Immigration Actions On July 13, Reverend Sasha and members of our congregation's Justice Team joined with UU clergy from around the country in a day of song and protest that culminated in front of Delaney Hall in Newark. During the program, we learned that ICE had killed another person. The killing took place that morning in Maine, bringing home to us the cruelty of the current US deportation program. It was yet another reminder of how ICE’s actions are diametrically opposed to our UU values. To learn about upcoming immigration actions, ask justice@muuf.org to send you its weekly email message. Every week, Judie Romano posts information on REALM to inform us of issues affecting our state and country and actions we can take. Connect on Zoom for UUFaith Action NJ’s Action Hour every Friday at noon. See the power of our faith at work to shape legislation in Trenton and Washington. In July the Green Earth Ministry hosted a discussion about the documentary film 8 Billion Angels, which illustrates problems caused by overpopulation and resource depletion around the world. The film can be viewed at 8BillionAngels.org. An Environmental Justice page for our congregation’s website is in progress. Meanwhile, to learn about the Green Earth Ministry's contact gem@muuf.org. The Social Justice page on our congregation’s website is in the midst of a refresh. The current version can be viewed here. Fall Justice Initiatives Food Drive - We will soon announce the details of our Food Drive, which will kick off this September. Not only can you donate food, there will be opportunities to donate time and money, too. When many people are losing SNAP benefits, we should do what we can to help alleviate food insecurity. Brief Resumption of Used Sneaker Collection - Green Earth Ministry will collect used sneakers for recycling during the first part of September. Labeled collection bins will be in the Great Hall and outside Chu Hall. Further details will be in the Weekly Update. Save the Date: Saturday October 10 - We will be hosting a full slate of events just 3.5 weeks before the mid-term elections. Details are forthcoming, but the day will include post card writing, a movie, and so much more. UUSC Sermon - On November 11th, Reverend Laura Randall from the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee will be leading our Sunday Service. UUSC addresses the core causes of injustice by partnering with local communities, amplifying their voices, and advocating for institutional and systematic changes. To learn more, visit uusc.org

In July, the Sunday Plate collected $875 for the selected organizations. These funds were distributed to BLUU (Black Lives Matter UU), UU Faith Action NJ, Family Promise, and First Friends. Thank you for your continued generosity and support of these organizaitons!

Last spring, a group of our middle schoolers was hanging out, chatting about their latest reads (probably something from Heartstopper!), and thought: Why not start a book club? With the help of a few wonderful adults, they’ve been meeting monthly ever since. Along the way, plenty of adults mentioned how great their book choices looked and wished there was a YA book club for grownups, too. While our middle schoolers love having their own space, they’re excited to open the door and invite adults to join them on occasion! This summer, they’ve been reading Judy Blume’s classic, Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret—and they want to dive into the discussion with you. Parents of Little Ones, want to explore early-adolescent anxieties without worrying about childcare? We've got you covered—just sign up in advance! Whether you’re revisiting this timeless favorite years later or discovering it for the first time, you won't want to miss this engaging, multi-generational conversation.

As announced in last week's newsletter, MUUF Alum Sarah Matsushima is joining 2 young friends in producing the show, "Battle of the Siblings" in Times Square in NYC on Thursday, August 6th at 7pm. Details from last week are here! NEW ANNOUNCEMENT: If you can't go in person to NYC, you can also buy a livestream link to watch live at home! It's $25 plus fees. Click the "Buy Tickets" link here and scroll to the bottom, then click on "Venue Stream." For the second outing, Edgar Allan Poe Speakeasy at Bound Brook at Alley 14, the Thursday and Friday shows were already sold out so we have chosen Saturday at 2pm for our group outing! I got two extra tickets so reach out before you buy your own! And yes - the custom Poe cocktails are included for the $55 price of your ticket! Contact me at sloe@muuf.org to learn more. You may also register below for both outings!

On the same Sunday that MUUF was having our Animal Blessing, our Partner Church in Sinfalva, Romania (Transylvania) was having their annual Blessing of the Wheat ceremony. I was notified of this event by Csongor Pálfi, the elder son of the retired minister of Sinfalva, Rev. Dénes Pálfi. The photo above shows a sheaf or bundle of wheat tied with a red-green-white ribbon, which are the colors of the Hungarian flag. (The Romanian flag is Red, Blue, Yellow) Here is a link to a Facebook posting about the event, in Hungarian of course. Below is a gallery of related photos - click or hover on them to learn more!

