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Weekly Update
Friday, December 6, 2024
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Block Print: Pastor Megan
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The Second Sunday of Advent
December 8 at 10:00 a.m.
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This Sunday is Peace Sunday in our Advent season of worship and waiting. We’ll light the candles, read prophetic sacred stories including Mary’s Magnificat, join in singing the season’s beautiful hymns, and lift one another in prayer. I hope you’ll 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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Advent is the season of Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love; it is the season of anticipation and joy in the gift of Christ we already know has entered the world and is eternally present among us; it is, for many of us, a season of parties and gift-giving and whirlwind celebrations.
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Even so, we are blessed, here in the fairly far North of the Northern Hemisphere, by the way Advent draws us into the deepest darkness of the year and the meaning we can find in that juxtaposition. At its most joyful, Advent is a season of remembering the wait for the birth of a precious baby; a wait that, as the day draws nearer, requires ever greater rest and reprioritization of focus and attention. Darkness, too, removes all that is extraneous — even our color vision fades in the dark — and shifts our focus.
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Beyond that, we cannot forget the whole of Jesus’ life as we celebrate his birth. We cannot forget that the same mother who tenderly wraps her babe in soft cloths will see his body broken at the hands of the empire. We cannot forget that we live in a world in deep need of peace even as we celebrate the coming of the Prince of Peace.
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All of this to say, beloved ones, if you are not feeling the hope, peace, joy, and love this season, Advent is still for you. May the darkness of the year, may the focus of the season, attune us to the needs of the world and of our hearts, and invite God to draw near to us in it all.
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Loving God, hear the prayers
of your people gathered in this community,
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- God, we pray that you receive your beloved child Polly, mother to Molly Owen-Kiritsy, into your loving embrace following her death this week. Bring peace to Molly, her family, and all who are grieving Polly.
- 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 after the elections. 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 continues to recover from hip replacement surgery. We pray that Judy heal quickly, fully, and well, with your strength upholding 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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Last Day to Submit Your
Family and Friends Dedication Requests
This Sunday is the last day to submit your
dedication requests for inclusion in next Sunday’s bulletin.
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Please submit by this Sunday, December 8
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Your dedications will be included in our Advent Sunday bulletins
on December 15th and 22nd. Each donation of $25.00 will be also used to purchase an 8" Poinsettia. Use the link above to submit and complete your dedication form & details.
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UCW Mitten Tree Returns!
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Union Church is kicking off its annual Mitten Tree. Our gifts will once again be directed to residents of Project Care and Concern, many of whom will not be receiving other gifts this holiday season.
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Please look for the paper mittens on the tree at church or click the link HERE to sign up for as many gifts as you are able to provide. Thank you for your support!
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Intergenerational Life - Youth and Families
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Making Calming Snowman Jars
Friday, December 13 from 4:00 - 6:30 p.m.
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At the Union Church - Everyone and All Ages Welcome!
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All-Ages Nativity Story Worship Service
Sunday, December 22, 10:00 a.m.
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Our beloved annual telling of the Christmas story is back in an all new way this year with roles and fun for every age and interest. Please contact Pastor Amy if you can be part of this special service. We're hoping to find people willing to read, play a part (speaking or non-speaking), share music or art, or help in any other way.
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Youth Group Christmas Party and Cookie-Making
Sunday, December 22 (time TBD)
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Mark your calendars for a fun time making cookies for neighbors (and eating some ourselves :) and celebrating Christmas! Pastor Amy will poll families to find the best time in the afternoon or evening.
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Caregiving Group
This 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
Thank you to Judy Nagle for hosting this Sunday's reception!
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We are still in need of hosts 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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