The great quest is set forth! Upon this last Sunday, we proclaimed the opening of the Annual Generosity Campaign and the drive for Pledges. Should any among the Fellowship not have claimed their pledge scroll on that day, let them seek the post for their own individualized pledge packet. As the Fellowship in the Middle-earth tales of old, so are we called to rise as one, heeding the summons to bear light, love, and courage into our realm in need. Our budget target this year is $519,000 - a hearty and courageous sum! And as of today, we are nearly 25% to our pledge goal! The treasury of our Fellowship is filled chiefly by the generous bounty of our members and friends; wherefore it is thy worthy tribute that sustains our common purpose, a vital force that keeps our Fellowship a welcoming haven, and bears our good work far beyond the ancient bounds of our halls. To meet our annual budget, w e ask that you please be as generous as you can to help us meet our 2026-2027 Pledge goal, as your support will help cover critical Fellowship needs, including: Budgeting for a Rental Coordinator to assist with the rentals of our hallowed halls. Increasing our staff salaries and hours to better align with inflation and the rising cost of living in our Shire, and meet our Fellowship’s needs. Cover the interest payments for the Construction Loan one-year extension with our Operating Budget. We also call upon all wizened members to re-examine your level of giving and consider advancing to the next tier of abundance. Even a small increase is a potent spell, enhancing our ability to carry out the ministries that touch so many lives. Our scroll of counsel for determining your contribution can be found by following this magical link: Thy offering shall uphold the essential labors of our Fellowship, and we humbly call upon each to make an investment in our shared future, that the strength and spirit may endure through the ages. Should any questions trouble thy mind, thou mayest send word to Tim Davis at tdavis@muuf.org , or to Katy Julich at accounting@muuf.org , and they shall answer with all due haste. In Fellowship, Tim Davis Trustee Hobbit at Large

Our Sunday Volunteer Service Fair will be held on Sunday, April 12th, immediately after the MUUF service at 11:00am in Chu Family Hall. If you are a group representative, would like your group to participate, and have not yet signed up for a table, please contact Carolyn Evans ASAP. This is a great opportunity for groups and members/friends to connect to help fill our volunteer service ranks. Volunteering is, ideally, a service we perform to help others and to enrich ourselves. The fair is also a way to learn about all many of the activities currently happening at the Fellowship. As the poet Tagore said: “I slept and dreamt that life was joy. I awoke and saw that life was service. I acted and behold, service was joy.” In that spirit, hope to see everyone on April 12th!

The Endowment Committee is pleased to announce the selection of grants for the 2025-26 fiscal year. There was enthusiastic response to our request for applications, resulting in eleven separate proposals totaling $68,694. Unfortunately, the allocation for this year was $12,329 so the grant review committee spent a great deal of time reviewing, discussing, and finally deciding on which grants to fund. As is the policy, the recommendations were submitted to the Board of Trustees, and the Board approved the grants recommended by the committee. With thanks to Candice Donaldson, Beverly Hays, David Horst, Tom Perch, Carolyn Schwartz, for reviewing and discussing all eleven applications. The following grants were recommended to be funded, and they were approved by the Board: $1,885 for solar car racing for MUUF campers this summer.  $2,142 for 10 round tables, a dolly to hold them, and a utensil cart for use in Chu Hall. $400 for Days for Girls kit material and sewing machine maintenance as necessary. $7,902 for painting some windows on the west and south sides of the Mansion. We appreciate the thought, effort, and time that went into all the proposals, but the committee and Board were limited by the allocation of funds this year. We thank all those who submitted a proposal. There will be a formal announcement of these grants at the annual meeting in June.

Envisioning a Sustainable Earth Friday, April 3 from 6-8pm  Chu Family Hall @ Morristown UU Fellowship Join us in imagining a sustainable world through making vision boards. Using second hand materials, we’ll let our creativity flow and explore what it means to truly embrace our earth. Please register  by contacting  justice@muuf.org Seed Starting to Help Feed Morris County Saturday, April 4 from 11am-1pm Chu Family Hall @ Morristown UU Fellowship Join the Gardening Working Group of Mutual Morris for a Seed Starting event. Learn about how we can help combat food insecurity in Morris County. Plant seeds that will grow into plants that will help feed our community this summer. All materials will be provided. We just need you! Please register by contacting justice@muuf.org The act of growing food defies systemic inequalities, corporate food dependency and environmental destruction. Food growing is resistance in action!

