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Weekly Update
Friday, December 8, 2023
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Block Print: Megan Berkowitz
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Advent 2 (In Person and on Zoom!)
Sunday, December 10 at 10:00 a.m.
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Mijin, the choir, and guest musicians have been working hard preparing to lead a special Advent worship experience through music this Sunday. Join us!
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Zoom Link: HERE
Meeting ID: 826 8730 1128
Passcode: 386028
Dial in only: 1 646 558 8656
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The bulletin is available HERE
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Cookies and Christmas Caroling
This Sunday, Dec. 10 from 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. (gather at 11:30)
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Join an informal group to spread Christmas cheer after worship. We'll have a quick rehearsal after reception and then begin a zoom call for our distant members, followed by a drive-around to the homes of some members who could use extra cheer!
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All are welcome! Please reach out to Pastor Amy if you can come, or if you know of someone who would like a visit (or a zoom invitation).
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Once again this year, UCW will be providing Christmas gifts for our friends at Project Care & Concern via UCW's Mitten Tree!
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Please find a paper mitten on the in-person Christmas tree at UCW that will lead you to the virtual gift list, or you can also CLICK HERE.
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Please sign up for as many slots as you'd like and then wrap and label gifts with the recipient's name and house name.
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Gifts are due back on Sunday, Dec. 17 before noon. Thank you!
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Advent Devotionals
Now Available at Church
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This year, we are sharing an Advent devotional for people of all ages called “House of God,” by the SALT Project. You can find the devotional booklet and poster for your refrigerator at the church entrances today and all throughout Advent.
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Pastor's Blog
Megan - 12/8/2023
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I was delighted to join Pastor Amy and our youth and mentors in Exploring Our Faith last Sunday. We all tried out the same kind of block printing that I wrote to you about last week. Everyone made beautiful prints that reflect their own style and the images that are on their minds in this season. I hope you’ll take a look on Sunday morning, as we’ve hung a small gallery of the prints on a cork board in the Crocker Chapel!
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I invite you to take a few moments in this first week of Advent to reflect on some of the questions we considered and journaled about in EOF, as well. We talked about how Advent calls on us to think creatively about the conditions of this season. What are some of the gifts that come along with the darkness and cold this time of year? What are the challenges? What do you want to emphasize or particularly invest your time and attention in for this season? What might fall away in order to make space for those things? Does an image come to mind for you as you reflect?
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Gracious God, we turn to you in prayer, knowing that you strengthen us in every trial. Be with us, we pray, and for all those who are in need of your healing, transformational love.
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- We pray for peace all throughout the world. For the people of Israel and Palestine, the people of Ukraine, people in every part of the world whose lives are threatened by war and violence. Teach us to beat our swords into plowshares, O God, and to sow wisdom and reap peace, justice, and joy for all people.
- We pray that our beloved Jenny would experience your love and peace, God, and ask that you would help us be instruments of your peace for her. Free her from her pain and discomfort. Strengthen her, her family, her whole community, and her medical team in this next phase of her cancer journey.
- For Tom Vawter, as he recovers from major surgery, God we pray that your Spirit would bring healing, comfort, and relief from pain. We pray for Anne and all who care for Tom in this time.
- For all in our UCW community who are ill, or who are caring for loved ones. For all who grieve, God, we ask for the comfort of your presence. We pray in particular for Karen Weisgerber, Jandi Dennis, and David Spertner, and their families, as they grieve recent losses of loved ones.
- For people in our community and everywhere for whom the holidays bring pain rather than joy. May they, too, be comforted by you.
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We pray in the name of Jesus, in whose Way we walk each day. Amen.
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If you have other prayers of concern or celebration you
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would like lifted up in community, please email
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December Council Meeting
The Church Council met Thursday evening December 7, at church.
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- Per IRS-requirements, we approved the Housing Allowance for pastor Megan and pastor Amy for the calendar year 2024.
- We spent more time talking about inreach and outreach. We are making progress on inreach activities, like we are working on a small-group dinner plan for early February. But we feel outreach needs some attention to identify how and who should do what. So we will put together a taskforce that will come up with recommendations on how to best structure this. The intent is to have recommendations in place by the spring of 2024.
- Council is also planning a congregational meeting or gathering (depends on whether there will be any voting) for Sunday, January 28, 2024 after worship. The main topic will be around Janet Holly’s bequest.
- Lastly we discussed how to continue to implement our new governance model and especially improve communications between committees and Council.
