Table of Hope , committed to improving the quality of life of Morris County families, constructing pathways to economic stability, educational excellence, and holistic well-being.

You may have noticed our website has been undergoing gradual improvements over the past year. These updates aim to better serve our community , including program leaders and our target audiences. We’ve focused on creating a more dynamic site, both in content and functionality. Regularly updated content improves SEO and keeps visitors engaged with relevant information and personal stories. Enhanced functionality streamlines website management, ensuring event date changes reflect across all pages and enabling the efficient creation of our weekly newsletter. We appreciate everyone who has contributed articles or planned events, and utilizing the new forms greatly assists staff while empowering volunteers to share their experiences. However, our current site has reached its limits , prompting the development of a new one. Our AV Director, Alex West, will dedicate the summer to building this from the ground up. The new site will integrate existing technologies, including on-site signage and virtual platforms like REALM and Google Workspace (Drive). Leveraging Project Jumpstart designs and modern styles, the website will embody our congregation’s vibrant spirit. We are excited to have Alex, who intimately understands our needs and identity, lead this project in-house . Our goal is to launch the new site by mid-August , coinciding with the start of our program year. Until then, we have streamlined our current site, focusing on essential information. Nick will continue managing the current website and newsletter until the new site’s launch, at which point Alex will assume responsibility. We will also gather input from various Fellowship groups regarding their specific needs in the near future. Your feedback is crucial during this transition. To organize and ensure we receive all input (avoiding lost emails), we’ve created a form with four questions.  What features or pages do you personally most frequently use on our website, and what features or information do you need but cannot find?  What challenges have you encountered during this past year with using the website or finding information on it?  What ideas do you have for the website that you would like us to consider?  Are you interested in helping manage the website, and if so, what kinds of assistance would you be willing to volunteer? While individual responses may not be possible, all submissions will be read and considered. Please click the button below to share your thoughts. Website Input Form

As we sangha leaders plan what is becoming our annual Summer All Day Insight Meditation Retreat on Saturday, June 28 in Chu Hall at MUUF, we remember with deep gratitude the contribution of Bob Calafiore who passed from this plane on May 24. Bob was a high aspiration to the founding of our MUUF Buddhist Sangha. He contributed energy and enthusiasm to make the dharma available to everyone so that all of us might live with less stress and more love. He was particularly zestful in propagating the value of insight meditation to those who were unfamiliar with its benefits, and he testified persuasively and mightily to the ways in which it had personally transformed his own life. As he reported at the last gathering of our sangha, in a very special dream, he had discovered that “at the bottom of it all, it’s about love.” Wherever exactly your spirit is sailing, Bob, we send you good wind borne from our appreciation, and gratitude for the good karma you have bestowed upon us all. We dedicate our practice at this year’s retreat to you in our gratitude. Signed: Allen, Lisa, Amy and all of us who have learned from Bob a better way of living in this world If you would like to register for the Saturday, June 28 Insight Meditation Retreat, or would like more information, please contact meditation@muuf.org by June 22, 2025.  June 28 Saturday All Day Mindfulness Meditation Retreat EVENT DETAIL

Please join us in warmly welcoming our 11 newest members: Patty Perconti  is a resident of Whippany NJ where she lives with her kind husband and two sons who keep her on her toes. She enjoys traveling, dinner with family and friends and trying to find laughter in each day. Anthony Perconti  is a lifelong resident of the Garden State. He is married to a wonderful (and patient) woman and is the proud father of two young men. Carol Schaeffler Ginny Nielson  has been a resident of Morristownship for 40 plus years.  She has one married son and three grandchildren who live close by and who she loves spending time with.   She also enjoys gardening, singing, reading, and spending time with friends.  Gideon Romann Lauren Coyle returns to MUUF after several years. She and her husband, John cherish time with their sons, daughter,  and grandchildren and travels between Pompton Plains and Summerville, SC. She enjoys gardening, making sewing projects for donations and reading mysteries. John Coyle Rachel Barry  had a Star Wars/Back to the Future wedding and loves reading, writing, drawing, LEGOing, and crafting. She’s worked bookish jobs for 25 years, and presently works for a children’s publisher. She lives in Madison with her husband, Matt, and their three cats. Matt Barry  is a portrait and fine art photographer who spent much of his career in marketing research. Originally from Queens and shaped by his Jewish heritage, he’s passionate about art, creativity, and exploring life’s deeper questions. He finds inspiration in the ideas of Alan Watts and Joseph Campbell, is a lifelong Sherlock Holmes fan, and enjoys the wit of P.G. Wodehouse. He and his wife Rachel are grateful to have found such a thoughtful, welcoming community at UU and look forward to being part of it. Arlise Leiby is a resident of Denville, NJ where she lives with her husband (John Yeung) and 4 year old daughter (Affinity/Fin). She is an Occupational therapist specializing in cognitive health. When she isn’t managing the house, Fin’s activities or her OT practice… Arlise loves to spend time family & friends, photograph, take nature walks, swim and watch sci/fi shows. John Yeung

