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312 FILLMORE STREET, STATEN ISLAND, NY 10301 PHONE: 718-447-2204

Due to ongoing concerns regarding COVID-19, the Board of the Unitarian Church of Staten Island has decided to cancel in-person Sunday Services for the foreseeable future. Join our virtual Sunday services online from our Facebook page at 11:00 am.

Listings are in reverse chronological order. Scroll down to the date you want.

Sunday Services and Holiday Events

Sunday December 20, 2020 • 11:00 am
A Manger Screen: UCSI's Virtual Christmas Pageant
With our UCSI Families and Members
Members, families, and kids across the community come together for this special virtual presentation: A Manger Screen! We will tell the time-old Christian story of the birth of Jesus, with a digital and Unitarian Universalist twist. This interactive pageant, adapted from Tim Kutzmark, will be filled with carols and special characters as portrayed by our kids, members, and families. Don't miss this one-of-a-kind service!

Are you or your family interested in taking part of the story? It's not too late. Reach out to Emily at minister@uucsi.org.

Sunday, December 13, 2020 • 10:50 am
The Divided Brain and Religion
With Guest speaker, George Finger
In his book, The Master and His Emissary: The Divided Brain and the Making of the Western World, author Iain McGilchrist, examines the two hemispheres of the brain, which provide two radically opposed realities whose co-operation can be conflictual. The author's thesis is that throughout history, the left-hemisphere view has progressively overtaken the right-hemisphere view.

Our guest speaker, George Finger, will discuss the impact of left hemisphere dominance on religion, divinity, and the transcendental. The religious has lost its metaphorical meaning and shifted to providing materialistic answers to spiritual problems. We’ve discarded all myths with which we could understand the world. Religious practices became reframed with utility, with 10-minute meditation practices that improve productivity.

Thursday, December 10, 2020 • 7:00 pm
Hanukkah Sing-Along
With Rob, Elle, Carolyn, Sarah Rachel and Members of our Choir
Thursday is the first night of Hanukkah. What better way to celebrate with friends and family, then by singing songs of the holiday together! We will sing songs about the dreidel, hear songs about Hanukkah, and more!

Sunday December 6, 2020 • 10:50 am
Joyful Is the Dark
With Rev. Emily DeTar Birt
For too long in religious language and through moral story telling, “dark” has been synonymous with “evil”, bad, and scary. The racial implications of using dark or black as bad, and light or white as good, can be seen in almost every aspect of our society, from beauty products to security theater. We know there is much that is dark that is good, happy, joyful, beautiful, and holy. As we reflect on the coming holidays, like Hanukkah, a celebration of eight nights, we lift up the beautiful aspects of the night and dark. Let us celebrate the joy we find in the dark!

Sunday, November 29, 2020 • 10:30 am
Continuing the 8th Principle Conversation:
A Special Virtual Visit to UUFH
with Christina Rivera, Dr.Jie and the Choir of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Huntington
We have been invited to join the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Huntington for their virtual worship service! They are hosting special speaker, Christina Rivera, who will discuss the proposed UUA 8th Principle. Please note the time of this service is 10:30 am!

The 8th Principle Project, is a UUA effort to adopt an 8th principle speaking directly to our denominaton's call to build anti-racist communities of faith that work towards racial justice. This service will continue to reflect on this call towards racial justice, and what it means to follow the lead of the marginalized communities in our faith. This is the proposed text: "We, the member congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association, covenant to affirm and promote: journeying toward spiritual wholeness by working to build a diverse multicultural Beloved Community by our actions that accountably dismantle racism and other oppressions in ourselves and our institutions."

Christina Rivera is the 2020 Angus H. MacLean Awardee for Excellence in Religious Education. She is a tireless champion of Unitarian Universalism and its power to be “liberating and life-saving.” Rivera will share her expertise about methods that can move a message and its relevance in this period of socio-economic turmoil.

Upcoming Events

Social Justice Youth Holiday Game Night: AMONG US
Friday December 11,2020 at 8:00 pm
Hosted by UCSI Youth Group
Looking for a fun way to connect with other socially conscious teens this holiday season? Join us for our Holiday Game Night!
We invite any teens connected with our community to join in a game of Among Us over Zoom.
Email Ann Marie Selzer at amselzer@gmail.com to RSVP for the event.

Loving Staten Island Friendship Coffee and Dessert Hours
Hosted online by various Staten Island faith communities
For a number of years, the Staten Island Inter-Religious Leadership Council has been hosting Loving Staten Island Friendship Dinners, with the aim of getting people of different faiths and backgrounds together and forming connections. The pandemic curtailed the in-person gatherings, but not the gatherings themselves!

So, grab your favorite dessert and login to Zoom to meet other Staten Islanders. To support each other through the pandemic. To learn about different houses of worship and community centers in your borough. And to have meaningful conversation and make new friends.

Date: Host:
Dec 20 - Unitarian Church of S.I.
Jan 17 - Temple Israel Reform Congregation
Feb 21 - Richmond Inter-Parish Council,
The Episcopal Churches of S.I.
Time: 7:00 - 8:30pm
To join any Friendship Dessert Hour:
Go to zoom.us and enter:
Meeting ID: 931 9985 7416
Passcode: 135731

UCSI Women gather for fun and Christmas cheer, 2018

Get/Stay Connected with the UCSI Women's Online Gatherings
Every Wednesday at 7:00pm
Through weekly meetings of the Women's Group, during this time of social distancing, we enjoy getting to catch up with each other and to get to know one another better. You can either video call or phone call in to these gatherings. Please contact Kathy Santo at membership@uucsi.org for more details.

Religious Exploration Classes

Religious Exploration Classes with our Religious Exploration Committee and Volunteers

This year our curriculum is shaped by stories that reflect our congregation's worship theme, and are designed for kids of multiple ages.

Throughout the year, Religious Exploration classes will be held on the second and fourth Sundays of the month.

THE CHURCH IS LOCATED 1 BLOCK FROM SNUG HARBOR CULTURAL CENTER, ON THE NORTH SHORE OF STATEN ISLAND. A 15 MINUTE BUS/TAXI RIDE FROM THE SI FERRY TERMINAL IN ST. GEORGE.

DIRECTIONS:
BY TAXI: Drive to 312 FILLMORE ST, corner of CLINTON AVE—a 10 minute drive from the Staten Island Ferry Terminal.

BY BUS: From the Staten Island Ferry Terminal, take the S40 BUS towards GOETHALS RD via RICHMOND TERRACE. Get off at corner of CLINTON AVE and RICHMOND TERRACE. Walk one block to 312 FILLMORE ST.

BY CAR: From the VERRAZANO BRIDGE, OUTERBRIDGE or GOETHALS BRIDGE, take the CLOVE ROAD EXIT on RT278. Turn onto Clove Road going toward and crossing VICTORY BLVD. Continue on CLOVE ROAD until you can make a RIGHT on BARD AVE and continue to RICHMOND TERRACE. Turn RIGHT on Richmond Terrace and proceed 4 BLOCKS to CLINTON AVE. TURN RIGHT onto CLINTON AVE and proceed 1 block to FILLMORE ST.

From the BAYONNE BRIDGE, take the first exit (EXIT 13) onto MORNINGSTAR RD. Turn right onto MORNINGSTAR and continue until the road ends at RICHMOND TERRACE. Turn right, going under the overpass, and continue on RICHMOND TERRACE for about 10 minutes, until you reach CLINTON AVE. Turn RIGHT onto CLINTON AVE. Go 1 block to FILLMORE ST. There is ample (and free) street parking.

Designer/Webmaster: Robin Locke Monda