Find your people.
Our programs are designed to inspire, educate, and build community. Through a range of community groups, series, and events, we create opportunities for connection, learning, and joy. Each offering is enriched by your participation and reflects our shared commitment to love and justice. Our groups vary in size, meeting structure, and location, but they all foster deep connection and a collective desire to build, organize, and sustain a world where everyone belongs.
Explore the range of our recurring programs below. If you’re unsure where to start or have questions, connect with Elise Tiralli, our Director of Programs, Events, and Community Engagement. Community groups are an incredible way to ground yourself in the life of Middle—no matter where you’re located.
Check out our Community Groups
Community groups are where purpose meets passion. These spaces are designed for connection, growth, and action. Rooted in the values of justice, spirituality, creativity, and love, community groups empower you to deepen your faith, build lasting relationships, and champion change in the world. Whether you’re drawn to organizing for social justice, exploring creative arts, or nurturing relationships rooted in fierce love, our community groups are the heart of transformation. See a need for something new? Share your vision with us below and let’s build it together.
The Reparations Task Force at Middle Collegiate Church is dedicated to justice and healing, inspired by the leadership of Rev. Jacqui Lewis. Meeting monthly, we focus on uncovering the church’s colonized history, developing actionable reparations recommendations based on our working definition, and strengthening partnerships with Black and Indigenous communities to support reparative justice initiatives. Together, we strive to transform our collective past into a foundation for equity and restoration.
The Jerriese Johnson Gospel Choir moves movements, bodies, and souls.
In addition to levitating the roof during Sunday worship celebrations, the choir sings at rallies and protests for LGBTQ, racial, gender, and economic equality, and by special invitation.
Butterfly Outreach Ministry (BOM) helps address food insecurity in the Lower East Side.
Join others in the LGBTQIA2S+ community to engage in restorative justice, community building, and discussion at the intersections of queerness and faith.
Facilitated by Elise Tiralli & Angela Martenez. This group meets monthly on Zoom with quarterly in-person collaborations with Queer Black Men and other queer groups.
If you have any questions, please email Elise Tiralli.
Middle Church’s Voter Reform Group is dedicated to strengthening democracy through civic engagement and a commitment to pluralism. Meeting bi-weekly on Sundays from 10:00 am to 11:00 am, the group focuses on voter registration, mobilizing voters for elections, and combating voter suppression.
Through education, advocacy, and action, members engage in workshops, discussions, and nonpartisan postcard-writing campaigns to encourage voter participation. The group also encourages members to become poll workers and monitors, actively contributing to voting rights and justice initiatives.
This isn’t just about politics — it’s about building a more just, equitable, and loving world. Together, we live out Middle Church’s theology of fierce love by taking action for democracy, justice, and equality.
Get Involved:
If you’re ready to put your faith into action, join Middle Church’s Voter Reform Group. Your voice and your efforts matter.
Email us at votingproject@middlechurch.org to learn more or join the movement.
The Village Chorus for Children and Youth at Middle Church is a program that educates children about the significance of community engagement in promoting racial, LGBTQIA+, and economic equality through music. Participants learn a diverse repertoire, including pieces from Beethoven, the Beatles, and Broadway, which helps them build confidence and receive support from the congregation. The chorus performs monthly during worship services and has showcased their talents at venues like Joe’s Pub at The Public, The Lower Eastside Girls Club, and the New York Public Library. Rehearsals are conducted via Zoom on Sundays from 1:00 to 2:15 pm, running from late September through June. While there is no cost to join, children should have a passion for music, a strong desire to learn, and the ability to read.
For more information or to join, interested individuals can contact the director, John Del Cueto.
Middle Church Acting Class
Step Into the Spotlight and Share Your Story
Middle Church offers an Acting Class designed to help participants develop their acting skills and public presentation abilities in a supportive and joyful environment. Whether you’re a seasoned performer or someone looking to gain confidence on stage, this class is for everyone.
The class focuses on scenes, monologues, movement, dance, and music, guiding participants in creating their own one-person shows. It’s a unique opportunity to explore your creativity, connect with others, and grow as both an artist and an individual.
