by Uppereast.com Staff
Is your mailbox flooded with calligraphy-imprinted Bridal Shower invitations each month? Are you overwhelmed with the prospect of searching for “the one” in a sea of more than 8,000,000 New Yorkers? Does the idea of speed dating, the internet and blind dates make you cringe? Then perhaps it’s time to explore some new avenues.
With the explosion of enormously popular internet dating sites like match.com and eharmony.com, our ability to connect with people face-to-face seems to be on a sharp decline. College students, divorcées, retirees, widowers and everyone in between seem to be typing away their evenings, safely tucked behind a computer screen and an anonymous name. While these sites boast stories of marital connections, replete with wedding day photos and glowing testimonials, Manhattan’s incomparably high percentage of single residents between the age of 30 and 54, remains an undisputed fact.
So what can people do to get out there and socialize without compromising their dignity or pouring half their salary down a martini glass? Have a little faith, a lot of hope and give to charity. All Souls Church, a nondenominational Upper East Side landmark since 1819 was founded upon tolerance and unity for “open minds and hearts”. The non-denominational church that unites an enthusiastic multicultural congregation serves as a thriving community for many in the neighborhood. Aside from the traditional Sunday services, All Souls has become a true mecca for meeting neighbors and newcomers on the closely-knit Upper East Side community.
The church had formed two special groups aimed to unite men and women in their 20s through their 40s. The Young Adults group and the Thirties-Forties Fellowship each host regularly planned social and cultural events. I asked Alexandra Collier, Chair of Social Events for the church, why she felt these planned events were a much better alternative to conventional meeting places, namely bars or large club environments. Collier candidly responded, “I don’t think bars and restaurants are ever a good place to meet someone! Our events are organized and engaging and we facilitate introductions, so it’s not as scary or intimidating to go to a Young Adults event alone. She added, “there isn’t the pressure that you often feel at a singles event.” When asked if she ever bore witness to any love connections, Collier said, “Yes, I know quite a few couples that have met through this group. The past two Chairs of this group are now married to men they met at All Souls and I myself met my boyfriend here as well, Collier confided.
All Souls Young Adults offers an opportunity for members and friends in their twenties and thirties (usually ages 18-35) to get together for social events, spiritual gatherings, and service opportunities. All Souls Thirties-Forties Fellowship provides social and spiritual events for people in their thirties and forties. From catching the latest movie, ice skating in Central Park, having cocktails at The Met, listening to live music or having a potluck dinner, members are doing what they enjoy in the company of new and like-minded peers. In addition to the Young Adults and Thirties-Forties Fellowship groups, All Souls hosts a weekly “Monday Night Hospitality” dinner whereby volunteers prepare and serve a warm meal to over 100 homeless men and women. Having volunteered several Monday evenings myself , I’ve seen firsthand how quickly friendships can develop when a group of caring individuals, packed into a small kitchen, give of themselves in a selfless manner.
All Souls is proud of its 25 social outreach programs. These include feeding the homeless at the Monday evening "Homeless Hospitality", the Friday noon soup kitchen, tutoring children at our adopted elementary school, PS 102, can drive donations to benefit the Yorkville Common Pantry and so much more. Whether you’re new to the area, simply wish to expand your circle of friends or searching for true romance, a great place to start would be at the steps of All Souls Church. All Souls is located in the heart of the Upper East Side at 1157 Lexington Avenue on 80th Street.