With 18 of us signing up for HMS Pinafore a couple of weeks ago, I thought we should create an informal MUUF program for more outings to artsy things! First up: August 6th at 7pm in NYC, The Green Room at Yotel Times Square, 570 Tenth Avenue at West 42nd Street. NO AGE RESTRICTION As it happens, daughter Sarah Bernadette Matsushima is co-hosting and appearing in a new, original variety show, “Battle of the Siblings”, in NYC on Thursday, August 6 at The Green Room 42 venue at the Times Square Yotel. (The very impressive bios for the producer/performers are at the end of this article.) Her co-hosts and fellow performers are talented siblings Jerrick and MacKenzie Cavagnaro. Here are some samplings of their lovely musical silliness: Jerrick and Mackenzie performing “Siblings,” a riff on “Sisters” from White Christmas: And for those of you who don’t know Sarah, here’s a clip from her and Jerrick’s concert at the Fellowship, the duet “I’d Do It All For You. ” The concert was called “Arias and Art Songs,” and took place on May 20, 2018 as a fundraiser for the revamp of Room 100. Look for newly arrived Stearns Matthews as featured page turner! About the Show "Who's Mom's favorite?" Musical Comedienne Mackenzie Cavagnaro seeks to answer the age-old question in her original production, "Battle of the Siblings!" featuring her real-life brother, organist, pianist, and vocalist Jerrick Cavagnaro. Come ready for a hilarious evening of cabaret, sketches, and musical improv! Also featuring vocalist and co-producer Sarah Bernadette Matsushima. Duration 75 Minutes. If you want to know more, check out this link, where you can also buy tickets starting at $19, or email me at sloe@muuf.org. The venue offers food and drink. There are roundtrip direct NJTransit trains from Morristown, Lyons and Summit. You could also drive – we can see about carpooling to the station or to NYC. ACTION REQUIRED: Buy your tickets on the site but then make it official that you are coming by registering below! Next: August 13-15 – Edgar Allan Poe Speakeasy, Bound Brook NJ, at Alley 14, 13 John Street in Bound Brook (must be 21) I don’t know anyone associated with this national touring company, but the reviews are great and it combines poetry, drama and specialist Cocktails for each of four Poe Favorites! Selfishly, I can’t always find a poetry lover to go to things like this, but I know you are out there, MUUF poetry lovers! Preview of the Poe Works and the craft cocktail that will go with: Tale 1: The Pit and the Pendulum – Paired with the Swing of Fate Tale 2: Cask of Amontillado– Paired with the Montresor’s Revenge Tale 3: Annabel Lee – Paired with the Lover’s Lament Tale 4: The Fall of the House of Usher – Paired with the Roderick’s Ruin Dinner and non-alcoholic drinks are also available. Here is the link to learn more and get your tickets (starting at $55). ACTION REQUIRED: Once again please also sign up below so we know how many MUUF folk are coming. In your signup, please vote between the available dates so we can plan to include everyone! COMING NEXT???? YOUR IDEAS HERE!!! I invite each of you to come up with some outings for the fall! Please email me sloe@muuf.org or call me at my number in REALM. I’d love to see this take off! Biographical notes: Mackenzie Cavagnaro, the main author of the August 6 variety show, is a recent graduate of New York University's Tisch School of the Arts where she earned her BFA in Drama at the Stella Adler Studio of Acting and the Experimental Theatre Wing. She has taught Improv and served as the Assistant Director for the Comedy Ensemble at Traveling Players Ensemble in Tysons, Virginia. With a passion for bringing theatre education to kids of all ages and backgrounds, she has also worked as an assistant drama teacher at the High School of Economics and Finance in New York City, as well as a Music Theatre Teacher at the Summer Onstage Camp at Ady Art Center in Livingston, New Jersey. She loves all things comedy and improv and is very excited to bring her first original variety show to the NY Stage with help from Sarah and Jerrick! Sarah Matsushima has a Graduate Diploma and a Masters from New England Conservatory and a Bachelor of Arts in Vocal Performance and Composition from Berklee College of Music. She has worked with Kathleen Flynn, Dominique Eade, Cristi Catt, and Grammy-winner Cecile McLorin Salvant, whom she considers one of her biggest musical inspirations. Sarah’s music is available on all streaming services under the name Sarah Bernadette, including her most recent releases: “sad poems on my phone” and her debut album, “New Leaves.” Jerrick Cavagnaro is a graduate of the Yale School of Music and the Yale Institute of Sacred Music, where he obtained a master’s degree in organ performance studying under Jon Laukvik and Thomas Murray. He earned a bachelor’s degree at Westminster Choir College in sacred music and organ performance studying under Alan Morrison. A native of New Jersey, Jerrick currently serves as the Associate Director of Music at Trinity Episcopal Church (Copley Square) in Boston, MA. In 2024, Jerrick won first prize in the American Guild of Organists National Competition in Organ Improvisation. He released his debut solo album, Firm Foundations, in the summer of 2025 featuring several improvisations and repertoire recorded at Trinity Copley Square in Boston. Also an active composer, Jerrick’s choral music has been performed by choirs around the globe and was recently featured in Oxford University Press’ latest edition of Carols for Choirs 6.

