Rev. Megan
Berkowitz

Rev. Amy
Clark Feldman

Pastor Megan
January 17 2025

Spiritual Resilience

Last Sunday was the first in an 8-week worship series on Spiritual Resilience, where we will together explore how tools from Joanna Macy’s Work That Reconnects and from Christian scripture and tradition can help us all to foster spiritual resilience through challenging times.

The beginning of the spiral at the heart of this series and of the Work is “Coming from Gratitude,” and specifically gratitude that isn’t dependent on external circumstances but instead is rooted in the deep blessing of taking part in human life, as part of the whole of Creation, with the ability to make choices for ourselves and the future.

The beginning of the spiral at the heart of this series and of the Work is “Coming from Gratitude,” and specifically gratitude that isn’t dependent on external circumstances but instead is rooted in the deep blessing of taking part in human life, as part of the whole of Creation, with the ability to make choices for ourselves and the future.

Perhaps you already have gratitude practices of your own. If you don’t, or would like to add to them, I invite you into a practice called “open sentences.” I’ll share some of these open sentences periodically throughout the worship series, whether in service itself or here in the e-blast. Choose one or more and either spend some time journaling about them or, if you have someone at home or work who you’d like to be in conversation with, take turns responding to them in real time. If you come to realize something you’d like to share in this practice, I’d always be delighted to hear from you about it.

1. Some things I love about being alive on Earth are…
2. A place that was wonderful to me as a child was…
3. A person who helped me believe in myself is…
4. I understood myself to be part of something larger when…
5. Some things I appreciate about myself are…

Peace

Pastor Megan

P.S. Since several people asked, the two books I mentioned in my sermon last week were Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler and Coming Back to Life by Joanna Macy and Molly Brown. 

Past Posts

• 
  From Our Pastors
  Megan Berkowitz
  February 14, 2025
  I had the great privilege of visiting the new FamilyAid Family Navigation Center on Washington Street for the first time this week. Speeches were made, a ribbon was cut with many giant scissors, and people from throughout the Commonwealth who care about supporting homeless families gathered to celebrate and network together. The most inspiring part of the day for me, though, was the tour. Learn More
• 
  From Our Pastors: February 7, 2025
  Amy Clark Feldman
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  I’ve been especially grateful this week for our eight-week series on Spiritual Resiliency.  Truth-be-told, I’ve had moments of doubting my resiliency in the face of the on-slaught of news this week, with a desire to pull the covers over my head.  Learn More
• 
  From Our Pastors: January 31, 2025
  Pastor Megan
  January 31, 2025
  We’ll read in this Sunday’s scripture passage about conflicts between Jesus and other Jewish religious leaders at the time over the observance of Sabbath restrictions. This, and other similar passages, have given rise to generations of interpretation that sets Jesus against religious authority, against Judaism, and against the Law. Learn More
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  From Our Pastors: January 24 2025
  Pastor Megan
  January 24, 2025
  

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• 
  From Our Pastors: January 17, 2025
  Pastor Megan
  January 17, 2025
  

  Spiritual Resilience

  Last Sunday was the first in an 8-week worship series on Spiritual Resilience, where we will together explore how tools from Joanna Macy’s Work That Reconnects and from Christian scripture and tradition can help us all to foster spiritual resilience through challenging times.

  Learn More
• 
  MOSAIC
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  Last week, nearly 40 youth came from all around Newton and Boston, almost exactly one-third from the Muslim Al-Huda Society in Chelsea; one-third from the Jewish community; and one-third from Christian churches.  Learn More
• 
  From Our Pastors
  Pastor Megan
  January 3, 2025
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• 
  From Our Pastors: December 20, 2024
  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