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Weekly Update
Friday, March 6, 2026
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March 8, 10:00 a.m.
The Third Sunday in Lent
(In-Person and Online)
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This Sunday is “repair” week in our journey through the tools for survival in the Lenten wilderness, when we will explore themes of healing our relationships, our world, and ourselves.
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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 Sunday Evening!
Intergenerational Board Game Night
Sunday, March 8 from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m.
(In-Person, Littlehale Meeting Room)
Join us for a fun night of games! Bring your favorite game or just come ready to play. We’ll meet in the Littlehale room and have pizza and snacks.
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All ages are welcome! This is a great chance for intergenerational connection, and a great way for families to spend time together!
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Alongside its themes of wilderness journeys, Lent is traditionally a season of repentance – of turning from harms and returning to God and to God’s call on our lives. As winter (finally, hopefully) turns into spring, so too are we given a chance for renewal, for new growth, for new life. It need not be a time of deep sacrifice or dramatic simplification; it can be enough to treat this season as a kind of spiritual spring cleaning, releasing what has not been serving us and preparing our hearts for the joy and the promise that awaits.
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Living with Loss
New Supportive Group for Adults beginning at UCW this Spring
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All of us live with loss in our lives in so many ways: the death of spouses, children, parents, and other loved ones; the loss of our own or loved ones’ capacity due to illness and aging; the loss of work or other roles that give us a sense of meaning and purpose; and so many more losses. If you are in a season of living with loss and would like to be in supportive spiritual community with others, please join us.
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This group will gather and discuss personal experiences of past, present, and ongoing loss. Important themes will be woven throughout sessions as we share in silence and meditation, prayer, ritual, music, art, scripture, other readings, poetry, podcasts, and more as helpful tools through which we come to understand, process, and live with our loss. This group will not be focused on fixing or solving anything, but rather with understanding loss as a companion in our lives and with being companions to one another in our journeys.
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We will begin meeting monthly in late March through June, take a break with just one Zoom meeting over the summer, and then resume in September. Meetings will last 90 minutes and will take place in person at church. We ask those who are interested to commit to the group (not necessarily every single session, but an intention to attend most months for continuity of community). If you are interested, please let us know your preference for days and times: Sundays 11:30-1pm, weekdays during the day, or weekday evenings.
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This group will be led by Pastor Megan, Brita Gill-Austern, and Molly Owen-Kiritsy; Megan and Molly will begin the group this spring, and then Brita will join Molly in leading during Pastor Megan’s parental leave this fall. If you are interested, please send Pastor Megan ([email protected]) an email to let us know.
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Loving God, hear the prayers
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of your people gathered in this community.
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- We pray for an end to war, an end to violence, an end to the harms of Empire that we see in our scriptures and in our world.
- We pray for individuals, organizations, and communities standing up for what is right and just even in the face of great pressures. From individual activists and truth-tellers to technology companies taking a stand against using new advancements to cause harm, and all in between, may all those who rise up for justice be strengthened and their voices amplified.
- We pray for Tom Humphrey and Jim MacDonald, recovering from recent surgeries.
- 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, especially in this tender season.
- 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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Connecting as Intergenerational Community
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Mark Your Calendars!
Lunch Bunch
Tuesday, March 17 at 12:00 p.m.
(In-Person, Littlehale Meeting Room)
Come and join us for a hot lunch and fellowship at 12 noon in the Littlehale Room.
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Lunch Bunch is focused on gathering the seniors and retirees in the congregation, though is open to all. In order to plan for food pls rsvp to Molly Owen-Kiritsy or Pastor Megan by Sunday 3/15. Thanks!
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Community Dinner at
Union Church in Waban
Thursday, March 19 at 6:00 p.m.
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We are delighted to hear that many folks are interested in attending the Community Supper on Thursday, March 19th, downstairs at Union Church in Waban. We are also inviting our neighbors, the Riverside Preschool, the Scouts, the Taiwanese Church and the Winchester School.
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As the saying goes, though, "many hands make light work!" We would welcome your help!
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If you are interested in bringing food, set up, or clean up, the Sign Up Genius below is where you can do that! We will need folks to make their own special mac and
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cheese, bring side dishes or salads, snacks, drinks, and desserts.
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If you can help with set-up or bring food
please Sign-Up HERE
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- Set up will start at 5:30, as the dinner will be at 6:00 PM.
- Clean up will be from 7:00-7:30 PM.
- Food should bedropped off by no later than 5:45 that evening.
Please let us know what you would like to do!
Sincerely,
The Communications Committee: Linda Lynch, Nancy Zollers, Susan Hunt Stevens, Amy McMahon and Pastor Megan Berkowitz+
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P. S. Not able to volunteer, but would like to attend? We'd love to have you. RSVP HERE.
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Tools for Survival in the Wilderness
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Sunday Worship
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Each Sunday throughout Lent, we'll gather around sacred stories and traditions to explore the tools our faith offers us for surviving the wildernesses of our lives and the world around us.
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Small Groups
Meeting Tuesdays at noon on Zoom or Thursdays at 7:00 p.m. at the
church. The groups will give an opportunity for learning, fellowship, and spiritual deepening. Contact Pastor Megan to join.
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Download our Family guide with at home activities to explore our Lent theme as a family. This guide has weekly guided conversations that are designed to help you talk as a family about injustice in the world and start to show your kids some of the tools they will need to navigate the wilderness.
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Download the Lent Guide HERE
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Join the Next Stand Out at ICE in Burlington
This Wednesday, March 11th
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Carpooling from UCW - Departing at 10:45 a.m.
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Join us to pray, sing, and stand in solidarity with those detained by ICE at the Burlington Detention Center. We will be carpooling from UCW, departing at 10:45 AM on Wednesday, March 11.
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WAR MEMORIAL
Newton City Hall
1000 Commonwealth Ave.
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SAVE THE DATE!: March 11, 7:oo-9:00 p.m.
The First Unitarian Universalist Society in Newton (FUUSN) will be sponsoring a citywide training by the LUCE Immigrant Justice Network of Massachusetts to help Newtonians learn how to protect and support our immigrant neighbors.
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LUCE is a coalition of immigrant-led, grassroots organizations who build people power for everyone across Massachusetts. "
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Cosponsoring congregations include: NewCity Church, Saint Ignatius of Loyola Catholic Church, and The Union Church in Waban. Donations of cookies for a reception to follow the service are very welcome.
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To RSVP, please use link below,
Registration is required for entrance to training.
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Reading Scripture in Worship
Sharing the Stories of Our Faith
Scripture Reader Sign-up: HERE
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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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Coffee Host Needed
Please consider volunteering!
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Hosting a reception is a thoughtful expression of our hospitality, and it’s easier than you think! If you’re new to hosting, help is always available. Please consider volunteering for two dates this year.
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Making Space - Stewardship Campaign
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This year’s Stewardship theme is Making Space. Read the full letter from Chair Kent Wittler and the Stewardship Committee here .
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Submit Your Pledge 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 for prayer or pastoral support.
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and her office phone is 617-965-3893
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Most weeks, Friday is a day of Sabbath for Pastor Megan. With a pastoral emergency, please don't hesitate to reach out.
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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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