For the last few months, an enthused group of musical theatre lovers has talked about a multitude of Broadway shows that explore how justice has been denied or delayed. For over a century, audiences and performers alike have been inspired by scenes and songs that preach some of the core values that we Unitarian Universalists share:  Justice, Equity, Transformation, Pluralism, Interdependence, Generosity — all anchored in Love . At this point, we have planned themes, songs, and scenes that can fit within the framework of a one-hour Sunday service. Now it’s time to see who would like to participate in our presentation. We need singers and instrumentalists, a few adult actors, plus production helpers to create a bit of costuming and some projections. Our rehearsals will be in the Meeting Room on Sundays in April and May, between 11:30am and 1:30pm, plus we’ll have a dress rehearsal on Saturday, June 13. If you’d like to use your talents  in this special service, please email   or talk to Barbara Castellana Stasiak  as soon as possible about your interests and your schedule. Even if you can’t be in the cast this time, we’ll make sure that our congregation has a chance or two to sing along, and then we can all attend our annual MUUF Picnic on June 14!

April 6, 6 pm - The Joys of Aging Come join us as we discuss how we feel about being our current age, what’s important to us, and what’s it like to be an LGBTQ+ older adult. We’ll also view and discuss a video on living our best lives as older adults. Refreshments will be provided, and a small donation is asked to contribute to our use of the Fellowship. You're also welcome to join a group at a local diner afterward to continue the camaraderie! April 13, 6pm - The Joys of April We all know "April showers bring May flowers," but did you know that 1970's Earth Day lead to the establishment of the Environmental Protection Agency, or that the sinking of the Titanic resulted in many safety maritime rules and regulations that are still in place today? April is the month of the Boston Marathon, the Easter Egg Roll on the South Lawn of the White House, the annual Lyrids meteor shower, and the birth month of some of our most well-known personalities, William Shakespeare, Leonardo da Vinci, and Queen Elizabeth II. Our meeting will provide a fascinating display of some interesting historical videos exploring tragedies and triumphs. Come join us for a lively discussion of what your first car was (The first Mustang was produced April 17,1964 at a cost of $2,368!) and how you celebrate Passover (April 1) or Easter (April 5). Refreshments will be provided, and a small donation is asked to contribute to our use of the Fellowship. You're also welcome to join a group at a local diner afterward to continue the camaraderie! April 20, 6pm - Movie: The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert They came. They posed. They conquered. This glitzy celebration of camp, filmed in "Dragorama" and featuring Fellini-esque images, follows two drag queens and a recently widowed trans woman as they cross the Australian outback on a ramshackle bus to perform at a casino. An Academy Award winner for Best Costume Design, this 1994 film features a soundtrack of popular songs, was an inspiration to the 1995 film "To Wong Foo," and later spawned a Broadway musical. Ultimately, "Priscilla" is a movie about identity, intolerance, friendship, and acceptance. Refreshments will be provided, and a small donation is asked to contribute to our use of the Fellowship. You're also welcome to join a group at a local diner afterward to continue the camaraderie! April 27, 6pm - The Florham Park Diner Enjoy good fun & food at a reasonable price! We’ll meet at the restaurant located at 182 Ridgedale Ave in Florham Park. Please RSVP by Friday, April 24 to Gordon Sauer at president@gaamc.org .

