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The Union Church in Waban
Friday, July 10, 2020
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Online Worship - This Sunday
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Sunday, July 12
th
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10:00 a.m.
Growing in a God-Listening Heart
"Growing" is our theme for the month of July. Each Sunday we will be exploring a practice that if cultivated may help us to grow in our capacity to love as Christ commands. This Sunday we will explore how we may cultivate a practice of a "God-Listening Heart."
Jaap van Reijendam will be our preacher bringing us the word in a sermon entitled "The Gospel according to Joniel, part 1." After the sermon, we will again open the conversation to hear from you what word might have been placed on your heart in the hearing the scripture and listening to the sermon. Later in the service we will enjoy some special music offered to us by Luke van Reijendam.
[Jesus said]"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.'
This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' (Matthew 22: 37-39)
To join us in worship please go HERE.
Meeting ID: 869 1611 3098
Password: 759015
Call in: +1 646 558 8656
A copy of the bulletin is available HERE.
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Sunday Worship
Continues all Summer!
Throughout July and August we will continue to worship online at 10:00 am on Sundays. This is a change for us. Previously it was UCW custom to offer worship in July but then to suspend worship during the month of August.
While worship will continue on Sunday mornings as we are accustomed to, we
do hope that the summer will provide new and creative expressions of worship, as well as opportunities for greater lay involvement in leading prayers, preaching or offering musical or other creative and artistic expressions. If you are interested in contributing to the worship experience in July please be in touch with
Pastor Stacy. If August is better for you, please be in touch with
Pastor Amy.
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Ways to Connect this Week
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Tea Time continues -
Tuesdays and Thursdays at 3:00 pm.
We'd love to see you!
Tea time is a drop in gathering for anyone in the congregation young or old to say hello and connect with each other. Come share something you are experiencing or learning. Come hear how others in the community are doing and what is on their heart and minds. Grab a cup of tea and share in some conversation.
To join via Zoom go
HERE;
Meeting ID: 746 243 368
Password:
016341
or call +1 646 558 8656.
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Wednesday Morning Prayer
Every Wednesday at 7:30 a.m.
We begin with 20 minutes of meditative silence after which we speak aloud our prayers and light candles (if we have them) to help spread the light and warm of God's presence into the lives of those for whom we pray. We close with two prayers of blessing. The prayer of St. Francis and the Serenity Prayer. Please consider joining us. If you have any questions, please reach out to
Pastor Stacy
.
Join us on Zoom
HERE
,
Meeting ID: 825 631 369;
Password: 022055.
Or call in at
+1 646 558 8656
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Advocates for Racial Justice
Meeting on Tuesday July 14th at 4:30
Anyone interested in planning educational programming, advocacy and actions for the coming year please join us on zoom. Please notify Stacy by email so we can send you zoom link.
Have you thought about the following?
Ibraham Kendi in his book
How to Be an Antiracist says "
The heartbeat of racism is denial."
Ta-Nehisi Coates writes the following in his not to be missed article in the June 2014 issue of the Atlantic, "The Case for Reparations''
"Perhaps no statistic better illustrates the enduring legacy of our country's shameful history of treating black people as sub-citizens, sub-Americans, and sub-humans than the wealth gap."
Did you know?
"Black families, regardless of income, are significantly less wealthy than white families. The Pew Research Center estimates that white households are worth roughly 20 times as much as black households, and that whereas only 15 percent of whites have zero wealth, more than a third of blacks do. Effectively, the black family in America is working without a safety net. When financial calamity strikes - a medical emergency, a divorce, job loss - the fall is precipitous."
Image above is from the Equal Justice Initiatives, National Memorial for Peace and Justice
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Do you know any small business in possible need of a microfinance loan?
1K Task Force is seeking to find a borrower for a microfinance loan of $2500 or less. We have been exploring different options among local businesses in Newton and have not yet landed on an appropriate fit. We are seeking a business of five persons or less with a mission and purpose that is congruent with the values of Union Church. We were able to help Whams Cafe at a critical point in its business to get the leg up it needed to succeed. Our interest is less than 2% and is usually paid off over a two year period.
If you have any possible matches or ideas for locating a good fit please contact Brita Gill-Austern at 617 851 6871 or
bgillaustern@gmail.com. Our meetings are open, if you would like to see what we are up to,or join our task force please join us on Tuesday July 14th at 7:15 on zoom. Let me know and I will send you zoom info. Brita Gill-Austern
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Can You Be Part of our On-going
Common Cathedral Team?
Summer Plans to Continue this Ministry
"If you have come here to help me, you are wasting your time. But if you have come here because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us work together."
