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Weekly Update
Friday, May 17, 2024
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This Sunday
May 19 at 10:00 a.m.
Pentecost (Hybrid)
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We remember and welcome the coming of the Holy Spirit and the birthday of the church! It is a Spirit-filled Sunday, and we look forward to having you be part of it!
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Pastor Amy will be preaching and leading worship as Pastor Megan is away.
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Don't Forget to Wear Red!
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Meeting ID: 826 8730 1128
Passcode: 386028
Dial in: 1 646 558 8656
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The bulletin is available HERE
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Come Help Out at the UCW Tent for the Waban Fair
This Sunday, May 19
(right across the train tracks from us!)
Anytime between 9:30-2:30 pm
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Ways to Volunteer:
9:00 - 10:00 am : Set up and bring materials over from church
10:00 - 2:00 pm : One-hour shifts (or whatever you can do):
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-Greeters to chat about UCW
-Face painters (we’ll have the supplies)
-Fun helpers with kids crafts
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2:00 - 2:30 pm : Pack up/clean up
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Bake Goodies:
Bring baked goods (nut-free, something that won’t melt, in separate bags) to hand out at our tent by 10:00 a.m. on Sunday, the day of the fair
OR
Drop off at Johnson house (131 Windsor Road, Waban) starting Saturday, May 18 (we’ll have a labelled cooler outside our front door for donations!).
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Sign up to Volunteer : HERE
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“All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.” – Acts 2:4
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What a joy to arrive at the day of Pentecost in this month of Pastor Megan's installation! Beloved, this Sunday we celebrate the arrival of the Holy Spirit. We remember the life-giving, energy-giving, boundary-breaking power available to us all as members and friends of the church. It is a day that reminds us to be alert to the divine blowing through and ablaze in everything around us -- and even, and especially, in ourselves. If you are feeling worn out as the school year winds down, come! If you are feeling your hope dwindling for the world, come! If you are feeling alone or disconnected, come! If you are feeling filled with joy and in love with Spring, come! Come, sing, pray, celebrate, eat, and then head over to help out Linda and her team at the Waban Fair, as we share God's renewing joy and hope. May it be a day of renewal and wholeness for us all -- Don't forget to wear Red, the color of the Spirit!
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Loving God, hear the prayers
of your people gathered in this community,
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- We pray for all of our high school seniors as they begin the long season of celebration and discern what comes next for them. We pray for all of our youth and families as they balance the many aspects of school, activities, family life, and spiritual connection.
- We pray for Gerry Elion as she continues to heal from a fall and resulting hip replacement surgery. May Gerry be surrounded by your love and all of ours as she regains her strength.
- 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 for peace for your people all throughout the world. Teach us to beat our swords into plowshares, O God, and to sow wisdom and reap peace, justice, and joy.
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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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Sharing from the Heart
2024 - 25 Pledge Drive
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Stewardship season has begun, with our annual pledge drive sharing a theme with Eastertide worship: "Sharing from the Heart." When we share from our hearts, freely, the gifts with which we have been blessed become the foundation for life-giving ministry. Pledging allows this church to boldly claim our covenant and plan for our service within this congregation and out into the world in inclusive, mission-minded, and intergenerational activities.
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We ask you to SUBMIT your PLEDGE HERE
or
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by filling out a pledge FORM This Sunday
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All-Church Gatherings & Adult Formation
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May Book Group
Tuesday, May 28 at 7:30 p.m. (Zoom)
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Please join us in May for our next book group. Our book will be "On Tyranny -Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century" by Timothy Snyder.
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The May zoom link will be posted as the date approaches. If you have any questions, please reach out to Alan Cody ([email protected]).
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Caregiving in the (Multi-Layered) Sandwich
Next gathering, Sunday, May 26
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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.
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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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Committee News - Big Announcement!
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Yarisleidy is moving to Boston
and will join us on Pentecost Sunday, May 19
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Yarisleidy Cortez Mayorquin
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As part of sharing God’s love and light in the ministry of Nicaragua, the Union Church sponsored its first student, Yarisleidy, to attend college more than a decade ago from San Juan Del Sur, Nicaragua. Yarisleidy graduated with a business degree in 2013. As part of the sponsorship program through our local partner the Brugger Foundation, the students participate in community service and give back to local communities. Yarisleidy thrived in this environment and after graduation worked for the non-profit Communidad Connect where she worked her way up to director of community development.
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Over the past decade, Yarisleidy has continued connecting with us as a Church and built relationships with many of the youth and adults who have had the good fortune to travel to Nicaragua. She would often volunteer with us while we were in country and also help us in any way to navigate through our cross cultural service work.
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For many years, Yarisleidy had wanted to come to the United States and learn and experience our culture but she was not approved several different times over the years but now I am excited to announce with great joy that she was approved for a two year work visa and will be living in Newton. For those of you who know her personally it will be a great reunion and for those who do not yet know her, I know you will enjoy getting to know her over the next few months and years !!.
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Intergenerational Community
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Children, Youth and Families
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Exploring Our Faith Final Retreat - Plans Have Changed
We were planning a final retreat this Sunday afternoon, but many of you are away or have other commitments. Instead, Pastor Amy will meet with students in groups of 2 or 3 over the coming weeks. She will send out a sign-up for all students. We hope students will also meet with their mentors before June 2.
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Exploring Our Faith Sunday and All-Church Picnic
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Celebrating Our Graduates
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Sunday, June 2
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On Sunday, June 2nd we will be led in worship by our High School students, and honor our graduates. After worship we will share our year-end All-Church Picnic and Celebration outside. We hope you will join us.
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NEW CALENDAR
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We have an exciting final calendar for March-July. Please click below to see all that is coming up and plan to join us!
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Junior Youth Group
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The Children’s Ministry Team, with the help of some older youth, lead a schedule of meaningful fun, relationship-building, Christian education, and service-learning events. Pastor Amy will be in touch soon will plans to gather again before the end of the school year!
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UCW Volunteer Opportunities
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Sunday Reception Sign-Up
Thank you to Alan Cody for hosting our reception this Sunday
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We still need hosts for next Sunday, May 26, if you are available.
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Sign up below 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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Please Note: Pastor Megan is on vacation beginning Monday, May 13 and returning Monday, May 20. If you have an emergency, please reach out to Pastor Amy.
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Most weeks, 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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