Who We Are
The Fourth Universalist Society in the City of New York is a vibrant, historic and growing congregation of 165 adults, 35 children and 10 youth. Our community dates back to 1838 with a long history of prophetic liberal ministry in both New York City and Unitarian Universalism, our faith tradition.
Today, we are a congregation that takes its history seriously while living out a vibrant present. We believe in an open-minded, common sense, love-centered religion. We try to make a difference in the world, and organize around causes such as LGBTQ rights to Black Lives Matter to climate change. We are interested in life’s deepest questions and feel a longing to connect with others who feel the same way.
Fourth Universalist is non-creedal, which means you are welcome no matter what you believe, so long as it is bounded by justice and love. We see wisdom in the world religions as well as in each unique person. We want to be the friendliest congregation in town, warm and inclusive, while taking seriously the many challenges we face as individuals and as a society.
Our congregation is in a time of exciting change. In 2016, we called our new Senior Minister, Rev. Schuyler Vogel, and garnered national attention after becoming a sanctuary congregation. We have begun significant renovations to restore our landmark building and are exploring new and exciting ways to ensure our financial future. Just as importantly, we are served by dedicated, experienced and healthy leaders, both professional and volunteer, who are eager to try new things and grow together.
Within the past few years, this energy has translated into substantial growth. Sunday worship attendance has doubled. Membership has climbed from 96 adults to over 160. Once quiet, our religious education program is full of young children. Our choir, which had laid dormant, began again. And the pandemic invited us into new growth, leading us to offer services and programs both online and in-person, reaching people from around the world. We are excited about where our journey might lead.
To learn more about us, we hope you will check out website, wikipedia, youtube, facebook, instagram, and tiktok.
Today, we are a congregation that takes its history seriously while living out a vibrant present. We believe in an open-minded, common sense, love-centered religion. We try to make a difference in the world, and organize around causes such as LGBTQ rights to Black Lives Matter to climate change. We are interested in life’s deepest questions and feel a longing to connect with others who feel the same way.
Fourth Universalist is non-creedal, which means you are welcome no matter what you believe, so long as it is bounded by justice and love. We see wisdom in the world religions as well as in each unique person. We want to be the friendliest congregation in town, warm and inclusive, while taking seriously the many challenges we face as individuals and as a society.
Our congregation is in a time of exciting change. In 2016, we called our new Senior Minister, Rev. Schuyler Vogel, and garnered national attention after becoming a sanctuary congregation. We have begun significant renovations to restore our landmark building and are exploring new and exciting ways to ensure our financial future. Just as importantly, we are served by dedicated, experienced and healthy leaders, both professional and volunteer, who are eager to try new things and grow together.
Within the past few years, this energy has translated into substantial growth. Sunday worship attendance has doubled. Membership has climbed from 96 adults to over 160. Once quiet, our religious education program is full of young children. Our choir, which had laid dormant, began again. And the pandemic invited us into new growth, leading us to offer services and programs both online and in-person, reaching people from around the world. We are excited about where our journey might lead.
To learn more about us, we hope you will check out website, wikipedia, youtube, facebook, instagram, and tiktok.