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The Union Church in Waban
Friday, May 8, 2020
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In these trying time, let us remember that the power and presence of God is even now moving in the world. Let us come together to participate in and celebrate the presence of God with us, still.
As we celebrate Mother's Day on Sunday, please consider sending to
Jade
a picture of someone who has been a mother to you by TODAY. We will be sharing a slide show of images during our time of offering.
A separate eblast will be send out tomorrow, Saturday. In it you will find all the information you need to partake in worship and learning together on Sunday.
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Ways to Connect this Week
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Tea Time with Stacy
Every Tuesday and Thursday at 3:00 p.m.
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.
In these times of uncertainly, we can feel adrift without a sense of security or a firm foundation. Morning prayer on Wednesdays can help ground us in the power and presence of God that is our foundation in these times. Please consider taking up a prayer practice and joining us in this time of silence, candle lighting and blessing.
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 US (New York);
Meeting ID: 825 631 369#
Password: 022055
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Wednesday May 13th, from 12:00 - 1:30 p.m.
We all are home, right? So why not, cook up something delicious and then come join us for lunch bunch on Wednesday? This Wednesday, we ask that you bring to the table something in which you are finding some joy right now. Look in your house or in your yard and bring it to us. In this time of CoVid-19, things are getting paired down to the basics. When so much is falling away what is revealing itself to you? And no worries, if you don't feel up to such a "show and tell" come anyway. We will find beauty, just seeing your face.
- Join us on Zoom HERE
- Meeting ID: 881 0550 7242
- Password: 941571
- Or call in: +1 646 558 8656 US (New York)
- Meeting ID: 881 0550 7242
- Password: 941571
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2020_21 Stewardship Campaign Update
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Thanks to all who have returned their pledge forms for the 2020-2021 church year. While we
face challenging times ahead, the fortitude of our faith community will help us keep our light shining. If you have not yet returned your pledge card, you can do so
here or by clicking on button to the right
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(This link/button is also available on Website homepage at ucw.org.)
For more information regarding this year's pledge campaign please go here.
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Reminder - Community Photo Album
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Signs of New Life, Hope and Love - Add your photos!
We have received some awesome photos -- Thank you to everyone who has contributed! The season of Easter continues until May 31
st, and we want to share photos of where each of us is
seeing God alive and moving in the world! Where are you seeing signs of New Life, Hope, Love and Light?
Take a picture and add it to our commun
ity photo album
HERE
. We'll collect all the photos and share them in worship on May 17th or 24th.
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Parents Group - Every Tuesday at 7:30 pm Gather to connect, laugh and share mutual support as we do the good work of parenting in these challenging times. CLICK HERE to log-in; password (if needed) is 499897
Story-time with Pastor Amy - Thursdays at 4:30 pm Pastor Amy gathers with kids and families each week to share a story and check-in. CLICK HERE and join our next story-time live (password: 069830). You can see past story-times with Pastor Amy reading by clicking HERE.
Pastoral Support:
Please know that Pastor Amy is available for calls, texts or video-chats. We'll be working on other ways to get together in virtual small groups as well. Amy's email is amy@ucw.org and cell is 617-938-8112.
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Youth Groups & Exploring Our Faith
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5th Graders and Middle Schoolers - This Sunday, May 10th from 5-6pm
Meet every other week for Middle School Youth Group (alternating with High School Youth Group - Next meeting will be this Sunday, May 10th
Pastor Amy will gather with our 5th graders and Middle Schoolers for games; and time to connect and hang-out with friends, support one another, and find meaningful ways to serve and be creative.
- ZOOM ROOM: https://zoom.us/j/96080198988?pwd=bjVMSHRvdmtwSjIxZ3UrOVhpODAwZz09
- Meeting ID: 960 8019 8988; Password: 994179
High School Youth Group - Sunday, May 17th, 5-6pm
Exploring Our Faith and Juniors & Seniors -
We'll meet every other Sunday (alternating with Middle School Youth Group below) to connect, have fun, support one another, and find meaningful ways to serve, and be creative, joyful and hopeful in this time.
