For the fourth year in a row, a benefit production of “The Vagina Monologues,” Eve Ensler’s award winning play is coming to Fourth Universalist Society. Save the dates! Friday, March 23 and Saturday, March 24, 2012.
For tickets, please click here
The play that spawned a global movement to end violence against women and girls will be presented in the sanctuary each night at 8 PM. At least 30 women and girls from a wide diversity of backgrounds will speak the powerful words of Ensler, one of America’s leading “artivists,” a creative artist whose works promote women’s freedom from violence around the world.
In its first three years, V-Day Fourth U’s fundraising efforts garnered nearly $35,000 for local organizations which work to end violence against women and girls. The beneficiaries from last year’s benefit were Centers Against Domestic Violence and Men Can Stop Rape. The two organizations will benefit from this year’s production as well.
Each local V-Day group around the world gives 10% of its proceeds to V-Day at the national level for its annual Spotlight Campaign. The focus chosen for the spotlight campaign is a country where women and girls are at greatest risk. This year, the Spotlight shines on Haiti, where the female population is working with courage and strength to improve opportunities for survival and safety. Haiti was also the focus of the 2011 V-Day Spotlight.
The 2012 production of “The Vagina Monologues” is organized by Deborah Roth, a Fourth U member and interfaith minister. Co-directors are Erin Bigelow and Ege Maltepe. Among the 40+ V-Day groups in New York City, V-Day FourthU is the only group based in a house of worship. Other V-Day groups are based on campuses and community organizations. Some presentations take place in Spanish. See www.vday.org.
Fourth U is accessible to persons with disabilities. For more information, call 212-665-9660.
For tickets, please click here
The team responsible for the Mission Statement re-write has delivered an initial draft. To date the team has some feedback, but we want to provide a forum for listening to a broader audience, and to explain how this group arrived at the draft. To achieve this, we are arranging a meeting after service on January 8th to review. Please join us at 12:15 pm in the sanctuary.The draft as it stands right now is:
We are a diverse, welcoming spiritual community, inspired to live meaningful lives of service while striving to create a world of peace, love and joy.
Looking forward to your contribution and support.
Soulful Sundown, Meditation Service
“What Am I Here For?” is the title for Sunday’s Soulful Sundown meditation service. Join Rev. Julie at 5pm on Sunday for a service of meditation and reflection connected to this month’s worship theme: What do we stand for?
Religious Exploration Program
RE classes are back in swing this Sunday after several weeks off for the Hanukkah pageant and holidays. Welcome back to kids and teachers alike!
Youth Group Returns
The Fantastic Fourth Youth Group will resume meeting this Sunday after a two-week holiday break. Youth Group meets upstairs in the youth room from 1:30p-3:30p.
Saturday, Dec. 24th at 7 pm, we’ll have our annual Christmas Eve service, complete with choir, carols and candlelight, and some special musical guests. It’s a lovely way to get—and give—some Christmas spirit.
Sunday, Dec. 25th is Christmas Day—and we’ll be right here, with a joyous Worship Feast at 10:45 am. Join us for good food, sacred conversation and songs of good cheer at our “At Table” service. And we’ll be here on New Year’s Day, too, to welcome the New Year, our new worship time—11 am—and new opportunities to deepen our spiritual lives in 2012.
Soulful Sundown, December 25 & January 1
There will be NO Soulful Sundown services on Christmas or New Year’s Day. Fourth U’s evening service will resume on January 8th at 5pm.
Fantastic Fourth Youth Group
Due to school vacations and the holidays there will be no Youth Group for the next two weeks. We will gather together again on Sunday, January 8th from 1:30p-3:30p.
Religious Exploration Program
The RE program is on a holiday hiatus and will resume classes on January 8th.
Hanukkah Pageant this Sunday, 12/18, 10:45am
Fourth U’s Religious Exploration classes will be presenting this year’s holiday pageant, “The Latke Who Couldn’t Stop Screaming,” as part of this Sunday’s morning service. Everyone in RE has been working hard to make this a great Hanukkah pageant. Please make sure you’re at Fourth on time to get a good seat and cheer on our young people, then stick around for coffee hour with latkes!
Soulful Sundown, 5pm– Jazz Vespers
Fourth U is participating in this week’s “Occupy the Pulpit” endeavor put forth by NYC’s Occupy Faith. The theme for Jazz Vespers is “Seeking Justice, Singing Justice.” Please join musicians Suzanne and Jeff Pittman along with Rev. Julie for an evening of jazz and protest.
“A Great Light”
The Rev. Rosemary Bray McNatt
This Sunday, we’ll continue our reflections on why we rejoice, and pay tribute to International Human Rights Week, which began on Dec. 10. It’s important to keep in mind that, in spite of the ongoing and tremendous struggle for human dignity, there is a growing worldwide movement that has achieved great victories. We’ll take a look at how different the world has become since 1945, and what we people of liberal faith can do to keep bending the universe toward justice. We’ll have our second collection for holiday toys for the Regent Family Residence, and there’s still plenty of time to support our children and youth who are collecting “Change for Change” to buy chicks to help families in developing nations. We look forward to seeing you this Sunday!
Youth Group leads Soulful Sundown, December 11th
This week’s Soulful Sundown worship service is being led by the Fantastic Fourth Youth Group. Soulful Sundown is Fourth U’s evening service held at 5pm in the sanctuary from September through June. Please join us for a dynamic worship service.
Rev. Rosemary Bray McNatt
