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North Shore UMC Youth Group co-leaders and some group members with the Peace Pole after the dedication ceremony on Saturday, October 19. Church pastor Rev. Thomas Kim, standing behind, presided at the dedication. Courtesy Margery Sokolski

By Dylan Friedman

A group of passionate young community members are taking a stand for peace, literally.

With hands stained with paint and hearts filled with hope, youth from North Shore United Methodist Church in Wading River embarked on a project to erect a Peace Pole, an 11.5-foot symbol of unity and harmony, in front of an estimated 65 attendees.

The Peace Pole Project is a global movement that began in Japan in the 1970s and is now incorporated as May Peace Prevail on Earth International. More than 250,000 Peace Poles have been planted around the globe, including several in New York state.

While May Peace Prevail on Earth International often sells templated poles, project orchestrator and youth group leader Palesa Ramohlouane expressed pride in the fact that the church’s youth and congregation decided to make, design, and plant the pole themselves after months of theological groundwork.

“We had some choices about how we wanted to do the Peace Pole, whether we wanted to pay for one or build it,” Ramohlouane said. “I wanted them to have a sense of ownership instead of us just buying it. So they decided to make their own, and I think all of [the youth] reported they are grateful for the time we spent on the project and that those moments were also moments of peace,” she said.

Although the youth decided to create their own Peace Pole, they stayed true to the original design by ensuring the phrase “May peace prevail on Earth” appeared on the pole in six different languages, a consistent feature of Peace Poles worldwide. While the design, colors, art, and weatherproofing were done entirely by the youth, congregation members assisted with construction and planting, which, according to Ramohlouane, was an intended byproduct of the project.

“People noticing a Peace Pole brings people together,” Ramohlouane said. “It’s definitely about bringing the community together, spreading peace, and making sure that, even in its art form, it is interesting enough for people to spend a little time reflecting,” she said.

After months of hard work that started in the twilight of 2023, the pole was finally finished and placed near the church on Oct. 19. The church’s pastor, Rev. Thomas Kim, presided at the consecration, which featured members of the youth group and clergy representing Buddhist, Islamic, Jewish, and Christian faith communities, a testament to the church’s extensive community influence. A representative from each faith community delivered a peace message or scripture as a testament to this influence.

Furthermore, co-youth group leader Heather Caldara and youth group members Sanku Assamagan, Daniel Scielzi, and Riley Stark delivered inspiring remarks to reflect on the creation of the Peace Pole.

While the towering 11.5-foot Peace Pole initially stands out as a striking symbol of unity and hope, its ultimate goal is to seamlessly and quietly integrate into the fabric of the community. As time passes, the pole, made to stand out, hopes to blend in, a quiet reminder to pause, reflect, and find peace in the everyday. As Ramohlouane stated, the project’s purpose is to “be in our community,” inviting individuals to interpret its meaning and find personal resonance and peace within its powerful presence.

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Smithtown Landing Methodist Church
Smithtown Landing Methodist Church cemetery

The Landing Ladies Auxiliary presents a Graveyard and Church Tour at the historic Smithtown Landing Methodist Church, 397 Landing Ave., Smithtown on Saturday, Nov. 2 from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Built in 1834,  the church holds a wealth of stories waiting to be told. Learn about the church’s vibrant past as the center of activity for the Smithtown Landing area, see the historic interior, preserved through years of dedicated care by the community, and discover the stories behind the gravestones of local legends such as author James E. Handshaw. Proceeds will directly support the ongoing restoration efforts of this historic landmark.

Tickets are $15 in advance at www.eventbrite.com, $20 at the door. 

Register here.

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Pastor William C. Kovacsik

On September 8, the congregation of Mt. Sinai Congregational Church (MSUCC), 233 North Country Rd., Mt. Sinai enthusiastically welcomed Pastor William C. Kovacsik as its settled Senior Pastor. He is the 28th minister to serve MSUCC since its organization in 1789. 

Pastor Kovacsik, or Pastor Bill as he likes to be called, is a graduate of the Master of Divinity Program at Yale Divinity School. He holds a B.A. in English Literature from Drew University, a J.D. from Fordham University School of Law and a M.F.A. in Playwriting from the School of Drama at Carnegie Mellon University. 