Have you ever watched your fellow Morristown UU members up there in the pulpit and found yourself thinking, “I’d love to lead a service one day”? If so, we have an exciting opportunity for you. This summer, our July 20th worship service is OPEN to members of the Fellowship who are interested in leading a service. Would you like to preach a sermon? Create a ritual? Lead a pulpit drama? Do an all-dance service? Recruit some of your fellow MUUF members to offer reflections on a topic of your choice? These are all creative options for a summer service that YOU can plan and lead! If you are interested in offering your service on July 20th, please send your proposed service idea to Rev. Sasha.

Here at Morristown UU, it is important to us to have a regular lay presence in our worship services. Members of our Worship Arts Team assist Rev. Sasha with minister-led Sunday services, take turns planning and leading lay-led services, and support periodic guests in the pulpit. We also have a Junior Worship Helpers Team that assists with Sunday worship in a variety of ways. Our Junior Worship Helpers can sign up to light the Chalice, lead us in our Affirmation, help lead hymns, assist with rituals and other activities in the service, and even help tell stories during the Time for All Ages. They also assist with worship as ushers and greeters. If you are 15 years or older and would like to join the Worship Arts Team, or if your child under the age of 15 would like to join the Junior Worship Helpers Team, please reach out to Rev. Sasha to express your interest! New Junior Worship Helpers can begin assisting in services immediately, and new members of the Worship Arts Team will join us in supporting Sunday worship beginning in the fall. A regular meeting time for our Worship Arts Team will be determined in the fall with the input of all of our team members to find as mutually-convenient a time as possible for us to connect and collaborate on worship. If you love Sunday worship, please consider this exciting opportunity!

Below is the Fellowship’s Income Statement as of May 31, 2025 along with the major fund balances. The monthly income statements and balance sheets are available in REALM. If you need directions to access these, reach out to Katy at admin@muuf.org. As of 5/31/2025 YTD Actual YTD Budget Full Year Budget Operating Budget Income Statement Total Donation Income 452,930.82 438,262.00 478,104.00 Total Fundraiser Income 39,025.13 29,333.33 32,000.00 Total Rental Income 69,555.78 57,915.01 63,180.00 Total Other Income 12,465.50 17,255.33 18,824.00 Total Revenues 573,977.23 542,765.67 592,108.00 Total Payroll and Benefits 333,523.62 358,779.72 391,396.00 Total Building Expenses 100,251.95 95,424.97 104,100.00 Total Other Expense 99,032.50 95,400.28 104,073.00 Total Expenses 532,808.07 549,604.97 599,569.00 Net Total 41,169.16 -6,839.30 -7,461.00 Balances Ops Budget Available Balance 99,245.95 Ops Budget Pledges Receivable 27,387.43 Endowment 579,592.46 as of 3/31 DRWW Pledges Receivable 910,444.00 Construction Loan Balance 1,194,000.00 Capital Campaign will continue to pay the monthly interest on the construction loan

A leader in the fight against hunger throughout Morris County.

