We have been offered a discount from the installer who is installer the solar panels on Chu Hall. Now is a great opportunity to explore going solar – either on your home, or with community solar. Let’s go solar together. Sign up HERE or visit us this Sunday after church to learn more. Questions? Email Green Earth Ministries member Dori Wolfe .

For many years now members of the LGBTQ+ community have faced fear, intimidation, discrimination and hate. They have been looked down on because of their sexual preferences and who they love. From the stonewall riots to the AIDs panic of the 80s to the Marraige Equality fight of the 2000s and 2010s. They have been kick out of their homes, assaulted and murdered, and made victim of many politicians smear campaigns. In the last few months have seen these attacks, verbally and physically rise.  This is increasingly so for transgender and non-binary people.  As I have watched from a place of straight, cisgendered (and white male) privilege, and as someone who feels called to love everyone, especially those who are vulnerable, it has been hard for me to stand by. I, like many of you, vacillate between sadness and anger. (And I know that it is nothing that folks who are at the receiving end of such hate and lies feel.) But what can I or people in my situation do to help folks? There seems to be tremendous barriers in place to effecting large systemic changes. So we can look for small ways to help.  I have been privileged to have been called by this congregation to be its Director of Lifespan Religious Education. And this congregation has placed itself in this building and through a long and difficult process added to it. This space that we occupy has some amazing benefits. It’s location allows for us to keep protestors at a distance. The new building is large and welcoming. The bathrooms create a safe space for all people to use the facilities (more on this in a bit). And it is filled with loving, welcoming, justice minded people.  So what can I do in these times? What can you do? We can create a space that is safe for members of the LGBTQ+ community. Just as you did over 50 years ago, when you invited the Gay Activist Alliance in Morris County (GAAMC) into your building (among some protest of individual members). So let us open up this home of ours as a safe space. While every event we hold here at the Fellowship is a safe space, there are several events coming up specifically for members of the LGBTQ+ community and its allies.  First there is all that GAAMC is doing both inside and outside our walls.  March 17, 6 pm: St. Patrick’s Day March 24, 6pm: The Florham Park Diner March 31, 6pm: The Joys of Spring The Folk Project, who has been organizing folk music concerts at the Fellowship for years, is hosting drag performer Flamy Grant on June 27th . We will again be hosting Drag Bingo on Friday, April 4th , Saturday, May 31st and June 13th . These events are super fun and our wonderful drag performer, Very Gerry keeps it flowing with audience participation, live vocals, and corny jokes. This time, they will be bringing some friends! We are also hosting a Queer Mixer & Movie Club on March 28th, April 25, and May 16. It is an evening of CULT, CAMP & COLORFUL MOVIES and a fabulous Queer Mixer with good vibes, board games, cool music, snacks and coffee! Because we are creating a safe and HOSPITABLE space, if anyone would like to donate some baked goods or other treats, please reach out to me . We are also currently in discussions with NJ Queer and Trans Makers Market and Garden State Equality to host a Market here on April 27th. In our discussions they have specifically cited our all gender bathrooms as a reason they would like to be here. Save the date. More information to come.  Lastly (for now) we will be kicking of Pride Month with an all ages drag event on May 31st featuring Very Gerry and several of their friends. As many of you remember, we will need a lot of help for this event. If you are interested in being on a planning team, let me know.  There is certainly a lot going on. It is my hope that we can continue to be a safe space for all people, but in these times, especially queer people.  WHO’S WITH ME!

