Fourth Universalist Society in the City of New York

Friday, December 12, 6:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Dinner, Tree-Trimming, and Caroling!
Please plan to bring an appetizer, salad or a dessert to share.
We also need volunteers to start setting up at 5:00 PM, helping with the art table where people can make tree ornaments, serving and replenishing the food table, bar tending, and cleaning up.
We are looking forward to seeing you there!
Invite your friends and family - all are welcome!

On  Sunday, November 16 after services, we want to gather everyone who cares about RE to meet about the DRE position. We hope and expect to hire a new Director of Religious Education for next year, the position that Aisha Hauser last filled. The search committee for the DRE has the lead responsibility of writing and posting a job description, reading application materials, nterviewing candidates, facilitating their visits, and making a recommendation to the board. The committee needs ideally five members, and definitely at least three. This meeting will take place in the RE Office above the north side of the Sanctuary.

Join us on Friday, October 24, at 6:30 PM for this year’s first Game Night, an inter-generational evening of fun, laughter and community as we play games of every stripe — board games, card games, party games — you name it, we’ll play it! Bring a pumpkin to carve, too. Children are invited to come dressed in costume. Refreshments are served and childcare is available. Donations for pizza and childcare are welcomed. Contact Liz Wolfe at lwolfe@wintecgroup.com or 646.334.9427 for more info. This event will be held in the gymnasium downstairs.

The annual 4th U Retreat is upon us again! As always, we go up the Friday of Memorial Day weekend, and return on Sunday. Spend the weekend reacquainting yourself with other members of the 4th U community in the tranquility of the woods in Connecticut. Hike through the woods, swim in the lake, or just sit and read. Forms will be available for the next three Sundays. Payment must be made in full at the time you submit your form. We would like to cut costs by renting a van for the whole weekend instead of a bus for just the return trip. We hope many of you will drive up and take as many with you as you can. The cost of the trip will be determined by Sunday, April 27. Bring your checkbooks to church (payment by credit card will also be possible). This is one of the highlights of the 4th U year, so we hope you can make it! For additional information, call or email Matt Gilbert (646-209-0033, matt_gilbert@world.oberlin.edu).

The whole idea of compassion is based on a keen awareness of the interdependence of all these living beings, which are all part of one another, and all involved in one another.
-Thomas Merton

If I had to pick a favorite principle, it would probably be the seventh, the interdependent web of life. Everything we do comes down to realizing that we, people, animals and nature, are connected to each other in such a way that whatever we do will affect something or someone else.

The same can be said for congregational life. Even if you are not a parent, how much you contribute to the congregation financially and through volunteering will effect how much can be invested in the religious education program. If you are a parent, how much you invest both financially and through volunteering will affect how much the congregation can support its ministry as a whole.
It is important to think about the congregation as a whole when making decisions about contributing your time and money. You may not think you want to spend your time teaching when you could be getting your spiritual nourishment from listening to the sermon. I would ask that you consider that you would also be getting spiritual learning and nourishment of a different kind. By being on the journey with our children and youth, you will see the world through their eyes. My favorite part of working with children and youth is that they have not yet been tainted with the cynicism of adulthood. They are free to think and believe what they want. When my daughter was about five years old she asked me how the world started. I spent a couple of minutes thinking about my response. I was torn between giving her the full big bang theory to simply and more easily saying that I am actually not sure but scientists and the very fundamentalists religious people disagree. While I was debating in my head, she answered herself saying, “I know Mommy, first there was a seed and that seed grew and grew until there were trees, and animals and the sun and sky and humans.” I looked at her and said, “That’s right honey, that is exactly how it happened.” At five years old, it seemed plausible to her and it so closely resembled the big bang theory in my mind that I saw no reason to complicate her understanding.

When I was teaching a Sunday school class a couple of years ago, I had an eight year old ask me, “If God is supposed to be all love and kindness, why is the bible full of violence and gore?” From out of the mouths of babes…

I encourage those of you who have never taught Sunday school to consider joining a teaching team.The RE committee will be recruiting people throughout the spring to commit to teaching next fall. You will work with a group of three or four other people and your schedule would be worked out among the group.

Think about how much you can learn, grow and laugh, by going on this search for truth and meaning with the members of our congregation who are our most precious asset, our children and youth.

If you are interested in teaching, please contact me at Aisha@4thu.org.

In Faith and Peace,
Aisha Hauser, DRE

It’s time to dust off your dice and get ready for a little relaxation and fun!  On Friday, March 21, from 6:30-9:00 PM, please join your fellow Fourth Uers, friends and family for our next game night. We will be playing games of every stripe — board games, card games, party games — you name it, we’ll play it! Many games are provided and feel free to bring your favorites as well. All are welcome, so please invite your friends and remember to bring the kids for this intergenerational evening of fun and laughter. Refreshments will be served and donations for pizza are encouraged. Childcare will be provided. Please contact Jennifer Jackson at jenncjack@mac.com or 718.783.8757 for more information.