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Susan Hunt Stevens & Jaap van Reijendam (co-moderators)
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All-Church Gatherings & Adult Formation
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Fun Learning Spanish
This Sunday, Dec. 10 from 8:45 - 9:45 a.m.
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Teachers: Pastor Amy and David Spertner will be your leaders for this complementary course.
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All are welcome! For anyone who would like to learn, improve and practice Spanish, Sundays before church.
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Sponsored by the Nicaragua Team Committee
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Wellspring Women's Ministry
Wednesday, December 13 at 6:30 p.m.(In-Person)
Wellspring will meet again on Wednesday evening December 13 at 6:30 p.m. Newcomers are welcome. If you are interested in learning more about Wellspring, please contact Amy McMahon at [email protected].
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Wellspring is our women's ministry at UCW. We come together to support each other as we journey together in these times.
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Longest Night Open House
Thursday, December 21, 5:30 - 7:00 p.m.
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Join in a time of contemplation, engaging all of our senses in prayer as we journey through the darkness. You can drop in, and stay as long or as little as you are moved to.
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Caregiving in the (Multi-Layered) Sandwich
This group will resume again in January - Dates TBD
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More and more members of our community find themselves caring for loved-ones across the generations -- caring for aging parents, as well as for children, adult children, grandchildren, and others. All are invited to gather for guided discussion, mutual support, and prayer once a month through the holidays and into Epiphany.
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We met twice in December, and will poll interested members to find dates for January and February.
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Please let Pastor Amy ([email protected]) know if you are interested.
We will gather in-person in Pastor Amy's Office.
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For more information about the meeting contact:
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For mor information about the GBIO Housing Justice Campaign go HERE
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These tours highlight the hidden history of Black Boston
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Visit publisher WBUR's website HERE to view and listen to the full story.
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If you would like to learn more about Advocates for Racial Justice activities at The
Union Church, please reach out to Nancy Zollers ([email protected])
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Intergenerational Community
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Children, Youth and Families
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Christmas Story - All-Ages Worship & Pageant
Sunday, December 17
Can you help?
Our beloved annual ALL-AGES telling of the Christmas Story worship and pageant is coming up soon! We are looking for additional helpers to serve as narrators, help with parts of worship, and join in the fun. If you or your kids can be part of this special morning, please let Pastor Amy know ([email protected]). Thanks!
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Youth Group and Exploring Our Faith
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Cookie-Making & Fun
(Lock-in Optional)
Joint Youth Group Gathering!
Tomorrow, Sat., Dec. 9, 7:00 p.m. at United Parish Auburndale
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We're having an awesome joint Youth Group pre-Christmas gathering with our friends at UPA! We'll have snacks, make Christmas Cookies to share with members in need of extra sweetness, and then have fun playing sardines and other games! Pick-up at 11:00 p.m., or stay for an overnight lock-in. Middle and High-Schoolers welcome!
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Please see the calendar below for our other upcoming events in December and January
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Save the Date: CityReach Overnight Confirmed for January 26-27!
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Please Save the Date for this upcoming service overnight.
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UCW Volunteer Opportunities
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Sunday Reception Sign-Up
Thank you to Nancy Zollers and Frank Laski for providing this week’s reception.
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We still need someone to contribute to December 17 or 31. Sign up here (insert link)
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(Simple guidelines listed here also.)
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Scripture Reader Sign-Up
If you are joining our Sunday worship, please consider signing up as a Scripture Reader for any of our upcoming services.
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Scripture Reader Sign-up: HERE Thank you!
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Pastoral Care Connections
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Please don't hesitate to reach out to Senior Pastor, Rev. Megan Berkowitz, or Associate Pastor for Youth & Families, Rev. Amy Clark Feldman for prayer or pastoral support.
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and her phone is 617-965-3893
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Friday is a day of Sabbath for Pastor Megan; Monday is Pastor Amy's day of Sabbath. With a pastoral emergency, please don't hesitate to reach out to either pastor.
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We, the members of The Union Church in Waban, true to our founding principle of being an inclusive church, covenant together to nourish and to sustain in our common life and practice a fully welcoming and affirming church for all persons. Welcoming all persons who seek to join with us in a commitment to love God and our neighbors, affirming the inclusive love of Jesus, we are open to all, without regard to race, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, nationality, ability or economic circumstance. We invite all to full participation in our worship, membership, leadership and life of this church.
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