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The Union Church in Waban
Friday, August 28, 2020
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Online Worship - This Sunday
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Called to Act by Faith and Love
Sunday, August 30 - 10:00 a.m.
This Sunday, Union Church member Jaap van Reijendam will offer the second sermon of his two-part sermon series. We'll here the story of God calling Moses, and Jesus calling Peter out of the boat, and be reminded that we don't know how, when or why we are called to act on our faith. We'll reflect on how we might hear and respond to God's call, and how love can open our hearts and allow us to be transformed by our actions.
We will pray together, and share the music of our Music Minister, Daon Drisdom.
We look forward to worshiping with you!
Zoom Link is available HERE
Meeting ID: 864 8216 1076
Passcode: 981195
Phone number for Dial-in only: +1 646 558 8656
A link to the bulletin is available HERE
Also happening this Sunday - Celebration and Your Prayers
Rev. Stacy Swain will be in Maine this weekend for a very special celebration -- the ordination of our former ministerial intern, Brian Donovan! Please join your hearts and prayers with Brian this weekend as he crosses this important threshold into ordained ministry with the United Church of Christ.
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Staff Vacations in August
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Pastor Stacy will be away for the entire month of August as will Assistant Music Director, Kayla Gautereaux.
Pastor Amy is available throughout the month of August at Amy@ucw.org or cell 617.938.8112.
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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. Join us on Zoom HERE ,
Meeting ID: 825 631 369; Password: 022055. Or call in at +1 646 558 8656
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Children, Youth and Plans for Fall
Our dear children, youth and families are facing a year like none other! Words like hybrid, remote, and home-school are all taking on new meaning and relevance. We're all trying to figure out how to manage new realities juggling work, school and home-life, while tending to our spiritual, mental and physical health and well-being, and that of our children. Many of us are also finding new rhythms and even some blessings and new priorities in this time. May we find comfort , encouragement, and wisdom in walking this path together this year -- gathering with others in our beloved church family to find peace, spaciousness, connection, joy, meaningful service, and an experience God all around us!
Our Youth and Children's Ministry Teams have been meeting, praying, and working this month, getting closer to a plan that includes both in-person and online ways of connecting kids and families, and helping us all to find sacred space, grounding, and joy we need in this time! We hope to finalize a plan and calendar this coming week, and distribute it to families as soon as possible in early September. If you have thoughts or ideas of things that would help your family, or if you would like to be involved in helping to plan or gather with our kids, we'd love to talk! Please reach out to Pastor Amy (amy@ucw.org).
Parents Group - Every Tuesday at 7:30 pm: Continue to gather to connect, laugh and share mutual support as we do the good work of parenting in these challenging times. If you aren't on the parents list and would like to join us, please send Annie or Pastor Amy a note at agatewood@gmail.com, or amy@ucw.org
Back-to-School Prayers and Blessings for Families: Last week, Pastor Amy attended a gatherings with one of her favorite writers about faith and families, Rev. Traci Smith. Her book Faithful Families is a wonderful resource for simple practices and prayers for our home. During our gathering, she shared the following set of brief prayers for this back-to-school year. We'll use some of these prayers in Sunday worship, and in our gatherings this fall, but thought it might be helpful to you to have, as well, as we enter fall. May they be a blessings...
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Advocates for Racial Justice
Union Church Conversation about Reparations for African Americans
Mark your calendars: September 10th at 7:00 pm.
The idea of reparations for African American descendants of slaves is not new, and a bill to study reparations has been introduced in Congress each year since 1989. But this year, as national attention has focused on issues of justice for African Americans following the death of George Floyd, conversations about reparations have taken on a new urgency. The Union Church Advocates for Racial Justice invites you to a conversation about reparations, led by Anya Bassett.
In preparation for our conversation, we'll be reading two articles, Ta-Nehisi Coates' The Case for Reparations and a recent New York Times article about reparations passed by the city of Ashville, North Carolina. We'll talk about the idea of reparations and how it might work in practice on the national, local, and individual level.
All are welcome!
Did you know....On this date in 1960, young people sat for lunch in a peaceful sit- in at the whites only Woolworth's lunch counter. The black demonstrators were violently attacked by a mob of 200 white people.They were beaten by axe handles and baseball bats. White police officers joined the mob violence and over 500 people including children were badly injured.
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Can You Be Part of our On-going
Common Cathedral Team?
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 into the fall, for as long as they need us. Come be part of this awesome team!
- 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 Amy (amy@ucw.org).
- 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.
Thank you so much!
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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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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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