Our recent building expansion has dramatically opened up the number of highly-accessible rooms on our first floor. Over the past several months, we’ve been growing into this new space and experiencing all of the new things we can do with those rooms. In particular, a number of the groups that used to meet in rooms in our existing mansion have excitedly moved to our new rooms A and B, and it’s no wonder they have – these new spaces feature rearrangeable furniture, climate control, adjustable blinds, and integrated technology for hybrid meetings. At the same time, as we welcomed Rev. Sasha into our congregation last year, the first floor Parlor room returned to being our resident minister’s office. This space previously served as a ‘quiet space’ for folks to watch the service on Sunday mornings, while our Library served as the ‘vocal space’ for our young and young-at-heart members. This arrangement involved condensing those two spaces into one – and especially as we’ve welcomed a number of new members into our congregation over these past few months, the Library has gotten quite full on Sunday mornings! While all of that has been happening, the Dining Room, which sits directly opposite of the Library as you make your way in and out of our Sanctuary, has actually seen a reduction in use. On Sunday mornings, while we used to hold Coffee Hour in the Dining Room or Terrace Room depending on the day, we’ve now moved to exclusively hosting it in our new Chu Family Hall. The Dining Room and Library both have a number of issues, some that have pushed groups out of them and some that are troubling the groups that still meet in them. The Dining Room has very few electrical outlets – in fact, it only has four outlets, all near the fireplace, and two are on light switches. This means that folks who want to use the room as a meeting space and expect to be able to bring a laptop with them might have trouble plugging in a charger.  The Library also has its own fair share of issues. On top of being an already dark room, since it sits on the western side of the building, very little light manages to make it through its windows on Sunday mornings. By contrast, it has far more electrical outlets… but that’s actually a problem, since it hosts so many little ones on Sundays that all of them have to have socket covers. Faced with the issue of an overflowing Library and an unused Dining Room on Sunday mornings, an idea has formed between both staff and members to try an experiment. We’d like to try swapping the furniture between both rooms. We would turn the Dining Room into more of a Family Room with a small table with chairs, plenty of comfortable seating, and a TV for watching the live service and for use in meetings. Meanwhile, the Library would become a place for quieter meetings, keeping its TV but centering the dining table in the middle, acting almost like a study room. No matter where you sit around the central table, you’ll have an outlet nearby for your laptop. Folks would be able to stretch their legs in the new Family Room on Sunday mornings, and if they need a quieter space, the refreshed Library would feel similar to how the Parlor did last year. LIBRARY FAMILY ROOM The more we thought about this relatively simple swap, the more it felt like the solution was right in front of us this whole time, and we just hadn’t seen it. We’ve reached out to almost every group that utilizes each space, and the feedback we’ve gotten so far has been extremely favorable towards the change – so much so, that we’re planning to trial it starting this coming Sunday, March 9. We recognize that these are very important spaces for our members, with quite literally decades of experiences shared within them. While this feels ‘right’ to us, it may not feel ‘right’ to you, and we respect and honor that history. To that end, we’d like to gather feedback from our members – your thoughts on this change before it actually goes into effect, as well as your thoughts on this change after you’ve had the chance to experience it for a few weeks. We’ve opened up a Google Form where you can submit your thoughts . This Form will stop accepting responses on Sunday, March 9, as it serves to capture everyone’s thoughts before this change goes into effect. We’ll be sharing a new Form with our Weekly Newsletter on Wednesday, March 12 where we’ll be asking for your thoughts on the new spaces once you’ve had the chance to try them out yourself.

Last Sunday, Steve Parker, Danelle Simonelli, and Joan Belz offered an informative, moving, and challenging service about this history of our building, the people who occupied it, and how we can inhabit the space today. If you are interested in learning more about the history of our building, Steve Rice put together this Brief History of Ouur Home . It has some great photos and information about the space before it was our home. There are also printed copies of this information at the Welcome Table in the Great Hall.

The easiest way to advocate – 1st Friday Action Hour – is online March 7 at noon.  As usual, if you can’t participate at that time, you can do so at your leisure any time afterwards.   Remember to fill in the form to report your participation.  Join us!

We are excited to offer a range of enriching programs for your children this Spring! Our Whole Lives (OWL) program provides Kindergarten and 1st Graders with a foundation in respect and compassion while exploring their feelings about themselves and others. For 2nd and 3rd Graders, the Age of Reason program fosters critical thinking, emotional intelligence, and a strong sense of self through art, reflection, and discussion. Finally, our Science and Spirituality program invites 4th and 5th Graders to delve into the fascinating relationship between science and Unitarian Universalist beliefs. We believe that these programs offer valuable opportunities for your children to grow and learn in a supportive and engaging environment. We encourage you to register your child today and join us for a Spring filled with discovery and connection! If you have any questions or need assistance with registration or otherwise, please feel free to reach out to our Director of Religious Education, Nick Wallwork . Pre-K Soul Matters What: This Pre-K class will help children explore their spiritual and emotional development through the Soul Matters curriculum. Each week, we will focus on a different theme, such as love, joy, peace, and hope. Children will engage in a variety of activities, including stories, songs, crafts, and games, all designed to help them learn about and experience these important qualities. Who: 3-5 years old When: Sundays until May 18th Our Whole Lives (OWL) for Kindergarten and 1st Grades A quick note on OWL, there are some changes to what was previously shared. This Session of OWL is for Kindergarten and 1st Grades . And the Parent meeting has been moved to this Sunday March 9th. We are sorry for any confusion or inconvenience.  What: A program that teaches caring, compassion, respect, and justice, while helping children identify their feelings about themselves and others’ sexuality. Who: Children in Kindergarten and 1st Grade Teachers: Caroline Blanchard & Bruce Meyers When: Parents Meeting: March 9th at 11:30 am Classes: March 23, 30, April 6, 13, 27, May 4, 11, 18 – 11:30 am to 12:30 pm Commitment: All Parents must attend the parent meeting. Class participation is highly recommended. Registration: Please click here . Cost: $40/$80/$100. The $40 option is subsidized. If you are experiencing a financial burden, please reach out to Nick or Sasha for assistance. What if my child is not of OWL age or I do not wish for them to participate?: Children younger than class age will continue to have their regular Sunday Morning RE Class. Children in Kindergarten and 1st Grade who are not participating will have a class led by our other RE teachers during the same time, which will continue with our regular curriculum. The Age of Reason What: A program designed to celebrate 2nd and 3rd graders growing up and to create a safe space for them to explore and express themselves. Activities include art, family reflection exercises, poetry, mindful play, and discussions about Unitarian Universalism. Who: 2nd and 3rd Graders Dates: April 6th – May 18th What kids will get out of it: Critical thinking, Questioning, Unique perspectives, Curiosity, Emotional smarts, Social awareness Family Involvement: Reflecting on family experiences, Sharing thoughts and feelings with loved ones, Closer family bonds, Support network for growth Big Finish: Flower Communion Service on June 1st honors kids, celebrates being unique and helping out the community, connects kids with spiritual heritage, makes kids feel like they belong in the Unitarian Universalist community Register: muuf.org/events/the-age-of-reason Science and Spirituality What : This program dives right into how science and Unitarian Universalist beliefs fit together. We’ll explore how these two big ideas can work together and sometimes even challenge each other.. Who : 4th and 5th Graders Teachers : Nan Perigo and Kendall Martin  When : April 27 – May 18 Register: muuf.org/events/science-and-spirituality

