After our Ingathering service, everyone is invited to join in a special Community Craft Project. Together, we will create colorful banners that celebrate our shared Unitarian Universalist values. Using a variety of mediums—paint, fabric, paper, and more—we’ll bring our collective creativity to life in a way that brightens our space and expresses who we are as a community. This is a project for all ages and all skill levels. Whether you’re an experienced artist, a casual crafter, or someone who just wants to share in the joy of making something together, your presence and participation will add meaning to the finished banners. Come ready to collaborate, create, and celebrate our values through art. Let’s make something beautiful together that will inspire us throughout the year.

This fall, Green Earth Ministry (GEM) is joining a statewide postcard-writing effort to support candidates who will stand up for environmental protections. The goal is simple but powerful: to remind voters of the importance of electing legislators who care about clean air, safe water, and a healthy future for all. You can help by writing postcards to encourage voter participation. Here’s how it works: Each volunteer commits to writing 20 postcards at home. GEM provides the postcards, postage, and complete instructions. Volunteers simply address the cards and add a short, specific message (following the provided script). Postcards must be returned to MUUF no later than October 5 . Supplies will be available for pick-up beginning September 21 . By writing postcards, you’ll be amplifying voices across New Jersey and helping build momentum for legislation like the Green Amendment. Will you join us in this meaningful effort? YES! If the answer is yes, sign up to join us.

If you have attended an Odyssey program, you have seen that everyone who has shared their odyssey with us has a fascinating story and enjoyed the event – and we think that you do too. So, if you want to tell your story (or know a fellow MUUF member you think would want to share theirs), let us know. And, if you’re interested in joining the Odyssey Project team as an interviewer or video editor, let us know that too. Contact Paul Snellgrove (or anyone on the Odyssey Team: Gabor Kiss, Joe Uhrhane, Don Preziosi, Donna Perch, Tom Perch).

Last August we crossed over to needing less than $400,000 in additional pledges to pay off the construction loan for the Addition and related work. We are now closing in on needing less than $300,000! THANK YOU! Please come to the Reeds, Rhythm and Brass Swing Big Band Concert on Sept. 13 to help drive that number down!

The MUUF Board of Trustees met at our annual retreat in August to work on incorporating the information gleaned from our Open Questions and other conversations that came up over the last year. Last year’s Open Questions asked you about Welcoming, Use of our new space, and our Mission.  We’ve (mostly) digested that information to determine our Vision of Ministry for this year and to develop our open questions for the coming program year. We wrote up a Summary document on information gathered, which helped us develop the following Vision of Ministry for our Congregation: We will work to use our space to help build Community. This means our congregational community as well as the community outside our walls.  We will support development of Staff- and Volunteer-led events and activities that will enhance our connections to each other and invite others to join us here at the Fellowship.  We will form alliances with like-minded community groups and aid in social justice and other important work by providing access to space and volunteer resources, in balance with development of our community within. We will work to improve access to information about our Fellowship. This includes our work, policies and procedures, volunteer recruitment and recognition, and other important information. We will develop a working document outlining “who does what” and where to go for guidance and info. We will develop thoughtful messaging about who we are. This includes information about our history, our present, and our future, signage to explicitly show our values and beliefs, and displays and other means of messaging about our Congregation, our Mission and Vision, and our UUA values centered by love. Our Open Questions this year will be about further developing our long-term Ministry, how we address the challenges and opportunities of Change, and a discussion about Growth – at the personal, congregational, and community levels.  The Committee on Ministries (COM) will be working closely with the Board to run these Open Question discussions, and we look forward to hearing from you.  These discussions will serve to develop our Vision of Ministry for next year, and help us improve our work and our service. There is an overall Summary document available on request.  T he Board is open to comments and suggestions, and welcomes members to attend open Board meetings on second Wednesday evenings in Room B.   Meeting Minutes are available on Realm in the member’s section. In Service, Nan Perigo and the Board of Trustees