Led by Middle member Harold Slazer, this dynamic and engaging class encourages attendees to come prepared to move and express themselves. Please bring loose clothing, a yoga mat, and an open heart.
Ready to Join?
Register for our Zoom.
For more details, you can also contact Harold Slazer at write66@aol.com.
Unleash Your Imagination. Share Your Story. Build Community.
Middle Church offers a Creative Writing Group where ideas move from head to paper in a supportive, creative, and fun environment. This weekly gathering invites participants of all writing levels to explore their voice, hone their craft, and express the writer that lives in all of us.
Led by writer and Middle member Harold Slazer, the group provides a space to connect with others, nurture creativity, and turn ideas into powerful written works. From poetry and short stories to personal reflections and essays, participants are encouraged to bring their unique perspective to the page.
Whether you’re an experienced writer or putting pen to paper for the first time, this group offers inspiration, motivation, and a community of support.
Ready to Write?
Click here to register and receive Zoom information!
For additional details, you can also contact Harold Slazer at write66@aol.com.
Queer Black Men’s group that offers a space of connection, healing, and community for individuals who identify as queer and Black.
Strum. Sing. Connect.
Calling all ukulele enthusiasts and beginners! Middle Church’s Ukuleliacs is a community group where music, fun, and friendship come together. This is a space for anyone who has ever wanted to learn the ukulele, refine their skills, or simply enjoy the joy of making music with others.
The group meets on the first and third Wednesday of each month from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm, providing a regular opportunity to strum, sing, and connect. No previous experience is required — just bring your ukulele, an open mind, and a readiness to learn.
How to Join:
Currently, Ukuleliacs meets online via Zoom.
Ready to Strum?
Join the Ukuleliacs and experience the joy of music, connection, and growth. Come as you are — leave with a song in your heart.
Our Young Adults ministry is designed for individuals in their 20s and 30s seeking community, spiritual growth, and social engagement. This group provides a welcoming space for young adults to connect, share experiences, and explore their faith journeys together.
Regular Gatherings:
The Young Adults group meets regularly for various activities, including social outings, discussions, and service projects. These gatherings offer opportunities to build meaningful relationships, engage in thoughtful conversations, and participate in initiatives that promote justice and compassion.
Get Involved:
To stay informed about upcoming events and gatherings, or to get involved with the Young Adults ministry, please contact the church office for more information.
Whether you’re new to the city, exploring your faith, or looking to make new friends, the Young Adults group at Middle Church welcomes you to join this dynamic and inclusive community.
White supremacy must be dismantled. We confront racial injustice as essential to liberation, acting on faith to build a just, equitable world for all.
Dismantling racism and white supremacy is central to our faith. Middle Church is committed to addressing systemic inequities that disproportionately affect Black, Brown, and Indigenous communities. From standing in solidarity with the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community to advocating for reparations and racial equity, we believe faith calls us to act boldly for justice.
- How We Act:
- Hosting workshops on anti-racism and solidarity.
- Supporting movements like Black Lives Matter and Stop AAPI Hate.
- Organizing events to amplify the voices of marginalized communities.
Community Norms
We are committed to these norms within Middle Church’s community and spaces we hold together:
We listen to understand until the speaker has finished and we do not interrupt
We ask clarifying questions (I’m so glad you share that, do you mind if I ask you a clarifying question)
We do not cross-talk (Thank you for your perspective, here’s my point of view/take on that/I have a different thought VS I think you are wrong or I disagree or That is so stupid)
We speak for ourselves, not our cohort, our group, or anyone else
We use “I statements” as often as possible. (When I am interrupted I feel frustrated and find it difficult to stay engaged VS You interrupt me and it makes me frustrated)
We keep confidentiality in our groups
We do not make triangles, we say what needs to be said to the person who needs to hear it.
We tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Lying is disrespectful and anti-community. We know there might be more than one truth in a system but we try to tell ours and own it.
We step up and step back to allow all voices to be heard.
Zoom participants will adhere to demonstrating Revolutionary Love at all times. If a participant’s behavior is deemed inappropriate by the meeting host, they will be removed. Inappropriate behavior includes but is not limited to harassment, threats and bigotry of any kind. If you experience behavior that feels inappropriate, we invite you to remind the participant of this covenant and also message the host.