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Ministerial Feedback and Review
Each year the Human Resource team tries to provide our ministers with feedback regarding our experience of their ministries so they can discern the call for the coming year. In the past we have done this through surveys, congregational meetings and phone interviews. As we all have a bit more time at home, this may be an opportune time for all our congregants to reflect on the past year and offer feedback to inform the year ahead.
Everyone is invited to reflect on the following questions and send their feedback to hr@ucw.org Please base your responses on the entire year - from last Spring through this Spring - and not just the time of Zoom worship.
We plan to follow up with conversations with a sample of congregants, so if you want to talk with us, we want to talk with you! Please indicate your willingness to engage in conversation in your responses.
In considering the various ministries of the church (worship, music, Christian Education, youth programming, adult faith formation, mission and pastoral care)
- *How are you feeling nourished? What feels like the most vibrant experience for you?
- *Where do you see opportunities for personal or spiritual growth? What, if anything, are you longing for?
- *What might you like to see unfold in the coming year or two?
Thanks and blessings,
The UCW Human Resource Team
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Are you feeling a call to serve?
The nominating committee is actively reaching out to the congregation asking people to discern where they may be feeling called to serve in the year ahead.
If you are feeling called to serve in a ministry area or if you would like to know more about the ministries of the church, please be in touch with Co-Moderators -
Diane Tillotson and
Alison McCarty, Senior Deacon
Jim MacDonald or Pastors
Amy and
Stacy.
"Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received." (1 Peter 4:10 nrsv)
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Advocates for Racial Justice
Did you know....
On this date in 1882 the Chinese Exclusion Act was signed as the first significant law restricting immigrants to the United States. Despite the fact that the Chinese were only .002 of the population, they were blamed for the economic decline of the workforce and, notably, the act was designed to assuage prevalent concerns about white racial purity. The Chinese were not allowed to testify in court (just as African Americans and Native Americans were not at that time; People vs. Hall)
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We have some books for you!
Josephine Bolling McCall who was with us for worship on March 8 and spoke to us about her book that u
nmasks the violence around her father's lynching when she was a child, sent us 20 signed copies of her book. If you are interested in one of them please reach out to Pastor Stacy. While there is no charge for her book, if you are inclined a donation to the the
Elmore Bolling Foundation would be greatly appreciated.
Pilgrimage Survey
Finally, if you have not yet completed our brief survey regarding our
possible UCW pilgrimage to Selma and Montgomery, Alabama in the spring of 2021.
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Sending our Love to our Friends at Norwood Health!
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Knowing that care facilities are among those who are suffering most under this pandemic, our hearts have been breaking for our friends at Norwood Health. Our team that leads worship monthly has not been able to be present to the residents since February but that does not mean we have not been with them in our prayers, letters and this poster that now hangs in the activity room where we gathered for worshp when that was possible. Let's hold our friends close and all that are in care facilities in this vulnerable and anxious time.
If you are interested in being a part of this ministry, please be in touch with Molly Owen-Kiritsy or Pastor Stacy
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Serving our Community During COVID-19
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A note from our own Kate Kelly:
Hi everyone!
My name is Kate and I am Joanie and Steve Kelly's daughter, a rising Junior at Yale. I am on the TeleHealth Access for Seniors team here in Boston. We are collecting old iPhones, iPads, and smart devices to give to medical practices and Veterans' Hospitals for use by patients in need. Currently, physicians are operating via telehealth appointments. Many older patients lack the smart devices needed to actually attend these appointments. In MA, we are looking to donate devices to three of the VA hospitals that are in need of better access to virtual communication methods.
Our goal is to encourage the adoption of telehealth, improve access to care, and repurpose unused old devices! If you are interested in providing a used iPhone, iPad, or smart device to us, you can learn more on our website:
HERE
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You can also find a Device Donation Form:
HERE
We are also collecting donations to our GoFundMe page to help offset costs of shipping and charger purchases, so if you are unable to donate devices, monetary donations would be greatly appreciated! Donate
HERE.