Before Pastor Bill’s call to ministry, he had a brief career as a litigator on Wall Street. He then went back to his love of theatre and served on the faculty at the School for Drama at Carnegie Mellon, taught theatre at Ball State University and the University of Colorado at Boulder. He served on the faculty at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts Asia in Singapore. Prior to coming to MSUCC, Pastor Bill served as Pastor of the United Methodist Church in West Hartford, CT. Pastor Bill has been granted authority as a lay minister by the Suffolk Association Committee on Ministry while he seeks full ordination in the United Congregational Church of Christ. 

All are welcome to come and meet Pastor Bill in person through attendance at MSUCC’s worship service on Sundays at 10 a.m. or stop by the office at the church in Mt. Sinai. Theirs is a church where all are welcome and included in the full life of the church-regardless of age, race, abilities, economic or marital status, gender, sexual orientation, or gender identification. Find out more at msucc.org.

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Video footage of Hadas Ehrlich, being played at North Shore Jewish Center, explaining the details of her experience in Israel on October 7, 2023. Photo by Toni-Elena Gallo

By Toni-Elena Gallo

On Oct. 6, the North Shore Jewish Center in Port Jefferson Station held a solemn memorial service, honoring those who lost their lives from Hamas’ attack on Israel which occurred October 7, 2023.

Hamas’ attack claimed the lives of approximately 1,200 people. Approximately 100 of the 240 hostages originally abducted still remain in captivity, including four Americans.

Rabbi Aaron Benson speaks at the event. Photo by Toni-Elena Gallo

Rabbi Aaron Benson began the service by showing the congregation a donated Torah mantle, which has been dedicated to the memory of Israeli Sergeant Major Omer Smadja, HY”D, 25.

The top of the mantle reads Ecclesiastes 3:4’s “a time to grieve… a time to mourn and a time to dance,” because despite everything that has transpired since last October, “we will dance again.”

The night continued with words from U.S. Rep. Nick Lalota (R-NY1), a self-described Roman Catholic, who said he has been spending more time in synagogues lately, than churches.

“Our Jewish neighbors need us at this time,” he continued, because of “the serious times that we are in.”

Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich (D-Stony Brook), followed LaLota’s speech to the congregation, with a more personal account.

Kornreich, who has family in Israel, shared that “we can acknowledge complexities of the conflict which exists there,” but that it is important to keep in mind the severity of the attacks. He explained that, proportionally speaking, due to the small population of Israel, the number of deaths would be equivalent to around 40 to 45 thousand Americans.

Rabbi Joshua Gray of Temple Isaiah in Stony Brook spoke at the event. Photo by Toni-Elena Gallo

Guest Rabbi Joshua Gray of Stony Brook’s Temple Isaiah echoed the earlier sentiments of Rabbi Benson, saying that the Jewish people do not experience pain, joy or horror individually, but as “one voice together.”

“I think one of the things that keeps us so strong, and keeps us surviving through travails that seem so insurmountable is our ability to come together — to support one another,” Gray shared.

The main focus of the night, following the words of the multiple Jewish leaders and other dignitaries in attendance, was the video testimonial of a young woman named Hadas Ehrlich.

Granddaughter of the synagogue’s former Cantor, Marty Ehrlich, z”l, Hadas works for Magen David Adom, Israel’s national emergency medical, disaster, ambulance and blood bank service.

Ehrlich drove an armored ambulance in the attacked area on Oct. 7, despite having no training as a combat medic.

Video footage of the young woman addressing a congregation of her own showed Ehrlich explicitly describe the scenes she witnessed first hand, such as seeing a woman killed as she sipped coffee on a bench, and a young man who, she explained, was “surely about to experience his last moments.”

The young man had been laid on top of for three hours by a fellow EMS worker, whose bodily pressure had stopped him from bleeding to death. She recounted how she tried to bring a small sense of joy to his pain, by jokingly telling him, “Hey, we made a deal. I told you to stay awake,” which elicited genuine laughter from the man. He had almost lost consciousness three times during their ambulance ride.

