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Weekly Update
Friday, November 8, 2024
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This Sunday
November 10 at 10:00 a.m.
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This Sunday, we’ll gather for worship, and then go right from worship into a lunch and congregational meeting together focused on connection, building community and building power for the future. Join us!
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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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Congregational Meeting
This Sunday at 11:30 a.m.
Our next congregational meeting will be this Sunday after worship, with lunch provided.
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- Welcome
- Nominating Process, Open Roles, and Nominations
- Visioning Process Update
- Connections Activity: Building Relationships, Building Community & Building Power.
Special Guest facilitator Leila Quinn will lead us in a GBIO inspired session designed to help build relationships with each other and our broader community to drive positive impact and change.
- Open Q & A
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Interfaith Gathering - UCW 11-7-2024
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I want to share with you a small portion of how I opened our interfaith post-election gathering, as we prepare to gather in community together this Sunday for worship and the congregational meeting.
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“I do not know what every one of you is feeling; what I am certain of is that each one of us is feeling something different right now, has reacted differently this week based on each of our beliefs and faith, based on our fears and anxieties, based on our identities and priorities, based on our past experiences and hopes for the future. And yet, every single one of us has made the choice to be here tonight. To be in community, across those and many other differences. Made a choice to resist isolation and instead to strengthen ourselves, together. And I believe, informed by my faith, that this choice matters. That each time we reach out to one another, open ourselves up and listen deeply, it matters.
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This election has made clearer than ever the deep division and isolation in our country and our society. There are ‘sides,’ and people on all sides feel themselves threatened by the future others dream of. Tonight, we hope to build a little sanctuary of space and time in which we can dream of a future where there are no sides, where all people can thrive, where, in the words of the prophet Amos, justice rolls down like water and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.”
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It matters, too, that we will be in community together on Sunday. As members of the Body of Christ, we are stronger, more grounded in our faith, more filled with compassion and hope, when we connect with and support one another. Let us join together in a space and time of sanctuary on Sunday morning.
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Loving God, hear the prayers
of your people gathered in this community,
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- We pray for those most vulnerable in our country – queer and trans, immigrant and refugee, Black and brown, poor and unhoused, and so many more – and all those who fear for the future after this week’s election results. We pray for a future in which all people in our country can thrive, in which all your children throughout the world can thrive. And God, we ask you to make us instruments of bringing that future, your kin-dom of peace, justice, and mercy, to reality.
- God, we pray for Judy MacDonald as she prepares for hip replacement surgery next week. Lend Judy your strength and peace, and may she experience healing and care through this surgery, her medical team, and the support of her family and friends.
- Prayers for Polly, mother of Molly Owen-Kiritsy, who has entered hospice care. Bless her with peace and comfort, and be with her medical care team and family as they support her.
- 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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We pray to you, grateful for your accompaniment with us in all things. 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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All Comers Dinner
Friday, November 22
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All-Comers Dinner is back this November 22nd. More details to be shared soon, but for now, mark your calendars so we can share in food, fellowship, and fun together!
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Community Thansksgiving Programs
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We received some feedback from the Newton Food Pantry that their clients would be better served if we help to stock the Freedge for four days leading up to Thanksgiving, instead of handing out turkey dinners to go.
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We will still be providing dinners to other folks such as Newton seniors on Saturday, November 23rd. But we would also like to send two Freedge deliveries a day from 11/23-11/26, one in the morning and one in the afternoon/evening.
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Community Thanksgiving
Dinner to Go
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UCW will once again be handing out Thanksgiving dinners to folks from the Senior center and beyond. Please volunteer to help for a couple hours on Saturday, November 23 from 9:00-1:00 pm.
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Stocking the
Food Pantry Freedge
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Saturday, Nov. 23 -Tuesday Nov. 26
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Alicia will provide the box of food to be delivered, so you just need to swing by, pick it up and bring it to 420 Watertown Street in Nonantum.
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Please use this LINK to sign up either to help prepare the
“To-Go” dinners on the morning of the 23rd
OR to deliver food to the Freedge.
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(Please also spread the word about the “To-Go” dinners
to anyone who could use a turkey dinner!)
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Thank you so much for your support!
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Adult Spiritual Formation Programs
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Bible Study
Monday, November 11 at 7:00 p.m. (In Person)
Bible Study, led by Jeannie Martin, continues this Fall, meeting in-person in the Littlehale room at the church on Mondays at 7:00 p.m. We’ll read the Gospel of Mark in upcoming weeks.
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Further adult spiritual formation programs, including Zoom-only options, will be offered later in the fall and during the winter. As we work to build out robust programming accessible to all within our congregation, you can always contact Pastor Megan with ideas, questions, and any barriers to your participation.
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The Newton Interfaith Coalition for Housing Equity
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(NICHE is advocacy group that began at The Union Church in response to a lack of affordable housing.)
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Invites You
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To an important event and discussion concerning the current lack of shelter for families with children. The unhoused families are sleeping in unsafe places now, with cold winter months approaching.
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Please join us November 12 at 7:00 p.m. at United Parish of Auburndale.
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Glass Jar Collection
for Thanksgiving Dinner
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As part of the Community Thanksgiving dinner, we hand out vases of flowers along with the meals, so that folks have a colorful centerpiece for their tables. Instead of buying new mason jars this year, we'd love to take your old pasta, pickle, olive, etc. jars off of your hands.
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There will be a collection box in the side chapel, and Alicia Collins is even willing to clean them for you.
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Thank you!
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Connecting as Intergenerational Community
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Youth Group and Mission Trip Planning
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Seeking Teen Leaders and Volunteers
We are looking for teen co-leaders of our youth group and mission trip. We are also organizing teen leaders for our Community Thanksgiving Dinner. Please let Pastor Amy or David know if you are interested.
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Youth to Gather at the All-Comer's Dinner!
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We hope all youth will join us at the All-Comer's Dinner listed above. Please keep an eye out for an email invitation, and let Pastor Amy know if you can come!
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Setting the Table for One Another
Reception This Sunday and Beyond
Thank you to The Union Church for hosting our reception this Sunday honoring the saints in our lives.
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Every Sunday after worship we gather in the stage room for a time of fellowship. This reception is hosted each Sunday by different members of the congregation.
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Hosting a reception is a thoughtful expression of our hospitality to each other. And it is not difficult! Help is available if you have never hosted and feel daunted by the task. Please consider volunteering for two dates throughout the year.
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If you have questions, Kathy Malone is the point of contact for 2024-25: 617-365- 4960; [email protected].
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Sharing the Stories of Our Faith
Reading Scripture in Worship
For generations the stories and wisdom of our faith were only shared orally, and reading scripture out loud is still a central part of our worship and community. Please consider sharing your voice in worship this fall.
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Scripture Reader Sign-up: HERE
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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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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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