I hope you see you all back at church soon!
Best,
Kate
(DISCLAIMER: We are a 501(c)(3) pending organization. Devices you provide are not yet tax-deductible.)
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Rev. Mary Eaton breaking bread at Common Cathedral
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Common Cathedral -
Thank you!
Needs Continue
Many thanks to all who donated sandwiches, granola bars, socks and pads to Common Cathedral's BostonWarm. We delivered another round of needed donations this week. They continue to (as safely as possible - masks and distancing) provide lunches on Weds, Thurs, Friday every week for around 100, as well as providing pastoral support, community, and other needed items and space out of the elements. It is an inspiring and needed ministry!
LISTEN to an inspiring recent WGBH interview with Rev. Mary Eaton of Common Cathedral by
CLICKING HERE.
How we can continue to help:
- Continued prayer and connection -They anticipate this will be a long season of increased need and vulnerability for their community (which is increasing in number). They are so grateful for our prayers and support for the long-term.
- Food: They'll be providing these extra lunches for the foreseeable future. We are signed up to bring Sandwiches Next Friday, May 15. If you can help make some sandwiches, or buy granola bars for future weeks, please be in touch with Pastor Amy.
- Socks, Socks, Socks, and Underwear: Between the soggy spring and fewer donations, they are seeing a real need for clean, dry socks. If you are able to find and donate some new tube socks and/or men's underwear it would be a help to them.
- Uplifting Art and Messages: Notes with messages of love and hope added to lunch donations mean a lot. BostonWarm is where CommonArt is oused and so they especially appreciate people sharing art and inspiration. If you and/or your youth/kids would like to contribute some notes, please be in touch with Amy.
If you would like to be part of the team receiving Common Cathedral updates to help when you can, please let Pastor Amy (amy@ucw.org) know if you haven't already.
We'll also leave the green plastic tub labeled Common Cathedral out in front of the elevator lobby at the church, and check it once a week, in case you can swing by with granola bars, socks, pads, or other donations.
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Our Friends at Talbot House and Walnut House are
Asking for Our Help
For the last many years the residents of Talbot House and Walnut help have been recipients of Christmas gifts through our mitten tree and partnership with Project Care and Concern. Recently we heard that they could use our help securing food and other supplies in this time of the CoVid-19 crisis.
Anne Jarvis is willing to shop for food for her residents, as she
says that keeping them out of stores is keeping them healthy--and preventing the virus from spreading. Anne is willing to shop for anyone who wants to make a donation.
If you would want to send Anne a gift card (Amazon or Visa/Master Card) or a check made out to her, she has an arrangement with Star Market in Chestnut Hill-- which is where she shops for food
Alternatively it is possible to place an order through Target to be delivered to Anne who will bring it to the residence.
To donate please send a check or gift cards to:
Anne Jarvis
22 Ackers Ave.
Brookline, MA 02445
For questions, contact Amy McMahon at
amymcm@rcn.com
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Russell School students
As most of you know, we have a partnership with one of the Boston Public Schools in Dorchester, the Russell school. It is a K-5 school that serves a large immigrant population, and also has a lot of homeless families.
Donations can be made
HERE
(and specify Chromebooks BPS)
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Boston Medical Center - UCW Collection of Needed Supplies
In the midst of this scary and unsettling time, many of us are frustrated by our sense of helplessness in being able to help the most vulnerable in more concrete ways. We will continue collecting and delivering needed medical supplies
Boston Medical Center, the hospital that serves the most vulnerable and homeless in the city We know these supplies are hard to come by, but please keep your eyes out as you shop in stores and online and donate any items you can. The need is great and anything you can do is appreciated! All supplies may be dropped off at the church outside the elevator lobby in the marked boxes. We hope you will tell others in Newton about this drop off place.
For more detail and a list of supplies needed at the Boston Medical Center and
Common Cathedral continue reading
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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