Unitarian Universalist Society 28 Brentwood Road, Bay Shore, NY 11706

"False teaching here."

"If you are looking for a small, caring, compassionate community of people who are curious about what it means to be a human and live life, definitely give it a try. If youre looking to learn and grow, this is the place to learn and grow together. Everyone is welcome here."

"I moved to Long Island not long before Covid and the ensuing isolation felt devastating to me. As a 1st gen immigrant without family in the US and living in a relatively new community, I felt disconnected and desperately alone, especially when I myself got sick & was hospitalized. When I first walked through the doors of UU in early 2023, I felt lost; I was anxious, weary & desperately seeking “my people”, seeking to be seen for who I am. My first service itself was unlike I had ever been to - I am a Hindu-Buddhist; services aren't the same in these traditions and my husband is Catholic turned agnostic; services in the Catholic church never really spoke to me or him. Sitting in a beautiful sunlit room with stained glass symbols representing all of the world's major religions, listening to the Reverend creatively mix stories from various faith systems into her service & the pianist play "Imagine" by Lennon & "What a wonderful world" by Louis Armstrong, and flipping through the UU hymnal with inspirations from all faith traditions as well as beloved authors & poets, I felt a peace I had not experienced in months, if not years. I felt grounded and inspired at the same time. I felt my parched cup getting refilled. And I felt welcome. Everyone in the congregation was excited to meet me, I felt no "othering" based on skin color - I am brown. When I returned the next week, I greeted one of the congregant by the usual greeting "it's good to see you", to which he responded, "it is good to be seen", which made me cry. This honest & heart-felt connection is exactly what my heart had been seeking. In the past few months, I have gotten to know many other congregants & made friends; we have been to each other's house, had potlucks together and have come to care for each other's well-being. The sign outside the service room at the UU says "Lost and Found" - which really fits. I was lost when I entered this house of faith & friendship, but it didn’t leave me where it found me - for it finds me with a grateful heart amidst kindred spirits holding me in the light of a community which feels like home to me."

"A LOT of activities. Great place."