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Weekly Update
Friday, July 10 , 2026
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Summer Worship Services
July and August
Sundays at 10:00 a.m.
(In Person in Memorial Chapel)
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We return to summer worship this Sunday and our water theme, as Worship Committee Chair Julie Heffernan leads us in conversation about baptism. All are welcome!
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A preview of the summer servcie bulletin & schedule can be found HERE.
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I am delighted to share that Rev. Rick Chrisman will be joining UCW as the parental leave Bridge Pastor this fall, from September 1st until my planned return at the start of Advent. Rev. Rick’s bio is below, though some of you may know him from a period some years ago when he was a member of UCW while serving as an interim pastor elsewhere. Closest to home for UCW, Rev. Rick has twice served as interim at the Eliot Church in Newton. In addition, Katie Brown-Bright, our Bridge Associate for Children, Youth, and Families, will be on-call for pastoral support from the start of my parental leave until when Rev. Chrisman begins his work in September, so there will be no gap in congregational care coverage.
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HR, the co-moderators, and I wanted to clarify what Rev. Rick’s focus and scope of work will be while he is here. He will be available for pastoral care beginning Sept. 1 and his first worship service will be on Welcome Sunday on Sept. 13, preaching three Sundays per month through November. Members of the congregation will preach on the Sundays Rev. Chrisman does not.
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His primary duties will include worship planning, preaching and pastoral care. He will also provide leadership to the Visioning Team, Council, and Congregation to advance the vision and strategic planning process. Rev. Chrisman will be serving on a part-time basis (24 hours per week) and therefore his scope of work will be more limited than the usual Senior Pastor role.
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Given his part-time schedule, his presence at meetings and events will necessarily be limited to those most central to his role. He will regularly attend Council, Deacons, Worship, and Visioning Team meetings. Where there is need or desire for his presence, he will try to accommodate for at least part of a zoom meeting when invited specifically by the chair of a committee for a specific purpose. We are excited to welcome him to lead us during this exciting time!
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Rick grew up in rural Illinois, worked on farms in high school summers and a John Deere factory for two college summers. Ordained by the United Church of Christ, Rick has had a dual career serving as pastor of urban parishes (Los Angeles, Boston) and as Director of Religious Life on the college campus (Tufts, Skidmore) with a special passion for arts ministry. Rick also taught in the Ministry Program at his graduate alma mater, the University of Chicago Divinity School (M.A., Ph.D.) and for his Religion and Literature Field. He is a Fellow and former Board Member of the Society for Arts, Religion and Contemporary Culture (NYC). He once took the 10-day training at Saul Alinsky’s Industrial Areas Foundation, as part of the founding of the Greater Boston Interfaith Organization. Rick is the father of two grown sons (living in NYC and in Brookline), and lives with his wife Cindy in Brighton.
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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 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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A Message from the Worship Committee
Summer Worship Leaders Needed
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Do you have a favorite water-related scripture passage? Do you have a meaningful water-related story or reflection that you can share?
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Starting this coming Sunday, June 28, UCW will be holding summer services in the chapel on Sundays at 10.00 a.m. The structure will be less formal and shorter than it is for our church-year services: attendees will be seated in a circle in the chapel; there will be a scripture reading, followed by a member-led reflection/personal story related to the passage; there will then be a time for attendees to share their thoughts on the passage: we will sing two easy, well-known water-related songs; and there will be a time for prayer.
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The order of worship will be the same each week (preview here) so it will be printed on reusable, sturdy cards. The whole service will take about 30-40 minutes. We are still looking for members to lead Sunday worship on August 9 and August 16.
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Please contact Julie Heffernan ([email protected]) if you would be willing to lead one of these Sundays.
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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 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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