LIAISON’S CORNER MUUF was well represented at the UU Faith Aaction NJ annual meeting held on Saturday, May 31.  Kudos to the task forces for their excellent presentations at the event and for their perseverance in fighting for our rights.  All the task forces are looking for more people to help them keep New Jersey a “safe” state.  If you feel that you might be interested in this work, you can check out one or more of the task forces without obligation.  The task forces that are presently active are Criminal Justice, Immigration Justice, Environmental Justice, and Reproductive Justice (includes LGBT+ issues).  FIRST FRIDAY ACTION HOUR NEEDS YOU!   In some recent reporting regarding the Immigrant Trust Act (ITA) and the claim from key state legislators that they are not willing to move on the legislation based on Attorney General Matt Platkin’s position. Charles Loflin, UUFANJ’s Executive Director shares that this should raise a number of concerns for this task force for the following reasons. The Attorney General should not be interfering in the legislative process. His role is to enforce the laws passed by the legislature. The underlying rationale that the ITA would be open to challenges that could lead to losing protections from the Immigrant Trust Directive is not only conjecture but contested by our key coalition partners include ACLU New Jersey. The legal basis for the ITA is THE EXACT SAME as the legal basis for the ITD. SHAME on legislative leadership (especially Senate President Scutari) for his negative response to advancing the bill. This is urgently needed protection in this state and the unwillingness of leadership to move forward on this is unacceptable. DOUBLE SHAME on President Scutari for hiding behind AG Platkin’s position on this. Ultimately, it doesn’t matter what the AG thinks about this bill. It is the legislature’s job to legislate. In my opinion, it is past time to get loud and vocal about calling out this legislative body on the issue of the ITA. Politicians are making the mistake of assuming that the ITA is only important to the constituency composed of immigrants. It is our job to make sure these lawmakers understand that this is an issue of far greater importance that includes a MUCH wider constituency. While I KNOW those of you reading this have likely already made multiple calls to your legislators about the ITA, it’s vitally important that we get EVEN LOUDER about our support of the ITA. We will be sharing opportunities for taking further action at this week’s Action Hour . I believe our faith calls us to do everything we can at this important juncture to try to move the ITA forward. This really is an all-hands-on-deck moment.

We have some exciting events coming up as we close out the year. Please take a look. Make sure to RSVP so we can make better plans, so please click on them to sign up. September 2025 21 Sep 10:00 am Meeting Room Sunday Service 21 Sep 11:00 am Chu Family Hall Social Hour 21 Sep 11:30 am Children’s Faith Formation 22 Sep 10:00 am Morristown Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Days For Girls Kit Makers 24 Sep 11:00 am Online Meditation 25 Sep 6:00 pm Children’s Choir 25 Sep 7:00 pm Choir Rehearsal 25 Sep 7:00 pm Family Room Middle School Book Club 26 Sep 10:00 am Online Gentle Yoga 26 - 27 Sep 5:30 pm Murray Grove Retreat Center Magic in the Middle Family Camp 27 Sep 9:00 am Room B Gathering of Men 27 Sep 1:00 pm Chu Family Hall Beth Wilson’s 75th Birthday Celebration! 28 Sep 10:00 am Meeting Room Sunday Service 28 Sep 11:00 am Chu Family Hall Social Hour 28 Sep 11:30 am Children’s Faith Formation 28 Sep 11:30 am Adult Small Groups 28 Sep 12:00 pm The Morristown Green Morristown Festival on the Green 29 Sep 7:00 pm PFLAG Morristown/Morris County

(Please note that all of the examples within this article are pictures of where to find things in your email) We’re so glad you’re connected with us through our weekly emails! We want to make sure you’re getting all the valuable information we share each week. We’ve heard from some of you that you’ve been missing important updates and announcements, and we apologize for any feelings of being left out. The truth is, with so much happening at the Fellwoship, our emails are packed with information! Here’s the thing: most email clients only display a limited number of characters . To make sure you’re seeing everything, be sure to scroll all the way down to the logo at the bottom of the email . If you don’t see the logo, click the “view in browser” link at the top of the email to see the full version. Also, keep an eye out for the “Read more” button within the email. Clicking this will often reveal additional details and links to even more information on our website. Remember, the weekly email is just a summary of what’s happening at MUUF. For the full picture, visit our website: Events: https://muuf.org/calendar/ News: https://muuf.org/news Community Events:  https://muuf.org/calendar/community-events/ Want even more up-to-date information? Check the News section of our website throughout the week for new articles as they’re posted! Sign up for weekly events updates We’re committed to keeping you informed and connected. We hope these tips help you stay in the loop with all the exciting things happening at MUUF! Want to add content to the newsletter? Check out “Tips for Writing Effective Newsletter Articles.” Submit Articles for the Newsletter Add your Event to the Website Calendar of Community Calendar Some Notes About the Newsletter The newsletter is automated and pulls directly from the website. It includes the 10 most recent articles and the 10 most recent upcoming events. You can see all of those here . To ensure an event is featured, please complete the Event Submission Form . For increased visibility, consider writing an article about the event, inviting people to attend, and providing additional details. Event descriptions in the newsletter itself are concise. Articles will only run once in the newsletter. To feature the event again, please submit a new article with different information. Repeated articles will not be published. There is an  Article Submission Form for this purpose. We can not guarantee that information will get into the Newsletter if you email or text us.

The May Sunday Collections distribution was $1,304! These recipient organizations are Morris Mutual, Family Promise, the Great Swamp Watershed Association, and Black Lives Matter Morristown. Your continued generosity is greatly appreciated!