The theme for the November Assembly is ‘Work’. Work plays a significant role in our personal and professional lives. It can be viewed through many lenses, for example, paid work and volunteering. The assembly will explore the effect work has on the human condition.

The main speaker will be John Haer, Board President of the Battle of Homestead Foundation.  The Battle of Homestead Foundation’s purpose ” is to preserve, interpret, and promote a people’s history focused on the significance of the dramatic labor conflict at Homestead, Pennsylvania in 1892.” The Battle of Homestead was a significant event in our history that helped lay the foundation for the modern labor movement.

Also speaking will be Andy Hoke on his work with Guitars 4 Vets–a nonprofit organization that helps military veterans manage their PTSD by learning to make music. Andy is also one of Sunday Assembly Pittsburgh’s original founders.

Throughout most of my twenties, I have been torn whether work should define my life, and if so, how much? As I approach the age of 30, it’s still something I wrestle with. I’m sure I am not alone in having this dialogue. This month’s assembly will give us the opportunity to discuss the topic together.

Join us at The November Assembly, Sunday, November 18, 2018 at 10 AM to 11:30 AM. The location will be Community Forge located at 1256 Franklin Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15221. See you there!

To view more of our events, please visit our Events Page.

Kate Bornstein went on the journey from living life as a heterosexual man to embracing her identity as a lesbian woman. The Huffington Post describes her as, “a historic figure in the queer and trans community, whose work as an artist in the service of activism spans many decades” Borstein has written multiple books on issues regarding gender nonconformity and coping in a society that often has a concrete view of gender. The books she’s written include, ‘Gender Outlaw: On Men, Women, and the Rest of Us’, ‘Hello Cruel World: 101 Alternatives to Suicide for Teens, Freaks and Other Outlaws’, and ‘My Gender Workbook’. In a 2015 interview, Kate praises the support of “gender fluidity and redefining it and making it something that’s OK for kids to be.”

Sunday Assembly Book Club is examining Kate’s book, ‘Gender Outlaw’ (2016 version) for the November’s Book Club. In the book, Kate challenges gender norms head-on with quotes like, “I know I’m not a man . . . and I’ve come to the conclusion that I’m probably not a woman, either. . . . . The trouble is, we’re living in a world that insists we be one or the other.” The original book was published in 1994, a 2016 version of the book was also released.

Sunday Assembly Pittsburgh considers itself an “inclusive” community, and along with inclusivity must be a discussion to embrace and listen to each other’s story. Let’s shed light on the beauty and the ugly of our existence.

Join us at Panera Bread located at 3401 Boulevard of the Allies, Pittsburgh, PA 15213 on Saturday, November 17, 2018 at 11 AM – 12:30 PM. If you don’t read the book, feel free to come and join the discussion.

To view our other events, please visit our events page.

Sunday Assembly Pittsburgh held their quarterly board meeting on October 7th, 2018. During the meeting, the goals and vision for the organization were discussed in detail. The current board discussed the best people to move Sunday Assembly Pittsburgh in the right direction to continue to grow and be an asset to the community.

The nominating committee gathered potential board candidates and presented them to the current board to be voted on. Each nominee was required to write a statement about how they will help grow the Sunday Assembly Pittsburgh. After careful deliberation, the board voted for the members to lead Sunday Assembly into 2019.

Amazing people were added to the board to help improve Sunday Assembly. We are looking forward to the upcoming year!

2019 Board Members:

Lisa Seel (2019-2020)                                                
Katrina Loutzenhiser (2019-2020)
Liz Hrenda (2019-2020)
Dana Morganroth (2019-2020) 
Bill Hathaway (2019-2020)
Brandon Tucker (2019-2020)
Sarah McKay (2018-2019)
Kelsey Derringer (2018-2019)
Henry McKay (2018-2019)
Jim Marino (2018-2019)
Cory Derringer (2018-2019)
Dominika Oliver (2018-2019)
Jason Furente (2018-2019)

The regular Sunday Assembly is held every third Sunday of the month at 10:00 AM. The Assemblies are fun and vibrant and leave assemblers feeling refreshed. However, Sunday Assembly Pittsburgh realizes that everyone isn’t a morning person, and some people will never come out early on a Sunday.  Sunday Assembly Pittsburgh looks to reach those people with The Assembly After Dark.

This will be an opportunity for likeminded people to sit down and have a casual brew. Sunday Assembly Pittsburgh is looking to expand its community but has been missing out on the people who don’t do mornings. This will be a chance to make new connections and decompress after the workday.

The Assembly After Dark will be held on November 15, 2018, from 5:30 pm to 8:00pm at the East End Brewing Company, located at 147 Julius Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15206. Per their website, the East End Brewing company is “Pittsburgh’s home for Fresh Local Beer”.

The theme for the Assembly this month is ‘This One Life’. Sunday Assembly’s charter includes, “a celebration of the one life we know we have”. This notion is embraced by Sunday Assembly Pittsburgh through all its community events.

In western culture, discussing death is often viewed as taboo and is often avoided until absolutely necessary. The topic of death has fostered the creation of religions and has been pondered by philosophers for ages. At the Assembly, we will discuss life and death through a secular lens.

The speaker this month will be, Sara Kiley. Sara has worked in hospice for over 7 years filling roles as volunteer coordinator and music therapist.  She currently practices through Three Rivers Arts & Wellness as owner and music therapist.

The next Sunday Assembly is October 21st, 2018, 10:00 am (regular time), at Community Forge located at 1256 Franklin Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15221. See you there!

A perfect fall day made for another great Sunday Assembly Pittsburgh Pumpkin Day. The parking lot was full of cars that brought excited adults and children ready to enjoy what Shenot Farm had to offer. The weather was partly cloudy with a one hundred percent chance of cider.

We indulged on freshly picked crispy apples as we rode the tractor down the dirt road to the pumpkin patch, passing skeletons and creepy scarecrows on the way. The tractor approached a vast field of pumpkins scattered about. Before we got to the pumpkins we entered the corn maze where we wandered aimlessly. After we made it out of the maze we walked around the seemingly endless field of pumpkins enjoying each other’s company.

Not all of us left with pumpkins, but we all left with smiles and sense of community. I personally left with fresh apple butter. My calendar is already marked for Pumpkin Day 2019.