“He called me annoying after a while,” she smiled.

After Ehrlich transferred the man to another ambulance, she told the paramedic to ensure that he “respects the end of his deal,” as his blood pressure plummeted.

A week and a half later, she received a phone call from an unknown number.

“My brother is awake, and he remembers you and he remembers your deal,” the voice on the other line said.

The service ended in prayer.

Correction: In the print editions of TBR, it was mistakenly printed that the Oct. 7 attack occurred on Rosh Hashanah.

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Sanya Richards Ross
First guest will be Olympic champion Sanya Richards-Ross

Setauket Presbyterian Church, 5 Caroline Ave., Setauket will inaugurate their Faithful Conversations series on Friday, September 27 at 7 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall with Sanya Richards-Ross, a decorated Track and Field Olympic champion, NBC Sports Analyst, TV star, entrepreneur, wife, and mother.

Long-ranked the world’s best 400m runner, Richards-Ross has been a force of nature since the beginning of her sports career. She became the first American woman in 28 years, and only the 2nd in history, to be crowned Olympic Champion over 400m at the 2012 Games in London. Richards-Ross is one of the most decorated female athletes in Track and Field history with 4 gold medals and 1 bronze, and remains the fastest American woman to ever run the 400m. Twice the IAAF Athlete of the Year, and Track & Field News’ Athlete of the Decade, Sanya’s legacy in the sport of track and field is undeniable.

On and off the track, Richards-Ross has partnered as a brand ambassador and motivational speaker with popular brands such as Nike, Coca-Cola, BMW, Citibank, Liberty Mutual, BP, iFit and others. She wears many hats and answers to many titles: Olympic Champion, Author, Entrepreneur, TV Personality and Wife, but her most prized title, Mother, is the one that inspired the creation of MommiNation, a virtual community and resource that supports black mothers in meaningful ways all over the world.

Richards-Ross has also continued to take on inspiring television opportunities. In 2019, Sanya was tapped by Will Packer and Monique Chenault to become one of the first women of color to host an entertainment news magazine show called Central Ave. She’s been a Real Housewife of Atlanta and is a prominent voice as a color commentator for NBC during the Olympics.

Richards-Ross now resides in Atlanta with her husband, two-time Superbowl Champion, Aaron Ross and their two sons Aaron and Asani.

The Faithful Conversations series, moderated by SPC’s Pastor Dr. Johanna McCune Wagner, is free and open to the public, and all are welcome to attend but registration is required.

Visit setauketpresbyterian.org/speaker-series to learn more and register or click here. For more information, call 631-941-4271.

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Members of the Stony Brook community are invited to attend a brief “Service of Thanksgiving” on Saturday, August 24 in front of Historic All Souls Church, 61 Main Street, Stony Brook beginning at 1 pm. Clergy and members of the community will share their reflections and prayers. All are welcome.

The ten inches of rain that fell on Stony Brook Sunday night/Monday morning burst the dam separating the Duck Pond and Stony Brook Harbor, drained the pond, and destroyed Harbor Road and Old Mill Creek Road.  Although the dam broke in 1750, again in the 1800s, and in 1910, this is the first time the village has seen such a catastrophe in our lifetimes.

Amidst all the destruction and loss, no one died, and the village we all love will survive and recover.

Arrive early for easy parking.  Please call 631-678-6232 or email Rob Taylor at [email protected] for more information.

RSVP – [email protected]

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The Girl Scout troop prepares soil for native plants. Photo courtesy of Earth Care

By Katherine Kelton

The Conscience Bay Quaker Meeting House in St. James has been convening since 1961. This meeting house in St. James has started its own Earth Care Committee and its first goal is incredibly close to home for the Quakers. 

On the meeting house’s grounds, two former horse paddocks were mowed and maintained as a lawn. The Earth Care Committee plans to convert the lawn into a meadow through a process of rewilding. An expert at Cornell Cooperative Extension informed the committee of a problematic barrier of invasive species around the paddocks, further complicating their goal of having a self-propagating native meadow. 

