Rev. Megan
Berkowitz
Rev. Amy
Clark Feldman
Pastor Megan
March 28 2025
Dear Church,
We’re drawing to the close of our Stewardship season for this year, and we’ll mark Stewardship Sunday in worship this week with a testimony and a focus in scripture and sermon on generosity. Stewardship season is always a call to discern what generosity looks like for each of us in this time, this place, this community; yet it’s also a time to celebrate generosity. Each one of us in the community builds our church out of our generosity, and enjoys the gifts of generosity from not just the others around us but also the many past generations whose faith, tradition, and gifts we have inherited in the church in so many ways.
We live it out every day, in every aspect of our shared lives. The children and youth learn from Sunday school and Youth Group to be generous with their time for others who are in need, and generous in their listening to and learning from each other. Bible study shares generously of ideas and questions; Deacons help us to share generously of our care and concern for all among us who are in need (and opening ourselves to such care can be a generous act, as well!); Wellspring and Java Gents share generously in food and faith and laughter. I’m sure you can offer more examples from your experiences, as well.
So, this Sunday in worship, we can celebrate that we’ve come this far by faith, and that in faith we can make space for ourselves and future generations to live in the gift of that generosity. As we close this season, I encourage you to read the Stewardship letter [here] from Chair Kent Wittler and the rest of the Stewardship Committee; to discern on your own or with your family how you can be generous this year; and to fill out the pledge card [here] and the gifts and talents inventory [here], if you haven’t already. Finally, I encourage you to come to church on Sunday so we can celebrate a community built on generosity, together.
With Lenten Peace,
Pastor Megan
Past Posts
- From Pastor Megan: March 6, 2026
Rev. Megan Berkowitz
March 6, 2026 Alongside its themes of wilderness journeys, Lent is traditionally a season of repentance – of turning from harms and returning to God and to God’s call on our lives. As winter (finally, hopefully) turns into spring, so too are we given a chance for renewal, for new growth, for new life. Learn More - Living with LossNew Supportive Group for Adults beginning at UCW this Spring 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 Megan: February 13, 2026Rev. 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