A big thank you to Rev. Sasha Ostrom and Nick Wallwork for presenting at the quarterly Network meeting speaking to and answering questions about Fellowship communications. Rev. Sasha is, by policy, responsible for our communications. Our staff, Rev. Sasha Ostrom, Nick Wallwork, Katy Julich and Alex West, have been working hard to update and streamline our current capabilities while also looking towards future enhancements.  Our current communications channels include:  Weekly newsletter Website updates Pulpit announcements Order of Service Presentation slides during services Digital displays in our building Social Media Posts ex. YouTube, Facebook… In order to streamline the sharing of information across these channels staff has implemented improvements including: A new streamlined process for newsletter submissions through a website form , making it easier for members to share news and events . Updating up our website with a new color scheme and branding and making the landing page more visitor friendly adding photos as appropriate and available Prioritizing website updates to ensure fresh, engaging content Limiting pulpit announcements to 2-4 items focusing on immediate upcoming events Do you have something to share? Newsletter submissions can be uploaded to the website or sent to newsletter@muuf.org . For Sunday pulpit announcements, please email Rev. Sasha by noon on Wednesday. Looking Ahead, plans are underway to form a Communications Team this summer to help expand our reach and better serve all members of our community. Staff is mindful that different members prefer different communication methods – from print to digital – and are working to find the right balance to serve everyone effectively.  Enhancements being looked into include: Building a new website to improve user experience Exploring an internal community platform similar to Facebook for member connections Not all communication is written or verbal. Our staff is also pursuing continued refinement of physical spaces to make them more appealing to members and visitors taking into consideration ambient design and atmospherics. An important part of the continuing evolution of communication at our spiritual home is your feedback. Staff would like to know how you stay connected. What social media platforms and communication tools do you currently use to learn about events and stay connected with communities? Some platforms mentioned in our recent discussion include: Meetup, Patch, Facebook, Discord, Local podcasts, Substack and Patreon. You can email Nick Wallwork with your favorite ways to stay connected. He’s also happy to answer questions about the newsletter.  Get involved. Take a look at our updated website. Submit an article for the newsletter. Check out all the happenings on the monitors around the building. Talk to each other. Enjoy our community and all it has to offer.