Barbara Ransome, the clerk of grounds at the meeting house, works with the Earth Care Committee for which Amy G. is the clerk. They spoke with TBR about the process.

“In this first phase of removing these invasive plants, we needed contractors and equipment. Which was funded by our own meeting house. For the planting materials we got a small grant from the New York Yearly Meeting,” Ransome said. 

The Yearly Meeting is a gathering of state Quaker congregations. The Conscience Bay Quakers applied for an Earth-care grant from the Yearly Meeting with an “inclusive application,” as Ransome described it. The group received $500, the largest grant allowed to be given as a result of their application.

The grant money covered some of the cost of the native species, although Amy G. admitted that securing enough plants to cover such a large area is “quite expensive.” Consequently, the newly-cleared area will be replanted in stages with the work ongoing as funds, plants and volunteers are sourced.

The pair enlisted the help of local native plant grower, Mindy Block, who owns Quality Parks in Port Jefferson. Block works to provide native plants to locals and is working to cultivate more species. She provided the group with milkweed and native grasses, along with a variety of other plants that it hopes will begin to self-propagate and spread to create a native habitat. 

Amy G. explained that one of the beliefs of Quakerism is respecting the Earth’s ecological integrity and being “good stewards of the environment.” She shared that an attendee of the society inspired these efforts when he mentioned how burning fossil fuels to mow the horse paddocks was not aligned with the values of the Quakers.

Ransome said, “In unity, the Quaker meeting house decided to go forward with an Earth Care Committee not to mow the paddocks.” From there the committee decided to take on a plan for rewilding the grounds, which refers to allowing native plants to take over the area and self-propagate. However, the process has not been an easy transition.

The committee wanted to ensure the meadow could thrive independently as part of its plan to take a combination active-passive approach. In the beginning stages, the committee will take an active approach to planting native species and clearing the border of invasive plants around the paddocks.

The end goal would be to allow habitat to develop where creatures can live and be undisturbed by machines and people. Ransome provided an example of a tree falling, where she believed it is beneficial to allow it to stay because it can become a home to small animals. 

“Our first step in outreach was the Girl Scout troop, who we invited to help plant the native grasses and plants,” Amy G. said. The committee hopes to invite them back each year to continue to learn about plants and invest in a long-term community project. The committee also hopes to involve other groups and anyone who wants to get involved. 

The St. James attendees and members meet weekly in person or via Zoom for worship. Quakerism is also known as the Religious Society of Friends. Ransome wants people to know that “there is a concern for climate change — this is one way the Quakers are dedicated to being good stewards of the Earth.”

Those interested in joining the Earth Care Committee do not have to be practicing Quakers, nor do they have to fill out any formal application. Ransome urges those interested to contact her via email at: [email protected]. 

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Participants from last year's concert. Photo courtesy of Dan Ker
Dan Kinney will perform on the church's tracker organ. Photo from Dan Kerr
Deborah Hauser will be one of the featured poets at the event. Photo from Dan Kerr
Ford Fourqurean will perform at this year's event. Photo from Dan Kerr
Ric Statler will perform at the event. Photo from Dan Kerr

Historic All Souls Church, 61 Main Street in Stony Brook Village presents monthly Saturdays at Six concerts, Second Saturdays poetry readings, and Native American Drumming to the community. Each of these programs brings its own unique mix of visitors to the Stanford White-designed national landmark chapel. Their latest event, Conversations on the Sacred on Saturday, July 6, will combine, music, poetry and drumming into one unique performance.

Local poet Carolyn Emerson selected the sacred readings for the program and assigned them to local poets. She also collaborated with Stony Brook University Director of Concerts Ford Fourqurean, All Souls organist Dan Kinney, and Native American Elder and Drummer Ric Statler on the musical interludes that follow each reading. The tracker organ at All Souls, built by Henry Erben of New York in 1854, will be part of the program, responding to readings with appropriate hymns.

One of the poets that will be reading is Suffolk County Poet Laureate Deborah Hauser. She shared “I’m grateful to All Souls Church for the invitation to join this sacred conversation and am looking forward to a transcendent evening.”