I hope that you are wondering, what is the connection between our Transylvanian Partner Church activities and the UN CSW70 (Commission on the Status of Women) meeting which just concluded in New York. It went for two weeks and drew thousands of women (and a few men) from around the world, both in person and virtually. The connection is via an organization called ICUUW, the International Convocation of UU Women. This organization was created 20 years ago by a Transylvanian Unitarian woman, who lives partially in Kolozsvar (Cluj) and partially in Texas. Gabor has spoken and written about this organization multiple times. Some of that content is still available on the muuf.org website. First, listen to the 4-minute Closing Words during the 30 Years of Partnership service 8/6/23: You can also read about the connection in a posting on the MUUF website (3 minute read) in which Gabor describes the most recent visit to our Transylvanian Partner Church in Sinfalva, Romania, while attending the ICUUW Convo 2024 meeting. The UUA used to have an organization called the UU-UNO (UU United Nations Office) which participated in many UN activities. However, that organization is now defunct, and therefore the ICUUW is the only  UU presence at the UN and the primary UU organization with an international focus. As an accredited UN NGO (Non-Governmental Organization), the ICUUW is permitted to send delegates to CSW. Gabor asked to be a delegate, was included in the delegation, and spent the first of the two weeks in NY, attending meetings in person. The second week he participated in several hybrid and online events. The meeting included hundreds of events, presentations, panels, speeches, workshops. Many took place in the UN building  and delegates had to apply for a “grounds pass”. Gabor was able to enter the Security Council chamber, the General Assembly chamber, and many UN conference rooms. In addition, there were numerous events in other nearby buildings, such as the UN Church Center (where the UU-UNO used to have an office), the Salvation Army building, etc. In addition, Gabor attended a presentation at the Ukranian Institute on 95 th  St, where women who had suffered violence at the hands of invading Russian soldiers gave powerful testimony. Here is a link to the main CSW page . Unfortunately, the schedule of main events apparently has been taken down, but the “agreed conclusions” are available . Here is a link to the schedule of CSW “side-events” which is still posted as of 3/24/26 It is worth scrolling through the side-events to get a sense of what the topics were and the sheer number of events. In addition to the UN-sponsored “side-events” there was an equally, if not more, rich variety of “parallel events” conducted by many NGOs. In order to navigate those events, one needs an account with an app called Whova. I think this app is also used for remote access to GA. Here is a link to the CSW parallel events schedule , which might work for you. Here is a link to the recording of the session held by ICUUW , entitled Love Your Neighbor: Helping  Refugees and Immigrants in Morally Challenging Times . It is a powerful 90 minutes. The link takes you to 15:00 for an intro and then the first presenter, from a refugee-aid organization in Romania. Finally, many events were viewable on UN Web TV. Here are a couple of links which should work. From Report to Action: Actionable Pathways for Intersex Rights Beyond the UN We Are Still Here: LGBTI Persons and Human Rights This was a fascinating opportunity to see the UN and associated NGOs, including the ICUUW, in action. It really is a platform for powerful, smart, energetic, and noble women from all over the world. This CSW meeting happens every year, so anyone who is interested in attending next year should contact Gabor.

Members and Friends, I’m looking for someone to help illustrate a storybook I’ve written, “The Day the Internet Went Away,” which will be shared during the Time for All Ages on May 17. This story will be part of a service reflecting on what our Fellowship has learned through years of engagement with technology—and how we might nurture our spiritual lives in a future where artificial intelligence may exert an outsized, sometimes troubling, influence. If you enjoy drawing or creating images and would like to collaborate, I’d love to hear from you! - Jerry Weinstein