If you are missing a jacket or a reuseable water bottle, please check out the Lost and Found table in the Welcome Gallery for them! All unclaimed items will be donated next week.

Join us this Sunday, July 19, for our Animal Blessing service as we celebrate the love our animal companions bring into our lives. Whether furry, feathered, scaled, or even stuffed, each pet holds a special place in our spiritual community. Animals are welcome in-person if leashed or in carriers and able to remain peaceful in the presence of other animals and people. If you would like a blessing for a pet who does better from the safety and comfort of home, please bring a photo, and you can also email one to Alex West, our AV Director, by Friday night. Finally, anyone without pets may bring a favorite stuffed animal for a blessing. We look forward to seeing you there!

The International Community of Unitarians and Universalists is being reconstituted to serve some of the same functions as the Partner Church Council and the old ICUU (International Council of Unitarians and Universalists). This new organization will serve a worldwide community of UUs and Unitarians and Universalists in ways which the UUA doesn't do now. The Partner Church Council (PCC), which arranged partnerships between American and Transylvanian congregations, such as our partner in Sinfalva, Romania, was disbanded in 2021. Similarly, the International Council of Unitarians and Universalists (ICUU) was disbanded that same year. Now the ICUU is being reconstituted, with a slightly different name, the International Community of Unitarians and Universalists (ICUU), to perform some of the same functions as PCC and the old ICUU, but with a different emphasis, and learning from the past. Here is the logo of the new organization: The history of these events can be seen on the new ICUU website along with much other information which explains why it is felt that this initiative is needed now. Here is a 14-minute video and here is a press release describing it. Contact Gabor if you are interested in learning more about this exiting development.

The documentary film 8 Billion Angels begins with a thoughtful reflection by Jane Goodall. Viewers are then taken around the globe to hear the stories of fisherfolk, oceanographers, farmers, and a public health physician. We see how the expanding global population is affecting our health and well-being. The film ends with messages of hope and examples of the benefits of educating and empowering girls and women. 8 Billion Angels was released in 2020 as a 79-minute feature film. PBS broadcast it in a 54-minute classroom edition. The website has links for viewing the two versions on demand. After watching the film at your convenience, join GEM for a discussion on Zoom on Monday, July 13, 7-8 pm. We’ll talk about the documentary and discuss topics such as population trends, reproductive rights, women's empowerment, consumption habits, sustainability, financial systems, and ethical implications. A discussion guide can be downloaded here. For additional information, contact Linda DeLap at ldelap@muuf.org. Register here. You’ll receive a confirmation message with the Zoom link so you can join in the discussion this Monday, July 13, at 7-8 pm.

Join us as we gather, share a meal, and strengthen our community right here in our wonderful space! This year, our beloved Community Sundays will take place monthly, primarily on the first Sunday of the month. Each month features a unique theme, a delicious community-hosted meal, and fun activities designed to bring everyone together. Whether you are coming for the food, the conversations, or the activities, there is a place for you here. We need Your Help Each Sunday already has a theme, but we are open to new ideas. We are looking for two different teams each day. One to be our Masters of Ceremonies. This group will lead activities to help us build community. This can be as simple as providing games and encouraging folks to play or organizing an Easter Egg Hunt. The second role needed for Community Sundays is a Host. This group would work with our Green Aprons to serve and exciting meal for us to share. This can be making soup and sandwiches or coordinating a Thanksgiving Leftover Potluck. AND if your idea can fill both roles, like our Middle School Pancake Breakfast, even better! We will also need Green Aprons to help out in the Kitchen showing folks the intricacies of our commercial kitchen. If you would like to help lead activities or plan and serve the meal, please click here. If you have any questions, please email Nick. Join Us! We can't wait to see you there. To help us plan for food and seating, please let us know you're coming!

Do you love Dungeons & Dragons or are you eager to try it out for the first time? Are you eager to create your own character? While pre-generated character will be available as spots allow, if you plan to participate in Rev. Sasha's D&D-based class and would like to create your own fantasy adventuring character, there are only TWO SPOTS left, so be sure to RSVP now for session 1! You may also reserve your seat now for other sessions of this fun summer class based on the classic tabletop roleplaying game. Ages 10 through 110 are welcome to join Rev. Sasha each Thursday from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM for pizza, collaborative storytelling, and an exploration of our new 6 Values using this fun gaming format. Sign up for all 8 sessions or just for the weeks that you can be there. Drop ins are welcome as space allows, but RSVPs are required if you want a guaranteed spot. The adventure begins Thursday, July 16 and continues through Thursday, September 3, 5:30-7:30 PM. To learn more or to register for one or more sessions, visit our event page.