Welcome to the Fourth Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Westchester in Mohegan Lake, New York. 
We are a liberal religious community where members and friends gather to support each other in spiritual journeys
and to give service to the wider world of which we are a part.
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Enter, Rejoice, and Come In!

 
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Our Mission:
We are a caring and inclusive spiritual community of children, youth, and adults who honor differences and support open-minded spiritual exploration and ethical development.

We celebrate life, nurture each other, and provide support in loving and open-hearted acceptance.

We commit ourselves to social justice through action in our local community and the larger world.

New to 4th UU? Click Here!

Online and In-Person Worship

We are holding hybrid services, in person and also livestreamed on Zoom to join from home, generally every two weeks, with virtual coffee hours between. Our services may be led by our minister, a guest speaker, or our members. On our weeks off, we invite you to visit other UU congregations virtually. Learn more in the weekly 4th Word newsletter. To subscribe, contact 4th Word newsletter.  

Sunday, August 27, 10:30am
Water Ceremony - Worship Associates
Hybrid Service (In Person & On Zoom)​​​
This will be our first service of the new program year. Bring a sample of water that has significance to you. We will combine our waters in a communal bowl.

Sunday, September 10, 10:30am
Lay-Led Service (Topic TBD) - Worship Associates
Hybrid Service (In Person & On Zoom)​​​
Our worship service will be followed by a Welcome Lunch for Rev. Lane Cobb. This will be our first bring-in lunch in several years! Please bring a dish to share, and bring a friend. We will provide drinks and a welcome cake for Lane.

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Our 4th UU worship services and virtual coffee hours may be joined online from your device (computer, iPad, smart phone), or landline phone. Click here to join by device: bit.ly/4thUU-Online​. Phone (audio only): 646-558-8656. Meeting ID 922 824 2044, Passcode 529167.

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Events

In-Person Fourth UU Second Friday Meditation Group
Annual Picnic, Sunday, August 20, 3:00pm
Schavrien Residence
The Meditation Group is holding their annual picnic, at the Schavrien house. All are welcome!
RSVP to Bob and Judy, 914 962 3737.

Fourth UU Welcome Lunch
Sunday, September 10, after worship
Please stay with us after worship for a potluck bring-in lunch to welcome our new minister, Rev. Lane Cobb. This will be our first bring-in lunch in several years. We will provide drinks and a welcome cake for Lane. Please bring a dish to share. And bring a friend! 

​Online Fourth UU Journey Group Meetup
Thursday, September 14, 7:00 - 8:30pm
Our Journey Group meets online each week during the program year to discuss a common topic as a way to help deepen our understanding and strengthen our connections. We are on summer hiatus and will begin again in the fall.

Online Fourth UU Book Club
All the Beauty in the World
Date: TBD, 7:30 - 9:00pm
The Fourth UU Book Club is reading All the Beauty in the World: The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Me, by Patrick Bringley, a former New Yorker magazine staffer who spent a decade as a Met Museum guard. Pick up a copy from the library (available in Westchester as a book, CD audiobook, or digital audiobook), or your local bookstore, or online at bookshop.org, whose sales support local bookstores. Then join us for our next discussion (and potentially a field trip to a nearby museum). All are welcome - even if you haven’t finished the book!

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Message from the Minister,
​Rev. Lane Cobb

Beauty in the Weeds

The weeds in my father’s garden grow tall and strong, towering high above the perennials that crop up in spring. Even the cone flowers with their long stems, bright pink petals and vibrant orange centers are no match for their spiky towers. Today, I will pluck them out with care and intention - each by its root, knowing they will return when ready, whether I want them to or not. And yet, I know that all is well in this garden, the weeds and the flowers, all together, co-existing.

Recognizing that even the most gorgeous of gardens has its weeds, I do well to see them not as invaders, but as a reminder that life is always happening. Just as I need not cultivate weeds for them to grow, I need not bid the less desirable aspects of my life to show up. Nay, they show up, unbidden, just as I am feeling on top of the world. 

And so, I open my arms to all the weeds of my life - my anxiety, my fear, my disappointment, my disgust. Pulling each one with intention, I thank it for reminding me that I am alive and that my life is happening right now right here, in the weeds. They remind me too, that the flowers and the weeds of my life, my joys and my sorrows, are not independent of each other and that all is well in my garden, weeds and flowers and all.

Happy August, Beloveds!

This morning, while weeding my dad’s garden, I thought of how weeds can be a metaphor for the challenges we face in life, the circumstances we’d rather avoid, the people we don’t feel affinity with, the ailments that come with old age, even world events we can’t make sense of. While pondering this, the universe reminded me that even weeds have a purpose; they feed and restore topsoil and protect it from erosion, they absorb carbon dioxide, restore biodiversity, and provide a home for insects and animals. Though they may appear to be random and unnecessary, weeds are essential to the natural order of things. While they may be unwanted – and certainly not without their undesirable effects, they are necessary for the wellbeing of the earth. Which leads me to ask the questions: Where have you found beauty in the weeds lately and how can you know that all is well, even in the weeds of your life?  I look forward to hearing what you discover.

May you be safe, may you be well, and may love light your way forward,

Rev. Lane
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From the Pastoral Care Team

​The 4th UU Pastoral Care Team is here to help and support members of the congregation, reaching out during times of hardship, illness, or bereavement. We can arrange food deliveries, transportation, make a phone call, send a card, offer a candle lighting, and more. If you need assistance or know of of another member who does, please let us know. Details can be kept confidential. 

Judy Schavrien (914-962-3737, schavrien@optonline.net)
Carole Ellis (914-260-9182, carole.ellis14@gmail.com)

Rev. Paul Tesshin Silverman is a resource for the 4th UU Pastoral Care Team and our congregation. Members can reach out to him directly at pjsilverman@gmail.com.

In the Community

Yorktown Zen Meditation
Saturday mornings, 9:00 - 11:30am
4th UU Congregation Building, and via Zoom
Join us in creating a community of Zen practitioners in Northern Westchester and Putnam County, NY. We meet every Saturday at 9am for authentic Zen training including two meditation sessions, Dharma talk, and tea ceremony. All meetings are free and open to everyone. We also offer a 30-minute Zoom-only practice session every Wednesday at 8pm. More information can be found on the Yorktown Zen website.

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Rent our facilities for your event!
Donate your time, energy, money
Can't make it to a service? Don't miss a thing! Listen to our podcasts on your computer or phone.

Visit http://daviesjo.podbean.com or search for Fourth Unitarian Society of Westchester under Podcasts on your smart phone.