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Weekly Update
Friday, September 4, 2026
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Please note: There will be no Sunday worship service this Sunday, 9/6 (Labor Day Weekend).
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Gathering Sunday
September 13!
Please mark your calendars for our welcome back Sunday on September 13! Worship will be led by our Bridge Pastor, Rev. Richard Chrisman and our new Music Director Cynthia Sanger.
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Feel free to invite friends and neighbors to share in our joyful return to worship and community together.
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Hi UCW friends and members, my name is Rick Chrisman, and I am an old friend of yours, once upon a time a member, way back before Covid, when Stacy was still minister here. Way past retirement age, I’m just a preacher who has to have a congregation, so thanks for inviting me to fulfil my vocation with you, even if just for a few months.
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I know Newton because I served Eliot Church once as Interim for three years (over Covid) and again as Bridge till a new minister, the formidable Rev. Eric Jackson, arrived. I have preached at our Newton Highlands church for Ken Bailey over the years.
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I also have friends among you from my years as adjunct in Homiletics at Andover-Newton Theological School, where I also was faculty at the summer Arts Institute there.
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But going back further, I was among the original founding members of your GBIO when I served Old South Church as Associate Minister from 1990 to 1998 and when I was Senior Minister at Central Congregational in Jamaica Plain from 1998 to 2003. The 10-day training I got from the Industrial Areas Foundation in Chicago took my theological education apart and put it all back together again, hallelujah!
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I will use this space every week to offer up my experiments in poetry, word jazz, and such fantasia along the biblical lines set forth in the Sunday scripture selections.
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Annual Committee Chairs
and Leaders Retreat
September 13, 2026
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Calling all UCW Council members, committee chairs and leaders, please join us for our annual retreat after church on September 13, 2026!
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We will be sharing best practices; ways we can reengage with the UCW Community and the initiatives that emerged from our-short term Visioning process. Our priority for the coming year is to execute the top tier action items from the visioning process and talk about ways to help you in those initiatives. We are requesting that group leaders share their group’s top tier action items in a short summary during the retreat. You can find more information in the agenda here (insert link). Given the timing of the meetings there will be extra food including sandwiches provided at reception.
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The schedule is as follows (in Littlehale meeting room):
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- UCW Council Meeting from 11:30AM - 12:45PM
- Annual Retreat With Committee Chairs and Initiative Leaders from 12:45 - 2:30PM
A preview of the agenda is available HERE.
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We hope to see you there as we begin a great new year with our Bridge Pastor, Rick Chrisman and await Megan’s return in December.
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Thank You for
Helping Clean Up
Our Church Grounds!
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Thank you to Alison McCarty, Tony DaDalt, Molly Owen-Kiritsy, Ryleigh Burgess, Diane Tillotson, Frank Laski, Nancy Zollers, Frank and Nacy's 3 grandchildren, Buz Bedford, Kathy Malone, Karla Armenoff, Wat Matsuyasu, Jim MacDonald, Chris Dalton and Tom Humphrey!
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Your hard work and dedication made a tremendous difference, and our property looks beautiful because of your efforts.
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With sincere appreciation, Judy Nagle
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UCW is Hiring!
Children’s Ministry Assistant
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We are currently hiring a children’s ministry assistant to help with Sunday school and other children’s ministry events. If you are interested or know anyone who would be a great fit, please reach out to Katie Brown-Bright at [email protected].
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Announcement from the Deacons
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Know we were all excited to learn of Pastor Megan and Leila's new bundles of love, Teddie and Zellie, being born! Should you want to send a card to Megan and Leila you can look up their address on Breeze or reach out to Molly Owen-Kiritsy at [email protected] for the address.
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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 give thanks for the safe arrival of Pastor Megan and Leila's twins, and we continue to hold them and their families in our prayers during this joyful time.
- We pray for those who are unhoused, sleeping rough, working outdoors, in unsafe living or working conditions, or otherwise subject to the effects of this summer’s heat without adequate cooling. We pray for immediate relief in the form of helpers and cooling centers, and for long-term, sensible action on global climate change.
- We pray as many members of our community are traveling for the summer: for traveling mercies for all!
- 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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Connecting as Intergenerational Community
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Southern New England UCC Annual Meeting
September 25-27, Worcester, MA
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Did you know that as a partner congregation of the UCC, we are entitled to send delegates to the Southern New England Conference’s Annual Meeting? You can meet members from other local churches, attend workshops and worship, and vote on the business of the conference as we do at our own Annual Meeting.
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This year’s meeting will be held in person in Worcester September 25-27 (all business conducted on Saturday the 26th), so the conference is working to get the word out early before the summer slowdown in local churches. More information is available HERE.
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Pastoral Care Connections
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Please don't hesitate to reach out to Bridge Pastor, Rev. Rick Chrisman for prayer, pastoral support or with a pastoral emergency.
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and his office phone is 617-965-3893
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Find us on Instagram and Facebook
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We have a new Social Media Director! Maya Tuozollo has agreed to keep UCW active online. Please follow us on Instagram and Facebook and share UCW posts so we can expand our network
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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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