UUFANJ is not just about legislative action.  UUFANJ in keeping with its motto – “Educate, Advocate, Mobilize” – works in collaboration with its coalition members to present a varied program of events. REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE Last week Planned Parenthood held a showing of “Preconceived”, a film on Crisis Pregnancy Centers.  These centers are fake health clinics backed by anti-abortion organizations to further their cause. The most frighting takeaways were the extensive records maintained on each client in the corporate designed database, the fact that the centers are not accountable to HIPAA , the rise of the Pro Life Movement among the younger generations.  UUFANJ and the Interfaith Alliance NJ have joined a new national group, Faithful Majority for Reproductive Freedom .   Find out more about CPCs :    A bill (A861/S2522) addressing deceptive practices in advertising of pregnancy-related services was introduced on 1/9/2024.  The bill passed out of committee in March and has not been acted on in the Senate. Our Flow, Our Power: Reproductive Health Summit in person on September 13, 10AM-4PM at 99 Monticello Ave., Jersey City.  For info and to register,  click here   Volunteers for Clinic Escorts needed.  Contact rjtfchair@uufaithaction.org ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE Bike For EJ 9/14/2025 9:30AM-11:00AM Newark-Elizabeth, NJ.  Participants will wear portable air monitors.  Post ride snacks, informative materials, conversations. Repair Café Garden State Have your broken items fixed.  Two Cafes coming up.  9/27/2025 11AM-3PM at Christ Church in Summit.  10/11/2025 11AM-3PM at Grace Church in Madison.  See above for more information. AI WEBINARS – Two webinars being offered .    “ Demystifying AI-Powered Militarization and its Social and Ecological Consequences ” 9/11/2025 8PM virtual. AND “ Artificial Intelligence: Implications for Energy and the Environment ” 9/25/2025 3:30PM-4:30PM virtual. IMMIGRATION JUSTICE Court Witnessing and Accompaniment Volunteer Training – September 9, 7PM-8:30PM Zoom.  Learn to support people at their hearings and check-ins.  Especially needed – bilingual individuals and faith leaders.  Contact Jonathan for more info Donations to Pax Christi New Jersey – It was decided at the last Immigration Task Force Meeting that $500 worth of grocery gift cards would be donated to Pax Christi to be handed out to the loved ones of detainees at Delaney Hall. Efforts are still ongoing to get our legislature to pass the Immigrant Trust Act. CRIMINAL JUSTICE This Task Force has teamed up with the Anti-Racist Mental Health Alliance of NJ to address issues surrounding mobile crisis units, dispatcher training, police training and childcare.  In 2024 A5326/S4250 the Seabrooks-Washington Community-led Crisis Response Act was signed into law. Besides setting up an Advisory Council and a pilot program, $12 million was appropriated to support grant recipients from 6 counties for pilot programs.  The CJTS will be tracking this.  ARRIVE Together and 9-8-8 are 2 programs expected to work in coordination with this ACT.  Other topics of interest are the status of the juvenile justice system, solitary confinement, use of force, restorative justice, geriatric release programs, and the intersectional forces contributing to incarceration rates. OTHER LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS TRAINING WEBINARS:   Sept. 9th, Intro to the Legislative Process 6-7pm Sept. 15th, Moving the Needle on Voter Participation. How Do We Reach More Voters? 6-7pm FRIDAY ACTION HOURS – September 5 and 19 at Noon. KUDOS TO OUR HARD-WORKING TASK FORCES!!  If you want to be part of the action contact: Criminal Justice Reform – Monday, Sept. 15, 7-8pm Contact Chair Thomas Moran . Environmental Justice – Wednesday, Sept. 17, 3:15-5pm Zoom Meeting ID:  948 6367 7375 , Passcode: 901953Contact Rev. Charles Loflin Immigration Justice – Thursday, Sept. 18, 8-9pm Zoom Meeting ID:  972 4054 2415 , Passcode: 682573Contact Chair Marty Rothfelder Reproductive Justice – Monday, Sept. 22, 7-8pm Zoom Meeting ID:  852 5833 0749 , Passcode: 177459Contact Co-Chairs Carol A. Loscalzo and Jami Thall

Time is running out and tickets are selling fast! Get your tickets today for a swinging good time at the Morristown Unitarian Universalist Fellowship for the Reeds, Rhythm, and All That Brass benefit concert on Saturday, 9/13 @ 7PM!  Reeds, Rhythm, and All That Brass is a classic 17-piece swing/jazz big band known for performing with the best of the swing-pop repertoire, featuring music from iconic artists such as Basie, Ellington, Goodman, Sinatra, and Darin. Don’t miss this glorious tribute to big band music, with music spanning the ‘30s well into the ‘70s. This benefit concert proceeds will support our building loan payoff initiative. Visit muuf.org/bigband/ for more information and to purchase tickets online, and follow RR&B on their facebook page at facebook.com/RRBbigband/ .

A UU voice for justice, equity and compassion in NJ

Join us for a lively discussion on Science & Spirituality, first Sundays at 9am in the Library.  This month, on September 7th, we’ll explore Quantum Thinking – physics, reality, and the in-between. This video is thought-provoking and explains ‘quantum consciousness’ pretty well Coordinators are Nan Perigo, Kendall Martin, and Gabor Kiss

We are delighted to invite you to a special evening with Arta Boutcher , Romanian novelist and Fellowship Friend, as she shares from her memoir, Loss, Voyage, and Rebirth . Join us on Thursday, September 18 at 7:30 pm in the Meeting Room . Arta will reveal her personal experiences as a Romanian émigré, offering moving reflections on resilience, identity, and renewal. A Q&A will follow her presentation, giving us a chance to engage more deeply with her story. To help us plan, we ask that you RSVP in advance. And if you’d like, please consider bringing a light snack to share during our fellowship time after the discussion. Come connect with community, enjoy thoughtful conversation, and celebrate the gift of storytelling.

Get your tickets today for a swinging good time with Reeds, Rhythm, and All That Brass on Saturday, 9/13 @ 7PM in Chu Hall!  Reeds, Rhythm, and All That Brass is a classic 17-piece swing/jazz big band known for performing with the best of the swing-pop repertoire, featuring music from iconic artists such as Basie, Ellington, Goodman, Sinatra, and Darin. Don’t miss this glorious tribute to big band music, with music spanning the ‘30s well into the ‘70s. This benefit concert proceeds will support our building loan payoff initiative, “Mortgage Prevention”. Visit muuf.org/bigband/ for more information and to purchase tickets online, and follow RR&B on their facebook page at facebook.com/RRBbigband/ .

Local BLM organization covering all of Morris County, NJ but originating in our hometown of Morristown.