- Lilla Watson
We are bound in powerful ways to our beloved unhoused brothers and sisters in Boston. Our team of UCW members continues to bring sandwiches, granola bars, fruit, socks and other
needed items - like cards and notes of love and support - to
Common Cathedral's Boston Warm Day Center each week.
We very much hope to continue to walk with our friends at Boston Warm over the summer. As Pastor Amy takes some vacation in July, we're looking for extra hands to help coordinate and drive donations to Boston.
- JOIN THE FOOD PREP & SUMMER COORDINATING TEAM: Most weeks, we sign up to bring 50-100 sandwiches. Can you make 25? Or perhaps you could help coordinate or drop-off donations? We're working on a Sign-up Doc to help us get organized. Please Contact Pastor Stacy (stacy@ucw.org) while Pastor Amy is away so we can add you to the list.
- DONATE GRANOLA BARS, TUBE SOCKS, UNDERWEAR OR CLEANING SUPPLIES: Contact Pastor Amy if you have items to donate, or bring them to the big green bin outside the elevator lobby at the church.
- CREATE CARDS, SIGNS : Help our friends at Boston Warm know they are not alone, and share your love and prayers with them. Cards from all-ages are so appreciated and cherished, hung on the walls of the center for all to see.
- PRAY & PRAY WITH AN ARTIST: Prayer makes a difference! The Artists in the community also left a number of works of art in our church building after this winter's Common Art Show. Rev. Mary has asked that we invite UCW members to take a piece of art home and hold the artist in prayer. Contact Amy if you can pray and host a piece of art in your home. There are still pieces that you can take home for the summer!
Thank you so much!
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Pastor Amy Away in July-
Pastor Amy will be taking some time for rest, renewal, and family in July - mostly communing with the trees in the White Mountains without reliable internet or cell service :) She'll be back for a few days in the middle of the month, and for all of August, but for any pastoral needs or other questions related to the church, please be in touch with Pastor Stacy in July. Her email is stacy@ucw.org and her cell is 617-759-9016.
Parents Group - Every Tuesday at 7:30 pm throughout the Summer!
Gather to connect, laugh and share mutual support as we do the good work of parenting in these challenging times. Annie Gatewood will lead this group while Pastor Amy is away, and will send a Zoom link to parents on our list. If you aren't on the parents list and would like to join us, please send Annie a note a
t
agatewood@gmail.com.
Sunday School & Youth Groups Break for July - Resources for Families
Sunday School, Story Time and our Youth Groups are taking a break for July! We'll be in touch in August with our plans for the end of the summer and fall. We hope and pray you find many moments of peace, rest and joy this month, as you stay safe and well. We also always welcome children to our 10:00 a.m. Sunday Worship services (on Zoom), which will also continue throughout the summer. In addition, below are some books, videos and other resources you may wish to explore as a family during these summer days:
Family Sunday School & Bible Study
About COVID-19 and Hope
About Racial Justice and the Equal Worth and Belovedness of ALL God's Children:
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Youth Groups & Exploring Our Faith
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High School and Middle School Youth Groups
Taking a Break in July
Stay Tuned for August!
Our Youth Groups will take a break this month, but we hope our High School pal groups will continue to connect, and we look forward to seeing everyone in August! In the meantime, we encourage youth and families to attend our Sunday morning 10am services; continue discussion and learning around issues of race and racial justice; and explore the Bible Project
Church at Home (
Pastor Stacy is also available to our youth and families in July for any pastoral support they many need while Pastor Amy is away on vacation.
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2020_21 Stewardship Campaign
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Thank you to all who have returned their pledge forms for the 2020-2021 church year.
If you have not yet returned your pledge card, you can do so
here
.
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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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In the aftermath of Mr. George Floyd's death at the hands of police in Minnesota, and the ensuing protest that erupted across the world in June 2020, City Mission invites you to sit in prayer for nine weeks to honor the life of Mr. Floyd and a call for God's justice.
The anguishing words spoken by Mr. Floyd are the inspiration for our Call for Prayer.
"It's my face... please I can't breathe"
"I did not do nothing serious"
"Mama, mama, mama"
"I'm through, I'm through"
"My stomach hurts, my neck hurts.... Some water or something"
"Please, please, please"
"Do not kill me"
"They gonna kill me"
"I can't breathe"
The Call for Prayer and Justice will launch on Juneteenth (June 19), also known as Freedom Day, and continue for nine weeks representing each of Mr. Floyd's last minutes of life. Each week we will post a new prayer on our website and provide a link on social media.
It is our sincere hope that you will join us and lift up these words with our strong voices so that Mr. Floyd's words will resound in our hearts and communities. We must pray without ceasing for courage, strength, and love to dismantle the malignancy of systemic racism, violence, and injustice.
To read more about the next nine weeks and the weekly prayers please visit our website.
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