The selection of poems and religious texts includes works that are widely regarded for their technical virtuosity and lyrical beauty.  Each reading includes a specific conversation with the sacred but offers at the same time a way into the life and sensibility of the poet. Christian and Judaic religions are in conversation with Taoism, Zen Buddhism, Islam, and the Native American tradition.

One of the poets that will be reading is Suffolk County Poet Laureate Deborah Hauser. She shared “I’m grateful to All Souls Church for the invitation to join this sacred conversation and am looking forward to a transcendent evening.”

From a Native American perspective, sacred conversations are ongoing.  This is because all life (be it two-legged, four-legged, winged, finned, slithering, crawling, plant people, earthly matter, heavenly mater) is sacred and valued. The most often missed of sacred conversation is the listening part of the conversation. Native American culture recognizes the listening to nature, wind, animals, heavens, people’s hearts, as they all have something to say.   Drummer Ric Statler states “when we listen to what God/Creator says, shows or makes us feel, we can respond from a holy place within us, and conversation becomes sacred.”

All Souls organist Dan Kinney observes “Music and poetry are often bound together in sacred conversations. This can be seen in the iconography of King David singing psalms and accompanying himself on the lyre. David is represented as a poet, composer, and musician. The organ has played a role in sacred music for centuries–witness the traditional image in art of St. Cecilia, patron saint of music, seated at the organ conversing musically with heaven.”

“Conversations on the Sacred brings together a wide variety of poetry from different cultures, ideologies, and styles and the music we pair it with will reflect so many different eras from Saint Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179) to more contemporary composers like Linda Catlin Smith,” commented Fourqurean. “The audience is invited into so many different artistic sound worlds.”

The concert will begin promptly at 6 p.m. will include a 15-minute intermission and conclude by 8 p.m. The event is free. For further information please call 631-655-7798. 

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Julia Bennett and Jacob Wright were honored on June 21. Photo by Donna Newman

By Donna Newman

The congregation of Temple Isaiah in Stony Brook held a special Friday night service June 21st to honor two congregants who will soon commence/continue rabbinic training at Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC-JIR).

Julia Bennett and Jacob Wright both began their Jewish education in what is now The Rabbi Harvey Witman Religious School, named for its long serving, now retired, principal.  

Temple Isaiah’s three rabbis: Rabbis Emeriti Adam Fisher and Stephen Karol, and current Rabbi Joshua Gray sponsored a festive “oneg” (refreshments and camaraderie) following the service. 

Stephen Weitzman, a long-time teacher at the school, and recently retired principal, said it was extremely rare to have two students from a congregation in rabbinical school at the same time. “It is a credit to Adam, Steve and Harvey,” said Weitzman. “They were role models who imbued the religious school with creative learning experiences.”

Rabbi Karol said that it was the timing of their acceptances that made this rare event even more remarkable. “Not just two future rabbis from our congregation,” said Rabbi Karol, “but they found out they were admitted in the same week.”

Julia Bennett’s interest in Jewish education began in 6th grade and grew, said Weitzman.

“When she was in high school, [she] and I co-taught Synagogue Skills to fifth and sixth graders,” Weitzman said. “Always prepared, she often did additional background and planning [to create] a successful lesson.”

At Clark University, where she received her undergraduate degree, the capstone project in her self-designed major was the writing of a new Passover Haggadah. It added a previously unsung female heroine — Moses’ sister Miriam — who enabled the Israelites to have water as they wandered in the desert. A “Miriam Seder” added to the holiday’s observance at Temple Isaiah.

Julia has already completed the three-year Reform Judaism Educator Program at HUC–JIR. She is currently Assistant Director of Education at the Stephen Wise Free Synagogue Religious School in New York City. She will now complete her education in the HUC-JIR Rabbinical School, with ordination in 2027 and a career as a rabbi-educator as her goal.

This was Jacob Wright’s last Shabbat at Temple Isaiah before he heads to Israel to begin study at the HUC–JIR Rabbinical School. The first year of the program is taught at the school’s campus in Jerusalem. After that he will return to the New York campus for the next four or five years. He and Steve Weitzman have been Torah study partners — and friends — for a long while. In a letter of recommendation Weitzman expressed his personal feelings about Jacob’s potential and abilities.

