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Weekly Update
Friday, October 31, 2025
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All Saint's Sunday
November 2 at 10:00 a.m. (In-Person and Online)
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This Sunday around the Communion table, we will remember and honor the saints who have gone before us: our loved ones, members of this congregation, and all our ancestors in faith.
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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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P.S. Don’t forget to turn your clocks back this Saturday night/Sunday morning, or you may accidentally be quite early for church!
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It’s All Saints Sunday this week, and we’ll be singing many favorite hymns about the saints that we usually save for this one Sunday a year. As we bless the children on their way to Sunday School, we’ll sing “When the Saints Go Marching In,” with an extra verse Karen and I came up with based on this Sunday’s scripture readings: “O when I know I’m not alone…Lord how I want to be in that number, when the saints go marching in.”
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The message of All Saints Day is just this: that we are not alone, never alone in our journey of faith. Of course we have the presence and Spirit of God to accompany us, but we have all of the saints, too, all of the faithful ones who have gone before us — those whose names are recognized by churches around the world, those whom we knew, and all the many, many who are unknown to us — walking alongside us in the journey of Christian life.
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We have their examples to guide us, we have their prayers to inspire us, and we have their faith to strengthen us when our faith is lacking. Thanks be to God for all the saints, and may we, too, be in that number.
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A Note About Pastor Megan’s Schedule
I will be on vacation from 11/3-11/9, return from 11/10-11/13, and then will be away from the church for professional development from 11/14-11/20. Worship will be in excellent hands, with both Katie and Brita preaching these two Sundays.
During this time, you have several options if you are in need of care:
-Rev. Cheryl Kerr of United Parish Auburndale will be on call for urgent pastoral care needs. She can be reached at [email protected] or 617-688-8619.
-If your need is not urgent but you’d like to speak with a Deacon about a need for prayer, meals, a visit, or another care need, email Molly Owen-Kiritsy from 11/3-11/9, or Nancy Zollers from 11/14-11/20.
Please understand that I will not be answering emails/calls/texts from church while I am away, and please be patient, as it may take some time for me to respond when I return given the timing. Time away with family and with colleagues nourishes my spirit, refreshes my ministry, and allows me to return to you all with full energy leading into Advent this year.
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Did you lose a coat at All-Comers Dinner? Get in touch! Someone left their warm layer at the Lynch-Johnson house, and with chilly days ahead, you’ll need it back!
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Also, if you had a great time and want to host our next All-Comers dinner, let Pastor Megan know! Open to all ages with no CORI required.
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FamilyAid Update
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Members of UCW had a blast painting (and sometimes washing and repainting!) mini pumpkins with some of the kids and parents at the FamilyAid Family Navigation Center on Wednesday. After our successful Popsicle Playground Parties in the summer, the moms specifically asked if we could come back to host something fun for Halloween!
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More events like this will happen every 1-2 months as we continue to support our neighbors in the West Newton Center.
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If you’d like to be able to volunteer on-site with FamilyAid at future fun events like this one, email Pastor Megan so you can get onto their list of CORI-checked and approved volunteers.
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Also, keep an eye out for a save-the-date as we make plans for a volunteer opportunity in the Vestry at UCW after a church service in January, which will be open to all ages with no CORI required.
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Loving God, hear the prayers
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of your people gathered in this community.
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- Prayers of gratitude for the opportunity to celebrate Halloween with our neighbors at the FamilyAid Family Navigation Center, for joy and laughter around paint, pumpkins, and food.
- As the weather turns colder and the light fades in the evenings, we pray for all our siblings who are unhoused and sleeping rough. Protect and shelter them, O God, and may we be part of a great effort of providing shelter and safety this fall and winter.
- God, we ask that you would strengthen and care for our immigrant neighbors of all legal statuses who continue to live in fear and uncertainty amidst current immigration policies.
- 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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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 an Intergeneration Community
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UCW Game Night
Sunday, Nov. 16 from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m.
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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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This is a great chance for intergenerational connection, and a great way for families to spend time together!
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Transgender Day of Remembrance
Remember, Resist, and Rise Interfaith Service
Thursday, November 20 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m.
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First Unitarian Universalist Society in Newton, 1326 Washington St, Newton
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Together, we will honor the lives of trans and gender-expansive people past and present, mourn those lost to anti-trans violence, and lift up a vision of a future grounded in justice and joy.
