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Weekly Update
Friday, January 12, 2024
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Second Sunday After Epiphany Sunday
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Sunday, January 14, at 10:00 a.m. (Hybrid)
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The season after Epiphany continues with worship, singing, prayer, and fellowship this Sunday.
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Zoom Link: HERE
Meeting ID: 832 4667 4155
Passcode: 431699
Dial in: 1 646 558 86560
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The bulletin is available HERE
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Music for Lenten Playlist
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One of my favorite parts of worship is actually the offertory. It is when I can close my eyes, let the music wash over me, and internalize and process the sermon and all the prayers that have been lifted up. Music is just so powerful, it can open up your heart in ways that words can not always do.
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Given that our theme for Lent will be "Dwelling in the heart", the Worship Committee would like to try a new thing and put together a Spotify playlist with music, chosen by you all, that speaks to our heart.
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If you have a piece (or two!) of music that speaks to your heart, please send the name, the composer and/or the artist to me ([email protected]). It can be a hymn or gospel, or a piece of classical music, or even pop-music! If you feel like it, also tell me why this piece speaks to you, or maybe your history with that piece. I will then put all that music together in a Spotify playlist and publish that at the beginning of Lent for all of us to listen to whenever we need to hear it.
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I look forward to our shared music experience!
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Pastor's Blog
Amy - 1/12/2024
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A friend's preparation includes putting a large clean empty mason jar in the center of her kitchen table each New Year's Day. She adds carefully-cut slips of blank paper and a newly-purchased marker to a tray next to it. Whenever a member of the family feels grateful over the next 365 days - for something as small as a bee or as big as good health - they write it on a strip of paper and put it in the jar. New Year's Eve is spent reading every slip of paper. My friend's preparations of washing the mason jar, cutting paper, buying a pen, could seem insignificant, but pave the way for a year full of gratitude, blessing, and sharing with family.
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Beloved, the year ahead promises to hold much for us - grief and gladness; fear and hope; love and good work. Among the many ways your pastors and staff have been preparing is by doing the church equivalent of cutting paper and cleaning mason jars - small acts that we hope will pave the way for connection, love, and meaningful ministry.
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We need your help. Over the coming two weeks, can you please:
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- Look yourself up in the Directory, and make sure your information is current and correct - and includes a PHOTO.
You can use this link - click HERE, to get instructions and connect, OR send updates to Aidan at [email protected] with "Directory" in the email heading, OR
- Visit our Directory Station during Reception after Worship in January.
We'll have a table with a computer, helper, and camera ready to help with updates.
- Share news and prayers in our weekly e-Newsletter - due each Wednesday at 9:00 a.m.
Please help us connect to one another and our ministries by sending prayers you would like to include to Pastor Megan ([email protected]) and news to Aidan ([email protected]) by Wednesday morning.
"There is a season for all activities under heaven." We are grateful to share them all - big and small - with you.
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With Blessings and Peace,
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Gracious God, the light of your love shines on us in every season of our lives. In every season of difficulty, in every moment of gratitude, we ask that you would send your Spirit among us to accompany us and to remind us that you hear us when we call to you:
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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, as she prepares to return to you. Free her from her pain and discomfort. Strengthen her, her family, her whole community, and all of us who love her, that all may feel your presence among us in this tender 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.
- For Rob Purser, recovering from eye surgery, that he might be comfortable and experience complete healing.
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We pray to you, great Healer and parent of us all. 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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The Church Council met Thursday evening January 4, at church. Kent Wittler joined us on behalf of Stewardship so we could prepare for our Congregational meeting on January 28, after worship. We are planning to dedicate this gathering to Janet Holly’s bequest to our church. We think it will be a great gathering, lifting up Janet, and framing our process for how to best live into her bequest.
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We also spend some time talking about Inreach and Outreach and we will continue this conversation, not just in Council but with the congregation as a whole in the coming weeks and months. For example, Susan Hunt Stevens will pull together a group of people for a conversation focused on how we want to define and think about outreach.
