvey has graciously agreed to stay on at UCW as our Interim Music Director through the end of the church year, or until the Search Committee has a candidate ready to take on the permanent Music Director role, if that occurs before June. Learn More
  • From Pastor Megan: Novemeber 30, 2025
    Rev. Megan Berkowitz
    November 30, 2025

     “‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’ And he will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did it to me.’”

    Matthew 25

    I pray that you all have had a wonderful Thanksgiving with your loved ones, and that those who are traveling return home with ease and in safety. 

    Learn More
  • From Pastor Megan
    Rev. Megan Berkowitz
    November 21, 2025
    In the professional development training where I spent the last week, the core curriculum for my cohort this year was about faith-based, relational community organizing for congregations. This congregation has plenty of experience with this community organizing model thanks to GBIO, Learn More
  • From Pastor Megan: November 14, 2025
    Rev. Megan Berkowitz
    November 14, 2025
    There’s a lot going on behind the scenes at UCW these days! I wanted to be sure everyone is up-to-date, even on processes that are in quieter phases right now.  Learn More
  • From Pastor Megan
    Rev. Megan Berkowitz
    October 31, 2025
    It’s All Saints Sunday this week, and we’ll be singing many favorite hymns about the saints that we usually save for this one Sunday a year. As we bless the children on their way to Sunday School, we’ll sing “When the Saints Go Marching In,” with an extra verse Karen and I came up with based on this Sunday’s scripture readings: Learn More
  • From Pastor Megan
    Rev. Megan Berkowitz
    October 24, 2025
    Many of you have heard me quote Julian of Norwich, a mystic nun from the 14th century: “All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well.” I often repeat this phrase in a lighthearted way, but in truth, I do not mean it flippantly, and Julian of Norwich certainly did not.  Learn More
  • From Pastor Megan
    Rev. Megan Berkowitz
    October 17, 2025
    Did you see Wednesday’s Save-the-Date for the All Comers Dinner a week from tonight? All Comers Dinner is one of my favorite UCW traditions: part party, part loaves-and-fishes dinner, all community fun. We’ll share in a potluck meal at the Lynch-Johnson home at 6:00 p.m. on Friday the 24th (thank you for hosting, once again, Linda & Kevin!) and just spend time in fellowship and social fun together. Learn More
  • From Pastor Megan
    Rev. Megan Berkowitz
    October 3, 2025
    What a joy it has been to be the bearer of good news where our staff is concerned these last few weeks! And what a joy it is to welcome Katie Brown-Bright, our new Bridge Associate for Children, Youth, and Families on to the staff this week, in particular. Whether you are a parent of a child or youth in the church’s program or not, Katie wants to meet you, so greet her in worship or arrange some time with her for a walk or coffee in the coming weeks. Learn More