We’ll start with a 3-minute Highlights Reel, created by our photographer Andrew Kalarantov , carried along on the wings of “The Best Things Happen While You’re Dancing” sung by our guest artists of First Take! that evening, and ending on a high note with Rev. Sasha’s inspiring Benediction. Then you can peruse the evening’s program, beautifully created by Tim Davis and Helene Ferm and featuring the Sponsors for the event, our musical artists’ bio and credits to our vendors. We ate well, as you can see! Here’s a collection of photos showing how much FUN we all had! Things to look for: Shari Loe shared the history of our campaign, including a slide with the finished project from the air, and a (outdated) Mortgage Prevention slide showing $141,000 still needed to pay off the construction loan without a residual mortgage. We now need less than $118,000! Our auctioneer, Paul Ferm, was careful to emphasize how art and artists have been key to our community from the beginning. Did you know that Joe Kotula, who along with his wife, Charlotte, lent the Fellowship the funds to buy the Mansion, was a famous artist, specializing in aeronautical illustrations? And that Peggy Carr, an artist in glass, was our sexton and operated her kiln out of our third floor? Find the slide with both artists’ work that Paul presented! Rev. Sasha mixed it up by offering the JETPIG, created by our children to represent our UU values of Justice, Equity, Transformation, Pluralism, Interdependence and Generosity, for auction? And then bid successfully for it, so it would stay here in its spiritual home. Worth clicking through to see this adorable stuffed animal! We’ve included a portrait of First Take in the next section – but there are also some in the Fun section that illustrate what a dynamic and engaging group they all were as they presented a superb set list of updated barbershop-style numbers. (A standing ovation after the first half said all there was needed about that!) AND MORE FUN Photos of Folks to download: All the photos can be downloaded, but we think you will be especially happy to be able to choose from this curated selection of portraits of folks who attended. The sense of belonging and good fellowship is palpable. I tried to pick the best ones – but if there was a photo with you or your friend(s) in it, it’s here! And finally, we could not capture the full spirit of the evening without a look through the Art Catalog, lovingly put together by Marjorie Wormser and Helene Ferm, presenting all the lovely art auctioned that evening, whether online or in the live auction by Paul. We sold all the art and collected about $3500 towards our goal. Note: All the photos were taken by Andrew Kalarantov – except the main photo used for this article, including Shari, Paul and Helene, which was snapped by Marjorie Wormser as the event was kicking off! Don’t forget: we’re updating the Gateways Donor Wall in April, so if you are a new donor or would like to make a gift to have an additional family member recognized, please do so now and help push our “amount needed” lower still! Click here and find the Mortgage Prevention dropdown donate, or to pledge (pledges must be completed in 2027), mail us a check or reach out to Katy Julich at admin@muuf.org . A Note About Photo Permissions : Here at the Morristown UU Fellowship, we value your privacy and ability to control whether and how information about you, including your image, is made available to Fellowship members or the wider public. If you prefer not to have photos of you or your child included in this collection, please contact us and we will remove them right away. In the future, we will be developing processes to collect your permission before any materials featuring you are posted publicly to help protect your privacy. Thank you for your patience as we work toward better alignment with our policies!

As the Morristown UU Fellowship Annual Meeting approaches (scheduled for June 7 after service), the Board thought it would be a good idea to remind folks who want to vote at the meeting that their membership needs to be up to date to cast ballots.   We love all of our MUUF Friends and welcome them in all of our activities and to serve in committees and join groups, but Friends don't get to vote or hold office.  We've had the names of a number of our Friends come up for nominations, but since they aren't members, we can't nominate them, and they can't vote at our meetings... so don't get stuck in the "Friend Zone"- become a member! We welcome all who seek to share our Fellowship's purpose and the Principles of Unitarian Universalism to become a Member of the Morristown UU Fellowship. (UU Principles:  https://www.uua.org/beliefs/what-we-believe/principles  ) Any person aged 15 years or older may become a Member of the Fellowship by meeting with the Minister or the President, agreeing with the Purpose and Affirmation of our Bylaws (see below), and by signing the Membership Book.    Members in Good Standing  may vote at Meetings of the Membership and stand for election to the Board or any Standing Committee (e.g. Finance, Endowment, Committee on Ministries, Personnel, etc.).  One caveat -  you have to be a member for at least 30 days before the Annual Meeting to vote at that meeting  - so if you aren't a member yet, you have until May 7th to actually sign the Membership Book!  (Be sure to leave enough time to make an appointment with Rev. Sasha or me so we don't miss the deadline!) A Member in Good Standing  means any Member who has made a financial pledge to the Fellowship which has been paid current, or who has received a waiver from the Minister. Pledges don't have to be huge to matter (though we greatly appreciate generosity, especially in our operating budget ! ). So, prepare for the Annual Meeting in June by making sure you are a member and are up to date on pledging support for our operating budget - which is especially easy right now as our annual Generosity Campaign (formerly called the Annual Budget Drive) gets under way! New member interest meetings occur monthly.  Contact the Welcoming table or Rev. Sasha, or email Board@muuf.org for more info! Purpose and Affirmations of our Bylaws: ARTICLE II – Purpose and Affirmations SECTION A – Purpose The purpose of this Fellowship is to promote the fellowship of those who, because of belief in human dignity, or reverence for God, or adherence to the teaching of the great spiritual leaders, or for other reasons esteemed by the individual conscience, are dedicated to fostering liberal religious attitudes and living; and to further the following principles: Individual freedom of belief, discipleship to advancing truth, the democratic process in human relations and recognition of the bond that joins all people. SECTION B – Affirmation We welcome all those who seek to share our Fellowship’s purpose and the Principles of Unitarian Universalism. In all of our activities we encourage the full participation of everyone without regard to race, class, color, religious background, sex, age, culture, national origin, political affiliation, marital status, sexual preference, gender identity or expression, disability, or any category protected by state or federal law, and shall not countenance discrimination by the Fellowship or its agents against any individual or group based on their identity or membership in the foregoing categories.