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Sponsored by the First Unitarian Universalist Society in Newton and co-sponsored by Congregation Dorshei Tzedek, Eliot Church of Newton, First Church in Chestnut Hill, Myrtle Baptist Church, Newton Highlands Congregational Church, Newton Presbyterian Church, Second Church in Newton, St. Ignatius of Loyola Parish, Temple Beth Avodah, Temple Shalom, The Union Church in Waban, and United Parish of Auburndale, this service is an opportunity to come together in love, resilience, and solidarity as we remember, resist, and rise.​
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If interested, you can also join a pickup choir on the night of the event, with rehearsal beginning at 5:30 p.m. If you are interested in singing, please let Pastor Megan know.
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Mission Committee Urgent Update
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SNAP (food assistance) benefits will be discontinued tomorrow,
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We want to alert you to a critical situation: many families in our community are facing severe food insecurity. Because SNAP (food assistance) benefits will be discontinued tomorrow, November 1st, access to sufficient, healthy food is now more difficult than ever.
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- Pray - Pray in you own way for a resolution
- Donate food items — We are collecting non-perishable goods now at the Church to deliver to our local food pantry in Newton.
- Monetary support — Donations will not fully cover the gap left by the SNAP cut-offs. We ask you to consider a gift to Project Bread, the Massachusetts-based hunger relief organization working to strengthen food access and advocate for policy change.
- Advocacy — Please contact your U.S. Congressman/woman and urge immediate action to reverse or mitigate the cancellation of SNAP benefits, and to protect other food assistance programs. Our neighbors cannot afford to wait.
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Most Needed Donated goods:
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Here are the items our local food pantry in Newton has indicated are in high demand:
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- Canned vegetables (low-sodium preferred)
- Canned fruit (in juice, not syrup)
- Canned beans (black beans, kidney beans, etc)
- Whole grain pasta & rice
- Healthy cereals or oatmeal
- Shelf-stable milk or milk alternatives
- Peanut butter or other nut butters
- Canned tuna or salmon
- Healthy snacks (granola bars, fruit cups)
- Diapers (sizes 4, 5, 6) and baby wipes
- Paper goods: toilet paper, tissues
- Hygiene items: soap, shampoo, toothpaste
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Please choose items that are not expired, and bring them to the church.
Together we can make a real difference.
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Thank you for your generosity, compassion, and action.
The Mission Committee
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Mission Committee Seeks Your Input & Suggestions
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The mission committee is meeting November 12 and we are looking for ways to support and enhance our existing partnerships with the use of the capital campaign funds. We would like to decide over our next two meetings how we can put to good work these funds.
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We have been engaged in a Vision and Strategic Planning initiative and want to invite YOU to join us and help us chart UCW's journey!
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We've talked over more than a year about the importance of taking stock of the good work we have been engaged in together and discerning our call for the future. This is not the first time such planning has happened in our congregation, and this work builds upon all that has already been discerned and gathered.
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Many of you were present for our consultant, Rev. Dr. Claire Bamberg, launching the official start of this initiative in worship and a congregational meeting. If you weren't there in person and haven't yet been able to watch the recordings, they are still available HERE .
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Our facilitators have been trained and are ready to welcome you into small-group listening sessions over the next several weeks, in which all who want to participate can make your voices heard in this process.
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Please choose three times in the coming weeks that will work for you, and rank them in order of preference (1= most desirable). We are committed to making sure you get one of the three time slots you choose. If slots all fill, we will add more until everyone who wishes to participate has done so.
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Reminders: Do not plan to be in a group with a spouse, partner, child, SO, or dear friend. Please fill this out ASAP -- sessions will begin this weekend! -- and please watch for the notice of the time you have been assigned. There are both in-person and online options. Finally, please be on time. There will be no more than five other people in your group, and it cannot start without you!
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The Visioning Team is grateful for your engagement in this process and looking forward to sharing the anonymous information collected in these sessions with the whole congregation later this fall.
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Questions? Reach out to Pastor Megan, Susan H.S., Amy M., or Alan C.
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Welcome to the new church year! Sign-ups are now open!
Almost all Sundays are currently available, you are invited to pick a date!
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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 see the Note About Pastor Megan’s Schedule in the Pastor's Blog section above detailing Pastor Megan's availability and schedule in upcoming weeks.
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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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Live the Love & Justice Jesus Taught
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If you’re seeking ways to live out God’s love and justice at this moment in history, I invite you to look through the Southern New England Conference of the UCC’s new “Take Action” page on their website.
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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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