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Weekly Update
Friday, November 22, 2024
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Thanksgiving Sunday
November 24 at 10:00 a.m.
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This Sunday, we’ll gather to celebrate Thanksgiving worship together. We'll share the story of Daniel in the lion's den, and give thanks for God's blessings and presence with us. Pastor Amy will be preaching.
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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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This weekend we Give Thanks and Give Back. We pause to count our blessings, including on Friday when we gather as community at our All-Comers potluck dinner, and, knowing how blessed we are, we give back -- providing meals to elders and families facing food insecurity on Saturday morning, and through the Freedge in the coming week. As we worship and pray together on Sunday, and are invited to give our Thanksgiving offering for those still recovering from the hurricanes. In a world where it can feel like so much is wrong and uncertain, we celebrate this weekend that God is still at work, blessing us and equipping us to be a blessing to others.
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Thanksgiving Sunday
Hurricane Relief Special Collection
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A Church in Black Mountain (photo provided by the Black Mountain Police Department)
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Just two months ago Hurricane Helene hit hard in western North Carolina devastating rural communities like Black Mountain NC. The storm winds and flooding rains are gone, but many disaster victims are still in need of potable water. food, shelter and clothing.
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The destructive effects of this Hurricane on human life and property will remain for years. Out of love for Christ and all our neighbors, our Sunday collection will be dedicated for direct assistance to the people and support for ongoing recovery work. Union Church in Waban will allocate the funds contributed to the American Baptist Home Mission Societies and the Disaster Ministries of the Black Mountain Presbyterian Church.
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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 the recent 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 recovers from hip replacement surgery. 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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Let us know if you can join us!
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All Comers Potluck Dinner is Back!
Friday, November 22
6:30 p.m - 9:00 p.m.
PLEASE NOTE THE CORRECTED START TIME OF 6:30 P.M.
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At The Home of
Linda Lynch & Kevin Johnson
131 Windsor Road,
Waban, MA 02468
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All are welcome to this night of food, fellowship, and fun. Bring a friend if you'd like! We'll be enjoying a potluck meal during the evening, so, if possible, please sign up with something you can bring to share (enough for 3-4 people).
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Please RSVP HERE
Your RSVP helps us prepare and know who will attend. If you aren't able to bring something to share, please don't worry - your presence is plenty!
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Please RSVP as individuals or families; if you're signing up your family,
make a note of who or how many will come in the comment section.
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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. We'll gather over dessert to discuss plans for the coming months and mission trip.
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What a blessing it will be to gather!
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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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Tomorrow! Saturday, November 23
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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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Our Advent Season Preparations Have Begun
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Edit this to insert text.
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UCW Advent Devotional Booklet is Back!
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Jeannie Martin, who is UCW’s inaugural writer-in-residence, and Pastor Megan are working together to bring back the collaborative UCW Advent Devotional booklet, similar to years past. All in the community are invited to contribute: whether you have written something you’d like to share, have new words for a favorite hymn or carol in honor of Advent this year, or want to include a favorite poem or short essay by another writer, please share it so all in the community can be blessed as well. If you have visual art (photos, prints, etc.) those submissions are very welcome, too! If you’re looking for guidance, the Advent themes of Hope, Peace, Love, and Joy will guide us.
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Please email written or visual art submissions to Pastor Megan
by the evening of Tuesday, November 26.
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They will be collected along with the weekly scripture, questions and coloring for kids and families, and more, and distributed to the UCW community throughout Advent.
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Christmas Poinsettias and
Annual Dedications
Our Advent season preparations have begun! Our annual Hanging of the Greens service will be on Sunday, December 1, when we will decorate our Sanctuary with live plants. We are also preparing our annual Family and Friends Dedications list for inclusion in our Advent Sunday bulletins on December 15 and 22.
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Please submit by
Sunday, December 1
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- Each donation of $25.00 will be used to purchase an 8" Poinsettia.
- You will have the option to take the poinsettias you have dedicated home with you after the Christmas Eve evening service.
- Payment can be made online when submitting your order or by mailing or
dropping off a check at the church office (payable to The Union Church in Waban, memo: Poinsettias).
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Christmas Giving
Mitten Tree and
Hats, Gloves & Socks for
Refugee and Immigrant Children
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This Christmas season, we are sharing two special ways to care for our most vulnerable neighbors. The first is our annual Mitten Tree collection for Project Care & Concern (mittens will be ready on Dec. 1st!) and the second is a shorter-term collection of NEW hats, mittens or gloves, and warm socks for the children and families of the ACE Center for New Americans.
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Children's Hats, Gloves, and Socks are due
to UCW by Thursday, Dec. 5th
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This is a last-minute collection to assist immigrant, refugee, and asylum seeker families who have recently arrived in Lowell. All sizes are welcome. They will be packed in Christmas gift-bags for families in Lowell on Friday afternoon Dec. 6th. If you would like to accompany Pastor Amy to help wrap these gifts, please contact her.
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Caregiving Group
Sunday, Dec. 8th, 11:30 a.m.
All who are caring for or have cared for parents, siblings, adult children, partners, or others are warmly invited to this monthly group. We gather around themes of our faith, share our stories, and support and pray for one another in this good and hard work of caring. We meet in Pastor Amy's office.
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Setting the Table for One Another
Reception This Sunday and Beyond
Host still needed for need for Dec. 22 & 29.
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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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