The time is now upon us! Beginning on Sunday, March 29th - we bid thee, join us in support of our Annual Generosity Campaign—our most “... precious… ” Pledge Quest for the year ahead! A new Age is dawning in the Shire of Morristown—and though shadows lengthen and the road before us may seem uncertain, our Unitarian Universalist congregation shall shine as a steadfast beacon of hope, compassion, and justice. As the Fellowship in the Middle-earth tales of old, so are we called to rise as one, heeding the summons to bear light, love, and courage into our realm in need. Our budget target this year is $519,000 - a hearty and courageous sum! For this is the season when our Board of Trustees, staff, and devoted committees labor with care and purpose to forge the plans for the coming Fellowship Year. Yet even the sagest counsels and most careful designs cannot be brought to life without thee. It is thy generous pledge that sustains our shared mission, a vital force that keeps our Fellowship a welcoming haven, and carries our good work far beyond the bounds of our halls. To meet our annual budget, w e ask that you please be as generous as you can to help us meet our 2026-2027 Pledge goal, as your support will help cover critical Fellowship needs, including: Budgeting for a Rental Coordinator to assist with the rentals of our hallowed halls. Increasing our staff salaries and hours to better align with inflation and the rising cost of living in our Shire, and meet our Fellowship’s needs. Cover the interest payments for the Construction Loan one-year extension with our Operating Budget. We welcome you this Sunday, March 29th to tarry after the service - to partake in hearty fare and flowing drink, to make merry in celebration of the campaign’s beginning, and to claim thy pledge scrolls for the journey ahead. Thy offering shall uphold the essential labors of our Fellowship, and we humbly call upon each to make an investment in our shared future, that the strength and spirit may endure through the ages. Should any questions trouble thy mind, thou mayest send word to Tim Davis at tdavis@muuf.org , or to Katy Julich at accounting@muuf.org , and they shall answer with all due haste. In Fellowship, Tim Davis Trustee Hobbit at Large

Finding your spiritual home should feel like coming home to a group of friends. If you’ve been looking for a way to dive deeper into our community but aren't sure where to start, we invite your whole family to join us for Starting Point . Starting Point is a relaxed, four-session gathering designed specifically for those looking to build authentic connections. We’ve reimagined this experience to focus on what matters most: sharing our stories and finding our people. What to Expect Throughout our time together, we’ll explore the Unitarian Universalist journey by listening to one another’s "spiritual roadmaps." It’s a space for deep conversation and "small circle" ministry, where the goal is simply to discover how we can support each other and where your personal path might lead next. We’ve Simplified the Logistics We know that staying after the service can make for a long Sunday, especially for busy families. To make it as easy as possible for you to fully engage, we’re taking care of the details: Lunch is on us:  We will coordinate a delicious meal for everyone at every session. Childcare provided:  Free, professional childcare is available on-site so you can focus on conversation while your kids are in great hands nearby. Save the Dates We will meet from 12:30 PM – 2:30 PM  on the following Sundays: April 12:  Your Journey April 19:  The Unitarian Universalist Journey April 26:  Our Journey Together (Part 1) May 3:  Our Journey Together (Part 2) Whether you are brand new or have been sitting in the pews for a while and are ready to find a smaller circle of friends, there is a seat at the table for you. For more information or to ask any questions, please contact Nick at nwallwork@muuf.org