From Our Pastors

Posted onAuthorAidan Cuningham

Rev. Megan
Berkowitz

Rev. Amy
Clark Feldman

Pastor Megan
March 1, 2024

“I pray that, according to the riches of God’s glory, God may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through the Spirit and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love”

 Ephesians 3:16-17 

In the season of Lent this year, we are praying this prayer that Paul shared with those to whom he wrote in the church in Ephesus, for ourselves and for one another. We, too, are seeking to dwell in the heart with God and with Christ. This prayer beautifully illustrates one of the connections between faith and love: faith invites Jesus to dwell with us; love grounds us so that we can make that invitation, and so that we can grow from it.

As we slow down during Lent, setting aside distractions and busyness in favor of relationship-building and clarity of purpose, we make room to focus ourselves on the entwined faith and love that are at the heart of things, both as individuals and as a whole community. I pray that you, each and every one of you, are strengthened by the power of the Holy Spirit for the turning towards the center that Lent demands of us. I pray that you are rooted in love and open, in faith, to Christ’s presence with you.

Peace,
Megan

Past Posts

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    Pastor Megan
    December 20, 2024

    Baking Christmas Cookies

    Advent is the season of Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love; it is the season of anticipation and joy in the gift of Christ we already know has entered the world and is eternally present among us; it is, for many of us, a season of parties and gift-giving and whirlwind celebrations. Learn More
  • From Our Pastors
    Pastor Megan
    December 8, 2024
    Advent is the season of Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love; it is the season of anticipation and joy in the gift of Christ we already know has entered the world and is eternally present among us; it is, for many of us, a season of parties and gift-giving and whirlwind celebrations. Learn More
  • From Our Pastors: November 29, 2024
    Pastor Megan
    November 29, 2024
    UCC Professional Development Program
    I returned last week from the fall gathering of NGLI, the UCC’s professional development program for young clergy. We gather each fall in Arizona for a time of creative learning, prayer, worship, music, and more. The setting, in the desert outside of Phoenix, is an intentional choice by the program organizers. Learn More
  • From Our Pastors: November 15, 2024
    Pastor Megan
    November 15, 2024
    Congregational Meeting Recap
    Thank you to everyone who joined in the Congregational Meeting last Sunday, and particular thanks to co-moderators Susan Hunt Stevens and Susan Gedrick for leading us, and to Jaap van Reijendam for ensuring those on Zoom could take part as well. The brief workshop Leila led on 1:1s, in the GBIO and community organizing model, gave us a tool for connecting with one another more deeply. Learn More
  • From Our Pastors: November 8, 2024
    Pastor Megan
    November 8, 2024
    Post Election Interfaith Gathering
    I want to share with you a small portion of how I opened our interfaith post-election gathering, as we prepare to gather in community together this Sunday for worship and the congregational meeting. Learn More
  • From Our Pastors: October 18, 2024
    Pastor Megan
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  • From Our Pastors: October 11, 2024
    Pastor Megan
    Octoberr 11, 2024
    So much in the world at large and within our own community and families feels like it is in upheaval, right now. War, storms, the coming election, health challenges, grief, transitions, and more make it feel as though the ground is shifting for so many of us. I was reminded in a conversation this week of the framework offered by Joanna Macy in The Work that Reconnects. In it, she explains that how we choose to tell the story – of the world and society at large, but also of our lives – affects how we feel and how we act. Learn More
  • Hurricane Relief
    As I’m sure many of you have been, I have been devastated to see the pictures and reports coming out of communities in the Southeast that have been affected by Hurricane Helene, and wanting to find ways to help. One of the blessings of being affiliated with our two denominational partners is that our impact to help when disasters like this occur can be magnified by the existing systems of support that the denominations have in place. Learn More