“I have often heard him express a deep understanding of the Biblical character(s) we were studying along with an empathy for what they might have been thinking and reacting to,” said Weitzman. “Jacob often displays a level of wisdom and compassion that far exceed his chronological age.”

Jacob worked for the Jewish Community Center (JCC) Association of North America. He was a Program Associate at the Sheva Center for Innovation in Early Childhood Jewish Education and Engagement. He is excited to begin training for his next goal: ordination in 2029 and becoming a pulpit rabbi with a congregation of his own.

“Celebrating Julia and Jacob, we see Temple Isaiah as a holy community where Judaism is not only alive, but thriving and essential,” said Rabbi Gray. “In an ever more secular society, the value of religion may be dismissed. Isaiah’s spirit brings out the best of religious tradition and breathes in life. These two future rabbis inspire our congregants to be proud Jewish citizens.”

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Rev. Chuck Van Houten. Photo courtesy Chuck Van Houten

By Peter Sloniewsky

After 11 years at the Stony Brook Community Church, the Rev. Chuck Van Houten has been reassigned. Van Houten will join a “cooperative parish” — a parish including multiple United Methodist churches across a region — in Connecticut entitled the New Room Parish on July 1, as part of a consolidating measure taken by United Methodist leadership to maintain ministries amid a trend of dwindling clergy numbers. 

Despite his move and general trends of United Methodist pastoral consolidation, Van Houten said that he believes “the future of the church is strong because of the faith and the commitment of the good people in our churches,” but also described this time as a place to rethink “what church is, how church functions and what church can become in the months and years ahead.” 

Located on Christian Avenue, the Stony Brook Community Church was erected in 1860 and has been involved under Van Houten’s leadership in a large variety of charitable causes, including Habitat for Humanity, Meals on Wheels, homeless shelters and soup kitchens across Long Island. Its stated message is to not only worship, but also “to bring positive change to the world through prayer and service.”

A native of Long Island, Van Houten first received a bachelor’s degree of fine art in music with an emphasis on vocal performance from Long Island University at C.W. Post. After serving as a bass soloist for a church in Port Washington, he was inspired to enter the New Brunswick Theological Seminary, eventually graduating magna cum laude from Drew University in 1999 with a master’s degree in divinity. 

Van Houten moved on to work as an associate pastor in Westchester, where he was a member of the resident Circuit Riders rock ’n’ roll worship band. Today, he continues to present a uniquely musical perspective to his faith, including rock ’n’ roll worship services. Following his time in Westchester, Van Houten led the Centerport United Methodist Church for 12 years until his appointment to Stony Brook in 2013. In Centerport, he notably made substantial fundraising efforts whose effects are still felt today. 

Stony Brook reflections

Despite his optimism for the future, Van Houten did express regret at leaving: “I have loved living in the Stony Brook area. This community has been a wonderful place to meet new people, live, do ministry and share in one another’s lives.” 

Specifically, he reflected upon one of his most meaningful ministries, wherein the SBCC partnered with the Three Village Central School District to hold monthly food collection Sundays at local supermarkets. Noting that, he “would often take that opportunity to let folks know that food insecurity does exist in our local area,” Van Houten described conversations about food insecurity raised during such work as “very gratifying,” and as “eye-opening for some folks” while also “quite meaningful for our church.”

New pastor-sharing system

Van Houten also clarified that he had been advised that no new pastor would be sent to the SBCC, largely due to the aforementioned shortage of clergy. Instead, the congregation of the SBCC will become more heavily involved in the new ministerial model of sharing pastors with other local United Methodist churches. 

That being said, he maintained his optimism for the future: “I believe that God is doing a bold new thing among the people called United Methodist … their faith and hope in the gospel of Jesus Christ and a God of love remains strong.” Describing the community as an “inspiration,” he clearly expressed hope that the new pastor-sharing system guiding the SBCC in the future would continue to hold together the United Methodist community on Long Island.

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