We are excited to introduce a new service element on Sunday mornings aimed at enhancing our worship experience: “Minutes for Ministries.” As you may know, Rev. Sasha occasionally faces the challenge of fitting a full sermon into our services while also accommodating announcements. To address this, we recently tried to limit the number of announcements at the beginning of our services, keeping them short and sweet to keep our services to under an hour and make our worship experience more newcomer-friendly. Research indicates that long announcements can drive away newcomers, especially younger folks. However, we understand that some members feel they don’t have adequate access to the pulpit to share all the great events and activities happening within our Fellowship. While larger and younger congregations often exclude announcements from services entirely and rely on e-newsletters to keep everyone informed, we recognize that our small congregation and older membership have unique needs. Therefore, we will be experimenting with a potential solution over the next few weeks: “Minutes for Ministries.” This special section of our worship service will take place right after the Benediction, where all announcements unrelated to the morning’s worship experience will be made. Rev. Sasha encountered it at a neighboring congregation recently and thought that it might be a good fit for our community as well. This week, our Worship Associate will deliver the morning’s announcements from the pulpit to get us started and model what this new part of the service might look like. In future weeks, we will open the floor, allowing all members who wish to make announcements a minute to speak from the pulpit. Our hope is that this will foster a more spiritual atmosphere throughout the service, provide adequate time for the sermon, and still allow sufficient time for announcements. Our hope is that services will still end on time if people delivering announcements are mindful about staying within a 1-minute time frame. However, members are welcome to leave the Meeting Room if the announcements run beyond 11:00 a.m. or if they prefer to keep up to date via our Fellowship publications. That being said, we ask if you do choose to depart during that time, that you be extra diligent about reading the announcements in our e-newsletter and order of service and that you depart the Meeting Room quietly to avoid disrupting others By moving announcements closer to the end of the service, we aim to create a more welcoming environment for newcomers, young families, and older members alike and ensure that information about activities happening that day remains fresh in everyone’s minds. Out of respect for your fellow members, we kindly ask that you refrain from talking during the announcements and, if you are giving an announcement, to embrace the spirit of “Minutes for Ministries” by keeping your announcement to one minute or less. Additionally, please limit your announcements to information about Fellowship events and activities; this is not a space for general announcements about events in the wider community (unless the Fellowship is participating in those events.) Finally, we value your feedback and encourage you to share your thoughts with Rev. Sasha after we’ve had a chance to try out this new process a bit. Let’s give it a try and see how it enhances our worship experience!

Days for Girls Period kit makers,  gathered in a sunny new classroom in the Gateways building Monday morning.  We sewed, we serged, we traced, pinned , ironed and clipped. There is a job for everyone with the goal of making these string bag kits that hold all a girl needs during her period to stay in school, or a woman who can’t afford period products. We send these to women’s  shelters or anywhere they will help girls stay in school. For more info contact Diana Hart We meet the last Monday of the month .

Hello from the kitchen, Saturday, February 1st, twelve of us rolled up our sleeves, donned our caps and sharpened our knives, to do the first “Green Aprons” training in the Gateways commercial kitchen. There were all levels of experience, but most importantly, an eagerness to learn. Chef Diana Hart  led basic demos, kitchen safety rules, knife skills, how to best cut and onion and coffee making machine demo. All participated in prepping three giant pots of soup and a big batch of cornbread that we all enjoyed for lunch. We also served  the soup at “Soup-er Sunday”. Yes it was way more than a coffee hour with Lisa Hatala’s beautiful sour dough bread and wonderful  sweet treats to boot. Setting up chafing dishes for the soup was a part of the training as well as using the 3-part dishwashing system, that keeps us safe and contaminant free. Helene Ferm demonstrated the lighting of the gas range pilots and using the fan and Ansel fire extinguishing system. Tim Davis and Ken Nemeth filled in with tips , encouragement and  delightful stories. Would you like to become a “Green Apron” trainee? The Sat sessions are  the first Sat of the Month and “Soup-er Sunday ” the first Sunday of the month. We have a training this Saturday at 10am.  Please sign-up as we only take (10) trainees per session.

Planted Society ’s Eat for Impact initiative is happening in Morristown during March. Ten local restaurants will feature new, earth-friendly specials throughout the month. The purpose is to help restaurants and communities embrace sustainable food choices and lower their climate emissions. This is a good opportunity to enjoy plant-based dining and have fun with friends. Join members of Green Earth Ministry for lunch on Sunday, March 16. Sign up in Chu Hall during coffee hour on March 9., or form your own group to choose a restaurant and schedule a lunch or dinner in Morristown in March.

Mar 3, 6 pm :  Adult Mad Libs: We will be playing the pride version of Adult Mad Libs.  For those unfamiliar with this game, a “reader” asks everyone else (the “writers”) to supply words to fill in blanks in a document (known to the reader but not the writers).  The results can be hilarious.  Titles include “Cubs and Otters and Bears, Oh My!”,  “Lesbian Potluck: A Menu”, and “Gay Beach Body Guide.”  For a change of pace, we may also test our knowledge of Queer Trivia.  Come prepared to have fun and perhaps to think a bit. Mar 10, 6 pm: The Joys of March:  Come to GAAMC’s “Joys of March” to learn more historical information about the third month’s events, including Daylight Savings time, Ash Wednesday, International Women’s Day & the first day of Spring. Mar 17, 6 pm: St. Patrick’s Day:  Come join us as we celebrate this festive day.  Wear some green clothes and enjoy a piece of St Paddy’s cake! Mar 24, 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, March 21,  to Gordon Sauer at president@gaamc.org .   Mar 31, 6pm: The Joys of Spring:   Come join us when we talk about Spring and what we love about it.   We’ll also discuss the changing of the seasons, our favorite season, and our plans for the warmer months. Refreshments are served at meetings, and a small donation is requested of attendees.