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Lastly we discussed how to continue to implement our new governance model and especially improve communications between committees and Council.
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All-Church Gatherings & Adult Formation
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Wellspring Women's Ministry
Wednesday, Jan 17 at 6:30 p.m. (In-Person)
Wellspring will meet again on Wednesday evening January 17 at 6:30 p.m. We will meet in Littlehale meeting room. 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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January Book Group
Tuesday, January 30 at 7:30 p.m. (On Zoom)
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Unpoverty: Rich Lessons from the Working Poor by Mark Lutz
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Please join us again on January 30 at 7:30 p.m. for our next book group. Our book will be “Unpoverty: Rich Lessons from the Working Poor” by Mark Lutz.
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You will find a zoom link and sign-in information below. If you have any questions, please reach out to Alan Cody ([email protected]).
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Zoom Link: HERE
Meeting ID: 832 4667 4155
Passcode: 431699
Dial in: 1 646 558 86560
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Caregiving in the (Multi-Layered) Sandwich
This group will resume again in January
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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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Please Register for the January 29 (6:45 p.m.) GBIO Housing Justice Campaign In-District Meeting at The Union Church!
GBIO is thrilled that Union Church will be hosting its Housing Justice Campaign In-District Meeting. Sen. Cynthia Creem, Rep. Ruth Balser, Rep. Kay Khan and Rep. Alice Peisch will be there to hear first-hand stories about why GBIO’s housing initiatives are so important, and GBIO would love to have a full house – standing room only! – to underscore just how crucial we all feel GBIO’s housing “asks” are:
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- safe and dignified state public housing,
- more funding for affordable housing and home ownership,
- access to quality housing for returning citizens, and
- a housing supply increase.
Each of these "asks" will be illustrated by a personal story from a Massachusetts resident. Our own Frank Laski will explain State Budget Line Item 7004-0034, Housing Assistance for Re-Entry Transition, and introduce a speaker who will share his story.
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Let’s welcome Senator Creem and Representatives Balser, Khan and Peisch with a strong UCW showing. To register, go to HERE . For more information, check the GBIO IDM flyer below and on church bulletin boards or contact Julie Heffernan or Nancy Zollers.
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SAVE THE DATE !
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Greater Boston Interfaith Organization Meets at The Union Church on Jan. 29, 2024.
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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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Intergenerational Community
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Youth Group and Exploring Our Faith
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CityReach - Clothing Collection and Mission Trip
January 26-27 - CityReach
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With Coat and Clothing Collection
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Our participation in the CityReach Overnight is confirmed! We'll join our siblings on Boston Common who are experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity. Over the next month please check your closets for warm and sturdy clothing to donate, and let Pastor Amy know if you can participate.
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Next Exploring Our Faith with CityReach Orientation
Sunday, January 21 - 5:00-7:00 p.m.
Puerto Rico June Mission Trip - Sign Up also due
We had to postpone our last EOF meeting due to snow, and will meet instead on Jan. 21! All EOFers should join us, and anyone interested in CityReach is also invited. We'll have a special guest, and prepare food and clothing for the following weekend. If you haven't already let David Spertner, Soo Laski, or Pastor Amy know if you are able to join us for our June Mission Trip, please also be in touch this week as we purchase group airline tickets ([email protected] or [email protected]). Thanks!
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Bake Sale and Fundraiser for Puerto Rico Mission
February 11 - Save the Date!
We hope all will join in our upcoming fundraiser for our Puerto Rico Mission Trip (June 22-29). This fun morning will bring us together in preparation for the Superbowl, Valentines Day, and Shrove Tuesday! Please save the date and look forward to more details!
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UCW Volunteer Opportunities
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Sunday Reception Sign-Up
Thank you to Karla Armenoff for providing this Sunday's reception.
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We are still looking for hosts for next Sunday, January 14, and most of 2024. Sign up below today to support one of the most impactful ways we build connections and community with each other after worship.
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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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